So where do I get my info from?

So yeah, where DO I actually get my information from another persons computer? Well, that actually has a very simple answer. You see, every p2p client justifies a folder, (its almost always named "shared") in which shortcuts of all the data you downloaded in the network can be accessed from somewhere in your computer. So there it is, simply look for your "shared" folder hiding somewhere in the program files (depending on what operating system you are using)

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So, what are the Pro's and Cons of P2P networks??

NO SERVERS. That is probably the biggest pro that p2p networks have going for them. Data isnt being held on one central server distributing data to multiple people, rather if you download something in a p2p network, it comes from another member(s) of the networks' computer. This means you can download a ton of files, and not really have to worry about the servers ability to maintain multiple downloads, because in a p2p network its coming from different locations. One con is bandwidth. Depending on how many computers your computer is connecting to, it can slow down performance (because as a member you will be sharing information in your shared folders)

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How does P2P work for me?

Peer to Peer networks could work for an individual in many ways. My personal example being is that a couple summers ago I wanted to create a server for the popular video game "World of Warcraft" in which I could have a bunch of my friends play on this private server without paying a cent for the actual subscription WoW charges it's users. Now my server knowledge was still in its infancy at best, so I actually had set up a very basic p2p "ad-hok" network in which the server was treated almost as like a LAN party where ONLY my friend could log in, not allowing for just anyone to sign up on the website and make an account (that would come later) Using the popular adhok program, hamachi I set up the network relatively quickly, and got my friends to install the hamachi clients on their computers so that they would be recognized and be able to join the network. I believe at the time the most people my network could hold at the time was something like 15 people, (though it seemed like 1000) setting up a basic p2p network like that is what got me into networks in the first place.

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Peer to Peer: an intro

Peer-to-peer networks, aka p2p networks, have been around since the birth of the internet. They are created similar to a network with the "ad-hok' architecture where the computers act with each other through a common folder; a "shared" folder. Peer to peer networks are famous for file sharer's exploiting of it to share music and other files. because of the seemingly endless use of p2p networks for illegal actions, these networks are closely monitored for copyright infringement and have landed many people in jail.

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