Torrent files are one of the most popular forms of file sharing on the Internet, but how to use them can seem a bit overwhelming to new users. But once you get the hang of it, you'll have access to almost any file you can imagine. Using torrent programs is not illegal, as long as you have the right to download, view and distribute (share) the file. Always make sure that you are legally allowed to use all the files you download. See the following guide to learn how to use the BitTorrent program.
Step
Part 1 of 4: Installing BitTorrent
Step 1. Visit the BitTorrent website
You can download the program for free from the BitTorrent website. The download link is located in the middle of the start page. If you need an installer for a different operating system, click the "Other Platform + Betas" link under the "Get BitTorrent" button.
Step 2. Download and install the program
You will be asked to choose between the free version or BitTorrent Plus. Most users won't need the Plus version, as you can download and open as many torrents as you want with the free version.
Download the BitTorrent program only from the BitTorrent website. There are several other torrenting programs available, but a program called BitTorrent should only be downloaded from its developer
Step 3. Make sure that the file associations are correct
If you want BitTorrent to be the program to use when opening torrent files, then make sure that the BitTorrent program is associated with the.torrent file (.tor) and so is the "magnet link" URI. You can make sure the checkboxes are checked during the installation process. Unchecking this option will result in the web browser only downloading torrent files that are small in size. If the BitTorrent program is associated with a.tor file, the BitTorrent program will automatically detect the browser downloading the.tor file. The BitTorrent program will open it, locate the file, program, video, etc., that you are trying to get and download it right away.
BitTorrent will try to provide you with free music along with some adware during the installation process. Make sure they are disabled before proceeding with the installation (unless you want the program to contain those ads)
Step 4. Give BitTorrent permission to bypass the firewall
When you run BitTorrent for the first time, you may be asked if you want to allow access for the BitTorrent program. If you intend to download torrents, then the BitTorrent program must be able to bypass firewalls (security systems in computer networks that control incoming and outgoing network traffic according to certain rules). If you don't see a message to allow it automatically, see the guide on wikiHow for instructions on how to do it manually.
Step 5. Set your options
Once BitTorrent is installed, open it so you can set some options before starting. In the program's main window, click Options -> Preferences. There are a few options you should check before downloading a torrent:
- Click the Directories option. This page will let you set where new downloads will be placed. You can also move the download to a different folder after the download is complete.
- Click the Bandwidth option. You will be able to set a maximum limit for uploading and downloading, which is useful if you have Internet data limits. Setting this value to zero will allow the transfer to occur at the maximum speed your connection can use.
- Click the Queuing option. You can set how many different torrent files can be uploaded and downloaded at once. This setting will help you focus on one download at a time, or download multiple files at once. You can also set a seed target (share of files that you already own), which sets how long the files will be shared.
Part 2 of 4: Downloading Torrent Files
Step 1. Search for a torrent tracker website
There are various websites that have torrent lists. Some sites are more reliable than others. There are two main types of torrent trackers, namely public trackers and private trackers.
- The public tracker is available to everyone. These are the sites you will find when doing a web search for torrent trackers. Because they are public, many torrents are tracked by copyright holders, and downloading copyrighted files, commercial programs, etc., may result in action from your Internet service provider.
- Private tracker requires an invite. These sites cannot be accessed until you have been invited by another member. Often they have terms such as payment for access, maintaining the ratio of data downloads to uploads/titles, and so on. Private trackers are less likely to result in shutdowns and termination letters from copyright holders.
Step 2. Find the file you want
Most public trackers have all the new shows, movies, albums, and games available, as well as popular old files.
Use the popular compact form to find the file you want. For example, if you're looking for the third episode of season five of "Law and Order" in HD, search for "Law and Order s05e03 720p" or "Law and Order s05e03 1080p"
Step 3. Download a torrent that has multiple seeders
The speed in downloading a torrent file is determined by several factors. A torrent with many seeders (torrent users who already have the complete file and share it with other users) is an example of a desirable factor, and so is a low number of leechers (torrent users who download files from other users). The two interact together to affect how fast a torrent can be downloaded. The other factors are actually not controlled by you, because it depends on the connection speed you have and the connection speed the seeders have.
- Most torrent sites allow you to sort search results by number of seeders. Look for files that have a large number of seeders. Not only will you be able to download faster, but it's also less likely that the file is fake or infected by a virus.
- The number of leechers will also affect the download speed. Leecher is a user who is downloading, but is currently unable to share the file. Leecher will become a seeder when the full file has been downloaded. If there are significantly more leechers than seeders, the amount of transmission capacity you receive will also be lower, resulting in lower download speeds.
Step 4. Find a balance between size and quality
This is important to note especially when downloading videos. Often, the released files come in various sizes. This size difference is due to the way the video and audio are encoded. In general, the larger the file, the better the quality. Look for a qualified torrent provider. Some sites provide an additional label/icon next to the name of the person providing the torrent. Click the label or icon to learn its definition.
- On the other hand, downloading larger files may take longer depending on your connection.
- Read the comments section as much as you can to determine if other users find the file quality good and worth downloading. Some trackers have a rating system that allows users to vote on whether the file is good or not.
