The creators of the popular P2P (peer-to-peer) protocol BitTorrent have launched a brand new program in its own very innovative way called Bittorrent Sync which is a program like Dropbox, without limits and free. What differentiates Bittorrent Sync from other cloud programs such as Dropbox, Skydrive and Google Drive is its operation: BitTorrent Sync uses P2P protocol to synchronize files between computers, without going through a central server, Dropbox and the others instead copy the files first on the internet, on the servers of the company that manages Dropbox and then re-downloads them on the computers that are kept synchronized.
The key difference is that with Bittorrent Sync the files are transferred via the internet, but they do not remain on an external cloud server .
Consequence of this is that in this mode the transfers are unlimited, just as there is no limit to the size of the transferable files .
Since 2017 BitTorrent Sync has changed its name and ownership, becoming Resilio Sync, a commercial program of Resilio, no longer 100% free, but still usable for individual use and unlimited file transfer.
Alternatively, fortunately, we have other similar programs to synchronize files between computers directly via the internet without limits
To use it, simply download the program from the proprietary site by pressing the Download button.
After the download you can proceed with the regular installation and copy the secret code that will be used to pair other peripherals with that computer.
Once finished, you can add the folders to be synchronized.
Synchronizing means that those chosen folders will then be copied to the other computers where the program is installed automatically so that they are always identical and will also be available for use on mobile or tablet.
Folders are synchronized when there are at least two computers turned on and configured simultaneously.
On the other PC, therefore, you must always install the same Resilio Bittorrent Sync program, not with the normal option but with the secret key option that is generated by the first PC during installation.
To review the key of a synchronized folder just press the right button on the folder added to BitTorrent Sync and enter the preferences.
You can also generate a disposable key ( One-Time Secret ) and give the Read Only permission which can be used to share a folder of files with a friend, without giving him the possibility to delete files from our computer.
If you choose mobile sharing, buy a QR code that can be scanned from an Android smartphone or iPhone to access the folder.
The BitTorrent Sync application on Android becomes an excellent solution for exchanging files from mobile to computer, from computer to mobile and between different mobile phones .
In fact, if two friends have the BitTorrent Sync app on their smartphone they can send and receive files via the Send option.
The folder that is shared by the computer is not fully downloaded to the mobile phone, in fact only the list of files is displayed and each of them can then be opened on the mobile phone or tablet.
The App also allows you to backup a folder on your mobile phone, such as photos, on your computer, automatically.
As noted, this system is very different from Dropbox or other similar applications because there is no central server.
This means that the files are not synchronized if one of the two computers is switched off and that the mobile phone cannot be accessed if the PC with the synchronized folder is switched off or disconnected from the internet.
As I see it, it is a unique and definitive solution for fast transfers between computers and for keeping files synchronized over the Internet between computers and mobile phones.
