Run Your Own Encrypted Decentralized Filesharing Network
Written by enigmax on April 29, 2008AllianceP2P is a free open source software for Windows, Linux and Mac which allows groups of file-sharers to share content in a secure, encrypted way. As the software reaches version one, we interview the developer of AllianceP2P, to find out about his labor of love.
Last year we wrote about AllianceP2P, a safe and secure way for Windows, Linux and Mac users to share content with each other in an encrypted environment. There are Alliance networks running alongside other filesharing communities, and others set up by mutual friends as an added layer of communications and filesharing capability.
A little like a private tracker, you either have to be invited to an Alliance network - or help the hydra and make your own. It’s very easy to setup and scale your own decentralized network with BitTorrent-like ’swarming’ capabilities using Alliance, and as the software just reached V1.0 we thought it would be a good time to catch up with the creator for the lowdown.
TF: Tell us about the birth of AllianceP2P and why you decided to conceive it.
Maciek: I remember writing the first lines of code for Alliance back in 2005. It was cold and dark outside. In Sweden, where I live, it tends to be dark and cold during the end of the year. So I’m guessing it was around November 2005.
I was discussing the different p2p networks out there with a work colleague. There was nothing really good that guaranteed high security, was easy to use and had high download speeds (all truly secure p2p networks I know are really slow, to the point where they’re useless). We talked about many, many different solutions to the problem - I remember talking about DHTs and network coding.
Finally I got totally hooked on the idea of a network where you connect to people that you trust. You’d use encrypted connections and only connect to friends – this way safety would be guaranteed. You’d be able to connect to friends of your friends – if you knew you trust them. This way the network would grow. I’d use a BitTorrent-like download mechanism and direct connections (no tunneling). This way I could guarantee high download speeds. I’d make sure it was user friendly and easy to use. This way networks would grow fast.
Now, almost three years later, I’ve just released version 1.0! I’m really happy with this because I feel I have implemented my entire vision. I have a full time job so I coded Alliance during my spare time. At times it was pretty intense… Other times I didn’t code on Alliance for months.
TF: Who else is involved in the project?
Maciek: This being an open source project I’ve had help from others along the way:pontusm, mrund and deathfired on sourceforce.net to mention a few.
TF: What size is the AllianceP2P userbase and who are they?
Maciek: Since Alliance is free and open source there is no real target market. I simply developed a piece of software that I knew I’d love to use. And since it’s decentralized I don’t keep track on any user statistics (a part from the automatic error reports I get). I just released version 1.0. Before 1.0 the alpha/beta versions where downloaded over 50,000 times.
TF: How does the software work?
Maciek: Alliance is written in Java and runs on Windows, Mac OS and Linux. It has file-swarming capabilities like BitTorrent. Unlike BitTorrent it has an extensive built-in search, is completely decentralized and designed to be secure. Alliance is actually a friend-2-friend network. Within each network of friends is a community where users can download files from each other, chat and post new files in the chat.
TF: What are the most important aspects of Alliance?
As you only connect to people you know and all connections are encrypted, Alliance is very secure. Since there is no central server or single point of failure, the network gets strength by decentralization.
Alliance has great scalability – it has been tested to work with share sizes where each client shares one terabyte of data in approximately 50,000 files and it is very easy to use. Additionally, Alliance is, and will always remain, free and open source.
Alliance uses tiger hashes to identify files. All files that a user shares are automatically hashed and indexed in the background. This way Alliance can automatically identify a file that several users have and download from all those users simultaneously.
TF: Tell us about this latest version 1.0. Why should people install it?
Maciek: I actually took two weeks off of my normal job in order to complete version 1.0. I knew that I would not be able to finish it otherwise. I had over 3000 detailed automatic error reports sent to me during the last year. I sorted all error reports in order of “popularity” and started fixing them. One after another. It was a dirty job but someone had to do it =). Alliance 1.0 is the first stable release of a new kind of p2p software. A network that is fast AND secure.
TF: Thanks for speaking with us.
So, if you’d like to quickly create a secure, decentralized filesharing network with BitTorrent-like swarming, and a DirectConnect-style community to compliment your communications and sharing arsenal, Alliance could be your solution. Even when your favorite tracker goes down, Alliance will still be there, with all the peers intact. You can get it here.
Previously: Book Authors See BitTorrent As a Promotional Tool
Next: Mininova Downtime Puts BitTorrent Sites Under Pressure
64 Responses (Add yours or TrackBack)
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So this is like Limewire v2?
We tried using Alliance as a sort of darknet used among students at our university, where up until which we had been using a DC++ hub (until it was shut down)
And let me tell you, Alliance is garbage.
Ugly interface, difficult to use… just all around bad. I would not recommend it.
its a shame he didnt use multicast DHT tunneling(”Bamboo” and Mtunnel”)
as then you could have used the maximum benefits of near realtime Multicast and a single data stream to several people at once so saving vast amounts of bandwidth.
if only one person wanted that data then you might loss a small amount of throughput but at a few kbits thats nto really a problem compared to the massive savings of collecting up several users to feed the content too as the same time .
a massive saving infact compared to any current Unicast data stream DHT out there.
perhaps he might consider retro-fitting parts of the Bamboo Multicast DHT java codebase or even includingthe old but still popular Mtunnel (multicast tunnel written in java)from the old MBone multicast days to improve the design or as a plug-in to the main app even?
