Seedbox

A seedbox is a private dedicated server used for the uploading and downloading of digital files.[1] Seedboxes generally make use of the Bittorrent protocol for uploading and downloading, although they have also been used on the eDonkey2000 network. Seedboxes are plugged in to high speed bandwidth networks, often with a throughput of 100 megabits or more. Files are downloaded to a seedbox from other Bittorrent users, and from there they can be downloaded at high speeds to a users personal computer via the http, ftp, sftp, or rsync protocols.

Seedboxes can run Windows, Linux, or Mac OSX operating systems. Windows-based seedboxes are accessed via Microsoft's remote desktop protocol, allowing many popular bittorrent clients to be run on the seedbox remotely. Linux and Mac-based seedboxes run a variety of software that allows them to be accessed via a web interface like a regular web page. Popular web interfaces include TorrentFlux, [TorrentFlux b-4rt], rtorrent, and Transmission (BitTorrent client). More clients can be found by doing a comparison of bitTorrent software.

Seedboxes on high speed networks are typically able to download large files within minutes. A 1 Gigabyte file can take less than five minutes to download. That same 1 Gigabyte file can be uploaded to other users in the same amount of time, creating a 1:1 upload:download ratio for that individual file. The ability of a seedbox to transfer files so quickly is one of the big attractions seedboxes hold within the downloading community, and within the Bittorrent community in particular.

Why Seedboxes are used

A person who regularly downloads digital files from public and/or private Bittorrent trackers is usually required to follow site-specific ratio rules and guidelines. A 1:1 ratio is most often preferred, and since seedboxes can upload as fast as they can download, it is easy to achieve a 1:1 ratio quickly. Ratios greater than 1:1 are preferred by many users, and seedboxes make such a ratio an easy accomplishment.

Home-based internet connection bandwidth is freed from uploading and downloading traffic when seedbox usage is employed. Seedbox speeds are usually much higher than most ISP home internet connections; having bandwidth at home that is available for non-downloading related activities can be a sufficient reason by itself to use a seedbox.

Seedboxes keep files seeded indefinitely. They do not need to be rebooted or shut off very often. This allows downloading and seeding of files to occur continuously and without interruption.

Many ISP's now employ traffic shaping[2] software that examines network traffic for evidence of filesharing activities. Bittorrent data packets can be sniffed out. Rate limiting[3] measures can then be put in place. Seedboxes are an effective solution to this traffic shaping problem. A well publicized example of this occurred recently at Ohio University in Athens, Ohio. In April of 2007, the university banned all p2p-related traffic[4] on their campus-wide network at the repeated urgings of the RIAA and after several rounds of lawsuits levied against students making use of p2p[5] software on the university network. In this situation, a seedbox would allow an Ohio University student to effectively continue downloading and utilizing the university network to retrieve downloaded files from the seedbox via the http, ftp, sftp, or rsync protocols since none of those protocols are monitored or throttled by the university.

Seedboxes also provide a form of online storage for their users. Materials downloaded to a seedbox can be retrieved from anywhere in the world via the internet.

External links

• Need Upload Bandwidth? Get a Seedbox.
• ISP must come clean on 'traffic shaping'
• Comcast Cuts Off Heavy Internet Users
• The P2P mistake at Ohio University
• Illegal music sharing? OU tops the charts