Not Able To Download Torrent Using Proxy Settings
Well that I am because I can't get the torrent to seed or I get files are missing. Does rarbg have 'Connection timed out' without the proxy? We recommend using a torrent proxy service (not a free public proxy) because: They keep no logs (no link between proxy ip address and your own) They allow torrents; Faster speeds; You know who owns the proxy server (don't have to worry about hackers) Socks5 proxy (not HTTP) so you don't have to worry about identity leaks.
Whether you’re trying to dodge an angry government, a connection throttling ISP, or the watchful gaze of media conglomerates, anonymizing and encrypting your BitTorrent traffic can help. Read on to learn how.
Photo by jin.thai.
What Is This and What Do I Need?
BitTorrent is a form of distributed file sharing. Undistributed file sharing is when you connect to a single source and download a file. When you visit a software repository online, for example, and download a new version of some application you’re engaging in an undistributed file transfer—the file went from their server directly to you.
Distributed file sharing changes that model. When you use BitTorrent, a distributed file sharing protocol, you don’t download a file from a single source but instead from any number of sources. Everyone who is part of the swarm of file sharers using the same tracker and sharing the torrent you’re downloading can potentially send you a piece of that file. Your download is no longer between you and a single source but between everyone in the swarm and you. This means anyone can join the torrent swarm and see what files you are downloading and, in turn, uploading—reciprocating to the swarm is part of the BitTorrent model.
If that person spying in your torrent activity is a hostile government, your ISP seeking to throttle your connection, or an agent hired by a media conglomerate to monitor BitTorrent networks, you can find yourself in unexpected trouble.
How can you circumvent such outcomes? By anonymizing and/or encrypting your BitTorrent traffic.
What are the upsides? Your BitTorrent traffic will be anonymous, the IP the swarm sees will not be your actual IP address. If you choose to encrypt as well as anonymize, even your ISP—the very people with direct access to your bandwidth pipe—won’t be able to see what you’re doing. You’ll be able to use BitTorrent without fear.
What are the downsides? Proxying/tunneling can slow down your connection and encryption can further slow it down. While many people are perfectly comfortable taking a performance hit in order to better secure their BitTorrent connection, it’s something to be aware of.
Ready to get started? To anonymize and encrypt BitTorrent you’ll need the following:
- For both techniques you’ll need a BitTorrent client with proxy support. We’re going to be using uTorrent on Windows.
- You’ll need a proxy/SSH provider. For this tutorial we’ll be using the popular Canadian BitTorrent proxy provider BTGuard.
- To encrypt your BitTorrent session you’ll need an additional layer of security in the form of a local proxy server that connects to your encrypted tunnel. We’ll highlight how to use both the BTGuard supplied application and the free application PuTTY to roll your own proxy server.
Our instructions will help you configure any SOCKS proxy to work with uTorrent (or another proxy-friendly BitTorrent client) but we’re going to be setting it up for BTGuard. If you don’t have an anonymous proxy yet, BTGuard is a solid choice and costs a mere $7 a month. Get your proxy information handy or go sign up for a BTGuard account here. before continuing.
Configuring uTorrent for Anonymous Torrent Traffic
Run uTorrent. Navigate to Options –> Preferences (or press CTRL+P) to open up the Preferences panel. From within the Preferences panel, navigate to the Connection sub-menu.
From within the Connection sub-menu, you need to fill out the Proxy Server information. For the Type select SOCKS5, for the Proxy fill in proxy.btguard.com and Port 1025. Check Authentication and fill in your Username and Password (BTGuard users will use the same username and password they created their account with). If you’re using another service besides BTGuard, simply change the previous entries to match your service providers data.
Under Authentication check all the boxes, including “Use proxy for hostname lookups”, “Use proxy for peer-to-peer connections”. Make sure to check all the boxes under Proxy Privacy including “Disable all local DNS lookups”, “Disable features that leak identifying information”, and “Disable connections unsupported by the proxy”. Failure to check these options will compromise your anonymity and defeat the whole purpose of using a proxy server.
