Seed, leech, ratio: torrent vocabulary explained
2 min read
The BitTorrent protocol has its own vocabulary. Understanding it helps you read your torrent client’s interface and keep a good ratio on the trackers you use.
How peer-to-peer works
With BitTorrent, a file is not downloaded from a central server. It is split into small pieces that users exchange directly with each other. Each participant receives pieces and sends pieces to others at the same time.
The participants: peer, seeder and leecher
- Peer: any user connected to the same torrent, whether downloading or sharing.
- Seeder: a user who has the complete file and shares it. The more seeders there are, the faster the download.
- Leecher: a user who does not have the complete file yet. The term is also used, negatively, for someone who downloads without ever sharing.
Files and links
- .torrent file: a small file that describes the content to download and says where to find the other participants.
- Magnet link: a link that replaces the .torrent file. It contains a unique fingerprint of the content, which your client uses to find the other peers.
- Tracker: the server that connects participants with each other. It does not store the files, only the list of peers.
Ratio, the number to watch
Your ratio is the amount of data you have sent divided by the amount you have received. If you download a file and then share as much as its size, your ratio is 1.
On private trackers, a minimum ratio is often required to keep your account. The best way to maintain it is to keep seeding long after the download is done.
Why a seedbox helps you keep a good ratio
Sharing takes time and a decent upload connection, two things that are hard to guarantee from home. A seedbox stays online at all times and has a fast connection, 1 Gbit/s at Ma Seedbox, with unlimited traffic.
Your files keep seeding without you having to leave a computer on.
