What is Torrenting?
Torrenting is a method of downloading files from someone’s else computer. It’s different from traditional file sharing as the files are not hosted on a central server. The files are hosted on many computers throughout the world. This network of computers on which the uploading and downloading of files happens is called as the BitTorrent network.
How does Torrenting works?
Torrenting involves breaking a large file into small pieces and distributing those pieces among multiple users who are also downloading or sharing the same file.
When someone wants to download a file through a torrent, they first download a small file called a torrent file (.torrent file) from sites such as 1337x, The Pirate Way, etc.
This file contains information about the file being downloaded, such as the file name, size, and a list of servers (also called trackers) that facilitate the P2P sharing.
Once the torrent file is downloaded, the user opens it using a torrent client software, which then connects to the servers listed in the torrent file and begins downloading pieces of the file from other users who have already downloaded or are currently downloading the same file.
As the user downloads pieces of the file, they also upload pieces they have already downloaded to other users, allowing everyone to share the burden of transferring the file.
Why use Torrents?
Torrenting has become popular because it can often provide faster download speeds than traditional methods of downloading files from a single server.
Torrents are also used for downloading and uploading of pirated content from cracked software to movies, shows, and much more. Banning a torrent is much more difficult as the files are distributed and are not hosted on any single server.
Some common terms associated with torrenting -
Torrent Clients
It is a software used to download and share files via the BitTorrent protocol. Torrent clients allow users to connect to a swarm of other users who are sharing the same file and download pieces of the file from multiple sources at once.
Some popular torrent clients include:
- uTorrent - uTorrent (pronounced as ‘micro’ torrent not ‘u’ torrent) is a lightweight and popular torrent client known for its speed and ease of use. It’s drawback is that its free version contains adds and is not open sourced.
- qBittorrent - qBittorrent is a free and open-source torrent client that offers a wide range of features and customization options. I use this personally and highly recommend this to everyone.
- Transmission - Transmission is a lightweight and efficient torrent client that is available for multiple platforms, including Windows, macOS, and Linux.
Seeds
A Seed is a user who have already downloaded the entire file and is now uploading it to other users who are downloading it. They are the original source of the files on the network. They can provide all the necessary pieces to the other users.
The more seeds the torrent have the better the torrent health.
Peer
A Peer is a user who is currently downloading and uploading the pieces of the file. Peers are users who are helping to share the burden of transferring a file with other users, and they can download pieces of the file from both other peers and seeds.
The more peers a torrent has the faster the download speeds.
When a user downloads a file using a torrent client, they are not downloading the entire file from a single server, but instead, they are downloading it in small pieces from multiple other users who are also downloading or sharing the same file. Each of these users is a peer, and as a user downloads pieces of the file, they also become a peer and begin uploading pieces to other users who are still downloading the same file.
Leech
A Leech is a user who is downloading a file but not uploading it to other users. Leech takes advantage of the network without contributing to it.
You should never leech!
Leeching is generally considered to be poor torrenting etiquette since it can negatively impact the overall download speeds for other users who are also downloading the same file. This is because the more leeches there are for a particular file, the fewer users there are who are uploading the file to others, which can slow down the download speeds for everyone.
Seed Ratio
Seed ratio, also known as seed-to-leech ratio or upload-to-download ratio, is a term used in torrenting to describe the amount of data a user has uploaded compared to the amount of data they have downloaded.
The seed ratio is expressed as a ratio of the total amount of data uploaded by the user to the total amount of data downloaded by the user. For example, a seed ratio of 2:1 means that the user has uploaded twice as much data as they have downloaded.
Seed ratio is important in torrenting because it helps to ensure that users are contributing to the P2P network by sharing the files they download. A high seed ratio indicates that a user is actively sharing the files they download, which helps to maintain the availability and download speeds of those files for other users.
You can see your seed ratio in your torrent client application. I personally try to maintain the seed ratio of 2:1. Here is my qBittorrent Statistics -
Trackers
A Tracker is a server that helps to coordinate the communication between peers on the BitTorrent network.
When a user downloads a torrent file using a torrent client, the client uses the information in the torrent file to connect to the tracker and obtain a list of other users (peers) who are currently sharing the same file. The tracker acts as a central hub for the torrent network and keeps track of all the users who are currently downloading and uploading the file.
As users connect to the tracker and begin downloading and uploading the file, the tracker updates the list of available peers and sends this information back to other users who are also downloading the file. This allows users to connect to each other directly and download and upload pieces of the file from and to each other.
Remember, Trackers does not store actual files rather they store the information about the torrents such as peers, seeds and sometimes leeches.
There are many popular trackers available such as The Pirate Bay, KickassTorrents, RARBG and 1337x which is my favorite one. It's also worth noting that the legality of using torrent trackers varies by country, and some trackers may be blocked in certain regions.
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