What is BitTorrent? I’ve heard it’s like other P2P networks, but what makes it different?
BitTorrent is a peer-to-peer method of sharing files among multiple people that makes efficient use of network resources. By saying that BitTorrent makes efficient use of network resources, we are referring to the unique architecture of BitTorrent and its method of distributing files between users. Essentially, as more people start downloading a file, the download speeds become faster instead of slower.
How BitTorrent works
- You download a torrent file and open it with your BitTorrent client program. The torrent does not contain the file you’re downloading; it contains data that describes the file you’re going to be downloading.
- Your BitTorrent client uses information it found in the torrent file to connect to the tracker. The tracker is a server that provides you with a list of peers who are connected to the file that you are about to download.
- Your BitTorrent client makes requests to the swarm of peers connected to that file and starts downloading small pieces of the file from each peer in the swarm.
- As you finish downloading each piece of the file, your BitTorrent client begins uploading that completed piece to others in the swarm who do not have it yet.
- This reciprocal process continues as each person in the swarm downloads portions of the file from each other.
- When you finish downloading the file, your BitTorrent client becomes a seed for the file and allows others to continue downloading it until you close the program. For a torrent to begin in the first place, it mast have at least one seed.
As you can see, BitTorrent trackers do not host any of the files that are being downloaded. The trackers are not even aware of the specific content that is being downloaded. Instead, the trackers simply coordinate the connctions of all the peers sharing a specific file. Those peers in turn act as both client and server at the same time, with a flurry of data flying every which way within the swarm. As more peers join the swarm, more data gets pushed around and download speeds rise.
BitTorrent Client Programs
We suggest either of the following programs, which are all compatible with Windows, Mac and Linux:
Finding Torrents
Torrents can be found primarily on the web from sites that specialize in hosting torrent files. Usually these sites are centered around a specific theme, so using a search engine is the best way to find torrent sites.
One of the prime examples of a niche that has used BitTorrent to revolutionize the way it operates is the live music scene. For years, many bands have encouraged their fans to record their live shows and trade those recordings among each other. This concept has been hugely successful in promoting quality music via word of mouth. Bands such as The Grateful Dead, Phish and Dave Matthews Band can all credit a significant portion of their fan base to those die-hard followers who were cultivated from that community of tape traders. With the advent of the Internet, many of these fans have progressed from trading tapes and CDs through the mail to sharing high-quality recordings with each other over BitTorrent. To jump into the digital music sharing scene, head over to the etree Community BitTorrent Tracker to find a directory full of torrents from bands that encourage fans to trade recordings.
Sources
- Brian Dessent. “Brian’s BitTorrent FAQ and Guide“. October 5, 2003. Dessent.net.
<http://www.dessent.net/btfaq/>
