Bittorrent Proxies
How to use a Torrent Proxy for anonymous torrents (setup guide)
Using a Socks5 Torrent Proxy with your favorite Bittorrent client will allow you to easily anonymize your torrent traffic. A properly configured proxy allows you to route 100% of your torrent traffic through a remote server, which will hide your real IP address from torrent peers, making your downloads much more not all proxy services are created equal. And not all torrent clients handle proxy connections the same ’s why we created this ’s pretty massive, so feel free to use the Jump Links below to find the exact section you’re looking for…ContentsChoosing a Torrent Proxy ServiceHow to get your proxy username/passwordPrivate Internet AccessNordVPNIPVanishTorguardProxy setup guide for (separated by torrent client)uTorrentVuzeDelugeQBittorrentVerify your proxy is working properlyVPN or Proxy: Is one better for torrenting? Torrent clients that don’t have proxy support‘Torrent Proxy’/ Tracker Proxy Websites (to unblock torrents)Frequently Asked Questions How to choose a proxy service for Torrents/P2PFirst things first, you’ll need a subscription to a proxy service if you don’t have one already. And let me make two things very clear:Make sure to choose a ‘Zero-Log’ proxy service (for maximum privacy)It must be Socks5 and not /’ll look in-depth at our recommended proxy services, as well as understanding the criteria of what makes one proxy better-suited for torrents. But for simplicity’s sake, …These are the best proxies for BitTorrent:Private Internet Access (Socks5 + VPN included)NordVPN (Socks5 + VPN included)IPVanish (Socks5 + VPN included)Torguard (Socks5 + VPN sold separately)Next, let’s take a closer look at each of these ivate Internet Access ($3. 33/month)Private Internet Access is the best deal available if you want a torrent-friendly Socks5 proxy & VPN service primarily for anonymous torrenting. PIA has the best combination of essential torrent features, for less than the cost of a cup of coffee per yet, Private Internet Access allows 5 simultaneous connections and are the world’s only VPN who’s ‘No Logs’ privacy policy has been verified in plans include unlimited bandwidth on their Socks5 proxy server in the our Private Internet Access reviewNordVPN ($5. 95/month + Netflix Support)NordVPN’s feature set is almost identical to Private Internet Access (Zero Logs, Socks5 + VPN, torrent-friendly). However, they have one awesome advantage… NordVPN is one of the only VPNs in the world that still works with Netflix. They’ve been able to successfully avoid the Netflix VPN block for you want 1-click access to Netflix’s global catalog from anywhere in the world, choose NordVPN review w/ Netflix unblocking SmartPlay technologyIPVanish ($6. 49/month + Fastest VPN in the World)IPVanish is a zero-log VPN service based in the USA. They fully allow torrents/p2p and include both Socks5 Proxy service and VPN service in one all-inclusive package. A bit pricier than PIA, IPVanish is the undisputed king of speed, outperforming all contenders in our speed tests. Their software is also more user-friendly than both PIA and NordVPN. If you’re willing to pay for performance (and don’t need Netflix support) go with Our IPVanish reviewHow is a Proxy different from a VPN? And which is better? This is a common question. In simple terms, a proxy is like a VPN, minus the encryption. In other words, a proxy will hide your IP address without scrambling/encrypting the data you’re that doesn’t necessarily mean a VPN is better. You see, BitTorrent traffic is identified based on the IP address that appears in your torrent swarm, not by directly monitoring your data stream (which only your ISP can do). However…A VPN is certainly more secure, which is why most of the Socks5 proxies we feature in this article actually include Proxy + VPN service in the same subscription at no additional gives you the option to use either (or both) to match your security needs. Many people opt to run a VPN 100% of the time for day-to-day security, and also configure a proxy just for their torrent AdvantagesNo software to installKeeps torrent traffic separateHides IP Address like VPNFaster speeds than VPN (on average)One-time setupAny OS (Mac, Windows, Android)Proxy DisadvantagesNo encryptionSome clients ignore proxy settingsFewer server locationsSometimes magnet links don’t work How to get your Proxy Login InformationEach of these companies has a unique method of assigning usernames/passwords for their proxy service. Each service also uses a unique proxy address and port make sure you use the correct settings for your portant note:While a few VPN services allow you to use the same username/password combo for the Socks5 proxy, most don’t. So for these other services, you’ll need to generate a custom username/password for your proxy inside your account panel on their website. Services that have generate separate proxy credentials include: Private Internet