How To: Torrent
About
Before you start torrenting, it’s a great idea to get to know how torrenting works. The process can be daunting for a beginner, so knowing how the system operates is key. Torrenting is a peer-to-peer connection used to share large amounts of data. When sharing a torrent (file, such as a song or video) each user that downloads a file connects to a network, connecting all of the people downloading that same file, to increase the speed and uses less resources from the original host. Once another seeder had downloaded that file, they are then a host for other users to download from, growing the torrent’s network.
When downloading torrents, a user selects a torrent from a website-and opens the tracker with a torrent program (such as uTorrent or Vuze) which is a process much like downloading a regular file. This program then collects the information from a torrent’s tracker, and initiates the downloading of the file.
Terms
It’s important to familiarize yourself with these terms, as they will appear very often when entering the world of torrenting, or diagnosing a problem.
Seed: The most important part when using torrents, a seed or seeder is a person connected to a file’s network, which intern connects them to other seeders to download that file: as apposed to the traditional way of connecting to a single client to download something. When torrenting, a high amount of seeders will usually result in a faster download speed, as more people are available to share the data you’re downloading.
Tracker: A torrent’s tracker is the internal server of a torrent, used to connect all of the users to a torrent. Trackers are mandatory for the creation of a torrent, and are used to update a torrent’s statistics and manage download initiation.
Seeding: Different from a seeder, is the process of uploading data back into a torrent’s network when a user owns a piece of data shared on a torrent’s tracker. Uploading makes torrents possible, by creating new places to download a file from: even if the original host stops the hosting of that file, the torrent can continue being downloaded by downloading that data from other users on that torrent’s network.
Ratio: A user’s ratio is the amount of data downloaded, compared to what they have uploaded. This is usually expressed in a number, by simply dividing what you’ve uploaded by what you’ve downloaded.
Example: If I’ve downloaded 1GIG of data, but only uploaded 512MB, my share ratio is .500, whereas if I’ve downloaded 1GIG, and uploaded 1GIG, my share ratio is 1.0.
It’s very important to keep a good share ratio, for the same reason it’s important to upload data back into a torrent’s network.
Torrent Programs
In order to successfully download a torrent, you must install a program on your system that will know what to do if you download a .torrent file from the web. Here is a list of some common programs:
Each program is different in what in can do, and the requirements for what your system needs. For instance, the program Vuze (formerly Azureus) contains a media player, which requires more space for your computer, and more heavily draws on your system’s resources. (For Windows, I recommend using µTorrent, and Deluge for Linux users) Most programs will also provide a plethora of options, like moving files after they have completed downloading, creating directories or even scheduling. Like I said, shop around to find what program is best for your needs.
Torrent Downloading
Torrent programs only handle the physical downloading of a data file, but when going to find that file to download, it’s up to the user. The most common way of downloading torrent files, is to go to a website dedicated to hosting .torrent files, the kind opened by your torrent program. Some of these sites include:
These sites all host a multitude of torrent files, which are essentially labeled trackers. While every site is important, there a few key points to notice before downloading a .torrent file. First, check the health of a torrent-usually expressed in the colors of a traffic light. Green indicates that torrent is receiving positive data from its users. Accordingly, yellow indicates a lower health, and red indicates a very low health. I recommend only downloading files with a high health, as it will be prone to a lower chance of containing spyware or viruses.
Comments are another detail to take into account when choosing a torrent. Comments can give helpful insight to the torrent’s contents. Torrenters are quick to label torrents as viruses or corrupt, which helps other users greatly. Finally it’s important to notice the amount of seeders on your torrent, in comparison to the size of the torrent. Naturally, more popular torrents will have more seeders-making a download faster. Depending on your download speed, size of the file, and amount of seeders, you’ll quickly learn to gauge how long a torrent will take. However, if you download an entire movie, don’t freak out if it takes more than a day.
System Conflicts
When torrenting, once a user has downloaded a program to manage torrents, network and personal firewalls may conflict with downloading. Because torrenting uses open ports on your computer to access a network, your computer might view this as a threat, and therefor block that program’s access, resulting in slow or no connection speed. (Such as NAT conflicts)
One way to counter-act that, is to allow your torrent program to bypass security blocking from security programs on your computer-which also decreases security. Another important step is to make sure that your router is setup to forward ports correctly, or even consider dedicating a small amount of ports specifically for your torrent program.
Another major conflict is the consumption of system resources on your computer. Torrent programs by nature draw heavily on a system, competing with internet browsers and media players for space usage. If your system is older or low on memory, consider torrenting when you’re not using your system for other things: like computer games or web surfing. Torrenting also consumes a large amount of bandwidth if you’re connecting through a router. Wireless connections on that router can severily decrease in speed and strentgh, so take that into account when torrenting.
Steps
- Familiarize yourself with the terminology and process of torrenting
- Download a torrent program, and install it on your system. Take into account it’s requirements, and find what’s best for you and your system.
- Find your .torrent files on a website, taking note of the torrent’s health, size, seed amount and comments
- Maintain good etiquette by seeding (uploading) your torrents back into the network.
(Please remember Bradley Garwood or Negative Zen is in no way responsible for any negative effects that may occur, and the downloading of copyrighted material)
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Tags: How To, torrent
