How Peer to Peer (P2P) Works -

Home
>
Broadband Internet
>
How Peer to Peer (P2P) Works

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

In The News:

코리아타임즈
Is Hanaro Blessing or Curse to SK Telecom?
코리아타임즈, South Korea - 15 hours ago
By Kim Tong-hyung Hopes were high after Hanarotelecom, the troubled fixed-line telephony and broadband Internet operator, was acquired by SK Telecom, ...

National Post
Jonathan Kay asks: How does Canadian broadband Internet service ...
National Post, Canada - Jul 18, 2008
The Information Technology and Innovation Foundation has an interesting new report comparing broadband Internet availability in OECD countries. ...

Primus Selling Broadband Satellite Internet Service in Continental ...
MarketWatch - Jul 16, 2008
"We are very excited about the opportunity to sell HughesNet broadband Internet service," says DG Gulati, president of Primus's US Operations. ...

TrustedReviews
BT to Invest $3 Billion On UK Internet Service
Wall Street Journal - Jul 15, 2008
By VLADIMIR GUEVARRA LONDON -- BT Group PLC said it plans to invest £1.5 billion ($3 billion) in fiber-based broadband-Internet service for as many as 10 ...
BT unveils plans for super-fast internet service that is up to 25 ... Mirror.co.uk
Internet: BT aims for faster broadband and higher margins with ... guardian.co.uk
BT welcomes the future of fast internet TV Times Online
Broadband Expert - International Herald Tribuneall 294 news articles

Internet access is everywhere
EETimes.com - Jul 16, 2008
It's an exciting time in the wireless networks industry because end users are--for the first time ever--about to have access to true broadband Internet ...

Gresham Outlook
Broadband still lacking in Oregon
Gresham Outlook, OR - Jul 19, 2008
The latest estimates reflect 49 percent of American households enjoy high speed broadband Internet access. But 49 percent is 51 percent short of where we ...

Gladstone to discontinue wireless Internet service
Escanaba Daily Press, MI - Jul 18, 2008
GLADSTONE - The city of Gladstone recently decided to discontinue offering wireless broadband Internet service to residents due to high costs and low ...

KG creeps toward speedier Internet
The Free Lance-Star, VA - 20 hours ago
The county has a contract with Virginia Broadband to deliver the faster Internet service to thousands of other residents eventually, but they'll have to ...

dBTechno
US Cable Providers to Sign Deal to Keep Out Child Porn
MedIndia, India - Jul 19, 2008
This commitment represents the largest number of broadband subscribers protected by the terms of the MOU as these operators offer broadband Internet service ...
Cable firms join plan to root out child porn Rutland Herald
Attorney General Joins with Cable Providers to Combat Child ... WCAV
Cable Industry Vows to Block Child Porn Web Sites PC Magazine
KSL-TV - WHSVall 38 news articles

TiVo broadband users can watch YouTube on TV
San Francisco Chronicle, USA - Jul 16, 2008
Starting today, TiVo subscribers with a broadband Internet connection and up-to-date digital recorders will be able to browse, search and watch YouTube ...

broadband internet - Google News

How Peer to Peer (P2P) Works

Broadband Internet