Kad Network
Encyclopedia
The Kad network is a peer-to-peer
(P2P) network which implements the Kademlia
P2P overlay protocol. The majority of users on the Kad Network are also connected to servers on the eDonkey network
, and Kad Network client
s typically query known nodes on the eDonkey network in order to find an initial node on the Kad network.
-based protocol to:
Note that the Kad network is not used to actually transfer files across the P2P network. Instead, when a file transfer is initiated, clients connect directly to each other (using the standard public IP
network). This traffic is susceptible to blocking/shaping/tracking by your ISP or any other opportunistic middle-man.
As with all decentralized
networks, the Kad network requires no official or common servers. As such, it cannot be disabled by shutting down a given subset of key node
s. While the decentralization of the network prevents a simple shut-down, traffic analysis and deep packet inspection will more readily identify the traffic as P2P due to the high variable-destination packet throughput. The large packet volume typically causes a reduction in available CPU and/or network resources usually associated with P2P traffic.
Peer-to-peer
Peer-to-peer computing or networking is a distributed application architecture that partitions tasks or workloads among peers. Peers are equally privileged, equipotent participants in the application...
(P2P) network which implements the Kademlia
Kademlia
Kademlia is a distributed hash table for decentralized peer-to-peer computer networks designed by Petar Maymounkov and David Mazières in 2002. It specifies the structure of the network and the exchange of information through node lookups. Kademlia nodes communicate among themselves using UDP. A...
P2P overlay protocol. The majority of users on the Kad Network are also connected to servers on the eDonkey network
EDonkey network
The eDonkey network is a decentralized, mostly server-based, peer-to-peer file sharing network best suited to share big files among users, and to provide long term availability of files...
, and Kad Network client
Client (computing)
A client is an application or system that accesses a service made available by a server. The server is often on another computer system, in which case the client accesses the service by way of a network....
s typically query known nodes on the eDonkey network in order to find an initial node on the Kad network.
Usage
The Kad network uses an UDPUser Datagram Protocol
The User Datagram Protocol is one of the core members of the Internet Protocol Suite, the set of network protocols used for the Internet. With UDP, computer applications can send messages, in this case referred to as datagrams, to other hosts on an Internet Protocol network without requiring...
-based protocol to:
- Find sources for eD2kEDonkey networkThe eDonkey network is a decentralized, mostly server-based, peer-to-peer file sharing network best suited to share big files among users, and to provide long term availability of files...
hashes. - Search for eD2k hashes based on keywords in the file name.
- Find comments and ratings for files (hashes).
- Provide buddy services for firewalled (Low ID) nodes.
- Store locations, comments and (keywords out of) filenames.
Note that the Kad network is not used to actually transfer files across the P2P network. Instead, when a file transfer is initiated, clients connect directly to each other (using the standard public IP
Internet Protocol
The Internet Protocol is the principal communications protocol used for relaying datagrams across an internetwork using the Internet Protocol Suite...
network). This traffic is susceptible to blocking/shaping/tracking by your ISP or any other opportunistic middle-man.
As with all decentralized
Distributed Transient Network
Distributed Transient Network is defined as: the type of network which is inherently decentralized by nature and consists mainly of nodes which are not per se constantly a part of the network and are able to join or leave at any time at any place in the network.It is a well known paradigm within...
networks, the Kad network requires no official or common servers. As such, it cannot be disabled by shutting down a given subset of key node
Node (networking)
In communication networks, a node is a connection point, either a redistribution point or a communication endpoint . The definition of a node depends on the network and protocol layer referred to...
s. While the decentralization of the network prevents a simple shut-down, traffic analysis and deep packet inspection will more readily identify the traffic as P2P due to the high variable-destination packet throughput. The large packet volume typically causes a reduction in available CPU and/or network resources usually associated with P2P traffic.
Client Search
The Kad network supports searching of files by name and a number of secondary characteristics such as size, extension, bit-rate, and more. Features vary based on client used.Major Clients
Only a few major clients currently support the Kad network implementation. However, they comprise over 80% of the user base and are probably closer to 95% of ed2k installations.- eMuleEMuleeMule is a free peer-to-peer file sharing application for Microsoft Windows. Started in May 2002 as an alternative to eDonkey2000, eMule now connects to both the eDonkey network and the Kad network...