Access, IPVanish & the tabs below to select your proxy provider. We have instructions to find all the information you will need to configure your preferred torrent client:Username/PasswordProxy Address/HostnamePort #Private Internet AccessNordVPNIPVanishTorguardPrivate Internet Access proxy settingsPIA has a single proxy location, a high-speed SOCKS cluster located in the Netherlands. Here’s all the login details you need:Hostname/Address: mPort: 1080Username/password: Different than VPN login (see below)Private Internet Access requires you to use a different proxy username/password than for their VPN service. You generate your proxy credentials from inside your PIA account panel on their to your account panel on mScroll to the section labeled ‘PPTP/L2TP/SOCKS Username/password’Keep this page open for easy copy/paste into your torrent clientGenerate your Proxy login/password in account panel NordVPN proxy settingsNordVPN hosts their Socks5 proxies on the same servers as their VPN network. They allow SOCKS connections in over 40 countries, and 10 of these countries allow P2P/Torrent connections. The full server list can be found Hostname/Address: See below, to pick a server and get hostnamePort: 1080Username/Password: Same as VPN credentialsTo pick a P2P proxy server and find the Hostname:Go to the NordVPN Server ListScroll to the ‘P2P’ sectionChoose a country location. We recommend: Netherlands, Canada, Switzerland, LuxembourgClick ‘Show Server’ to expand the server list for that location and view the proxy addressChoose specific server and copy the Address. We used mChoose your torrent server location. Make sure there is a checkmark under ‘Socks5’ columnThe Port # is 1080 for all server locations. Proceed to the next step with setup instructions for your specific torrent client. IPVanish proxy settingsIPVanish has one massive proxy cluster located in the Netherlands. To login, you must use a specific proxy username/password that is different from your VPN credentials. Instructions below…Hostname/Address: #: 1080Username/Password: Generated from account panel – you have your socks username and password, proceed to the next step to setup IPVanish with your preferred torrent rguard has several locations for their p2p proxy service. You can manually choose a server by its IP address (shown in your Torguard account panel) but we recommend using the default proxy address and let Torguard choose the fastest server name: (or)Port #: 1080, 1085, 1090 (your choice)Username/Password: Emailed to you when you signed up for TorguardAbout the Hostname: it doesn’t matter whether you choose the or proxy address. Both belong to Torguard’s ‘Smart’ router, which will find the optimal proxy server for you based on your location and how crowded each server We love the fact that Torguard provides multiple ports that you can run the proxy on. Many VPNs (PIA and IPVanish for example) only allow you to run on the default 1080 port. The problem with this is that some internet providers (Comcast is one example) block all traffic on port you get slow speeds while using the proxy on 1080, choose 1085 or 1090 as your port # oceed to the next section to get specific setup instructions for your preferred torrent client. Configure your Torrent ClientWe have proxy setup guides for the following torrent clients:uTorrent/BittorrentDelugeQBittorrentTixati (not 100% secure)If your favorite client isn’t listed here, it most likely doesn’t support the proxying of peer connections. If this is the case, a VPN is your best option for improving torrent use the tabs below to find our setup guide for your preferred client:uTorrentVuze/AzureusDelugeQBittorrentOtheruTorrent/bittorrent proxy setupuTorrent fully supports the proxying of peer and tracker communications. We’ll look at the recommend proxy settings. Afterwords we’ll discuss the (optional) port forwarding and encryption access uTorrent Proxy setttings:Go to: Menu > Options > Preferences > Connections (tab on the left)uTorrent Proxy Settings (with important settings numbered). Using PIA proxyWe’ll look at the important settings 1 by 1. They’re numbered as in the illustration:[1] Connection Tab: Select the ‘Connection’ tab of the preferences menu to access the proxy settings. [2] Proxy Type: Choose ‘Socks5’ from the dropdown menu (true for all the VPN/proxy services in this article)[3] Proxy: This is the proxy address assigned by your torrent proxy service. This was covered in the previous step. [4] Port: The port # your Socks5 proxy uses. It’s 1080 for PIA, IPVanish, NordVPN. Torguard uses 1080, 1085, or 1090[5] Authentication: Check this box in order to enter your username/password[5a, 5b] Username/Password: Specific to your proxy service. You should have copied/generated your login credentials in the previous portant: Make sure you have all boxes numbered 6-10 checked. These are important privacy settings that will make sure that uTorrent uses the proxy tunnel