Bittorrent and Gnutella might be hogging the headlines of the peer to peer (P2P) world, but close behind comes Ares, a successful P2P application that boasts of having its own decentralized network and a simple, quick access interface. Ares spun-off from Gnutella in 2002, and since then has been building a strong and dedicated community of users.

Installing Ares only takes a few minutes and the interface is simple enough that anybody will feel comfortable with it. The new version has a very sleek and dark interface, not unlike that of WMP 11. When you start Ares, it lets you auto scan your PC to find files you might like to share on the network. Beginners will be relieved to know that there is no complex configuration process involved. Once Ares is installed, all you need to do is select the search tab and type the name of the file you want to download. Once it appears, double click on it to begin downloading. You’ll be able to check its progress in the transfer tab. The recent update adds bittorrent support, opening Ares up to loads of new content.

If you enjoy exchanging words with other users, click on the chat tab and connect to one of the thousands of channels available. You can pick up tips on how to use Ares better, ask which files other users recommend or just chit chat about your life in general. You can even insert emoticons into your conversation and keep a list of your favorite chat channels.

Of all the P2P programs, Ares probably features the widest preview screen. You can set it to fit to screen or adjust it to your preference. This is a great way of making sure you’re downloading the right movie or to get a sneak peak at your downloads.

Unlike WinMX or FileNavigator, the two other spin-off Gnutella projects, Ares did not drop into obscurity and unites a flourishing community of users. However, the same old problems usually seem to arise. According to many Ares users the application suffers from constant connectivity troubles making it difficult to properly search for a file or to successfully complete downloads. Others will worry that Ares is a much smaller network than the globally used Gnutella and does not offer quite as much download sources.

Ares is an ambitious project, and the fact that it still remains standing while eDonkey has fallen at the hands of the RIAA, is characteristic of its reliability. Thanks to a strong community of users, a simple interface, a great preview page and multichat service, Ares remains a P2P application of choice for anybody interested into sharing files over the internet.

Download Ares Galaxy 2.0.9 in Softonic

Ares Lite is a special version of the peer to peer (P2P) application Ares, of which you can read an indepth review on Softonic. What sets it apart is that it actually uses up much less computer processor. Otherwise, Ares Lite has exactly all the features and interface that you can find in Ares, including the wide preview screen, a multichat section through which you can connect to thousands of channels, and an easy search view.

Ares Lite is a real breather from all the CPU-hogging P2P applications out there. Feel free to browse the net, write a document or even play a game on your PC while you’re downloading files on Ares Lite. Like we wrote in our review of Ares, one of the assets of this P2P application is that it has its own decentralized network, making it a good alternative to Gnutella. We can also praise the large and adaptable preview screen, an indispensable feature of any good P2P program.

If you feel that your version of Ares is weighing on your CPU, or if you want to try a solid, lightweight P2P application then Ares Lite is right up your alley.

Download Ares Ultra 4.0.0.0 in Softonic

The hoo-hah surrounding the closure of Napster all those years ago now seems like a distant memory. At the time, users were literally crying that they would no longer be able to share files for nothing over the Internet. As it turned out, they needn't have worried because since then we've seen countless P2P clients come and go. Aside from being the world's first radio-enabled peer-to-peer software, FileCroc doesn't bring anything new to the table, however, it does combine a wealth of useful features with a smart GUI.

With shades of Ares about it, FileCroc works through a decentralised network with more than 50 million users, meaning that you invariably find what you're looking for and transfer times are pretty quick. It can even be used to download Torrent files, giving it extra bonus points in my book. Thanks to its drag-and-drop control method, it's dead easy to start sharing files with the program from the get-go.

Besides just giving you a platform to share files, FileCroc also includes a smart chat facility, with the ability to create your own rooms and host files within them. You also get a neat built-in player that lets you preview and play songs before they download. I've heard some grumblings before about an adware toolbar called 'Navelex,' which installs automatically with the client, but I found no sign of it in this version.

