How Torrent Works

How BitTorrent Works

BitTorrent is a protocol that enables fast downloading of large files using minimum Internet bandwidth. It costs nothing to use and includes no spyware or pop-up advertising.

Unlike other download methods, BitTorrent maximizes transfer speed by gathering pieces of the file you want and downloading these pieces simultaneously from people who already have them. This process makes popular and very large files, such as videos and television programs, download much faster than is possible with other protocols.

To know why BitTorrent downloading is different from the regular downloading i’ll have to explain how the traditional client-server downloading works:

You open a Web page and click a link to download a file to your computer.

The Web browser software on your computer (the client) tells the server (a central computer that holds the Web page and the file you want to download) to transfer a copy of the file to your computer.

The transfer is handled by a protocol (a set of rules), such as FTP (File Transfer Protocol) or HTTP (HyperText Transfer Protocol).

   

The transfer speed is affected by a number of variables, including the type of protocol, the amount of traffic on the server and the number of other computers that are downloading the file. If the file is both large and popular, the demands on the server are great, and the download will be slow.

But the BitTorrent follows a different method of sharing files known as Peer-Peer Sharing

Peer-to-peer file sharing is different from traditional file downloading. In peer-to-peer sharing, you use asoftware program (rather than your Web browser) to locate computers that have the file you want. Because these are ordinary computers like yours, as opposed to servers, they are called peers. The process works like this:

• You run peer-to-peer file-sharing software (for example, a Gnutella program) on your computer and send out a request for the file you want to download.
• To locate the file, the software queries other computers that are connected to the Internet and running the file-sharing software.
• When the software finds a computer that has the file you want on its hard drive, the download begins.
• Others using the file-sharing software can obtain files they want from your computer’s hard drive.

The file-transfer load is distributed between the computers exchanging files, but file searches and transfers from your computer to others can cause bottlenecks. Some people download files and immediately disconnect without allowing others to obtain files from their system, which is called leeching. This limits the number of computers the software can search for the requested file. 

Unlike some other peer-to-peer downloading methods, BitTorrent is a protocol that offloads some of the file tracking work to a central server (called a tracker). Another difference is that it uses a principal called tit-for-tat. This means that in order to receive files, you have to give them. This solves the problem of leeching — one of developer Bram Cohen‘s primary goals. With BitTorrent, the more files you share with others, the faster your downloads are. Finally, to make better use of available Internet bandwidth (the pipeline for data transmission), BitTorrent downloads different pieces of the file you want simultaneously from multiple computers.

• You open a Web page and click on a link for the file you want.
• BitTorrent client software communicates with a tracker to find other computers running BitTorrent that have the complete file (seed computers) and those with a portion of the file (peers that are usually in the process of downloading the file).
• The tracker identifies the swarm, which is the connected computers that have all of or a portion of the file and are in the process of sending or receiving it.
• The tracker helps the client software trade pieces of the file you want with other computers in the swarm. Your computer receives multiple pieces of the file simultaneously.
• If you continue to run the BitTorrent client software after your download is complete, others can receive .torrent files from your computer; your future download rates improve because you are ranked higher in the “tit-for-tat” system.

Downloading pieces of the file at the same time helps solve a common problem with other peer-to-peer download methods: Peers upload at a much slower rate than they download. By downloading multiple pieces at the same time, the overall speed is greatly improved. The more computers involved in the swarm, the faster the file transfer occurs because there are more sources of each piece of the file. For this reason, BitTorrent is especially useful for large, popular files.

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How to make Free calls from the Internet?

With the advent of VoIP technology, long distance calls have gotten cheaper. It has created a revolution and has become the most accessible option for communication. With its fast growing popularity many of web users are still unaware of how VoIP works, but it becomes more important to equip yourselves with the know-how of making calls using VoIP and what its benefits are. So here is information on how you can use VoIP and benefits of it!

VoIP is:

VoIP is an acronym for Voice-over-Internet-Protocol. It is a technology that transmits analog audio signals from telephones and converts them to digital signals so that the computers can understand them and transmit them over the Internet.

Depending on the kind of technology, the following equipments may be required:

• High speed internet connection (DSL or cable modem)
• Computer
• Telephone
• Adapter
• Speakers (if not in-built in the computer)
• Microphone (if not in-built in the computer)

How it works:

VoIP can be used in one of the following ways:

1. ATA (Analog Telephone Adapter): Use analog phone or home phone to connect to the adapter. The adapter is required to convert analog signals to digital signals that can be transmitted using the internet. To connect the home phone to the adaptor, remove the cable from the wall that is plugged into the home phone and plug it to the socket in the adapter.
2. IP Phones: IP phones look very similar to home phones, but have a RJ-45 jack that is for Ethernet connection. Here too (like the ATA) the cable must be plugged to the router.  IP Phones do not require the adapter, it only needs the software and hardware suitable for the VoIP calls in the phone.
3. Computer-to-computer: Download the required software from the internet; connect microphone and speakers, and a sound card. The receivers of the call should also have the same service downloaded and active. It is one of the easiest and cheapest ways to use VoIP to make calls because the software is free, costs include internet rental and usage charges.

Benefits of using VoIP:

• Your expenses involved for making calls are substantially low.
• You can give up your home phone and use broadband, and reduce phone expenses.
• With wireless ‘Wi-Fi phones’ you can make and take calls at anytime, anyplace.
• There are no ‘roaming’ charges.
• You can make conference calls and speak to multiple users.
• Some VoIP providers have extra features like voicemail in the form of e-mails, call forwards, blocking unwanted callers, and so on.