for ALL connections. You don’t want to leak identifying information to trackers or torrent peers. [6] Use Proxy for Hostname Lookups: Make sure that tracker requests are routed through the proxy tunnel and proxy IP address. [7] Use proxy for Peer Connections: All peers in a swarm will see your proxy IP address[8] Disable Local DNS lookups: Prevent DNS leaks and make sure that uTorrent uses the proxy servers’ DNS servers, not your own (prevent IP leaks). [9] Disable Features that leak identifying information: Turns off any uTorrent features that could accidentally leak information about your identity, location, or real IP address. Important for maximum privacy. [10] Disable Connections unsupported by the Proxy: Some torrent clients will route ‘unsupported connnections’ outside the proxy tunnel. uTorrent is much more secure and lets you disable any unsupported connections. This ensures that 100% of your uTorrent traffic is routed properly through the proxy tunnel and your true IP address is never exposed. uTorrent Encryption & DHT SettingsThese settings will let you enable (optional) protocol encryption. This is a weak (but fast) encryption algorithm designed to obscure your torrent traffic as it passes through your ISP’s servers and prevent throttling/blocking. You can also turn off DHT, but DHT is required for magnet links to function so we recommend you leave it these settings at: Menu > Options > Preferences > BitTorrent (tab)Choose Encryption: Recommended ‘Enabled’ or ‘Forced’Enabled: This setting will allow you to encrypt connections between any peers that also have encryption enabled. It will still allow unencrypted connections to non-compatible peers. Access to 100% of available Forced mode requires that all peer connections be encrypted. You can only connect to other peers in ‘Enabled’ or ‘Forced’ mode. This mode is more secure, but will likely reduce your total number of available peers. This usually isn’t an issue but could make it hard to download torrents with few should also read: How to use uTorrent like a PROHow to setup a Proxy in Vuze/AzureusVuze has selective support for proxied connections. Vuze does not support peer connections via HTTP(s) proxies at all, though we’re only using SOCKS5 proxy services in this supports UDP tracker connections (not peers connections) and allows outgoing peer communications via TCP. For more info, see their Socks proxy Line: A Socks proxy does work with vuze and can anonymize peer communications (if set up properly). However most users would be better off using a VPN instead, as it is much more secure for downloading torrents safely with #1 – Put Vuze in ‘Advanced’ modeIn order to access the Vuze proxy settings, you first need to put Vuze in ‘Advanced’ user mode:Open Vuze and go to: Menu > Tools > Options > Mode (tab)Change user mode to ‘Advanced’ to access proxy settingsThen hit click the ‘Toggle’ icon to the left of the ‘Connection’ [1] tab and choose ‘Proxy’ [2] from the dropdown menu to bring up the proxy Proxy settings in options menu. Numbered to show important settingsHere are the important settings to change:Step #2 – Tell Vuze to use proxy for trackers and peersTracker SettingsEnable Proxying of Tracker Communications [3]: Torrent trackers you connect to will use the proxy tunnel and see your anonymous proxy IP address. Make sure to restart Vuze for this setting to take effect. I have a SOCKS proxy [4]: Lets Vuze know you’re using a Socks proxy, not HTTP. This is important because you can only use a Socks proxy for peer [5]: Your proxy hostname/address (provided by your proxy service and discussed in the previous section)Port [6]: The port number your proxy runs on. Most use the default ername/Password [7]: Your own proxy login credentials. Make sure you generated unique proxy credentials if your proxy requires event Local DNS Lookups [8]: Check this box to make sure all DNS requests go through the proxy tunnel (prevent DNS leaks) Socks [9]: After you’ve entered and double-checked your proxy settings, click this button to have Vuze attempt a connection through the proxy tunnel. This will let you know whether things are configured Peer Proxy SettingsIt’s also essential to enable the proxying of Peer communications in Vuze. Check all the boxes as shown below, and make sure to choose ‘V5’ as the Socks Vuze to use proxy for Peer ConnectionsVuze Encryption (optional)If your Internet Provider deliberately blocks or throttles torrent traffic, you can use Vuze’s built-in encryption to disguise your torrent data. If your ISP is using more advanced DPI inspection/torrent-blocking technology, you’ll be better off running Vuze through the VPN tunnel (instead of the proxy) change your Vuze encryption settings go to:Menu > Tools > Options > Connection (toggle) > Transport Encryption [1]Turn on Vuze transport encryption to circumvent torrent blocking/throttlingRequire Encrypted Transport [2]: Check this box to enable mum Encryption Level [3]: Set this to RC4 (strongest)There are two modes you run Vuze encryption in…Forced Mode (only allow encrypted connections): Leave boxes [4] and [5] unchecked to make sure you only allow encrypted connections. Enabled Mode (allow encrypted and unencrypted peers): Check boxes [4] and [5] to use encryption when available but still allow unencrypted connections if necessary. This is less secure but will give you access to 100% of peers sharing a Proxy SetupDeluge has the better proxy support than almost any competing torrent client. They allow you to proxy all of the most important torrent connections, including:TrackersWeb SeedsDHT/Peer-exchangePeersNote: You have to choose a proxy server for each of these, but you can use the same proxy for all connections. You just have to set it up 4 times as we’ll show #1 – Configure Deluge Proxy SettingsTo access Deluge’s proxy settings, go to:Edit > Preferences (or Ctrl+P) > Proxy (tab)It’ll look like this:What Deluge looks like with no proxy set upWe’re going to change all 4 of these sections to have the exact same proxy settings. Here are the settings you’ll want:Type: SocksV5 w/ Auth (allows you to enter username/password)Username/Password: Your login credentials. Provided by your proxy service or generated from your VPN account panel (PIA & IPVanish) Proxy address your provider uses (e. g. or etc)Port: The port # your proxy uses. Most use the default port of 1080Here are the completed proxy settings, using Private Internet Access as an example. Replace the appropriate settings with your own proxy services’ Proxy setup completed with PIA (as an example)Step #2 – Setup Encryption (Optional)You can choose to enable encryption on Deluge if you believe your ISP is blocking/throttling/slowing torrent to: Edit > Preferences > Network (Tab)Then look to the bottom of the window for the section labeled ‘Encryption’ gives very fine-grained control over what portion of the torrent protocol to encrypt and whether to force encrypted connections or just use them when are the two most common modes we recommend:Forced, Full-Encryption Mode:Inbound: ForcedOutbound: ForcedLevel: Full StreamEncrypted Entire Stream: CheckedWhen setup properly, it will look like this:Full-Stream, Forced EncryptionEncryption ‘Enabled’ ModeThis mode will allow you to use as much encryption as your peers allow. It will still use insecure connections if there are not enough encrypted peers bound: EnabledOutbound: EnabledLevel: EitherEncrypt Entire Stream: CheckedSettings should match these shown here…Deluge with Encryption ‘Enabled’ but not requiredThat’s it, your Deluge torrent proxy is all set up. Proceed to the next section on testing your proxy setup. QBitTorrent Proxy SetupQBittorrent has excellent proxy support (much like Deluge). They allow proxying of both peer and tracker connections, effectively hiding your IP address from #1 – Change your QBittorrent proxy settingsGo to: Tools > Options > Connection (tab) [1] > Proxy server (section)In the ‘Connection’ tab of the QBittorrent options menu, you’ll see the proxy settings towards the image below shows a proper setup using Private Internet Access. You’ll want to insert the correct host, port, username/password for your proxy provider. QBittorrent Proxy settingsType [2]: SOCKS5Host [3]: Your proxy’s host addressPort [4]: Port number your proxy operates on. Most use the default – 1080Use proxy for peer connections [5]: Check this. It ensures that all connections peers are routed through the proxy tunnel (so they can’t see your real IP address). Disable Connections not supported by proxies [6]: Check this. We don’t want QBittorrent routing any connections thentication [8]: Make sure to check this box so you can enter your proxy username/passwordUsername/Password [9]: Provided by your proxy serviceStep #2 – Add Encryption (Optional)Deluge has built-in support for protocol encryption. This may allow you to prevent your ISP’s attempts to block/throttle/slow your torrents. This probably won’t defeat more sophisticated DPI torrent-blocking, in which case you’re better off using a change the Deluge Encryption Options go to: Tools > Options > Bittorrent (tab)Look for the single line labeled ‘Encryption Mode’ are three choices:Disable Encryption: Never use encryptionPrefer Encryption: Use encryption as often as possible (whenever enough encrypted peers are available)Require Encryption: Only connects to encryption-enabled peers. This may reduce your overall number of peers you can connect to, but you will have 100% full-time ’s it! QBittorrent is all setup. Proceed to the ‘Check your settings’ Torrent ClientsWhat about other torrent clients? Can you use a proxy with Tixati, Frostwire or Transmission? Answer: The short answer is no. Transmission (one of the most popular Mac clients) doesn’t support proxies at all. Tixati does include proxy settings, but if the proxy goes down it will route your torrents through the unsecured tunnel (bad). Frostwire doesn’t work correctly with proxies same is true of the web-based torrent clients like uTorrent web, as well as most android torrent apps other than Flud and Line: Vuze, Deluge, QBittorrent and uTorrent are the only multi-platform clients with full proxy support. If you’re using any other torrent software, you should get a VPN instead. How to verify your proxy is workingEach torrent client handles failed proxy connections differently. Some will just route torrent traffic through your regular connection (bad). Others won’t connect at all until you insert the correct proxy settings (good) way, you’ll want to check your torrent IP address to verify that your peers can only see the proxy servers’ IP address, not your ’ll do this with a free tool that lets you download a custom magnet link and add it to your torrent client. Then, the tool reports what IP address you’re showing to peers, and you can compare it to your web-browser’s IP method works with all torrent #1 – Go to #2 – Download the Tracking Torrent [Fig. 1]: You can either copy simply download the magnet link or copy and paste the magnet link address into your torrent #3 – Verify: Wait a bit (5 seconds to 1 minute) and if the proxy is working correctly you should see it pop up on the tracker page along with your new proxy IP address [Fig. 3], which should be different than the IP address you accessed the page with. [Fig. 2]Step #4 – View your proxy IP address in your Torrent client: You don’t have to save this magnet hash# or bookmark the page for future tracking, you can actually see your current torrent IP address by viewing the ‘Trackers’ tab of the tracking torrent in your torrent reenshots from uTorrent and QBittorrent:Go to the ‘Trackers’ tab for the tracking torrent to view your current IP addressThat’s it. Basically all you’re checking for is that your torrent client is using the proxy IP address. It should be different than your web browser’s IP this point your proxy setup should be complete, but we’ll go in-depth on some additional considerations in the sections more detail read: How to check your torrent IP address Is a VPN better than a Proxy? Not necessarily, and many people use both majority of people use only a VPN for private torrenting. The main reason is simplicity. There is no in-client configuration required to use a VPN, it just works. The other main VPN advantage is all the top torrent clients have a built-in encryption option, this is lightweight (not strong) encryption and depends on other peers having encryption enabled also. So if you want to make 100% sure your ISP cannot see your torrent traffic, use a said, 99. 9% of torrent monitoring is done based on your IP address (which a proxy hides) not traffic monitoring. Most ISPs could care less what you’re a proxy has several advantages of its own…Advantages of a proxyNo encryption: Encryption is a valuable security tool, but it’s also slow. Your data must be run through an algorithm (sometimes 100+ times) both when it is encrypted and decrypted. This results in slower speeds. By using a proxy, you can hide your IP address from torrent peers, but still keep nearly 100% of your internet speeds. A VPN will usually be browser address and torrent IP address are different: This makes it much harder to link the download of a. torrent file to the download of the actual underlying files (after you open the. torrent file in your client). Since each will be downloaded from a different IP address and there is no link between the two (assuming you followed our advice and chose a provider that doesn’t keep any logs) if you want the advantages of a proxy, but also want the strong encryption of a VPN…just use both! Configure the proxy inside your torrent client as normal, but make sure to start the VPN before you open your torrent software. Then, the torrents will run through the VPN & proxy using both a VPN + Proxy:Your torrents will be secured with extremely strong encryption (your ISP cannot see your downloads)Your browser IP address and torrent IP address will both be uniqueAnd since all of the services we featured in this article allow at least 3 simultaneous connections, you can do all of this with a single subscription. Nice right! Torrent Clients that don’t support Proxy connectionsThere are several prominent clients that don’t handle proxy connections properly (will route them insecurely). Several also will only proxy tracker communications, not peer communications (much more important) a result, you should always use a VPN (not a proxy) with:TixatiTransmissionFrostwireAll Android clients (except Flud & tTorrent) WebsitesThe term ‘Torrent Proxy’ has another meaning as well: shorthand for specially websites designed to workaround torrent-site blockades. A so-called tracker proxy will fetch the contents of a popular torrent website on your behalf, which you can access from a different (unblocked) all of the world’s most popular torrent websites