Part 3 (2/2)

Installing a BitTorrent client is no different from installing other programs. To be sure that a client isn't infected with malware, download it only from the publisher's website, not some third-party site. Before installation, shut down any antimalware (antivirus) programs. Separate instructions for Windows and OS X installations follow.

To install uTorrent (Windows): Go to utorrent.com, click the Download link, and then save the file utorrent.exe on your drive. (The site autodetects Windows.) When the download completes, double-click torrent.exe and run the uTorrent Setup Wizard.

On the ”Welcome to the uTorrent Setup Wizard” page, click Next.

On the ”Warning” page, click Next.

On the ”License Agreement” page, click I Agree.

On the ”Choose Install Location” page, accept the default installation folder or click Browse to use or create a different location. If you like, turn off the Start-menu and icon checkboxes. Click Next.

On the ”Configuration” page, turn on ”Add an exception for uTorrent in Windows Firewall” to let uTorrent communicate through Windows' built-in firewall. If you're using a third-party firewall, you must configure it separately.

If you pay for internet service by the megabyte or if you don't plan to use uTorrent heavily, turn off ”Start uTorrent when Windows starts up.” (You can change this setting later in the Preferences window.).

On the ”uTorrent Browser Bar Optional Installation” page, turn off all the checkboxes (all are spam options). Click Install.

uTorrent registers itself as the default program for .torrent files and opens.

To install uTorrent (OS X): Go to utorrent.com, click the Download link, and then save the disk image (.dmg file) on your drive. (The site autodetects OS X.) When the download completes, double-click the .dmg file.

A disk icon appears on your desktop and the uTorrent window opens (if it doesn't open, double-click the disk icon).

In the uTorrent window, drag the uTorrent.app icon and drop it on the Applications icon.

uTorrent registers itself as the default program for .torrent files. To open uTorrent, click its icon in the Applications folder.

After installing uTorrent, you can delete the .dmg file and remove the disk icon from your desktop by dragging it to the Trash or right-clicking (or Ctrl-clicking) it and choosing Eject.

Getting Help.

Before you start pirating, configure uTorrent to work with your particular system. Following the general instructions in this chapter will usually get you fast download speeds with uTorrent's default settings, but ekeing out every last bit per second depends on more factors than can be covered here, including your operating system, connection speed, latency, internet service provider (ISP), router, and firewall. If you need to troubleshoot, tweak, or better understand your configuration, try any of the following resources: Read the uTorrent help file, particularly the Setup Guide and Port Forwarding sections. In Windows, open uTorrent and choose Help > uTorrent Help (or press F1). In OS X, go to utorrent.com/doc.u.mentation, click ”uTorrent Help File,” and then download and extract the .chm file. To open .chm files in OS X, install a reader such as Chmox.

Read the uTorrent FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions), particularly the Network section. Choose Help > uTorrent FAQ or go to utorrent.com/faq.

Ask a question on the uTorrent forums. Choose Help > uTorrent Forums or go to forum.utorrent.com. Before posting your question, search the help file, FAQ, and forums to see whether it's been answered already, lest you be ignored or abused by the forums' partic.i.p.ants.

Search the web for increase bittorrent speed (or a similar phrase) and read articles by speed-obsessed pirates.

Experiment. Change settings to find what works best for you.

Hire someone. In most cases, a networking geek can get everything working (and explain the process) in less than two hours.

Limiting Upload Rates.

Recall from Chapter 2 that BitTorrent requires all peers to simultaneously upload and download shared files. The top speed at which you can transfer data (up or down) depends on your bandwidth - the more you pay your ISP, the greater your bandwidth. Data speeds for DSL, cable, fiber, and other broadband connections let you download much faster than you can upload. This asymmetry arose because ordinary users generally receive (download) many more webpages, videos, pictures, messages, programs, and doc.u.ments than they publish (upload).

Because too much outbound traffic can choke your download speed, you must throttle, or limit, uTorrent's maximum upload speed. In general, you don't have to throttle download speed. You can throttle upload rates automatically or manually.

To set the maximum upload rate automatically (Windows): Quit all programs that access the internet, including browsers, mail/chat clients, antimalware, Skype, iTunes, and backup tools.

Open uTorrent and choose Options > Setup Guide or press Ctrl+G.

In the uTorrent Setup Guide, choose the location closest to you from the Bandwidth drop-down list. If a somewhat nearby place isn't listed, skip the remaining steps and set the upload rate manually, as described later in this section.

Click Run Tests and wait until the tests finish.

If the Bandwidth test succeeded, click Save & Close. If it failed, set the upload rate manually, as described later in this section.

If the Network test succeeded, click Save & Close. If it failed, check the resources listed in ”Getting Help” earlier in this chapter and search for firewall or router or port forwarding.

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