Bittorrent was absolutely hopeless when the first version came out, the first public release.
It was nothing but terrible, now look at it.
Looks to me like one to watch and for developers to work on!
Wow, thanks for letting me know about this as I wasn’t aware of anything like this in existence :)
Why cant they work on bittorrent itself and make it more reliable…say increased encryption, so that those f ckin RIAA wont peep on what we are downloading…
I think its time we see next version of p2p or bittorrent arrives..,coz now reall all networks have started to throttle bittorrent…its time for OUR payback!
[quote comment="362872"]Bittorrent was absolutely hopeless when the first version came out, the first public release.
It was nothing but terrible, now look at it.
Looks to me like one to watch and for developers to work on![/quote]
I know, but the way Alliance is implemented it’s impossible for it to become mainstream. It’s too hard to inject new users (you have to go through this complicated process of giving them a password code and matching them with everyone else connected) and it’s just too closed to ever become mainstream. It may be useful for a very limited number of applications, like sharing files between friends you already know, but there are much better alternatives for even that.
point=?
[quote comment="362899"]
I know, but the way Alliance is implemented it’s impossible for it to become mainstream. It’s too hard to inject new users (you have to go through this complicated process of giving them a password code and matching them with everyone else connected) and it’s just too closed to ever become mainstream. It may be useful for a very limited number of applications, like sharing files between friends you already know, but there are much better alternatives for even that.[/quote]
Not sure what version of Alliance you used but in 1.0 the process of inviting friends have been simplified. You still need to send them a password but it’s much easier then in the previous versions.
Java? Alright then, thanks for the efforts.
Try RetroShare:
http://fileforum.betanews.com/detail/RetroShare_for_Windows/1179842697/1
This reminds me of direct connect in some way.
[quote comment="362891"]Why cant they work on bittorrent itself and make it more reliable…say increased encryption, so that those f ckin RIAA wont peep on what we are downloading…
I think its time we see next version of p2p or bittorrent arrives..,coz now reall all networks have started to throttle bittorrent…its time for OUR payback![/quote]
1) In acse you didn’t understand about sandvine - it doesn’t work off the contents, it works by traffic patterns.
2) encrypted or not, if they’re participating in the swarm, by the nature of the protocol, they have to be able to decrypt it (same as any other peer would, else whats the point) - More on this comming soon…
Great to see initiative from determined blokes.
just tried it out cos it seemed like a nice alternative to running a ftp server but i was sadly dissapointed with the app.
You cant download folders which is absoulty rediculous.
Can anybody recomend any ftp server like apps so i can run a fileserver but will be allot easier for the end user to use maybe with a graphical front end that looks like a webpage or something?
@14
Quick n Easy Web Server might be an idea. Easy to use, a piece of piss to set up and supports encryption. End users see your server as a web page. I’ve used worse.
http://tinyurl.com/2qk977
lol what would be the point in this then it’s totally useless
what a waste of time
Awesome idea great amazing piece of work but useless if it cant share folders what is the developers thinking?
it would be cool if you could use a central point where all user register, so you only have to point to that location and dont need to add all the people/friends manually.
also upnp would be nice.
@17 that would defeat the security and decentralization idea which is what the entire client is built around…
Is this not the same thing as WASTE?
“And let me tell you, Alliance is garbage.”
Hee!!! you loser! Don’t discourage people for doing cool stuff!
People like you not only do nothing good but try to discourage the others on their way to success!
Nobody listen to this loser!
[quote comment="362988"]You cant download folders which is absoulty rediculous.[/quote]
You’ve been able to download folders with Alliance since two years back.
If you’re looking for a specific folder a friend is sharing then click on your friend. His share is then displayed. Then browse to the folder, right click and select download.
Don’t really see how you could miss that..?
[quote comment="363051"]also upnp would be nice.[/quote]
Upnp was implemented over a year ago.
Everyone who’s already bashing the application, just calm down and give it some time. This is version 1.0 ffs.
This application is great but Dargens is sexier, friendlier and faster.
http://www.dargens.com
With one click you can set up your own encrypted friend to friend p2p file sharing network without having to install any software (you need to download a client tho’).
You can do this all from a website.
You can be a private or public user.
Also, if you have a google adsense account you can earn money if you invite your friends.
http://www.dargens.com
1. JOIN and you will automatically download a java p2p client then you’re ready to start
2. Search, Download and keep, Use downloaded files when and how you want
3. Friends network so totally private only your friends know you’re connected.
* Open source based on ANTs p2p
* Hides identity when sharing
* SAFE file sharing
* Millions of files available*
* No spyware, no adware and no spoofing
* Search your friends and friends of friends and so on shared files on their HD
* YOUR identity while downloading and sharing is kept PRIVATE
* Simple to join and FREE to use
* Earn a monthly income by INVITING YOUR friends to join
This is a hobby that I have developed in my sparetime but it does work and is open source so anyone can set up their own site.
I like Alliance but this is less technical but still secure and it is fast.
http://www.dargens.com
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