Donny the Punk
03-14-2006, 02:08 AM
If you happen to have bought a computer game, movie, or CD but have lost one or more of the original discs, you are in most countries allowed to download a new copy either for replacement or backup purposes. I'll show you how. We're going to do it using BitTorrent.
Firstly, BitTorrent is a file transfer service that was invented about three years ago. It's different from other ones such as Kazaa, Limewire, Napster, etc. The way it works is as follows:
1. Someone, with a movie, audio, text, music, executable or other file decides he wants to upload his file to the internet.
2. This person creates what is called a 'torrent', a tiny file which indexes all the information contained in the bigger file he is going to upload.
3. This person then places the torrent on a 'tracker', which is essentially a remote server designed to host and support the entire upload/download process.
4. As soon as the torrent has been placed on the tracker, the uploader must 'seed' it, which is to say that he lets his computer continuously upload the file to those who wish to download it.
5. Next, a user (anyone on the internet) sees this torrent and decides they'd like to have the file.
6. They download the torrent and run it in a BitTorrent client, the purpose of which is to use the indexed information stored in the torrent to download the larger file.
7. In a BitTorrent transfer, data is not sent in one massive chunk directly from user to user. Instead, the file is split into millions of fragments which are individually downloaded by the client and then reassembled into the original product at the end.
8. This allows simultaneous uploading and downloading. Each user who downloads a torrent simultaneously uploads the chunks of data which he's already received to other downloaders who've not yet gotten them. They do the same to him.
9. Thus, the more people there are downloading a torrent, the faster it goes for everyone.
10. Once you've finished downloading your torrent, it will continue to upload which is 'seeding', as mentioned above. Friendly neighbours do this for a while after finishing their download to ensure that their slower comrades also get the file. ;)
Alles Klar? How to do it:
1. Download a BitTorrent client and install it. This is one of the best, but there are others: http://www.bitlord.com/download.php
2. Once you've installed Bitlord, run it and go to Options-->Preferences. Under 'Connection' you will see a box called 'Listen Port'. Make sure that the 'Listen Port:' circle is selected and then choose a random port, if it has not already been done for you.
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y193/potyondi/listen.jpg
3. IF YOU ONLY HAVE ONE COMPUTER RUNNING OFF YOUR INTERNET CONNEXION AND DO NOT USE A ROUTER, IGNORE THIS STEP AND GO TO #4. Everyone else who is on a network of some sort must do what's called 'port forwarding'.
Now you need to adjust your router settings. To do that, you must open your web browser and in the HTTP field, type an IP address, such as 192.168.1.1. This IP address varies depending on the model of your router. Find out which one it is, then use the following site to tell you: http://www.portforward.com/routers.htm
Once you've entered the IP address, you will typically be asked to log in. If you've never seen this screen before and the settings have never been changed from their defaults to the best of your knowledge, leaving the 'user name' field blank and entering admin in the 'password' field works 99% of the time.
Once you've accessed your router's settings, you will need to find the appropriate section which allows you to control 'port range forwarding', 'port forwarding', or some variation thereof. A typical screen looks like this:
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y193/potyondi/ports.jpg
As you can see, there are a number of fields to fill in. Let's go through them one by one.
i) Application/Name: Just put BT or BitTorrent in this box.
ii) Start & End: This is where we will need to place our forwarding 'ranges'. As you can see in the first photo, my Bitlord listen port is 11079. Therefore, I want to put numbers into these boxes which surround and comprise that number. As you can see in the 2nd image, I've chosen 11070 to 11080. Make sense?
iii) Protocol: put both.
iv) IP Address: This is contingent on your personal computer's IP. To find out what this is, click on the little double computer icon in the bottom, right-hand corner of the start bar and go to 'support'.
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y193/potyondi/IP.jpg
As you can see, the router only asks for the last three numbers of your local IP address. I've underlined them in the 3rd picture. Enter them as you see them.
v) Enable: make sure this is checked.
Save your settings.
4. Disable windows firewall. This is done by again clicking the double computer icon in the bottom, right-hand corner of your start bar. from there, click 'properties', go to the 'advanced' tab, and de-select the box for 'Internet Connection Firewall'. If you are running a third-party firewall such as ZoneAlarm or Norton, make sure you tell the firewall to let the program (Bitlord) access the internet without restriction.
Note: without completing steps 3 and 4, your download speeds will be atrociously slow. If you have only one computer in your house or apartment, you can still ignore step 3.
4. Now you're ready to find some files! They're listed on directories. There are many, but the best are:
http://www.torrentspy.com/
http://thepiratebay.org/
http://www.mininova.org/
From these sites, you may browse or search for torrents containing the files you need to backup or replace, from movies to games to windows programs. Once you've found one you like, click it, download it, and open it with the Bitlord client. Choose a destination directory (where you want the file to be saved to) and let it begin downloading.
5. Because of the nature of torrents, it often becomes necessary to enforce a balance between upload and download speed in order to maintain healthy and steady rates of both. To do this, once you have begun downloading a torrent, right click its name and select 'Properties'. Go to the 'Advanced' tab and check the box labeled 'Enable Task Specific Settings'. This will give you a couple options. You want to fiddle with the one labeled 'Maximum allowed upload rate:'. Ideally, this should be set to about 80% of your average download speed (which you can check from the main screen), but if you don't know what that will be (as it speeds up over time), simply set it to an arbitrary number. I suggest an absolute minimum of 20k/s, so that you don't deprive other users.
