Limewire Free Music Download

From LoveToKnow Music

Limewire is free for music downloads. It is an open source peer-to-peer file sharing client written in Java. It allows users to download files hosted by other users across the globe. With Limewire you can swap music mp3s, exchange music videos and much more. Its simple interface and ad-free program makes it one of the most popular file sharing programs around.

Taylor Swift is just one artist on Limewire - check out a slideshow

Disclaimer

Although Limewire, Kazaa and other P2P programs are not illegal, downloading and sharing copywritten material is. LoveToKnow does not condone the use of P2P programs for illegal purposes. Please use these programs responsibly and share only Free Music and other freely-distributable media. Learn more about Downloading Legal Music.

Downloading Music

One of the most popular methods of obtaining your favourite music nowadays is to download it via the internet. The most efficient method of doing this is by connecting to one of the many Peer-to-Peer (P2P) networks that now exist. P2P networks allow the ‘sharing’ of certain files between people connected to that network. So, you can upload music (or anything else for that matter!) to the network, making it available for others to download, and you can download any music, videos, files, etc. that take your fancy!

Some of the most popular P2P networks around are Gnutella, Freenet and Napster. In order to access these P2P networks, you need what is called a ‘client’, that is, a program that will access the network for you and find whatever you like. There are many clients to choose from as the popularity of downloading media has exploded in the past few years: some are free, others you have to pay for. Some P2P networks offer their own clients, such as Napster. Other clients include BearShare, Peer Impact, iMesh, Kazaa, eMule, Morpheus, Soulseek and Limewire.

Limewire and the Free Music Download

Limewire, with its aesthetically pleasing design and user-friendly interface, is one of the top P2P network clients available on the internet today. The program is compatible with most of today’s PC operating systems, such as Windows, Macintosh, Linux and Sun. There are two versions for users to choose between: the free version (no time limit) and the Pro version for a one-off cost of $18.88. The free version can be downloaded from the Limewire website or from Cnet's download website . One feature of the free version of Limewire is its safety as it is not accompanied by any unnecessary or even malicious software or ad programs, unlike some other free versions. The program has the ability to download files from multiple sources at a time, resulting in a faster download. Limewire is also available in different languages.

The Pro version of the software consists of all the features of the free version plus ‘Turbo-charged’ download speeds, more sources, better search results, different skins, email support and free updates for 6 months. Limewire has its own media player, which comes in handy for viewing newly downloaded material. It also has a Library tab, which allows you to view all media files stored on your computer, in addition to the incomplete Limewire downloads.

So how do I use Limewire for a Free Music Download?

Limewire’s interface makes it extremely user-friendly, even for beginners. Once you have downloaded the program to your computer, it will guide you through the setup process, which consists of giving the details of your internet connection, choosing a location for your complete downloads, and other general information. The initial setup process will give optimal performance of the program.

Once you have completed the setup process, you can begin downloading media! In the search tab, you can select the type of media you wish to search for from audio, images, video, documents, programs or you can simply search all types of media. Enter your keywords in the box and away you go! Different search terms can also be used depending on the type of media you are looking for. For example, if you’re looking for a particular song you can choose to enter information such as artist, title, album, genre and even license! You can also search for ‘What’s New’ by clicking the appropriate tab at the bottom.

Limewire has a chat function, which allows you to chat with other users across the network. You can even connect to a friend’s computer if you have their IP address. The Direct Connect tab, located at the bottom of the search tab, also tells you your IP address for friends who wish to connect to you. The monitor tab at the top allows you to view other people’s searches and what they are downloading from you. One of the most important things to remember about all P2P clients is they operate effectively when everyone shares with each other. You can disable the share option but you might end up with reduced efficiency. Your incomplete downloads are stored in a separate file created by the program, so that when you close Limewire, you don’t lose them! Once Limewire is started up again, your downloads will automatically resume.

Finally..

Once you have downloaded your music, you can do whatever you like with it! Create a collection of albums or start collecting music videos! One warning though: these P2P clients always ask you not to download media in order to sell it. This is breaking the law, so don’t do it!