What Is a Private Torrent?
Torrents, peer-to-peer file-sharing technologies, enable users to share data such as music or movies online. A private torrent, unlike a public one, is meant to be shared only among BitTorrent clients and users who are members of a given file-sharing community. If you lack the necessary credentials, you won't be able to access the torrent file. Private torrents have many inherent advantages over public torrents, and gaining access to a private torrent community can be a worthwhile endeavor. However, before you join a torrent, public or private, verify that its files are shared legally.
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The Torrent Tracker
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A torrent tracker is a server that BitTorrent clients use to connect users to torrents for download, with either public or private status. When you download a torrent, your BitTorrent client first negotiates a connection to the tracker and then determines the number of seeds available. Seeds are simply other users' computers that contain the files that you are downloading. Once you're connected to seeds, you'll connect to the torrent client less frequently.
Public and Private Torrents
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Like torrent trackers, torrents are either public or private, as are the associated trackers. To download a private torrent, you must have permission from the owner of the private torrent tracker. Once you have a username and password for the site that hosts the private torrent tracker, you can download the private torrent with your BitTorrent client. In contrast, you can download public torrents from public trackers without invitation.
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Benefits of Private Torrents
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You'll find several benefits to downloading private torrents. Most significant, private torrents tend to have more seeds and fewer leeches, users who download files but don't share their own. Because private torrent trackers are exclusive and membership is viewed as a privilege, leeches are typically not tolerated. Because a private torrent likely has more seeds, you will find that it downloads faster. Private torrents are also less likely to be infested with malware for the reasons listed above.
Gaining Admission to Private Torrent Sites
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You may find it difficult to gain admission to a private torrent community. Membership is often strictly controlled to prevent the number of leeches from exceeding the number of seeders. Begin by joining forums that members of private torrent communities frequent. Once there, you can post often, offering advice and useful information to new users. This common practice can eventually lead to an invitation, though you should expect no guarantees. Having a very fast Internet connection can also increase your chances.
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