Restart uTorrent. If you do not restart uTorrent the Proxy changes will not take effect.
Encrypting Your BitTorrent Connection
Anonymization will protect your identity but, if your ISP is throttle happy, it won’t stop them from detecting and throttling your BitTorrent traffic. If you want the extra security of encrypted traffic and/or your ISP is shaping your traffic and throttling BitTorrent connections, this is the configuration for you.
BTGuard offers a free encryption proxy that is preconfigured. In order to use the BTGuard encryption tool, first download it from the BTGuard servers here. Install the application to C:BTGUARD (this step is extremely important, if you install it to another directory the application will not operate properly). Once you’ve installed it, run the application.
Open up your uTorrent application once again and navigate back to the Preferences menu. Within the Preferences menu replace proxy.btguard.com with 127.0.0.1 (the address of the local computer). Leave all the other settings, including your login information, the same. Restart uTorrent for the changes to take effect. You’ll still be connected to the BTGuard servers but the traffic between uTorrent and those servers will be encrypted.
Alternatively, if you wish to use an SSH service to connect to a foreign server and anonymize your traffic that way, you’ll need to use PuTTY to connect to the SSH service and create a local proxy for uTorrent’s traffic to flow through. Note, if you’re already using BTGuard you might as well use their encryption too and skip this step. If you’re using another service and want to use their encrypted SSH tunnel, keep reading.
Putty is a free Telnet/SSH client for Windows and Linux that allows you to easily route your traffic through an encrypted tunnel. Download and install PuTTY. Run the application for the first time. The first screen you’ll see is the Session screen. Here you’ll need to enter the address of your SSH provider. The default SSH port is 22; only change this port # if your SSH provider indicates you should. Make sure SSH is checked. Go ahead and give your session a name so that you can save it for future use.
Navigate to Connections –> SSH. In the SSH sub-menu you need to create a new port configuration. Put a port number in the Source box (it can be any number that isn’t in conflict with your computer’s existing port structure, we used 12345) and then check Dynamic and Auto. Press Add to add the port.
Navigate back to the session menu and click Save to save your configuration. Then click Open to launch the SSH tunnel to your SSH host and login with your login credentials.
Once you’ve logged in via PuTTY with your login credentials you can now use PuTTY as your SOCKS server. Open uTorrent and the Preferences menu. Configure things exactly as you would for BTGuard except for the IP address put in 127.0.0.1 (the proxy server is on your computer), change the port number to 12345, and leave the Authentication section blank.
Testing The Anonymity of Your BitTorrent Connection
When you set up your web browser with a proxy server, it’s easy to visit a site like WhatIsMyIP to see if you’re surfing from the new IP address. What about BitTorrent? It’s not quite so easy. Thankfully there’s a service designed to help you check the IP address your Torrent client is broadcasting.
Once you’ve configured uTorrent using the above techniques (either anonymous but not encrypted with BTGuard, anonymous and encrypted with BTGuard, or anonymous and encrypted with your SSH provider of choice), it’s time to visit CheckMyTorrentIP. At CheckMyTorrentIP, click the Generate Torrent tab. Save the resulting torrent file to your computer and load it in uTorrent. It should look like this:
Download Torrent Free
Click on the torrent and then look down in the information panel at the bottom of the screen. Click on the Trackers tab. In that tab you will get information back from the Tracker (in this case the CheckMyTorrentIP tracker.
See that IP address? That should be the IP address of your new proxy service and not the IP address of your internet connection. If you see the address of your internet connection and not the proxy server you need to go back and double check your configuration.
You can also visit CheckMyTorrentIP and click on the Check IP tab to see all the IP addresses your torrent file has connected from:
There you have it. If the IP addresses are those provided by your proxy/SSH provider and not your home IP address then you’re in the clear. All your BitTorrent traffic will be routed through that IP address and your private IP address will never be broadcast to the greater internet!