Some drawbacks of using VoIP:

• Power connection must be continuous and stable.
• VoIP cannot be used without a high speed internet connection.
• Slow internet connectivity cause disturbances and delays in communication.

Select a VoIP service provider:

• Know what your needs are. Depending on what kind of calls you want to make (like computer-to-computer, computer to a mobile, computer to a landline, etc.) can help you zero in on your needs.
• Identify any additional charges like activation fees, installation charges, recurring deposits, validity periods, trial packs etc. Before you decide on a service provider.
• Identify free and chargeable services providers.
• Be sure to read the contract terms and conditions too.

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How to use Facebook Effectively and Efficiently

In brief, Facebook is an effective social networking site. Through Facebook you can find friends, add them to your network and keep in touch, you can network for business purposes, play games, share photos etc. Let’s elaborate and find out what Facebook can do for you and how you can use it effectively.

1. Open a Facebook account: This is the first step to using Facebook. On the homepage, enter your full name, email ID and password. Ensure your password has both numbers and letters. Once you signup, you will receive a verification mail in the inbox of your email ID used to sign up on Facebook. Click on the verification link to get connected to Facebook.

2. Your profile information: Click on ‘edit profile’ tab to add / update data about yourself. You can reveal / show only your birth date and month info and not the year, a click on a check box will help you with this. Enter the basic details like your country, hometown, languages you know, education, work place, etc and ensure you click on ‘save’ after you add data in each section.

3. Upload pictures: One of the first pictures you may want to upload is your profile picture. Click on ‘Upload profile picture’ and browse to select your picture from your desktop / folder and click ‘OK’ to see the picture being displayed. You can add more photos by selecting the ‘photo’ icon on the applications toolbar, click on ‘create a photo album’ and add an album name and set privacy settings before you browse and add more photos to the album. You can choose groups of friends whom you want to share or hide the photos from in the privacy settings.

4. Search for friends to add: To search for a college-mate or co-worker, click on ‘friend finder’ tab and enter the name of your friend to search them. Alternatively, you can click on ‘Find friends’ tab on the right hand pane, using this page, you can find friends from your company, college or school that will be listed. Photos and names of people you may know will appear below and you can directly go to their Facebook page and add them as your friend by sending them the request. Once they accept and confirm the two of you will be connected as friends on Facebook.

5. Messages (private and public): At the top right hand corner is a tab that says ‘send message’, click on that and type a subject and your message to your friend which only he / she can view and respond. This is similar to e-mail message which is personal. However, to send a message that everyone can see, you can ‘post’ a message on the ‘wall’ of your friend.

6. Chat on Facebook: At the right hand bottom corner is a window called ‘chat’. Click on that to expand the window and the friends who are online at that point and available for chat display a green icon next to their names. You can click on your friend’s name and a chat window opens just like any other chat feature.

7. Upload links and videos: On your Facebook homepage, you can click on the ‘links’ and ‘videos’ toolbar to share your favourite or liked links and videos with others. Alternatively, if you are watching a video that you like on YouTube or any other website and would like to share it with your Facebook friends look for a Facebook icon in the toolbar below the video and click on that to share the video.

8. Notes: Look for the ‘Notes’ tab at the left hand pane on your home page, click on that to find notes written by your friends. It could be useful information, random notes or tips shared. To post your own notes, click the ‘My notes’ tab and then click on ‘+Write a Note’ to write your own note. The privacy settings here will help you choose whom you would like to share the notes with; the ‘Save draft’ option will allow you save your note as a draft until you decide to ‘publish’ it by clicking on the ‘Publish’ tab.

9. Create a group: On the left hand pane of your home page, you will find a tab called ‘Create groups’. Click the tab, add a group name and members whom you would like to add to the group. Below you will also find a privacy tab and you can choose from ‘open’, ‘closed’ or ‘secret’. By choosing ‘open’, you confirm that the group can be visible to others along with the posts from the group. Also anybody can choose to join the group. ‘Closed’ option will restrict the conversations only to the members of the group. Here the members can be seen by others. By choosing ‘secret’ tab, the members and the content exchanged are secretive.

10. Profile privacy: Click ‘account’ and select ‘privacy settings’ to set your privacy settings. Click on ‘Customize settings ‘ to adjust your privacy options such that your posts, pictures, etc can be viewed only by ‘Everyone’, ‘Friends of Friends’, ‘Friends only’ and ‘Customize’. The Customize option allows you to hide the posts or picture albums from any group or people of your choice. Do not forget to ‘save settings’ once you have set your settings.

Happy Facebooking 

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How to disable Facebook Photo tagging on your profile

Facebook is very addictive social networks with lots of spammy applications and user’s. We usually avoid spam’s but things get worse when someone misuse the Facebook Photo tagging feature for you. Some applications like “Who Staked Your Profile” and others contaminate your and your friends wall after gaining the access.

You can disable Facebook Photo tagging by few simple steps:

1.Go to your Facebook Privacy Settings

2.You also simple go to “Privacy Settings > Applications and Websites >What your friends can share about you” and Unchecked the “Photos and videos of me” .

Below mentioned screen shots will help you in disabling the Facebook Photo tagging:

a) Go to “How People bring info to apps they use”

b) Uncheck “My Photos and My videos”

After saving the changes no one can tag you via photos on walls. Though this tip will block photo tagging but your friends can still tag your profile with @username functions.

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