Brain Fart
 

The internet itself is one big peer to peer network, so how come it is so difficult to make a p2p file sharing client without any support servers? Why don't software guys use URL host cache protocalls?

I downloaded an http server for free, and had it running off of my desktop. It was working fine, all I had to do was type in http my ip address and it would work. But then I found out that only I could access it; everyone else was blocked. Maybe my internet provider blocks it for security, but I wonder if all internet providers do so, or if there's some other way of getting around it. File sharing programs like Aimster and ICQ know the IP addresses of both parties, but the data transferred between the two doesn't pass through their servers. So I'm wondering how they link up the two parties, and if it can be done without them.

What are "URL host cache protocols"?

When you type in a URL your ISP checks it's host cache to find the corresponding IP address. Somewhere in the internet there is a system that links host caches across the entire net. However it works it's pretty effective and it doesn't use a central server.

But, the data gets it's address from their servers, that's your "buddy list", everything you type goes through your ISP, ie your server. It just doesn't need to go to the ICQ or Aimster servers or stop there and find out where it's going., it's already got an address on it so your server sends it either to the address or in that general direction. That was Napsters downfall you had to go to their servers for information everytime you sent out a request/search/hotlist/browse. There's all kinds of file transfer programs, the problem is getting the other address to communicate.

DNS

http://www.dns.net/dnsrd/

http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/D/DNS.html

This is some scary shit. You can look up a site and find the owner's address and phone number. I don't even want to post the site.

as if. how 'bout all those porn sites that steal your browser and bury you in non-stop links or even hijack your home page and change it to some other crap. i wish i could get their addresses and telephone numbers. i could put an angry mob in front of their houses in a half hour!

Thanks for the links Jack. I think if people looked into DNS protocalls they could build a very robust network without servers, or it'd be a good start anyway. This document was particularly informative: Keeping track of names and information: the domain system. If you could figure out to organize clients into different domains then a domain service could operate in the background to tell each node how to contact every other node.