What Is P2P?
What exactly does P2P mean? Well, it’s only the best thing ever invented. P2P stands for Peer to Peer. This is the fastest and most widely used way to transfer files over the internet or a home network. Recently, P2P has been used to download media such as movies, programs, music, pictures, or even books. It has been recorded that about 85% of all internet bandwidth is being used for ‘illegal’ downloading from a P2P network. But how exactly does P2P work?
P2P, is usually thought to run off of a centralized server containing all of the media being downloaded, but oh contraire. P2P uses only client based nodes, simply put, you are in another persons computer. The P2P software you are using simply allows you to ‘share’ the media you would like others to be able to download. For example, in LimeWire, you can share a folder by choosing Tools>Options>Sharing.
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From here, you can share any folder on your hard drive. These files then become visible to anyone searching for a file currently on your computer. They are then able to download this file directly from your computer over the internet.
With torrent clients, all you have to do to share a file, is to let the download finish, but DON’T delete the torrent, let it sit and allow others to upload, or take that file off of your computer(otherwise known as ‘seeding’)
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As for security, the only real threat is the well know viruses that bored computer geeks make in their spare time 🙂 . When downloading a file from ANY P2P network, I would recommend reading all comments about the selected file, or looking at the size. If you see the size of a selected movie to be 123.4KB, think again. How could a 2 hour long movie be that small? This is a trick which most noobs fall for. I have had numerous friends have their computers completely screw from doing this.
And as for the legality of this, you decide. I will tell you my opinion in a further post!
If you have any further questions, please comment and I WILL comment back!
Thanks,
Demonator
Posted on October 14, 2007, in Advice, Computer Programs, Computers, P2P, Software, Technology, Tips & Tricks, Torrents, Tutorials, Windows. Bookmark the permalink. 3 Comments.
Welcome to the Underground. 
Great post. I think you should also write about that one news article I showed you that talks about the importance of IP blocking.
Never go P2P without some kind of protection. Use peerguardian or protowall.
Always use protection, ALWAYS. haha
i wrote above peerguardian already, just do a search