Install BitTorrent Using Azureus Client
BitTorrent is a protocol that facilitates the sharing of files over the Internet. Follow these instructions to configure your PC to access BitTorrent downloads using the Azureus BitTorrent client.
Steps
- Download and install Java, version 1.5.x or greater, if you don't already have it on your PC. See external links below.
- Download and install Azureus client. See external links below for download link.
- Download and install the Azureus Safepeer plugin. See external links below for download link.
- Change the default port for Azureus. Azureus only uses 1 port (unlike some other BitTorrent clients) and the default BitTorrent ports (6881-6889) may be blocked by your ISP. Open Azureus, click View > Config > Server and change the number before Incoming TCP listen port. Choose any number between 49152 and 65535. If you use a firewall you will have to add this port for forwarding to your computer's IP address.
- While you are in the config area, click the transfer section to set your max upload and download speed. Try download 0 (i.e. maximum) and upload between 10-25. Adjust downward if you find it is slowing your web browsing.
- Also in the config area, you can set things like the default download folder and where you want the .torrent files to be saved until you have finished the download.
- To hitch in to the network, you need .torrent files. These tell your Azureus client where to find files on other BitTorrent PCs on the internet. See external links.
Tips
- Unlike Kazaa, Gnutella and other P2P filesharing networks where you have a program on the computer, open it up and enter the file you are looking for in the search box to get a list of files, BitTorrent uses trackers.
- Do not set upload speed to 0 (i.e. maximum). Due to the way TCP works, when A is downloading something from B it has to keep telling B that it received the data sent to him. (These are called acknowledgements - ACKs -, a sort of "got it!" messages). If A fails to do this then B will stop sending data and wait. If A is uploading at full speed there may be no bandwidth left for the ACKs and they will be delayed. So due to this effect, excessively high upload speeds lead to low download speeds.
- If you try to be a free rider and download without contributing uploads, you risk being banned by sites that require a reasonable ratio of uploads to downloads.
- If you are trying to download a new file with 1 seeder and 50 leechers it will be slow. Either wait a few hours for the seeders to increase or look on a different site. The number of seeders and leechers will usually be displayed, so a file with 130 seeders and 40 leechers will download fast, as a rough guide 700mb will download in around 4 hours if it has plenty of seeders.
- If you are connected to the internet via a router, be sure to check www.portforward.com for instructions on how to open the port that you set Azureus to use in the config.
Warnings
- As with any protocol for transferring files, BitTorrent should not be abused to acquire copyrighted content to which you do not have a licence. In most cases this excludes label CDs and DVDs and copyrighted software. Ensure your download is legal before proceeding.
- Understand copyright laws in your country before downloading any content. The illegal downloading of any media files is "piracy" and is, in many countries, subject to very severe penalties. It is your responsibility to ensure you are not committing piracy by downloading or uploading a file.
- Read up on the DMCA to understand U.S. copyright law in the digital age.
Things You'll Need
- Azureus client
- Java installed on your PC
- A torrent site or forum
- Ports open on your firewall (if you use one)
- Fast broadband connection
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