Transfer files faster with Bittorrent

Why bother with Bittorrent?
As mentioned, Bittorrent can be especially useful when downloading large files, as it takes the load off one individual website. In order for Bittorrent to work, at least one person must have a complete copy of the files. The .torrent file contains information about the data that is to be downloaded and once loaded into a Bittorrent application (the client) it will connect to the tracker to see who else is connected and has the required data.

Initially, everybody downloading the files will download directly from the original seeder. Unlike traditional downloads, Bittorrent makes it possible to download portions of files in any order and they will be pieced together once all of the data has been transferred.

This means that one person downloading a file could download the first portion from the original seeder, while the next person might be downloading the second portion. As more and more people join the swarm, portions of the file can be downloaded from an increasing number of people, not only helping to take the load off an individual user, but helping to maximise download speeds for everyone. Though it might sound complicated, the Bittorrent client manages all this.

There is also another advantage to using Bittorrent ­ it is not necessary to complete a download in one sitting. If you need to switch off your computer, the Bittorrent application can be closed down. The next time it is launched, the download will pick from where it left off, connecting to any available peers and seeds.

Seeding is the key to the success of Bittorrent and users are discouraged from simply downloading a file and then closing down their Bittorrent client. Instead, it is recommended that you keep an eye on your sharing ratio. This figure is displayed in almost all Bittorrent clients and indicates how much data has been shared with others in relation to the amount which has been downloaded.

Ideally, a ratio of 1:1 is the goal ­ that is, sharing back the same amount of data as has been downloaded. So in the case of Openoffice, for example ­ a free office suite that is legally available as a Bittorrent download ­ around 127MB will be downloaded and the same amount uploaded.