Will someone please explain to the computer illiterate, how to download and use a torrent?

[HardWorkingDem]

Can someone explain how do to this?

From the easiest program, to procedure?

I have Firefox on my laptop and have been trying to download a torrent and uTorrent just sits there...


thanks,

[MrScorpio]

1. You need a program (a torrent client) to actually DL the torrent

As a Mac user, I have Tomato Torrent

http://sarwat.net/bittorrent/

[Symarip]

2. Ok. Step by Step

Download a torrent program and install it on your computer. Bit Torrent works fine but some people like Azareus (sp?).

Use google to find what you're looking for by typing subject and 'torrent' in the search bar (example 'Oingo Boingo torrent')

Click on websites containing the torrent files you desire

Download .torrent file

Open .torrent file with bittorrent (usually happens automatically after download depending on your settings)

voila

[ACTION BASTARD]

4. With Azareus you drag and drop the torrent file from your desktop

into the top portion of the Azareus window and downloading begins almost immediately. Depending if you have any seeders available for that particular torrent, of course.

[Symarip]

5. I've never used it

I'll have to check it out.

[PeaceNikki]

6. Azareus is now Vuze.

[InvisibleTouch]

10. Which doesn't really make sense...

...since their logo is (was?) a little blue frog which is Dendrobates azureus.

I've never really gotten the damn thing to work either. Maybe if they'd kept the frog?

[HardWorkingDem]

8. Have done that and zilch...

It just shows that it is downloading and stays at 0 percent...


Do you have to create an account with Vuze or something?

[Symarip]

12. When you find the torrent you're looking for

Make sure the seed to leech ratio is doing well.

If that doesn't work, check your port connections and firewall.

[SecularMotion]

3. Wikipedia has a good page on torrents

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BitTorrent_(protocol)

Torrent download speeds will vary and sometimes may take a while to get up to speed.

[deucemagnet]

7. You probably don't have uTorrent configured properly.

If you go to "Options"-->"Speed Guide"-->"Test if Port is Forwarded Properly" in uTorrent I bet it will tell you that your port is not forwarded properly. uTorrent is a great program, but a little difficult to configure for a novice. You might want to try another bittorrent client.

[HardWorkingDem]

11. Got it going...finally, but are torrents generally slower than normal downloads?

I'm downloading an 82 meg torrent and it's taking forever. Other times during downloads of files this size, the time is much shorter. Any suggestions?

[DS1]

13. P2P doesn't work that way

Much reading you have before you, Padawan

[ACTION BASTARD]

16. None it all depends on the seeders available. The higher the # of seeders the faster your downloads

Also the amount of downloads you have going simultaneously also affect your overall dwnload speed.

[Lethe]

9. get µTorrent

then go to www.mininova.org or www.thepiratebay.org to find torrents.

[ACTION BASTARD]

15. Piratebay is great for newbies because the layout is so simple & clean

and easy to read.

[vard28]

14. I must be really illiterate

I don't even know what a torrent is, so I looked it up.

Here's a site that might be of help if you already haven't figured out what you need. It tells what one is and how to download it.

http://www.what-is-torrent.com/

[SoDesuKa]

17. Also Try Bit Che

Bit Che searches a number of sites and presents the results of the search in sortable columns. I usually sort the name column before I check how many seeders there are. Usually the ratio of seeders to leeches is a good index of downloading speed. Unfortunately, Bit Che's report isn't always up to date. Sometimes there's a really high seeders to leeches ratio, but you'll wait months before a download is complete.

However, beware. Torrents are full of viruses and trojans, and some of the stuff that's out there is pretty nasty. You can be the first kid on your block with a bug the anti-virus companies haven't even heard about.