Torrenting/P2P/Filesharing: How it Works

There are millions of people around the world who use P2P (Peer-to-Peer) file sharing to easily and quickly share files. Some of the files being shared are legal, some are not. Although the majority of the P2P and filesharing industry is built around the efficient distribution of illegal files, such as movies, games, and software, P2P filesharing can be used in some ethical ways, such as distributing a linux (Ubuntu, for example) distribution, or making widely available your free software. HowStuffWorks has illustrated the concept of P2P and torrenting, below.

Borrowed from HowStuffWorks.com

One of the main concepts of torrenting is that the file you’re downloading is not stored on a central server, everyone who’s downloading and uploading it has a piece of the file. When you torrent something, you’re essentially downloading a slice of the file from a bunch of different computers who are also downloading it, instead of the entire file from one server.

Pro Tip: When you’re uploading a torrent (sharing after you’ve finished, downloading it), it’s called seeding.

This entire process reduces the overall stress on the server, and on each individual client.

Related Portfolio Post: SeedSlayer: Auto-stop seeding on torrents

dwmcc