BitTorrent Guide

How do I use it?

First you’ll need the BitTorrent client. We will try µTorrent as an example.

Next, you need to find something to download. BitTorrent is not your typical “Peer to Peer” network where you “share” a folder on your hard drive and connect to a big huge network to share things with others – There is no big huge network, there is no huge central server, and you aren’t “sharing” anything except for the file you’re downloading.

How do I find something to download, then?

When somebody hosts something using BitTorrent, they create a special file that tells the BitTorrent client (the thing you just installed) how to find it. This file will end with the extension .torrent. This “.torrent” file might be posted on a website, it might be sent to you as an e-mail attachment, or sent to you over IRC. It’s sort of like a key that lets you start downloading – just click the link on a webpage, or open the file on your computer like you normally would.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I cancel a download and resume it later?

Yes, just close the client. When you want to resume it, open the .torrent file again and save the download to the same location you saved to last time. The client will automatically resume the download instead of starting from the beginning.

It says I’m uploading! What am I uploading, and to whom?!

After you download a few kilobytes of the file, you start sending the parts of the file you have so far to other downloaders. This is what makes BitTorrent work so well. You only upload the same file you’re downloading; your credit card numbers are safe.

I tried to open the file I just downloaded, and it said it was corrupt or something.

The file isn’t finished downloading yet. When you start the download, the BitTorrent client makes a big, empty file to hold the place of the actual file. It does this because the file isn’t downloaded from start-to-finish. The file is downloaded in many small bits and pieces randomly. The download is not complete until the client says “Download Successful!”

The client says “Download Succeeded!”, but it’s still uploading! What’s going on?

Once the download finishes, the client will sit there continuing to share the file with other downloaders. It will keep sharing until you close the window. Please keep in mind that it is considered proper etiquette to leave the window open for a while after your download completes, in order to help distribute the file to other users. Nothing is forcing you to do it, but it does help. You want to be a good person and help out, don’t you?

I just started downloading, and it’s going really slow.

Downloads typically start off a little sluggish, for various reasons which I won’t bore you with here. Long story short: Give it a few minutes.

Why not use BitTorrent for everything?

BitTorrent is great for files that are in heavy demand, because there will be a lot of fellow downloaders to share with. However, with older things that aren’t as popular, there just isn’t much of a reason to use it. It works best when many people are downloading a file at the same time.

What’s a “seed”?

A seed is a person who has the entire download, but is still connected to the swarm and is uploading to others. As long as there is at least one seed, you will still be able to finish your download. It’s polite to seed something for a while once you finish downloading it, to be sure everyone is able to get it.

Can I limit my upload speed somehow?

Of course! All major clients feature the ability to set a cap on upload speed. See the specific page of the client you are using for information on how.

Where can I find more information about BitTorrent?

Try the official BitTorrent website, or Brian’s BitTorrent FAQ.

Notes

Today, there are many different BitTorrent clients to choose from. Amongst these are:

(written by Brant/Lav/Godai)