How to Use Torrents in 3 Steps
Using torrents isn't exactly a new idea (or a hard one at that). Internet savvy users out there are probably wondering why I'm even bothering writing this. Simply put? I have good reason to. I still get asked repeatedly by family and friends to download the latest movies/music/games for various reasons (recession? broke? movie got bad reviews? who knows). Being the nice guy that I am, I usually *sigh* on the inside, then head to my favorite torrent sites and proceed to fulfill their requests.
In this article, I'm going to list the most commonly used programs and websites in an attempt to keep it less confusing. Once you understand how to operate the basics, then I'll leave the more targeted research up to you (e.g.; finding a private torrent community for each type of media).
Step 1: Download and install uTorrent. - Lightweight and easy to use, I've never had a reason to switch to a different program.
- You will get this warning. Ignore it. This is the real version of uTorrent.
- Keep clicking "Next".
- You will get to a screen that shows the installation directory. Don't change anything, and press "Next".
- You will then be brought to the "Configuration" screen. Again, don't change anything, and click "Install".
- Installation is complete. If the uTorrent window does not pop up, check your system tray (bottom right corner).
Step 2: Find torrent files -So, you have uTorrent downloaded. Now, you actually need the torrent files themselves. Here is one of the many ways to go about getting the files you want.
- Head to The Pirate Bay.
- Once you're on the landing page, you'll notice there's a search bar. Type in whatever it is you want.
- Click the "Pirate Search" button.
- This is the search results page listing every torrent available to you. In this particular search, there are two pages of torrents.
- Each category is listed at the top. The categories are Type, Name, Uploaded, Size, SE, and LE, and you can click them to sort them by each category.
- Browse the results until you find one you're interested in downloading.
- IMPORTANT: Read the user comments at the bottom. Just like any other p2p method, a virus can be hidden in the files. Users will usually comment on this. If there are no comments on the torrent you're interested in, be cautious.
Step 3: Download and wait- Torrents can be painfully slow sometimes.
- After you click the torrent you want, and read the user comments for any signs of malicious activity or fake files, click the big green letters "Download this torrent".
- After clicking download, a window should pop up. Click the option "Open with" and select uTorrent in the dropdown menu (it should be the default).
- uTorrent will open, and another window will pop up showing you the download directory and the files you're about to download. Memorize the location, then click "Ok" at the bottom.
That's it. Now all that's required is a bit of patience. The download process can take awhile, especially when you're using a public tracker such as The Pirate Bay. Remember, just like other p2p methods, torrents are not immune to viruses/trojans. Take precaution when downloading anything! Read comments, scan files with your virus scanner, etc...!