» LEARN BITTORRENT
If your new to bittorrent. Then have a read of these frequently asked questions...
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Please choose below to jump to the answer.
3. So how is bittorrent different then from other P2P?
6. What is a peer or leeching?
7. Where is the program I use?
8. Why so many clients to choose from?
9. Were do I get the files to download from then?
11. What if i'm behind a fire-wall or router?
12. Why won't my download start?
» What is bittorrent?
Bit = Byte Torrent = A Swift Flowing Stream.
A way of transferring files, using a .torrent file as the catalyst.
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» What is a .torrent file?
Usually this refers to the small metadata file you receive from the web server. Metadata here means that the file contains information about the data you want to download, not the data itself. This is what is sent to your computer when you click on a download link on a website.
You can also save the torrent file to your local system, and then click on it to open the BitTorrent download. This is useful if you want to be able to re-open the torrent later on without having to find the link again.
To sum up: think of a .TORRENT as a 'fingerprint' of the original file, which someone is seeding, (sharing), from the website, you download the torrent, at which point the CLIENT activates and connects to the TRACKER and the download/upload begins.
» So how is bittorrent different then from other P2P?
Instead of a 'one-on-one' method, bittorrent uses a way of connecting multiple users, each sharing a different part of the file. If I am sharing a file, and I want it to get it out there as fast as possible giving as many people it as I can, then the most logic way to do this is to give different people, different parts of the file.
Then, that means the people that have the 1st part can share with the people I have given the second part to, and the people that have the 3rd part can share with the people that have the 1st part...and so on.... until they all have the FULL file.
Imagine if you downloaded a file off someone using bittorrent and the SEED (The main person sharing it) went offline, it wouldn't matter, because even though he may have only given me the first part of the file before he went off line, he will have given other users part 2 and part 3, so I can download that off them.
In WinMX & Kazza your download start's at '0% Downloaded' right? You download your file 1mb at a time until it reaches 100%. Then its done.
But what happens if the person your getting the file off switches off at 90%. Your download STOPS and queues, until the program finds that user or other users sharing that file again. But in Bittorrent, if it STOPS at 90%, someone somewhere will have the final 10%, because they will have been given that part first!
You can't actually tell what part of the file you are getting when you download in Bittorrent, as this varies each time you download a file. You might download the Last then Middle then Start one time... The next it could be Middle, Start then Last... Only when you have all the 'parts' will you file work!
» What is a tracker?
A server on the Internet that acts to coordinate the action of BitTorrent clients.
When you open a torrent, your machine contacts the tracker and asks for a list of peers to contact.
Periodically throughout the transfer, your machine will check in with the tracker, telling it how much you've downloaded and uploaded, how much you have left before finishing, and the state you're in (starting, finished download, stopping.)
If a tracker is down and you try to open a torrent, you will be unable to connect. If a tracker goes down during a torrent (i.e., you have already connected at some point and are already talking to peers), you will be able to continue transferring with those peers, but no new peers will be able to contact you.
Often tracker errors are temporary, so the best thing to do is just wait and leave the client open to continue trying. To sum up, think of a TRACKER as the 'switchboard' to get the files you need.
To find out what Tracker to use when say 'Making a Torrent', you may need to refer to the website you wish to post the torrent on. Most good websites will have there TRACKERS URL on there somewhere.
» What is a seed or seeding?
SEED: A computer that has a complete copy of a certain torrent.
SEEDER: A person who is sharing that file, by leaving there client running.
Once your client finishes downloading, it will remain open until you click the Finish button (or otherwise close it.) This is known as being a seed or seeding. You can also start a BT client with a complete file, and once BT has checked the file it will connect and seed the file to others. Generally, it's considered good manners to continue seeding a file after you have finished downloading, to help out others.
Also, when a new torrent is posted to a tracker, someone must seed it in order for it to be available to others. Remember, the tracker doesn't know anything of the actual contents of a file, so it's important to follow through and seed a file if you upload the torrent to a tracker.
So the key rule here is, when you download a file using Bittorrent, you need to ensure you keep the client/download screen open and DO NOT click the FINISH/CLOSE button when the download has reached 100%/COMPLETE.
If you do, then you STOP seeding the file, (sharing) with other peers (users).
» What is a peer or leeching?
PEER: Is another computer (user) on the internet that you connect to and transfer data.
Sometimes also known as a LEECH or LEECHER or LEECHING.
Generally a peer does not have the complete file, otherwise it would be called a SEED.
Some people also refer to peers as leeches, to distinguish them from those generous folks who have completed their download and continue to leave the client running and act as a seed.
So if you always download files, and ALWAYS close your client down shortly after your download has finished, then you would be known as a LEECH. Remember, never close your client down even when your download is complete!
» Where is the program I use?
The program in Bittorrent terminology is called a 'CLIENT'. This acts as the main interface screen.
It shows all the same information as what WinMX & Kazza does, except it tells you how many SEED'S (People Sharing the File) you are connected to and downloading off, and how many PEERS (People Wanting The File) that are connected to you, who are downloading what parts of the file you have.