If you want a fully-featured P2P client with a fast search facility then FileCroc could be just the thing you're looking for.

Download FileCroc 1.0.1.3006 in Softonic

BearShare has been a favorite among many P2P fans for some time now, and we were intruigedintrigued to find out how the developer has attempted to diversify and launch a client designed specifically for downloading movies . Like many, we were initially puzzled by the need for such an app, when the original program allows you to download movies anyway.

Putting these prejudices aside, if you're someone who is just looking to download movies, TV shows and clips then BearFlix could be seen as an ideal choice. The clear, tabbed interface incorporates many of the elements of its father application, which is one of the easiest P2P clients to navigate around, making this a great program for those who are new to the world of file sharing.

As you'd expect, there are several changes to the GUI that lend themselves to video downloading videos, including a nifty filtering function that allows you to hone your search to a specific movie file type, though thisn’t exactly a revolutionary feature. There's also a traffic progress monitor at the top of the main window indicating the amount of bandwidth currently being commandeered by the app. However, possibly the biggest change is in the inclusion of a built-in video player, allowing you to preview videos and play them once they've been downloaded. Given that this is such an integral part ofis what supposedly what makes BearFlix different stand out from other P2P, we were somewhat underwhelmed by this feature. P layback is often a little slow and juddery, and the range of player controls is very basic. Considering it's supposed to be dedicated to video, some multimedia conversion or compression tools wouldn't have gone amiss either.

That said, there are still many positives to be taken from BearFlix. The advanced parental controls feature puts you in control of what content your kids can get hold of, searching is very quick, and best of all the network returns a substantial number of matching results when compared to the likes of Limewire and Ares. Whether a video-only P2P client catches will catch on remains to be seen , but if you're looking for rare TV shows or older movies, BearFlix is a fast, simple and reliable solution. If it's newer releases you're after though, you're probably better off with a Bittorrent client, as availablityavailability and download times are superior. Remember though, kids, stick to the copyright-free material if you want to stay on the right side of the law.

Download BearFlix Basic 1.2.1.2 in Softonic

If you’re not impressed by P2P heavyweights such as eMule and Limewire, you might find Warez worth a try. Warez is a P2P file-sharing network based on the Ares network and offers a service similar to that of Kazaa. In fact, up to version 1.6, Warez was an exact clone of Ares Galaxy but since then has branched out to offer some interesting features of its own. As a result, Warez claims to be the third largest decentralized P2P filesharing network in the world with over 1.5 million users.

The first thing to be aware of is that although the developers claim Warez contains no spyware or adware, many users have reported problems on Softonic of pop-up ads and browser hijacks. The installation itself takes less than a minute and once done, you’re taken through a small configuration wizard similar to that in eMule. The interface is also in classic P2P style – a search bar on the left, with search type below it. If you are searching for music, one nice feature is the three windows across the top which “divide-as-you-search”. So if you search for Judas Priest, the name of the band appears in one pane, the names of all their albums in another and finally the names of all their tracks in the last one.

It's obvious that Warez is very much designed to integrate with the web more than most P2P apps. Along the toolbar at the top is a web button which takes you directly to the Warez site where you can expand your search beyond its P2P network. There’s also a torrent button which, via an easy to use wizard, allows you to post your own torrents on the Warez website. Of course, you can also download torrents using Warez. In addition, there’s also a nice media player (although it does not allow previews of partially-downloaded files) and a convenient CD ripper button to put your favourite files on disc. Of course, the chat facility comes as standard.

However, these cosmetic improvements are hardly a giant leap in the P2P world. Warez claims that its major advantage is an “advanced queuing system” and “multi-sourced swarmed downloads”. It claims particular speed advantages over Kazaa and Gnutella networks. In tests, we didn’t notice any significant difference in either download or search times between Warez and these applications although much depends on your own personal configuration and broadband network.

