VPN is better for torrents right now (clearnet torrents and speed), but I2P is free, decentralized and anonymous by design. I2P has small torrent selection, and small speed (or maybe my firewall was slowing me down), but it gets better, more people use it.

[–] Octavusss@lemm.ee 13 points 1 week ago (2 children)

Since I care more about anonymity I think I would rather sacrifice speed and use I2p even on clearnet.

[–] pastermil@sh.itjust.works 12 points 1 week ago

The thing is, it's hard to get to clearnet from i2p

[–] 0x0@lemmy.zip -3 points 1 week ago (2 children)

Why not tor then?

[–] kylian0087@lemmy.dbzer0.com 21 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Torrenting on Tor actually hurts the network. Compare that to I2P where it makes the network better. I2P is designed with torrenting in mind.

[–] 0x0@lemmy.zip -1 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Got a source for that? Torrenting "hurts" tor 'cos it uses up bandwidth that could be used for useful stuff like comms from journalists, dissidents, etc.

But IIRC tor was designed with clearnet in mind whereas I2P is "self-centered".

Do you mean accessing I2P implies using an I2IP router to begin with?

[–] kylian0087@lemmy.dbzer0.com 13 points 1 week ago* (last edited 6 days ago)

It not only hurts tor because it usage up bandwith but in other ways as well. Torrenting makes many peer to peer connections which hurts tor in multiple ways. I suggest reading the docs of tor to better understand how and why this is.

I dont understand your question about I2P. You need some form of I2P router to use I2P in anyway.

[–] Octavusss@lemm.ee 14 points 1 week ago (1 children)

I think the I2P is better designed for torrenting plus Tor is just way too slow especially for bigger files simce most people only use tor but don't run their own relays.

[–] b_tr3e@feddit.org 4 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Which is sort of obvious because Tor discourages using ADSL etc. for relays. The question is if I2P will be doing better.

[–] Octavusss@lemm.ee 9 points 1 week ago (1 children)

I mean it's not ideal but if you don't mind the extra electricity, have some old laptop or raspberry pi you can use to run relay or bridgde and limit your bandwidth than I don't see why you shouldn't.

Also I2P is really faster than tor since you contribute to the network just by using it unlike tor. Although I'm not sure how many users this network has nowadays :/

[–] drkt@scribe.disroot.org 2 points 1 week ago (1 children)

I don’t see why you shouldn’t.

You shouldn't because sysadmins everywhere block you from their networks, even if you're just a relay.
Been hosting a relay for 5 years and it's been a thorn in my side the whole time but I refuse to stop.

[–] Octavusss@lemm.ee 1 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Ok forgot to mention you gotta verify if it's okay with your ISP first.

[–] drkt@scribe.disroot.org 3 points 1 week ago (2 children)

It's not your ISP that blocks you and your ISP doesn't care. All your ISP sees is encrypted data going in and out.

[–] Octavusss@lemm.ee 1 points 1 week ago

Nah I get what you said earlier but what I'm saying is that you should also inform you ISP. And that they don't care isn't necessarily true for every ISP especially if they may get a letter about it.

[–] Imgonnatrythis@sh.itjust.works 8 points 1 week ago

I 2p is really exciting and I hope to see more usage but boy it seems lonely out there from what I can tell. More clients that simultaneously support clearnet and i2p are needed I think.

How do you define better? You are going to have a very limited and probably slow download experience on i2p so for find stuff it's not better right now. Not having to pay for and trust a vpn is better though I think

[–] pattiserieplatogoethe@lemmy.dbzer0.com 6 points 1 week ago (1 children)

While we are at it, are there any other trackers recommended besides the ones in this tutorial?

https://strict3443.codeberg.page/i2p-info/hugo/public/posts/how-to-use-i2p-on-qbittorrent-nox/

Is postman still the only source for torrents via qbittorrent?

[–] brickfrog@lemmy.dbzer0.com 3 points 6 days ago* (last edited 6 days ago)

Just did some quick testing, most are open trackers operating in I2P (meaning they will happily track and announce to any torrents/peers using them).

Working I2P Trackers, these should work with any I2P public torrents:

http://opentracker.bt.i2p/a
http://opentracker.dg2.i2p/a
http://opentracker.eeptorrent.i2p/a
http://opentracker.fattydove.i2p/a
http://opentracker.r4sas.i2p/a
http://opentracker.simp.i2p/a
http://w7tpbzncbcocrqtwwm3nezhnnsw4ozadvi2hmvzdhrqzfxfum7wa.b32.i2p/a

Working I2P non-open trackers, meaning they only track torrents published at their own website.

http://tracker2.postman.i2p/announce.php

Currently Down I2P Trackers:

http://ahsplxkbhemefwvvml7qovzl5a2b5xo5i7lyai7ntdunvcyfdtna.b32.i2p/announce.php
http://atia42hvtnklmilskllirvl5e27letgqghyuvrlvtaktyg32kqwq.i2p/announce
http://crs2nugpvoqygnpabqbopwyjqettwszth6ubr2fh7whstlos3a6q.b32.i2p
http://lnQ6yoBTxQuQU8EQ1FlF395ITIQF-HGJxUeFvzETLFnoczNjQvKDbtSB7aHhn853zjVXrJBgwlB9sO57KakBDaJ50lUZgVPhjlI19TgJ-CxyHhHSCeKx5JzURdEW-ucdONMynr-b2zwhsx8VQCJwCEkARvt21YkOyQDaB9IdV8aTAmP~PUJQxRwceaTMn96FcVenwdXqleE16fI8CVFOV18jbJKrhTOYpTtcZKV4l1wNYBDwKgwPx5c0kcrRzFyw5~bjuAKO~GJ5dR7BQsL7AwBoQUS4k1lwoYrG1kOIBeDD3XF8BWb6K3GOOoyjc1umYKpur3G~FxBuqtHAsDRICkEbKUqJ9mPYQlTSujhNxiRIW-oLwMtvayCFci99oX8MvazPS7~97x0Gsm-onEK1Td9nBdmq30OqDxpRtXBimbzkLbR1IKObbg9HvrKs3L-kSyGwTUmHG9rSQSoZEvFMA-S0EXO~o4g21q1oikmxPMhkeVwQ22VHB0-LZJfmLr4SAAAA.i2p/announce.php
http://omitracker.i2p/announce.php
http://opendiftracker.i2p/a
http://opentracker-actix.i2p/a
http://opentracker.skank.i2p/a
http://psi.i2p
http://tracker.crypthost.i2p
http://tracker.killyourtv.i2p
http://tracker.thebland.i2p
http://tracker.welterde.i2p
http://tu5skej67ftbxjghnx3r2txp6fqz6ulkolkejc77be2er5v5zrfq.b32.i2p/announce.php
http://uajd4nctepxpac4c4bdyrdw7qvja2a5u3x25otfhkptcjgd53ioq.b32.i2p

Unsure if all the ones currently down are just down temporarily. Some I suspect will come back (e.g. skank.i2p has been around forever so I'd be surprised if they're permanently gone).

EDIT: Browse notbob, especially their tracker listing for hints on current I2P torrent trackers and sites http://notbob.i2p/cgi-bin/defcon.cgi?category=tracker

[–] idkman@lemmy.dbzer0.com 5 points 1 week ago

Both of them have their pros and cons. It's a matter of sacrificing convenience or security. I2P is surely a go to for me over Tor/VPN when it comes to anonymity. You will come across variety of information which is not available on clearnet/tor, but clearnet has the upper hand in abundance.