What is Torrent? Is Torrenting Illegal in 2022?

Last Updated on May 28, 2022 by Tech Queries Team

People often think of Torrent as an Illegal activity because it is mostly used to download pirated movies, games, software, paid applications, and more. However, that was not the purpose of Torrenting. Actually, Torrenting is legal and practiced by several large companies and professionals. To know whether Torrenting is Illegal or Safe, you must first understand What is Torrent and How do Torrents Work. 

What is Torrent?

Torrent is a medium by which you can share large files with multiple users around the world without having a dedicated server. 

Suppose you are downloading a file from a website. When you click on the download button, the information in the server is downloaded on your computer. However, if several users want to download the same file, it requires a powerful server. Software companies and websites use powerful servers. 

But, what if a normal user like me and you wants to share a huge file with several users? This is where Torrenting comes into play. You can share your files easily and quickly using Torrent.

How do Torrents Work?

I will give you an example first so that you can understand How do Torrents Work practically.

Example on How Torrent Works:

Suppose I want to share my wedding video with my relatives living in different countries. Let’s Assume the size of the video is 20 GB. Now, it is not possible to send that video through Email or WhatsApp, or any other app because of the huge size. Besides that, it would take several hours to send it to multiple people. 

Therefore, I make a torrent file of the video from any Torrent Hosting Website. Then, I will share the torrent file with all my relatives (10 members). The size of a torrent file is usually in KBs (kilobytes). As soon as Mr. A downloads the torrent file and adds it to the Torrent Client (uTorrent), the download starts. The download speed of the Torrent depends on Mr. A’s bandwidth speed and my upload speed. 

Suppose Mr. A has downloaded 10% of the file. Now, Mr. B and Mr. C have also started downloading the file. Now, the file will be uploaded from my PC, as well as Mr.A’s PC. Similarly, when the last person is downloading the file, he will be downloading it from all the other computers. Therefore, he will download the file much faster. 

In General, Torrents works using the same method. When a user downloaded 2%, he will be uploading the 2% at the same time. Therefore, a normal user can share his file with several users without any server by using Torrent. Moreover, Torrent downloads the file in segments. Hence, one user receives the first part, and another user gets the last part, and so on. 

What are Seeds, Peers, and Leeches in Torrent?

If you ever used a Torrent Client, you might have seen different numbers in the Seeds and Peers column. Seeds, Peers, and Leeches are the most important factors in a Torrent.

Suppose a file is downloaded by 100 users. But, when downloading the file, you see only 10 Seeds and 20 Peers. Here Seeds are the people who are uploading the file after downloading. Peers are the users who are currently downloading the file. The remaining people who downloaded the file but do not seed (upload) are referred to as Leeches. You can see two numbers in the Seeds and Peers columns.

The number of seeds and peers shown in the column are the active users, and the value indicated in the bracket is the total users. The inactive users might have their computers shut down at the moment. The Seeds-Peers ratio determines the download speed of your Torrent. If seeders are more than peers, you will get a better download speed and vice versa.

Is Torrenting Illegal?

The short answer would be No. But, it is illegal in some cases. Torrents are generally used to share large files with multiple users. However, some users misused this technology to share pirated content. Sharing Pirated or Copyright content (like newly released movies, TV shows, games, software, e-books, paid apps, videos, and more) through Torrent or any medium is Illegal. We suggest you do not use Torrent for such Illegal activities. 

Besides that, some uploaders on Torrent websites trick users to download Malware into their computers like Trojan, Virus, etc. After the user downloads the file, cybercriminals will hack the computer and steal/delete confidential information.

Is Torrent Banned?

Torrenting is not Banned, but the Torrent websites that share copyright and pirated content are banned in several countries. However, many users still access the banned websites using a VPN (Virtual Private Network) Software. 

How to Use Torrent?

How to Download Torrent:

If you are using Torrent to download a file, all you need is a Torrent Client (like uTorrent) and the torrent file. The torrent file is provided by the host, whoever is sharing the file. 

• Install the Torrent Client on your PC.
• Download the Torrent file and simply double-click on it.
• The file will be added to your Torrent Clint. If the Torrent Client asks for confirmation, do it.
• The file will start downloading. You can stop/pause and resume the download at any time. 

How to Upload Torrent:

If you want to share the file, you need to make a torrent file from any Torrent Client. 

• Open the Torrent Client, go to the File Menu and click on New Torrent.
• Click on Add File or Add Directory and select the files you want to upload.
• Now, you need to add Trackers. Search for Torrent Trackers in a search engine, and you will find several trackers online. Trackers are used for tracking the number of Seeds and Peers.
• Next, click on Start Seeding.
• You can also enable the private torrent option if you want to share confidential or personal data. 
• Finally, click on Create and Save As. Your torrent file will be created in no time.

Frequently Asked Questions:

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Conclusion on Torrenting:

Torrent is a technology that helps home users and small organizations to share large files with multiple users through the internet. If you are using Torrent for personal use, then it is fine. But, using Torrent to Download or Upload pirated & illegal content is a crime. Therefore, make good use of this technology. We NEVER recommend our users to download pirated content by using Torrent. Also, share this article with your friends so that they can also understand What is Torrent, How do Torrents Work, and Is Torrenting Illegal or Safe in 2022?