Should i download bittorrent

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Original torrent app basicBullet2 basicBullet3. How does BitTorrent work? BitTorrent is a peer-to-peer communications protocol for efficiently sending any type of file, large or small, over the Internet.

Safe torrenting software, such as such as BitTorrent Classic, are needed to send or receive files using the protocol. When you download a torrent file, your IP address is public to anyone else sharing that torrent. This is essential in order for the torrent client to connect to other users, but makes you vulnerable to organizations that track torrent traffic. These include your internet service provider ISP and copyright enforcement agencies.

There are several steps you can take to minimize your risk or prevent your ISP from throttling your speed. Install PeerBlock. PeerBlock is a program that blocks the IP addresses of known torrent trackers. It prevents your computer from being able to connect to these IP addresses, essentially blocking them from taking part in your torrent traffic. This isn't a surefire way to avoid getting caught, and your ISP will still be able to tell that you're transferring torrents.

You can download PeerBlock for free from peerblock. Follow the prompts to install PeerBlock and launch it. It will automatically work in the background and prevent connections to known bad IP addresses.

Use the "P2P" list from Bluetack for basic torrent protection when prompted during initial setup. Consider a VPN service. This will set you back a few dollars a month, but will hide your traffic from any prying eyes. Your ISP will not be able to tell that you're transferring torrent data, and will not throttle your connection.

Organizations that track IP addresses will not be able to see your real IP, and will not be able to send you cease and desist letters. Obviously, they aren't free, so you'll need to balance the cost versus the benefits. Your speed will decrease, as traffic will be sent to the VPN server first and then to you.

Since you'll likely be connecting to a VPN in another country, you could see significant decreases in speed.

Finally, VPN services may still keep records that they can give to enforcement agencies, but you can find services that don't keep logs. Pick and sign up for a VPN service. There are a variety of different VPN services out there, all with different pricing structures and privacy policies. Make sure to read the fine print of the VPNs that you're interested. You'll want to look out for VPN services that keep detailed logs. Also, not all VPN services allow torrent traffic. Some of the more popular VPN services are listed below, but there are countless more that can be found with a quick Google search.

Avoid free VPNs and proxies, as they may be unsafe. Find your VPN connection information. When you sign up for a VPN service, you'll be given information you need in order to connect. This includes the VPN server address, as well as your username and password. You may need to log into the VPN website in order to find this information.

Open your torrent client. Once you've signed up for a VPN service, you'll need to configure your torrent client to connect to it. Open the Options or Preferences menu. You'll usually find this in the Tools or Options menu at the top of the torrent client. Click the "Connection" tab. This will allow you to adjust your connection settings, including adding your VPN connection information.

Double-check your VPN connection information if you aren't sure. Enter in the VPN address and port. You'll find this connection information when you log into your VPN's website. Many VPNs offer different servers that you can connect to, which can increase your connection speed. Make sure "Use proxy for peer connections" is checked. Start downloading torrents. Once your VPN service is configured, you'll be able to start downloading torrents more anonymously.

I'm downloading a. Is this legal or safe? I don't know the number of seeders or peers. Blake Foster. Most torrenting clients should show you the number of seeders that are in that torrent. Before you download the torrent, check the files that you are downloading. If any of them have a. But that is up to you to decide. Yes No. Not Helpful 5 Helpful Can you recommend any other clients if my antivirus software removes Utorrent as malware?

I've never had that problem, but I've never used anything other than version 2. A tracker site I use has blacklisted anything newer than 3. BitTorrent is an internet transfer protocol. Much like http hypertext transfer protocol and ftp file transfer protocol , BitTorrent is a way to download files from the internet. However, unlike http and ftp, BitTorrent is a distributed transfer protocol. BitTorrent peer-to-peer P2P protocol finds users with files other users want and then downloads pieces of the files from those users simultaneously.

Consequently, transmission rates are faster than with http and ftp, which both download files sequentially from only one source. In , estimates indicated BitTorrent accounted for about 35 percent of all internet traffic.

After spiking in early , BitTorrent's popularity gradually declined as internet speeds increased. During the same time frame, streaming services like Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon Prime dominated the market with low-cost downloads.

As a result, BitTorrent's 10 percent share of all download traffic in North America in dropped to 3 percent by BitTorrent is a legitimate file transfer protocol, and using it — called torrenting — is legal as long as the content can be downloaded or uploaded legally. However, using it to download copyrighted material — like a brand-new movie — without the copyright owner's permission is not legal.

More than , users were sued in the United States between and for downloading copyrighted material using BitTorrent. Since that time, lawsuits have been replaced by copyright trolls who are authorized to act on behalf of copyright holders.

Because the BitTorrent technology reveals the IP addresses of devices connected to its data stream — called a torrent — trolls can identify which addresses download files. The trolls send settlement letters to the internet service providers ISPs , who then forward the letters to their clients. Because IP addresses aren't considered legal entities, however, the trolls rarely have individuals' names and therefore can't pursue collection.

Downloading patches, modifications, and updates for older, unsupported video games and user-generated modifications for supported games is a compelling reason for accessing BitTorrent.