Have a tip or trick for secure and anonymous torrenting? Let’s hear about it in the comments.
There’s a worldwide war against torrents right now. Content-makers and copyright holders are trying their best to shut down access to torrent hosting websites. Some ISPs (Internet Service Providers) are under pressure to block all torrent activity.
In a world where you don’t need to be a pirate anymore, blocking the illegal download of copyrighted works should no doubt be stopped. But blocking the act of torrenting, which can also have legitimate purposes, isn’t the right way to go about it.
Here’s how you can unblock any torrent connection.
Note: MakeUseOf doesn’t condone the illegal use of torrents. Using the following sites for illegal purposes is done entirely at your own risk. We assume no responsibility for any legal issues you may encounter.
A Simple Hack: Start on a Different Connection
The first workaround for blocked torrent connections is a simple hack. You’ll find yourself saying, “Why didn’t I think of this first?”
A lot of ISPs and network firewalls (like those at offices or universities) apply only basic blocks. This basic block is restricting the first point of connection to a site or torrent.
So, to bypass it start your torrent on a different connection, like by tethering to your phone’s internet dataTethering: How to Connect Mobile Internet to Your PC or LaptopTethering: How to Connect Mobile Internet to Your PC or LaptopWith data tethering, you can use your mobile internet on your PC, laptop, or tablet anywhere. All you need is an Android phone.Read More. Once the torrent starts downloading, switch back to the “blocked” Wi-Fi and it will continue downloading.
This method doesn’t work if the firewall is a little more advanced, but you’ll be surprised how often that’s not the case. Try it out, you might have the easiest workaround with this hack.
1. Change the DNS Server to Unblock Websites
Often, the only block that your ISP implements is at the DNS level. The DNS, or Domain Name System, translates IP address numbers into website names. By default, you are using the DNS server controlled by your ISP. If you switch that to a public DNS, you will solve your problem.
The most popular free public DNS servers are:
- Google DNS: 8.8.8.8 | 8.8.4.4
- OpenDNS: 208.67.222.222 | 208.67.220.220
- Comodo DNS: 8.26.56.26 | 8.20.247.20
You can change your DNS server in network settings, and you’ll soon be able to access all those blocked websites.
- On Windows: Go to Network Device and right-click > Click Properties > IPv4 Properties, and then change the DNS servers and click OK.
- On macOS: Go to System Preferences > Network > Advanced > DNS, and add the new DNS servers, and click OK.
- On Linux: Click the Network applet > Edit Connections > Edit > IPv4 Settings > Automatic (DHCP) addresses only > DNS Servers, and add each new address separated by a comma.
2. Use a Free VPN to Unblock Websites
If you aren’t comfortable messing around with network settings, an alternative method to unblock websites is to use a VPN. A VPN, or virtual private network, masks your IP address’ origin.
Basically, you are shown as accessing the internet from a different country, where that site isn’t blocked. And so you can see it.
For this, you can use a few reliable free VPN services7 Totally Free VPN Services to Protect Your Privacy7 Totally Free VPN Services to Protect Your PrivacyFree unlimited data VPNs for Windows don't exist. Unless they're scams. This article lists the best actually free VPNs around.Read More, but they usually limit the monthly data download. There are a few other unlimited free VPNsThe Best Unlimited Free VPN Services (And Their Hidden Costs)The Best Unlimited Free VPN Services (And Their Hidden Costs)Looking for an unlimited free VPN? Here are your options for desktop and mobile, along with their hidden costs.Read More, but they have their own hidden costs.
Remember, we are only using this VPN to access blocked sites and download torrent files or magnet links. You shouldn’t actually download the whole torrent over such free VPNs.
I would recommend using ProtonVPN, since the company does not store any logs of what its users access, and is transparent about>
simbly awechome... That DNS server address change worked for me...
