Downloading a Client
The main thing you need to download a file is a client, a program that gets you the file from the information stored on the .torrent file.
Azureus Azureus is a java-based client, which is pretty new in BitTorrent clients.
BitTornado Bittornado is one of the most popular clients. It is quite functional, fairly easy to use, provides a good amount of information, and is very similar in looks to the
Official Client BitComet BitComet is a powerful, clean, fast, and easy-to-use bittorrent client. It supports simultaneous downloads, download queue, selected downloads in torrent package, fast-resume, chatting, disk cache, speed limits, port mapping, proxy, ip-filter, etc.
µtorrent µTorrent was written with efficiency in mind. Unlike many torrent clients, it does not hog valuable system resources - typically using less than 6MB of memory, allowing you to use the computer as if it weren't there at all.
Transmission Transmission is a free, lightweight BitTorrent client. It features a simple, intuitive interface on top on an efficient, cross-platform back-end. As easy-to-use as most Mac open-source products.
Downloading Files
BT is great because it allows huge files to be downloaded without using one person's bandwidth (meaning slow transfer rates) or a server's bandwidth (meaning it could kill a server's bandwidth if too many files are put on. It uses bandwidth from multiple sources, and all the load on the server is just that of the hosted .torrent files, which are rarely over 20 kilobytes. When you install your client of choice, it should automatically associate the .torrent name with the client, and if not, your browser will ask you what to open the file with and choose it. Quite simply, your download will start.
On this tracker you can rate the file and leave comments, and most uploaders love when comments, requests, and ratings are left at the file's page on the tracker. Keep in mind that if you are seeding and want to change a file, you'll have to wait until after you are done seeding, or copy the file(s) and change those, then delete the originals after you are finished.
Help! My Files are Slow!
This is quite easily fixed, although sometimes not. There are three main things that would cause your downloads to be slow. The first is that you haven't forwarded certain ports. We cannot tell you here how to do this, as most routers are different, but if you have more problems, just ask in the
Problems/Errors section of the forum. However, if you are behind a wireless router, usually you have to access 192.168.1.1 from your browser and you can forward there. The ports you'll have to forward are 6881-6999, and this will allow greater connectivity.
The second is that your upload speed is set too low (or too high). Most times, your download speed with BitTorrent is proportional to your upload rate (meaning that if you set your upload speed real low, your download rate will also be slow). If you observe huge upload rates but little or no download rate (for example, Upload: 25.5 kbps and Download: 0 kbps), then try lowering your client's upload rate.. (The reason is that if your upload speed is set too high then it will affect your download speed, using most of your potential bandwidth to send information rather than receive it.)
The third problem, the unfixable one (besides you having a dial-up connection or something), is that there simply are not enough seeds and/or leechers to donate enough bandwidth to you, and this is especially true with older files. There is nothing you can do about it, your best bet is to leave your connection (if you can) and computer running overnight and/or throughout the day if you are out at work or school, etc. This way, you aren't killing much bandwidth (since you aren't using any additionally), and more can go to BT and your download or seeding. This also lets you seed quite a bit as well.
Another problem that is being more and more commonplace as BitTorrent becomes more popular is that of port choking. Many ISPs see the ports being used by BT and see the large amounts of bandwidth being used, and to cut costs (especially with xDSL) or to keep bandwidth available for other users (mostly with cable configurations). A simple way to get around this is change your port range from the default to something higher, in the mostly unused port numbers (49000 is a typical port of that area). Remember to forward the ports being used and that you may need to change the ports if your speeds start dropping again.
Making a Torrent
Now that you've downloaded a bit, and have some files you would like to share with the rest of the world, how do you do it?
Make Torrent 2 Make Torrent 2 is a great little program that is very easy to use (even I have managed to use it). There are instructions on the front page of how to use it.
Azureus
Open the application by going to Start >> All Programs >> Azureus >> Azureus.
To begin, go to File >> Create a Torrent.
A window will appear showing some basic options. Click on Use an external Tracker and put in the announce URL. This usually can be found on the upload page of a tracker (
http://tracker.datorrents.com:6969/announce.php)
Add Multi-Tracker information to the torrent will allow you to add backup URL's incase one fails.
Add hashes for other networks (e.g. Gnutella2, eDonkey2000)will has the files so they can be used on other networks.
Choose Single file if the torrent being create is for a single file. If not, and it is more than one file, choose Directory.
The comment box is optional.
On the next page, click Browse and search for the file or directory that the torrent will be for.
In the File box, click Browse to find the where the torrent will be saved.
File(s) Size is the size of the file(s) that the torrent is being created for.
Piece Count is how many pieces the file will be sent in.
Piece Size is how large each piece will be.
In the next box, the piece size can be chosen. It is recommended to leave this at auto.
If Open the torrent for seeding when done is checked, the torrent will open automatically after it finishes hashing.
Seeding
To do this, navigate to the upload page of your tracker and where it says Upload Path, click Browse, and navigate to the actual torrent file itself and not the actual file you want to upload (for example, Heyx3 Music Champ 10_23_03.torrent, not Heyx3 Music Champ 10_23_03.mpg), enter a name for the Torrent (this is on the tracker's frontpage, so be descriptive!), and then describe it in further detail.