BitTorrent Basics
The Internet used to be dominated by peer to peer networks like Napster and LimeWire, but a safer and faster way to download files has quickly grown. Known as BitTorrent, users can download all types of media files including video, pictures, music, and e-books. Torrent downloads are catered towards high-speed connections, hard drive space, and basic understanding of how the program works.
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Torrent
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BitTorrent is specifically made to upload and download torrent files. Torrent files are basically links to larger files and data available from users all over the Internet. A torrent file may only be 20 kilobytes, but the downloaded content could be several gigabytes of data. Unlike peer to peer networks, the torrent file is not the actual content, that file just provides the connection to the content.
Seeds
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Torrent files are hosted on websites like Mininova.org and Isohunt.com. The torrents are kept alive by "Seeds" and "Leechers". A "Seed" is a user that hosts the complete file and other users can download from them. "Leechers" are users that only have a partial download of the file and are currently taking data from the seeds. Torrents with the most seeds will generally download faster than those without a lot of seeds. If a file has no seeds, it will be nearly impossible to download and from other users. While searching for torrents, click on the "Seed" link to display the results in order from the most popular seeds to the least popular seeds.
Bad Files
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Just like any download, you will come across fakes, scams, and adware. There are multiple ways to tell if your file is a fake. The easiest way is to check the file's "comment" box on it's hosting page. Users will report quality, download speeds, and whether the file is legit is or not. If there are no comments, look at the file size. A movie will typically be at least 700 megabytes and a TV show could be anywhere from 100 to 600 mb. A CD will range from 20 to 30 megabytes. Other than Ebooks, nothing should be in the kilobyte range. The last way to check if it is a bad file is by seeing the file formats. If the torrent is broken down into dozens of RAR files, this is typically a fake file and users should use caution when downloading them.
Programs
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BitTorrent is the official torrent downloading program. Install the program from their official website and find the first torrent you want to download. Click on the "Download" link and the torrent will automatically start in the BitTorrent program. If the program is not open, it will automatically open. The program provides all of the information about the torrent. See how fast it is downloading, how many seeds and leechers there are, and how long until the download is complete. The default download location is the "My Music" or "My Video" folder, but this can be changed in the "Options" menu. Other torrent downloading programs include Vuze and Limewire. They work the same as Bit Torrent but feature extras like streaming television in Vuze and peer to peer downloads in Limewire.
Trackers
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The main error when downloading files is a "failed tracker connection". Trackers are separate websites that host files to subscribed users. These websites ensure that the downloads will stay hosted properly and keep all of the files legit. Trackers exist for specific downloads including WWE, sports, movies, and music. Sign up for trackers that stay geared towards your interests. Typical sign-ups include basic information and is usually free. Keep your download rate high to stay a member and continue to download files.
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