Seedboxes offer high performance peer-to-peer file sharing services. If you spend a lot of time downloading and uploading files to BitTorrent for example, you should seriously consider creating a dedicated seedbox.
Table of Contents
Some legal notes
Whenever the issue of peer-to-peer services like BitTorrent comes up, there is always some confusion about their legitimacy. The answer is that the technology itself is not illegal, as it is simply a file transfer technology. In most countries, however, it is illegal to use this technology to infringe copyright or to send or receive content that is inherently illegal.
Basically, it is very good to use BitTorrent, but it is not okay to break the law with it. How you use the technology and any consequences that may result from it is your personal responsibility.
Basics of BitTorrent
- To download a file using BitTorrent, open a torrent file (or magnet link) with a BitTorrent client.
- The Torrent file does not contain any part of the actual file or files, just information about what it looks like and where to find the data.
- BitTorrent users contribute to the file sharing process.
- As you download the files from the torrent, data comes to your computer from other users. At the same time, what you have downloaded will be sent to other torrent users.
- After downloading a full copy of the date, you become the player yourself and continue sharing the files to a predetermined point or until you manually interrupt the process.
Most people who use a torrent simply use their main computer and a home internet connection, but there are several problems with using a torrent this way. A seedbox solves all problems.
What is Seedbox?
A seedbox is essentially a dedicated computer that is always connected to a high speed internet connection. The seedbox only has torrenting-related software installed. Seedboxes always transmit and download torrents and free your master computer from doing torrenting along with anything else you want it to do.
One of the main reasons to use a seedbox is for downloading from private trackers. Private torrent trackers often have rules about the leeching seeding process (how much you have shared over how much you have received) and distribute the best download speeds only to those with the highest seeding amounts.
However, even if you do not use private torrent monitors, there are other reasons to use a seedbox, which we will discuss below.
Local vs. Cloud Seedboxes
When you hear the name "seedbox" nowadays, it generally refers to a cloud-based service. In other words, you pay to rent a physical or virtual server at a data center. Strictly speaking, you can build your own Seedbox simply by building or purchasing a proprietary computer, loading it with the right software, and connecting it to a fast Internet connection.
In practice, however, almost no one does that. Most people who want to use a seedbox find it more economical and cost effective to simply pay a monthly subscription and reap the full benefits of a seedbox without all the hassle. Therefore, seedboxes are cloud based.
The advantage of Cloud Seedboxes
When you rent a seedbox in the cloud, you receive a package. The amount you pay depends on certain factors, such as the bandwidth and space you want.
There are several benefits to this. First of all, they do not consume any bandwidth on your local connection. The only bandwidth you will spend is uploading or downloading files to and from the seedbox.
You can also access a seedbox from anything with a browser, making it easy to add torrents and control what's going on in your remote box.
Seedboxes also offer a good way to bypass traffic restrictions from your ISP. Some ISPs will restrict BitTorrent traffic in the first place, regardless of the purpose for which users are actually using it. However, since you are not using BitTorrent to download files from your home connection, it will not affect you.
Seedboxes allow you to download files stored on them via HTTP, FTP and SFTP. Commercial seedboxes are usually installed in large data centers with incredible amounts of bandwidth. Downloads that may have taken hours or even days to connect to your home take seconds or minutes in a seedbox. Once the files are securely stored in your seedbox, you can retrieve them at your leisure with instant download.
When to Use a Seedbox
Any torrent user who wants to use the technology privately, comfortably and at high speeds should consider a seedbox. The average user will probably be happy with the first-class seedbox packages, which usually cost a few dollars a month.
Seedboxes have an even more interesting use case. If you want to distribute your own content without paying huge amounts of hosting, seedbox is a viable solution. Just create your own torrent and then post the file on your website or social media. Then use the seedbox to display your file.
Whatever you decide upon, that look can be further enhanced by the type of shutter hinges used.
You can also use a VPN. This prevents your ISP from seeing that you are using BitTorrent by creating an encrypted tunnel through which you use BitTorrent. However, you will continue to download and upload data using your own hardware and internet connection.
