Ares Galaxy utilizes a unique decentralized leaf network /supernode as an open source peer-to-peer file sharing program, spun out from the gnutella network in 2002. Ares Galaxy features an integrated multimedia player/viewer inside a speedy accessed interface. Its latest versions also support Shoutcast radio stations as well as the BitTorrent standard protocol.
Ares design was initially running on the gnutella network which began in 2002. , It moved to its own network, a half a year later, using a super nodes and leaves design. It really is harder to determine its protocol compared to some other well-known P2P applications. For this reason, Ares stands out as the only P2P client occasionally working with confined networks, like university campuses. Nevertheless, it may be blocked as most organizations are currently doing so. In version 1.9.0, information sharing between two peers beneath a firewall was enabled. This may be possible because of mediating peers. At some point, the Ares network was mostly devoid of corrupt and fake files, in contrast to other P2P sharing networks like FastTrack. But this issue has changed as it became popular as a file sharing network overtime. Since 2006, various anti-piracy groups, including BayTSP and MediaDefender, employed by the RIAA, have commenced hosting forged MP3 files on Ares that never started downloading. Using extremely high-bandwidth connections, these files are hosted from a number of computer systems and thus manifest first on the list for any query search that brings them back as a result. Some P2P users are convinced that the dependability of setting up connections could be unpredictable and difficult. In version 1.9.4, fundamental support for the BitTorrent protocol was integrated.
Ares is not capable to find new peers on its own for a few modifications in the network. To import super nodes into Ares, the user would need to copy and paste a special hashlink in the Address bar. The Ares “hashlinks” function has the capacity to seek out peers with files associated with a hash and download from them. Hashlinks are also used by Ares for its direct chat tool and its Windows Live Messenger style chatrooms. There are websites that could encrypt and decrypt both direct chat and chat hashlinks.
In Ares 1.9.6, use the following format to support plaintext hashlinks:
- arlnk://chatroom:127.x.x.x:port|roomname
- arlnk://radio:127.x.x.x:port
In version 1.9.9, Ares Galaxy supports the Shoutcast internet radio. There are several stand-alone alternative clients known to connect with the Ares network such as the following:
- Warez P2P (progression of an Ares compatible version has been terminated)
- Clients utilizing the giFT backend, such as KCeasy (Windows) or Poisoned (Mac OS X), hook up to the Ares network, in addition to gnutella and OpenFT (formal development of the backend engine discontinued in 2004)
- FileCroc hooks up to the Ares network and the BitTorrent network.
- iGotcha! hooks up to the Ares chat network and is created for Mac OS X.
- jAres P2P hooks up to the Ares network, but continues to be on development. Published in Java and Open Source.
Ares Lite was created by Ares Galaxy creators intended to run most efficiently on Windows 98 and older versions much like the Ares Galaxy Regular Edition. Ares has maintained stable technology enjoying quiet popularity and steady growth and shunning away from controversies correlated with other P2P file sharing networks.