Remember, this service should only be used for making legal backups or to replace lost or damaged copies of legally purchased software and entertainment!!!!! :nono:
Have fun. :p ;)
Firstly, BitTorrent is a file transfer service that was invented about three years ago. It's different from other ones such as Kazaa, Limewire, Napster, etc. The way it works is as follows:
1. Someone, with a movie, audio, text, music, executable or other file decides he wants to upload his file to the internet.
2. This person creates what is called a 'torrent', a tiny file which indexes all the information contained in the bigger file he is going to upload.
3. This person then places the torrent on a 'tracker', which is essentially a remote server designed to host and support the entire upload/download process.
4. As soon as the torrent has been placed on the tracker, the uploader must 'seed' it, which is to say that he lets his computer continuously upload the file to those who wish to download it.
5. Next, a user (anyone on the internet) sees this torrent and decides they'd like to have the file.
6. They download the torrent and run it in a BitTorrent client, the purpose of which is to use the indexed information stored in the torrent to download the larger file.
7. In a BitTorrent transfer, data is not sent in one massive chunk directly from user to user. Instead, the file is split into millions of fragments which are individually downloaded by the client and then reassembled into the original product at the end.
8. This allows simultaneous uploading and downloading. Each user who downloads a torrent simultaneously uploads the chunks of data which he's already received to other downloaders who've not yet gotten them. They do the same to him.
9. Thus, the more people there are downloading a torrent, the faster it goes for everyone.
10. Once you've finished downloading your torrent, it will continue to upload which is 'seeding', as mentioned above. Friendly neighbours do this for a while after finishing their download to ensure that their slower comrades also get the file. ;)
Alles Klar? How to do it:
1. Download a BitTorrent client and install it. This is one of the best, but there are others: http://www.bitlord.com/download.php
2. Once you've installed Bitlord, run it and go to Options-->Preferences. Under 'Connection' you will see a box called 'Listen Port'. Make sure that the 'Listen Port:' circle is selected and then choose a random port, if it has not already been done for you.
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y193/potyondi/listen.jpg
3. IF YOU ONLY HAVE ONE COMPUTER RUNNING OFF YOUR INTERNET CONNEXION AND DO NOT USE A ROUTER, IGNORE THIS STEP AND GO TO #4. Everyone else who is on a network of some sort must do what's called 'port forwarding'.
Now you need to adjust your router settings. To do that, you must open your web browser and in the HTTP field, type an IP address, such as 192.168.1.1. This IP address varies depending on the model of your router. Find out which one it is, then use the following site to tell you: http://www.portforward.com/routers.htm
Once you've entered the IP address, you will typically be asked to log in. If you've never seen this screen before and the settings have never been changed from their defaults to the best of your knowledge, leaving the 'user name' field blank and entering admin in the 'password' field works 99% of the time.
Once you've accessed your router's settings, you will need to find the appropriate section which allows you to control 'port range forwarding', 'port forwarding', or some variation thereof. A typical screen looks like this:
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y193/potyondi/ports.jpg
As you can see, there are a number of fields to fill in. Let's go through them one by one.
i) Application/Name: Just put BT or BitTorrent in this box.
ii) Start & End: This is where we will need to place our forwarding 'ranges'. As you can see in the first photo, my Bitlord listen port is 11079. Therefore, I want to put numbers into these boxes which surround and comprise that number. As you can see in the 2nd image, I've chosen 11070 to 11080. Make sense?
iii) Protocol: put both.
iv) IP Address: This is contingent on your personal computer's IP. To find out what this is, click on the little double computer icon in the bottom, right-hand corner of the start bar and go to 'support'.
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y193/potyondi/IP.jpg
As you can see, the router only asks for the last three numbers of your local IP address. I've underlined them in the 3rd picture. Enter them as you see them.
v) Enable: make sure this is checked.
Save your settings.
4. Disable windows firewall. This is done by again clicking the double computer icon in the bottom, right-hand corner of your start bar. from there, click 'properties', go to the 'advanced' tab, and de-select the box for 'Internet Connection Firewall'. If you are running a third-party firewall such as ZoneAlarm or Norton, make sure you tell the firewall to let the program (Bitlord) access the internet without restriction.
Note: without completing steps 3 and 4, your download speeds will be atrociously slow. If you have only one computer in your house or apartment, you can still ignore step 3.
4. Now you're ready to find some files! They're listed on directories. There are many, but the best are:
http://www.torrentspy.com/
http://thepiratebay.org/
http://www.mininova.org/
From these sites, you may browse or search for torrents containing the files you need to backup or replace, from movies to games to windows programs. Once you've found one you like, click it, download it, and open it with the Bitlord client. Choose a destination directory (where you want the file to be saved to) and let it begin downloading.
5. Because of the nature of torrents, it often becomes necessary to enforce a balance between upload and download speed in order to maintain healthy and steady rates of both. To do this, once you have begun downloading a torrent, right click its name and select 'Properties'. Go to the 'Advanced' tab and check the box labeled 'Enable Task Specific Settings'. This will give you a couple options. You want to fiddle with the one labeled 'Maximum allowed upload rate:'. Ideally, this should be set to about 80% of your average download speed (which you can check from the main screen), but if you don't know what that will be (as it speeds up over time), simply set it to an arbitrary number. I suggest an absolute minimum of 20k/s, so that you don't deprive other users.
Remember, this service should only be used for making legal backups or to replace lost or damaged copies of legally purchased software and entertainment!!!!! :nono:
Have fun. :p ;)