IP Anonymizer for BitComet

[monkeysun]

Is there anything like this in the 1.14 version? If not, how can I make my file sharing/downloads anonymous? Been using BitComet for 2.5 years now and I find it to be the best. I'd hate to have to go with another program for my sharing/downloads so I can keep my IP address safe from snoops.

Edited August 1, 2009 by monkeysun (see edit history)

[kluelos]

You can't.

Peer-to-peer applications like bittorrent are all about peer-to-peer. That means that my computer contacts yours directly, and your computer contacts Jusef's computer directly, and his contacts mine. We're all peers and we send/receive directly to each other. That's what it means.

P2P doesn't happen with normal internet activity -- we all contact the same server and it replies to each of us, for chatting or for sending and receiving email or for browsing the web. We never contact each other directly.

Since the essence of P2P is that my computer contacts yours directly, you cannot hide your IP from me. Without your IP address, I have no way to contact you. Your computer needs to contact mine directly, but if you state the wrong IP to me, I cannot reply to you to tell you I got your traffic.

Nobody can be anonymous on a P2P network. You can, in theory, hire a proxy which forwards traffic and replies for you, but this is rather expensive and will slow you down. It just shows the proxy's address instead of yours. It's also of doubtful utility, since the proxy enjoys no legal protection, and if required to reveal you, must do so.

Most proxies will readily out you upon request, as they have no intention of getting involved in a legal conflict between you and someone else. You ain't payin' them enough for that.

There are a lot of snake-oil salesmen out there, who will tell you their product makes your downloads faster than a speeding bullet, able to leap tall firewalls in a single bound, and fights for complete anonymity while doing so. If you believe any of that, I have a wonderful bargain for you.

[monkeysun]

But what if someone wanted to track what I downloaded(referred to as "honeypotting")and accuse me of downloading something that's copyrighted? Mind you I'm only downloading, NOT uploading or selling. Am I liable or what choice do I have if they threaten me? Asking hypothetically.

You can't.

Peer-to-peer applications like bittorrent are all about peer-to-peer. That means that my computer contacts yours directly, and your computer contacts Jusef's computer directly, and his contacts mine. We're all peers and we send/receive directly to each other. That's what it means.

P2P doesn't happen with normal internet activity -- we all contact the same server and it replies to each of us, for chatting or for sending and receiving email or for browsing the web. We never contact each other directly.

Since the essence of P2P is that my computer contacts yours directly, you cannot hide your IP from me. Without your IP address, I have no way to contact you. Your computer needs to contact mine directly, but if you state the wrong IP to me, I cannot reply to you to tell you I got your traffic.

Nobody can be anonymous on a P2P network. You can, in theory, hire a proxy which forwards traffic and replies for you, but this is rather expensive and will slow you down. It just shows the proxy's address instead of yours. It's also of doubtful utility, since the proxy enjoys no legal protection, and if required to reveal you, must do so.

Most proxies will readily out you upon request, as they have no intention of getting involved in a legal conflict between you and someone else. You ain't payin' them enough for that.

There are a lot of snake-oil salesmen out there, who will tell you their product makes your downloads faster than a speeding bullet, able to leap tall firewalls in a single bound, and fights for complete anonymity while doing so. If you believe any of that, I have a wonderful bargain for you.

Edited August 1, 2009 by monkeysun (see edit history)

[kluelos]

Please don't quote the entire post you're replying to. Most times, it's not necessary to quote it at all, unless you're replying to particular points.

When you use bittorrent, you are not just downloading. You are also uploading at the same time. This is the nature of bittorrent. You must give in order to get. As soon as you download one piece, you then upload it to other peers. This goes on constantly while you transfer.

You could, as an experiment, set your global maximum upload rate to zero so that you're not uploading at all. Your download rate soon also drops to zero, because you've made yourself a very undesirable trade partner. No other client will offer you any pieces, because you're not offering them any in return. Bittorrent self-enforces sharing.

Liability depends on your jurisdiction. but you can generally assume les flics are more interested in uploaders than downloaders. It's not in question with bittorrent, since everybody's uploading.

There is absolutely no way to do this undetectably. The essence of all P2P is that you must upload as well as download, eventually if not immediately. If that bothers you, then don't use P2P anymore.