How to Safely Use BitTorrent

BitTorrent is a type of technology that allows for users to download anything they want from a variety of people who already have the file. This technology can be used to transfer files. However, many sources often hinder your downloads by tracking your IP or flooding your connection with corrupted files. Preventing these sources from doing this not only improves security, but it will also boost your download speeds.

One way to make the use of torrent software safer is by using a program called peer guardian. This program prevents people or organizations that may be harmful to your downloading experience from staying connected to you.

To use this program, simply download the software from http://phoenixlabs.org/pg2/. Install the program and run it. Running it for the first time will prompt it to search for updates. After updating has completed, the main window will appear. Make sure that the blocking is enabled by clicking the button in the upper left. Once blocking is enabled, your use of BitTorrent will be somewhat safer.

However, many people running Windows Vista or Windows 7 may have issues running peer guardian, and users who are able to use peer guardian may want a higher level of security.

Peer guardian works by disconnecting you from harmful peers. This means that for brief moments, you are in fact connected to them. To improve security, you can use active IP blocking, which prevents you from ever connecting to harmful users in the first place. This is available in a BitTorrent program call uTorrent. It can be downloaded here: http://www.utorrent.com/.

To enable IP blocking, open uTorrent, click options, then preferences. In the new preferences window, click on "advanced." In the list of options, find "ipfilter.enable" and change it to true. The program will now load an IP ban list from a folder on your hard drive. However, you need to get this list first.

Go to http://blocklistpro.com/download-center/ip-filters/ and download "nipfilter.dat." You'll need to rename this file to "ipfilter.dat."

Next you need to move this file to a certain folder on your hard drive. If you are running windows XP then move it here:

C:\Documents and Settings\"your user name"\Application Data\uTorrent

If you are running Vista or Windows 7 then move it here:

C:\Users\"your user name"\AppData\Roaming\uTorrent

Once the file is in this folder, simply restart uTorrent and the IP ban list should be loaded. To be sure it's working, you can click the "logger" tab above the bottom section in uTorrent. It should say that ipfilter.dat was loaded.