File Sharing Methods

General

• WWW - Best Clients: Mozilla FireFox, Google Chrome, Opera, Microsoft Internet Explorer
• NewsGroups - Best Clients: NewsLeecher, GrabIt
• IRC - Best Client: mIRC

File Transfer Protocol

• FTP - Best Clients: SmartFTP, CuteFTP, FlashFXP, BulletProof FTP
• Best Web Servers: Apache, Lighttpd
• Best Personal Server: Serv-U

Central Servers

• CuteMX - Dead
• Scour Exchange - Dead
• Napster - Dead
• AudioGalaxy - Dead
• iMesh (the server network) - Dead
• SoulSeek - Best Client: SoulSeek
• FileTopia - Best Client: FileTopia

Multi-Server

• ED2K - Best Client: eMule
• OpenNap - Best Client: XNap, WinLop
• DirectConnect - Best Client: DC++
• i2hub - Dead

Decentralized Networks - Big Population

• Gnutella - Best Clients: LimeWire, FrostWire, Phex
• FastTrack - Best Clients: Kazaa Lite Resurrection, K-Lite
• Ares - Best Client: Ares
• Kad - Best Client: eMule

Medium Population

• WinMX - Best Client: WinMX (officially closed, patch required to function)
• Overnet - Dead
• G2 - Best Client: Shareaza
• OpenFT - Best Client: KCeasy (no longer actively being developped)
• MP2P - Best Client: Manolito
• iP2P - Dead

Small Population

• MUTE - Best Clients: MUTE P2P
• Ants - Best Client: Ants P2P
• ZEPP - Best Client: Zultrax
• Sumi - Best Client: Sumi
• Share - Best Client: Share P2P (official site down)
• Rodi - Best Client: Rodi
• Nodezilla - Best Client: Nodezilla
• Entropy - Dead
• LionShare - Best Client: LionShare P2P
• iMnet2 - Best Client: iMesh
• Aimni - Best Client: Aimni

Private Networks

• FreeNet (has received large donations from various organizations, for example Google's Open Source team)
• WASTE P2P
• ExoSee (officially closed)
• Peer2Mail
• TribalWeb (officially closed)
• PowerFolder
• FolderShare (now Microsoft Windows Live Sync)

BitTorrent

• Using Mainline DHT (standard protocol) - Best Clients: BitTorrent (Official), µTorrent, Vuze
• Using Azureus DHT (standard protocol) - Best Client: Vuze (formerly called Azureus)
• eXeem P2P - Dead
• Anatomic P2P - Dead
• Miro (uses standard protocol) - Best Client: Miro (formerly called Democracy Player)
• Find Torrents: TorrentScan.com

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This article was written by FileSharingZ.com. Here at File Sharing Z we are interested in file sharing news and downloads. We follow the main file sharing trends and try to help you where we can.