The CLIENT is the tool used to connect to, and distribute to and from a TRACKER.
It gives you second by second information on the progress of a download, upload, and on some clients, the amount of people sharing a file, or that have or are seeding a file.
Think of the CLIENT as the replacement program for whatever P2P you were using before, whether it be WinMX, Kazza...etc. No fancy CHAT screens. No fancy SEARCH screens.
Just there to control the flow of file information between the Peers and the Seeds and the Tracker (server).
There are many CLIENTS to choose from. Have a look in the list on the right.
» Why so many clients to choose from?
Think of it like this. Bittorrent is not some big company like WinMX and Kazza. Its a way of file distributing. Created by a man called BRAM COHEN, who then said, here's the technology, do with it what you will!
So programmers said 'OK' and have created different looking interfaces that you see and interact with when your download starts. Remember, Bittorrent Clients are 'Open Source', meaning people can manipulate the code as they wish for the better. It isn't owned by a Copyright like WinMX & Kazza are.
» Were do I get the files to download from then?
You get the files from websites, but remember, their not actually files hosted on the websites.
You are going to the websites and downloading .torrent files.
The files may look something like this depending on the site you visit:
You click the file you want (As you can see, they end in .torrent!)
Make sure you choose a file with a HIGH number of SEEDS, because MORE people are sharing the file!
* Please note, Flarefire.com does not endorse any kind of piracy activity and links in no way to illegal websites hosting pirated material.
» How fast is bittorrent?
I feel the key rule here like any other is PATIENCE!
Bittorrent is no magical download rocket, to get the films you want super-fast. It is merely here to serve as an alterative to other P2P programs or App's.
Like all programs/App's, it has its flaws, mainly due to the nature of the program it can be somewhat 'buggy'. Again, this does vary from client to client. The theory behind the Bittorrent source code, is you download in proportion to your upload. The better your outbound BW the better your inbound BW.
I must admit, this does vary from client to client, especially with the EXPERIMENTAL clients, where the source code has been 'hacked' and re-wrote.
I also find that it's maybe not advised for 56k users or less, due to the nature of the program. All in all, you should see better download rates than from other P2P App's out there.
And there are NO QUEUES to sit and wait in either.
» What if i'm behind a fire-wall or router?
Prior to version 3.2, BitTorrent by default uses ports in the range of 6881-6889 . As of 3.2 and later, the range has been extended to 6881-6999 . (These are all TCP ports, BitTorrent does not use UDP.)
The client starts with the lowest port in the range and sequentially tries higher ports until it can find one to which it can bind. This means that the first client you open will bind to 6881, the next to 6882, etc.
Therefore, you only really need to open as many ports as simultaneous BitTorrent clients you would ever have open. For most people it's sufficient to open 6881-6889. The trackers to which BitTorrent must connect usually are on port 6969 , so the client must have outbound access on this port. Some trackers are on other ports.
Also ensure you don't have the WINDOWS XP FIREWALL activated, check this in Control Panel. However, you will get better speeds if you can accept incoming connections as well. To do this you must use the "port forwarding" feature of whatever is performing the NAT/gateway task.
For example, if you have a cable or DSL connection and a router/switch/gateway/firewall, you will need to go into the configuration of this device and forward ports 6881-6889 to the local machine that will be using BitTorrent. If your device makes it hard to enter a range of ports (if you must enter each one separately), then you can just do the first 10 or so ports, or however many simultaneous clients you plan to ever have open.
If more than one person behind such a gateway wishes to use BitTorrent, then each machine should use a different port range, and the gateway should be configured to forward each port range to the corresponding local machine.
» Why won't my download start?
This could be for a number of reasons, the first being the most obvious, THERE ARE NO OR LITTLE SEEDERS of the file. If no-one is sharing that file much then the chances of a download starting straight away are slim. Again, i does fall down to PATIENCE.
You could just be on a slow or heavy traffic TRACKER, which can make error messages or timeout messages appear.
You may also be behind a Router or Firewall. See above for settings. The bottom line is, don't panic, leaving the client window open SHOULD start a download at some point.
» Why does it say I have the full file?
When the Bittorrent program starts, it will check the file to see what it's size is, then allocate that space on your Drive.
The reason for this is the fact it downloads the file in 'pieces' and not like FTP which downloads from start to end.
» What if the trackers down or dead?
Unfortunately if the TRACKER goes down, which then often can do, then you will need to wait to see if it comes back on-line again.
There really is nothing more you can do.
To see what state a TRACKER is in, you can use a tool called TORRENTSPY which can tell you allot of information about the tracker.
If the Tracker is 'DEAD'. Then sometimes, the person(s) who make the torrent, use what's called a Back-Up Tracker, which is exactly as it sounds, if the original Tracker dies, this one will fall in to replace it.
Most websites though will announce if trackers are down or up. Most trackers are private now anyway.