I used a combo of 2 of the suggestions. I changed my port to 80 to just get the torrents started, then changed it back. Worked great.
Good advices, but difficult
I prefer croxyproxy
just put link and go
Some ancients say that true knowledge comes only via some suffering. This was my case - my windows has crashed, and I installed it with my HP recovering system - it worked excellent. I got my newest windows with no upgrades need after recovery,
I installed my Norton and all my staff, and everything was fine, except uTorrent. I was unable neither install it nor download torrent files from Internet - only torrent files, other files were OK.
Neither advice about Firewall not helped me, I tried some other torrent clients - same, until I found advice about qBittorrent client. My Norton let it in, and let it be
on allowed firewall list (controlled by Norton). By the way, I found some articles about pirate torrents problems, which some author rights corp. owners try to fight
with sights blocking, also some torrent clients try to make unauthorized changes
on computers (I've seen it with uTorrent).
So, it seems better to get a right torrent client, which will pass Antivirus and spam
protection and allowed with Firewall, than try to overcome your computer protection to install questionable clients.
if you are not at home, using the service you paid for with your money, and you dont need to worry about about 50+ other people on the network... then by all mean, follow this guide if you must.
but if you are not on your own service, are traveling, or wanting a cup of coffee... TURN YOUR DAMN TORRENTS OFF YOU BANDWIDTH GREEDY SOD. do you realize the business you are sucking every byte from actually is a lower speed, more expensive per level than your home connection. and you put those other networks at risk while you are BEING SELFISH.
this is a reason i actively monitor my business's network access with MANY different tools yeah, i know the Pr0n sites you visit you nasty traveler, i know your fetishes (im nasty, but damn some of you people), and dont think a VPN is stopping me from seeing all of the traffic on MY network. i AM THE MAN IN THE MIDDLE on my network. oh the fun i have with injecting/editing/tainting packets to offending IP on my network (the same fun some VPN admins have). think about this while you download your next copy of nickelback.
Tons of solution none which need you to fork over money.
1. Tor for finding onion sites for torrents.
2. Firefox with a free vpn + torrent tornado plugin.
3. CyberGhost VPN service, preferably the paid version.
4. Tribler, just make sure to disable disk sharing.
5. Android ;-)
6. Open VPN + a free service.
7. Ethersoft, just be weary of installation and setup and choice of servers.
8. All the above in a VM!
I'm sorry, this sounds like an ad for express vpn.
Linksnappy.Com, but it is not free.
25gb storage. Download 10 torrents at the same time.
Downloading the finished torrents from the site is slow though.
Thanks, good to know!
Thanks! I was about to try that one!
hello there , Nice article .
i am in a totally different situation now.
i can't torrent with my normal IP , so i used Softether to change the VPN and the problem gone. but ive got only few data left and by using this VPN method, data consumes much faster and am getting only half of the download traffic.
( if my pc gets 200 kb/s , softether uses 100 kb/s and torrent uses 100 kb/s )
why can't i download with my normal IP ? , why do i need to change to different IP in other country ?
is it because my service provider blocking me ? if so
is there any work around for not loosing too much data with the VPN method
Download Torrent For Pc
I made a video demonstrating how to run torrents anonymously . It will work even if torrents are banned by your ISP.
Please note that it only supports HTTP trackers so none of your UDP trackers would work. What it does is basically route all your torrent traffic through the TOR network (which is so secure that even the NSA hasn’t been able to crack it. )
Have a look (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R6L3gXPFQkI) .
Hey guys, if you have problem with Chrome block or some other block screen try site filespook dot com and you will be able to download w/o issues and everywhere
Thanks Jay your your idea worked icredibly thanks
I think the best one right now is filestream.me. Though it gives you only 1GB per torrent(still its enough) ,it downloads super-fast and has no blocking or throttling.
P.S Sorry for my English.