File sharing is alive and kicking with these 15 Napster alternatives.

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Why search for music and other media files using a single Napster server when you can search on several servers at once? This is what free file sharing application WinMX can do for you. In addition to connecting to the decentralized WinMX peer to peer network, users can search networks based on OpenNap and Napster protocols. In theory, this means more users and more files than poor-old drained Napster. Best of all, users aren't limited to sharing music files.

What's OpenNap? Like Napster, OpenNap is an open-source protocol for sharing files between users It extends the Napster protocol to allow sharing of any media type, and the ability to link servers together. OpenNap is a server for connecting the clients together, and is not a client itself. That's where an application like WinMX (or Rapigator or AudioGnome) comes into play.

As its name suggests, WinMX is an intuitive Windows-only file-sharing client that allows users to connect to multiple networks simultaneously. Of course, the user interface isn't as simple (or familiar) as Napster, but when you start sharing files, this will be an afterthought.

Upon starting a session, WinMX attempts to connect to preset Napster and OpenNap networks (users can also point the client to specific servers - recommended). Finding servers can take some extra keystrokes but once you're connected, you'll find a virtual goldmine. Searches can be broad or narrow. A small window displays current networks and users search for files based on artist or title, specific server, specific file type and so on.

Depending on the time of day or server, search results can range from decent to stupendous. Results also appear instantaneously (for the most part) and if connected to enough good servers, you can find just about anything-MP3s, MPEGs, JPEGs, you name it.

Cool features include the tracking and resumption of broken transfers, ability to throttle upload or download bandwidth, cool real-time bandwidth graphs, and a function that helps search for servers and server lists. Also, unlike popular clients like BearShare or Kazaa, WinMX has built-in community features like full chat capabilities.

Download report
We used these search terms with other Napster clones, such as BearShare. The purpose of this search is to get a feel for the availability of widely used search terms as well as more obscure bands and song titles.

  • 9,000-12,000 users online on average (four servers) sharing approximately 5,263,701 files
  • Results: 1-2 seconds - blink of an eye
  • Number of Apples in Stereo songs found using four servers: 7
  • Number of Radiohead songs found on four servers: 489 spanning the group's entire career
  • Number of results for harder-to-find songs on four servers: The Beatles' "Yellow Submarine": 85; Dr. Dre's "The Watcher": 8; Metallica's "Enter Sandman": 59


To download or for more information, click here.

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