How Peer to Peer (P2P) Works

Peer to Peer (P2P) Technology- How it works:

Ever wondered how P2P works? This guide will run down most of the major P2P services and how they work. Peer to Peer technology lets people share files over a network on the internet. Most people now use what is known as the second generation of P2P, which is unlike its predecessors like such as Napter, the second generation has no centralized server, making it harder for it to shut down.

How first generation P2P services worked:

A connection is established by a peer finding another peer to connect to. Each peer exchanges active peer and their addresses. When a connection has been established, the user can then search for files. When a search has been submitted, it connects to all nodes on its connection list. The results are then displayed and a connection is made.

How second generation P2P services worked:

Gnutella2: Hubs are used to quickly search for files, eliminating the original "find peer and search" method. Instead, they store a list of files on all the "Leaves" (A peer) that are connected to it, thus dramatically reducing search time. Advantages: Unlike Napster, if a hub crashes, it's network stays alive. Disadvantages: Doesn't make network any more durable than the first generation of P2P. Gnutella2: www.gnutella.com

FastTrack: Programs such as Kazaa and iMesh use the FastTrack protocol. Normal peers connect to a supernode which acts jsut like a hub. Supernodes also connect to other supernodes, allowing search requests to move through the network very quickly. Peers then establish a direct connection to a client after a file has been found. Advantages: Any client can become a supernode. Disadvantages: Corruption of files occur. Clients include: Kazaa (www.kazaa.com), iMesh (www.imesh.com)

BitTorrent: .torrent files are used to store information about the file being shared. Once a torrent file is opened, the client connects to the tracker which tells the client where the file is located and what other peers/seeders there are. BitTorrent works by chunks of small files being transferred (even through multiple connections), while you are downloading. The files are checked for corruption as the download continues. Leechers are people who download and don't upload, and are highly frowned upon on some sites, disallowing them from downloading any further. Advantages: Very fast for popular, new files. Disadvantages: Trackers are unreliable and if it goes down, the file is lost. Clients include: Azureus (www.azureus.com), Shareaza (www.shareaza.com).

EDonkey Network: Edonkey runs on the same principle as first generation P2P, only anybody can become a server. Clients communicate with the server to download files, and random chunks can be downloaded in any order then put together in the end. Advantages: No file corruption, leech penalization. Disadvantages: It can penalize users unfairly. EDonkey: www.edonkey2000.com

Infinitive!, Copyright 2005. All Rights Reserved.

Infinitive! http://www.infinate.x10hosting.com This article may be reproduced so long as your remain a link down the bottom. -Admin, Nigel.

Streamyx Home Basic
Streamyx Packages
Streamyx Combo Terms and Conditions
Streamyx Soho
Streamyx Business
Streamyx Enterprise
Streamyx Installation Guide
Streamyx Business
Streamyx Combo 140
Streamyx Petaling Jaya
Streamyx Registration
Broadband Malaysia
Streamyx
Streamyx Self Installation Guide
Streamyx Soho

Broadband - Time to Leave Dial Up

Back when the household PC was something of a social status marker and internet connection on top of that was very classy indeed, there were not many suppliers and therefore not much in competition within the internet provider market. However nowadays with our streaming TV, downloadable music and movies and online gaming there are more than a hundred broadband and dial up internet providers in the United Kingdom alone.

BT reports that 99.6% of people in the United Kingdom can receive broadband in their area, but there are a surprisingly large amount of people who are still using dial up internet. There seems to a misconception that it is cheaper to use a dial up modem, but nowadays it is actually more likely to be cheaper if you decide to use a broadband supplier. Unless you only use the internet for less than an hour a week you should probably look into a "light use" broadband that is designed for just browsing the web a few times a week and emailing.

You can find a typically light broadband package for around fifteen pounds a month, and it is an impressive ten times faster than dial up internet. What's more is that you no longer block the phone lines for the whole house hold when you connect to go online and the speed of pages loading and downloads are so much faster that it is possible you will want to use the internet more than you do at the moment.

With the internet currently being the most widely used medium in the world there have been many advancements over the past few years, but they only show their true benefits when used via a broadband internet line. For example there are several broadcasting companies offering free re runs of Television programs but they are only available to stream. This means that a small part of the program is downloaded just before the computer plays it. It then removes the information it has already played to make up space for what is yet to be downloaded. This requires a steady internet connection if you don't want to be paused to wait for five minute blocks to play out.

Other than downloads being much quicker, and the speed of browsing usually instant, there is also the ability to use wireless networks for broadband, so that everybody in the household can access the internet at one time. If you get a decent connection you shouldn't notice them using it at the same time either.

If you are still using dial up internet, it will most likely be worth looking into what offers are currently available from broadband providers. With the demand for internet connection you should be able to find something suitable for your needs.

For broadband deals that are both cheap and full of extras compare broadband online. Why not do a broadband speed test to see how your dial up connection compares?

Streamyx Free Gifts
Streamyx Tmpoint
Streamyx
Streamyx subang Jaya
Streamyx
Streamyx subang Jaya
Streamyx Wireless
Streamyx Online Registration
Streamyx Free Modem
Streamyx Promotion
Broadband Malaysia
Streamyx
About Streamyx Combo
Broadband Malaysia
Streamyx