How to Download Torrent Files

Torrent files are part of a P2P (peer to peer) trading system that make transferring files from one person to another on the Internet very easy, quick, and effective.

It is important to note that torrent sharing is different from other types of P2P services, most notably Kazaa. For instance, with Kazaa, the user searches for other Kazaa users with the P2P application to see what files they are sharing. With torrent sites, the user goes to an index website that has torrent files (sometimes referred to as archives), which are files that contain the information required for a torrent client to find, manage, and download the requested file.

Important Terms to Know When Downloading Torrent Files

It is important to be aware of the terminology used when downloading torrent files:

Client – A client is the actual P2P sharing program and it is usually an application that is downloaded and installed on the computer to be used for sharing and downloading files. Two popular P2P clients are Azureus and UTorrent (more on these clients below).

Tracker – A tracker is a central server that manages file sharing among its many users. Most clients have built-in trackers. There are also specific tracking programs such as BNBT and CBTT.

Seeder – A seeder is a computer that has a complete copy of a file another computer is requesting. For instance, to download an mp3, first make sure that the tracker can find a full copy (seed) of the file to be downloaded.

Leeches – A leach is a person that downloads a file(s) from other computers, but does not share any files of his or her own. Leeching is considered bad etiquette on P2P clients.

Swarm – A swarm is when two or more computers are simultaneously downloading and sharing the same file. Most clients allow a computer to download a file and then upload to others the parts that have already been downloaded.

.torrent – a torrent is a file that is downloaded from an index website and sometimes referred to as an archive. It is a very small file, usually less than 25bits, that is necessary for the client to start and manage the file transfer process so that files can be downloaded.

How to Download a Torrent File

It is actually very easy to download a torrent file and it usually takes less than 15 minutes to get started.

First, download and install a torrent client. Remember the torrent client is considered the command center for P2P file sharing. Users can choose many different types of torrent sharing clients. However, two highly recommended clients are UTorrent and Azureus.

Once the torrent client is downloaded and installed, search for files to download. Users can usually visit many index websites such as Pirate bay and Torrent Spy. Most torrent clients have a list of the best index web sites. Now, just search for the file to be downloaded. Some of these sites offer advanced searches such as the ability to search for a video file, music file, application file, or all of the above. It is usually extremely easy to locate the torrent file to be downloaded.

Once a specific file is searched for, the index website should return a list of available torrent files. Look to see which torrent files have the most seeders, this usually gives the fastest download times and highest quality files. Once the torrent file to be downloaded is found, click the download link and save it on the computer. These files are usually very small (less than 25kbits).

Now that the torrent file or archive is on the computer, double click this file and the torrent client should automatically open up. At this time, the tracker program will come online as well and will start to manage and download the file. While each client and tracker program is different, users should be able to see how many people are downloading the file, seeding and sharing, or leeching. The user should also see the downloading progress and the amount of time remaining until the file is completely downloaded.

Top P2P Torrent Clients

While there are more than a dozen P2P torrent clients available, two of the top rated P2P torrent clients are UTorrent and Azureus. Here is some more information.

UTorrent

UTorrent is actually torrent and means micro torrent. It is a freeware Bit Torrent client that works great on Windows computers. Bit Torrent’s major feature is that the entire program is only 173 Kb. This program was developed to require the least amount of computer resources and give as much functionality as possible. Although UTorrent is extremely small it has many features including Unicode support, protocol encryption, peer exchange with other UTorrent users and Azureus users (this feature goes above and beyond normal P2P, similar to chat), configurable bandwidth settings, Customizable user interface, initial seeding, and the availability of this application in 38 languages.

Azureus

Azureus is another P2P Torrent Client. It is based on Java, a programming language and supports many different anonymous protocols such as I2P and Tor. It is also a free software client and it works on many different platforms including Windows, Mac, Linux, and UNIX.

One of Azureus’ key features is that it allows multiple download files from a GUI interface. It also has plenty configurable settings and useful statistics. Another great feature is that Azureus gives the ability to determine maximum upload and download speeds. Users can also view or hear files that are currently downloading, but not yet complete. This makes it easy to check the file’s quality before downloading it.

Azureus has its own tracker program so users can easily share files without uploading them to centralized sites. Azureus is considered one of the top Bit Torrent clients and has a wealth of features that are designed and integrated into the client very well. However, all these features may drain certain computer resources, so make sure Azureus is used with a fast and powerful computer.

Advantages of Bit Torrent Clients

Bit Torrent Clients are usually the fastest, most affordable, and most convenient way to share files among many users. Most Bit Torrent P2P users can find plenty files and download them with ease. With the explosion of broadband, users can easily find and download files of any size, from mp3s to large multi gigabyte video files.

Disadvantages of Bit Torrent Clients

It is important to note that Bit Torrent has a few disadvantages. One main disadvantage is that many of these applications use a tremendous amount of computer resources, allowing the computer to do little else when downloading files. Another common disadvantage is that sometimes Bit Torrent clients include adware or spyware. However, most do not so be sure to download the client from the official website and read the EULA (end user licensing agreement) to make sure there are no adware or spyware included.

The Legality of Bit Torrents

It is important to note that using a Bit Torrent client is perfectly legal, however downloading certain files that include copyrighted material may not be legal in certain regions. It is important to make sure the files are legal before downloading them. Bit Torrent use is not anonymous and can be traced back to the computer. For instance, an IP address can be traced back to a computer when downloading a file in certain cases.

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