BitTorrent Basics: Getting Started

I understand that BitTorrent can be intimidating to new users. There's a few new terms to learn, software to download, and then you need to find a website that has Torrents available to download. That may seem like a lot, but don't worry, it's actually quite easy and very well worth it!

First, why should you use BitTorrent? The selection and quality of content available is huge. You can download anything like movies, TV shows, e-books, music and even more. But the best part is how fast and efficient BitTorrent is. Unlike other peer to peer options that slow download as more users download the file, BitTorrent will actually speed up with more users. BitTorrent is currently the absolute fastest at distributing large files across the internet.

The first thing you need is a BitTorrent Client, which is the software on your computer that allows to download the Torrent file. I recommend uTorrent because it's small and uses very little system resources. There are many other clients available, so feel free to try others out and see what you like best.

After your BitTorrent Client is installed on your computer, you're ready to begin downloading. To find a site (Torrent Tracker) to download from, just do a simple Google search, or check out some of my favorites:

• Pirate Bay Review

All BitTorrent trackers have a search box to find what you're looking for or you can usually browser specific categories you're interested in. In order to download the file, someone must be uploading (Seeding) the file with their own BitTorrent client. Choose a file you want, then click the link to the .torrent file on the web page. This should trigger your BitTorrent client to open.

The file should now begin to download to your hard drive. The more seeders the file has, the faster the download will go. While you're downloading the file, you're called a Leacher because you don't have the complete file yet.

Another extremely important aspect to BitTorrent is sharing. You must also share with other users, while Leaching and Seeding, in order to make the most of your experience. If you share with other users while downloading, it should speed up because you're helping other users get pieces of the file from you, so you're effectively cutting out your competition.

So, the basics of BitTorrent: download and install a BitTorrent client on your computer, find a Torrent file you want and open that file into the client, and then begin the download! It really is that easy. Once you get started, you'll never regret it! Also, don't forget to share. You got that file because others were nice enough to share it with you, so return the favor to others. Besides, sharing with increase your download speeds anyway.

Also:
uTorrent Client Review
BitTorrent Glossary
How to Upload and Share Torrent Files