Step 5. Download via magnet link if available
The magnet link is not a file but a short text. This unique short text will allow torrents to compare content and download the right files. Magnet files take one step away from the torrenting process and reduce the risk of downloading corrupted torrent files.
Step 6. Open the torrent file using BitTorrent
If you set BitTorrent to be associated with a.torrent file, the BitTorrent program should start automatically when you open the file. The download will start as soon as you connect to the first seeder.
- Connecting to a seeder can take some time, especially if your connection is slow or downloading weak torrents.
- You can monitor downloads in the main window of the BitTorrent program. Each file will have a progress marker next to it.
Step 7. Download a good video player
Torrents can be used to transfer any type of file, and many of the most popular movie formats are not supported by Windows Media Player or QuickTime. You will need a video player that supports a wide variety of codecs (programs capable of encoding and decoding digital data) and formats.
- VLC is a free and "open-source" media player that can play almost any media file you download. It is highly recommended to have it if you download a lot of video files of different formats.
- An ISO file is an image copy of a disc (CD, DVD, or similar) and must be copied to or connected to a virtual drive in order to run. ISO files can be direct copies of discs or collections of folders.
- If you want to play media files on another device, you may need to convert them to a format that can be played on that device.
Step 8. Beware of viruses
Since torrents are rarely legal, there is no control over the files they contain. This means that hackers will add viruses in torrents that they hope to spread to other users. These viruses are often inserted into popular torrent searches in order to get as many victims as possible.
- Scan each downloaded file for viruses.
- Try to download files that have been released by reliable sources within the community.
- Always check comments and ratings to see if anyone else has had a virus attack with the torrent.
Part 3 of 4: Sharing Torrent Files
Step 1. Share (seed) after finished downloading
After you finish downloading the contents of the torrent file, you become a seeder. This means that you are uploading data to another program connected to the torrent tracker.
Seeding is what keeps the torrent community alive. Without seeder, no one can download the file
Step 2. Maintain a good ratio
If you use a private community, you are most likely expected to maintain a positive ratio with that community. This means that you have to upload at least as much as you download.
Step 3. Let the torrent program run in the background
Most Internet service plans have slower upload speeds than download speeds. This means that uploading to maintain the ratio will take significantly longer than downloading the same amount of data. Leave the torrent program running in the background while you do your daily tasks, and you will see your total upload data increase greatly.
Running torrents in the background shouldn't have a huge effect on web browsing or doing office tasks like typing, word processing. More intensive apps like streaming video and playing online games will run smoother if you stop torrenting apps first
Step 4. Set the ratio constraint
BitTorrent allows you to share torrents until you reach a predetermined ratio. In the Queuing section of the Preferences menu, you can set the desired ratio constraint. If you use a private tracker, this limit should be set to at least 200 percent. This means that a torrent of 300 MB will be shared until you have uploaded 600 MB.
Part 4 of 4: Opening Downloaded Files with BitTorrent
Step 1. Many of the files that you have downloaded will be in compressed form or formats that will not be ready to play or open right away. In short, the files need another program that will do just that. Applications and other non-media types are often compressed into.zip,.rar,.001,.002, etc. file types, and many movies are contained in "containers" such as.mkz,.qt, etc., which may require certain codecs to be installed if the installed media player refuses to play the files. Fortunately, the most popular set of codecs are often bundled together and easy to install, for example Klite (www.codecguide.com/download_kl.htm). WinRAR can handle file types.zip,.rar,.001,.002, and others.
Step 2. Create a new folder and move the downloaded files into it
You can minimize damage from malicious downloaded programs to installed programs if you create this folder on a different partition or hard drive that does not contain important information or data. Run any program necessary to open the file to view or extract its contents. Carefully inspect files that have been removed and look suspicious (movies, MP3 files, and the like don't need.exe or.com files and they can contain viruses).
Step 3. Scan that folder with a virus scanner
Don't skip this step! Evaluate the results to determine whether or not you should proceed.
Step 4. Play or open the file
Once you've extracted the contents of the file to find out each individual file which is a program, video, etc., is in a predictable and recognizable format (.avi,.mp3,.mkz,.exe,.com, etc.) otherwise), then you can open it with media player or run/install an application.
Tips
- Install a protection program so snoopers don't know what you're downloading. Highly recommended programs for this are PeerBlock or Peer Guardian. This program is like a firewall but has slightly wider protection when using P2P (peer-to-peer) programs.
- Viruses are difficult to move from one drive to another without outside help. If you copy them from one drive to another, you have the potential to get infected on both drives. This is why it is better to have a 10 GB or larger drive or partition for testing, where there are no other files on it. By moving and restricting the files that have been downloaded on these drives, the virus can only wreak havoc on the contents of the drive where the virus resides. In this case, there should be no other files on the drive and the drive can be easily erased or reformatted without any damage or loss of the operating system or your personal files. When the threat is gone, you can copy, move, run etc., to the main drive or partition and delete files from the test drive.
- A torrent without a seed but with a high number of leechers will still allow your download to take place, but if there is no seed then the file may not be complete.
- An alternative to BitTorrent, uTorrent is also available but can contain a lot of viruses if you're not careful about where (and what) files you download, just like all other P2P programs.