: An open sourceOpen sourceThe term open source describes practices in production and development that promote access to the end product's source materials. Some consider open source a philosophy, others consider it a pragmatic methodology...
WindowsMicrosoft WindowsMicrosoft Windows is a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft.Microsoft introduced an operating environment named Windows on November 20, 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces . Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal...
client which is the most popular, with 80% of network users. It also runs on Linux using the WineWine (software)Wine is a free software application that aims to allow computer programs written for Microsoft Windows to run on Unix-like operating systems. Wine also provides a software library, known as Winelib, against which developers can compile Windows applications to help port them to Unix-like...
libraries.
- There are a number of minor variants, or forks, of eMule which support the same basic features as eMule itself. They include: aMuleAMuleaMule is a free peer-to-peer file sharing application that works with the EDonkey network and the Kad Network, offering similar features to eMule and adding others such as GeoIP . It was forked from the xMule source code on August 18, 2003, which itself is a fork of the lMule project, which was the...
(A Linux client similar to eMule) and eMule Mods (not eMule PlusEMule PluseMule Plus is an open source eMule P2P compatible client created to improve its abilities and features, in both work efficiency and GUI.-Enhancements over eMule:* A modified GUI* Releaser Support eMule Plus is an open source eMule P2P compatible client created to improve its abilities and features,...
), possibly others.- aMuleAMuleaMule is a free peer-to-peer file sharing application that works with the EDonkey network and the Kad Network, offering similar features to eMule and adding others such as GeoIP . It was forked from the xMule source code on August 18, 2003, which itself is a fork of the lMule project, which was the...
: An open sourceOpen sourceThe term open source describes practices in production and development that promote access to the end product's source materials. Some consider open source a philosophy, others consider it a pragmatic methodology...
client popular among GNU/Linux Operating Systems. - MLDonkeyMLDonkeyMLDonkey is an open source, multi-protocol, peer-to-peer file sharing application that runs as a back-end server application on many platforms. It can be controlled through a user interface provided by one of many separate front-ends, including a Web interface, telnet interface and over a dozen...
: An open sourceOpen sourceThe term open source describes practices in production and development that promote access to the end product's source materials. Some consider open source a philosophy, others consider it a pragmatic methodology...
, cross-platformCross-platformIn computing, cross-platform, or multi-platform, is an attribute conferred to computer software or computing methods and concepts that are implemented and inter-operate on multiple computer platforms...
client that runs on many platforms and supports numerous other file-sharing protocols as well. - iMuleIMuleiMule is a free open source anonymous P2P file sharing software which connects through the anonymous I2P network and the Kad network.- Description :...
: An anonymous, open sourceOpen sourceThe term open source describes practices in production and development that promote access to the end product's source materials. Some consider open source a philosophy, others consider it a pragmatic methodology...
, cross-platformCross-platformIn computing, cross-platform, or multi-platform, is an attribute conferred to computer software or computing methods and concepts that are implemented and inter-operate on multiple computer platforms...
client. Supports only the Kad network and I2PI2PI2P is a mixed-license, free and open source project building an anonymous network .The network is a simple layer that applications can use to anonymously and securely send...
network. eDonkey network has been dropped. - LphantLphantLphant is a peer-to-peer file sharing client for the Microsoft Windows, Linux and Mac OS operating systems, which supports the eDonkey Network and the BitTorrent protocol. It is available in 19 languages...
: A freewareFreewareFreeware is computer software that is available for use at no cost or for an optional fee, but usually with one or more restricted usage rights. Freeware is in contrast to commercial software, which is typically sold for profit, but might be distributed for a business or commercial purpose in the...
, cross-platformCross-platformIn computing, cross-platform, or multi-platform, is an attribute conferred to computer software or computing methods and concepts that are implemented and inter-operate on multiple computer platforms...
client that supports the BitTorrent protocol too.
- aMule
Malware/Virus
- TDL-4AlureonAlureon is a trojan and bootkit which is designed, amongst other things, to steal data by intercepting a system's network traffic and searching it for usernames, passwords and credit card data....
: A botnetBotnetA botnet is a collection of compromised computers connected to the Internet. Termed "bots," they are generally used for malicious purposes. When a computer becomes compromised, it becomes a part of a botnet...
virus that is reported to use this network as a backup for updates and new instructions if its Command and Control servers are taken down.