User opinion is clearly divided on Warez. One disgruntled Softonic user reports it has, “port hopping technology designed to get around your network security” and that “you are a fool to install this software.” Another meanwhile says, “I like that there is no spyware…an easy to use interface.” Be careful that if you do notice spyware, it may be down to other programs you downloaded rather than Warez.

In summary, a very good looking P2P and web integrated program.

Download Warez 3.2.0 in Softonic

Ares Tube, has an embedded browser that allows you to save video files from youtube, google video, Blip Tv, Daily Motion and metacafe to local formats (IPOD, MP4, MPEG). Ares Tube optionally will export your videos, to your iTunes plattform. Browse to the video you want to catch and press "Add to download list". When you are ready press 'Download' to process selected files.

Ares Tube is a simple, easy to use Windows program that enables you to download movies from major video sharing sites (YouTube, DailyMotion, Metacafe, etc) and use them on your desktop. It will automatically convert it into either MPEG (plays on every computer) or MP4 (plays on iPods) and save it for you. Ares Tube can also optionally import the file into iTunes, so that on the next sync it will appear on your iPod Video.

Simply enter in the YouTube page URL and Ares Tube will download the file, convert it, and then import it directly into iTunes. The next time you plug in your iPod video it will automatically transfer. If you don't have an iPod video, you can still watch the movie in iTunes.

To support other sites, you will need the following plugins: Daily Motion, Blip Tv, Google Video, Metacafe and MySpace.

Download Ares Tube 2.0 in Softonic

Ares Galaxy Turbo Booster (AGTB) is a powerful acceleration plug-in for Ares file sharing program. State-of-the-art software technology used by AGTB generates dramatically decreases of downloading time.

The add-on consumes very few resources from your computer and the nice and easy interface makes it a pleasure to use. AGTB is an essential accessory for any Ares user and is totally free.

Download Ares Galaxy Turbo Booster 4.7.5.0 in Softonic

The LimeWire Accelerator allows you to download MP3s, Movies and Games faster by automatically speeding up the download process using its connection optimization features. The application helps solve problems such as slow downloading and disconnections and improve download power.

The program works with all versions of LimeWire (such as LimeWire 4.8, 4.9 and 4.10) and all connections such as a 56k dialup modem or a broadband connection. LimeWire Accelerator also works with Kazaa, Morpheus, iMesh, Grokster, Ares, BearShare and various other file sharing programs.

Download Limewire Accelerator 4.10 in Softonic

Measure your Internet bandwidth, CPU and Memory usage with this compact network traffic and performance monitor for Windows 2000/XP. It's ideal to monitor the network traffic of your P2P programs like Kazaa, Ares, Emule, WinMX, etc.

Features:

• Monitors network traffic
• Supports multiple network cards
• Window sizes: Normal, Statistics Only, Minimal, system tray
• Displays traffic in the system tray in digital or analog mode
• Execute netmon.bat if the network is disconnected

Download Aldo’s Net Monitor 2.2 in Softonic

KCeasy is a windows front end for the giFT filesharing system. Plugins allow giFT to support different kinds of filesharing networks. KCeasy currently supports the following networks:

• Gnutella (Shareaza, Gnucleus, LimeWire, Bearshare, XoloX)
• Ares (Ares Galaxy, Warez P2P)
• OpenFT (A new network developed by the giFT project)

Download KCeasy 0.18 in Softonic

Based on the open-source project giFT, FilePipe is capable of connecting to various P2P networks, namely Ares, FastTrack, Gnutella and OpenFT. Filepipe P2P offers a typical interface for this genre of program, with options to search on one or multiple filesharing networks, with options to filter results by audio, video, documents or Torrent files.

Download FilePipe P2P 2.7R in Softonic

Mythic Blades is a visually breath-taking entertainment title. It places the player in the role of Legendary Hero or Terrifying Monster, during combat, to determine the fate of the Olympus. Ares has challenged his father. If Ares wins, he will take over Zeus' place and rule over the Olympus - but the battle does not take place there. Instead, it will be fought between Man and Monster.

Download Mythic Blades Demo in Softonic