Use a virtual private server to BitTorrent faster and more efficiently

This week's series of tips is all about downloading files via BitTorrent. We'll highlight ways in which to torrent more efficiently, obtain higher download speeds, and generally make the whole process easier. For more tech tips, check our Tips index.

In almost every case, your download speed on a torrent is dictated by your upload speed. If you manage to download a few chunks, and then upload those at high speed, you will very soon find your pipe very full indeed.

Now, if you're lucky enough to have a juicy upload connection at home (a few megabits), you probably have no problem filling your entire downstream bandwidth. If you're stuck with a weak DSL connection, however, a virtual private server (VPS), or 'seedbox', is what you need.

A VPS [Google search link] can cost as little as a few dollars a month, and for that you get access to 100Mbps both upstream and down. 350 megabyte torrents will complete in just a few seconds, and in general you'll get more bandwidth than you'll ever need (100GB or more). Once your torrents are complete on your VPS, you can download to your home computer at full speed. This also leaves your home's upstream bandwidth free for other uses, like surfing the Web!

Most VPSes run Linux, though, so you will need to learn how to use a console torrent client like rTorrent -- but that's tomorrow's tip!

Tags: bittorrent, dedicated-server, download, p2p, seedbox, tips, torrent, torrenting, vds, vps, web

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