have 1 or more include:MininovaKickass Torrents (no longer exists)The Pirate BayWhile these proxy sites work in the short-term, it’s just a temporary solution. Most will eventually find themselves blocked or taken down as part of expanding best solution to unblock torrent sites (or any blocked website) is to use a VPN. Period. Learn equently Asked QuestionsThese are the most commons questions about using a proxy for bittorrent, and problems users may encounter. Feel free to ask additional questions in the comments below or on Twitter I use a Free Proxy? Technically it is possible to use any proxy that doesn’t block p2p connections. However there are several reasons you would never want to use a ‘free’ proxy Free Proxies are HTTP or HTTPs: HTTP proxies are designed or HTTP traffic (the language of websites) and as a result, they only work when communicating with trackers. You can use an HTTP proxy to communicate with torrent peers, meaning peers will still see your real IP address. This defeats the entire purpose of using a, HTTP proxies will route non-TCP connections outside the proxy tunnel (bad) proxies keep logs: The goal of choosing a non-logging proxy service is to make it nearly impossible to create a link between the IP address of your torrent client (the proxy IP) and your real address. This makes your torrents highly anonymous, and very difficult to trace by a 3rd proxies rarely work, and are slow when they do work: Ever tried to browse the web with a ‘Free’ proxy? You’ve probably had to try 5 or 6 before you even get a connection, never mind the awful speeds and increased ads they Line: Beware of anybody offering something for price is a factor, get Private Internet Access. It’s dirt cheap and works great! Should I just use a VPN? It’s personal preference. Some people enjoy the added security/encryption a VPN offers. Others hate having to remember to turn on the VPN every time they torrent, and proxy speeds are usually, several torrent clients (Including Transmission and Tixati) simply don’t support peer-to-peer proxies. So you’ll have to use a VPN if you won’t switch Line: If you want the best of both worlds, use both. Each of the services we recommended in this article allow multiple connections at the same time, so you can use a VPN + Proxy. I got a ‘Proxy Connection Error’If the proxy isn’t connecting properly in your torrent software, it’s usually one of these reasons:You don’t have the right username/passwordYou don’t have the right host/addressYou started a VPN connection after the proxy was connectedUsername/Password: Double-check to make sure that you followed the proxy credential generation process if you use a proxy service that requires different username/password than your VPN subscription. PIA and IPVanish are the two most popular services that do name/Address: Double-check that these are correct. You can contact your provider’s support team if necessaryVPN: If you tray to connect to a VPN after your torrent client is already open (and you’re using a proxy) it will cause an error. This is because the proxy server is seeing a login request from a totally different IP address but the same username/password. This looks like a threat/hack so it blocks the attempt. Simply restart the torrent client (with the VPN still connected) and it should work any questions? Let us Please SHARE this guide. It is the culmination of more than 20 hours of effort. Happy torrenting!
VPN vs. Proxy vs. PeerBlock for Torrent Privacy
If you’re looking to download torrents anonymously, the tools you use a make a big difference. And the biggest question we get is which offers more protection, a VPN or Proxy? In many ways they’re quite similar (route your traffic through a 3rd-party server, hiding your IP address). But there are several key differences that may lead you to choose one over the other. And some very cautious people to use both together for maximum portant Note: Fortunately, you don’t have to pay extra or choose between one or the other. Several torrent-friendly VPNs include zero-log proxy service at no additional charge. You can even use both simultaneously! VPNs that include Socks5 Proxy access: Our top picks are Private Internet Access and NordVPN (Special 72% discount)Quick Intro to your 3 OptionsBefore we dive in to the details, here’s a brief overview of the 3 torrent privacy tools, and the relative strengths/weaknesses of each:PeerBlock/iBlocklist/Other IP blockersTorrent IP blocklists attempt to do one thing. Prevent connections from certain ‘undesirable’ IP addresses or IP ranges. The theory is that if you can identify ‘suspicious’ IP’s, you can block them and minimize your risk of having your torrent downloads reality, it’s literally impossible to identify and block every IP address that might be malicous. And any professional torrent monitoring service can get new IP’s as easy as you can. Meanwhile, blocklists are made up mostly of good/harmless peers which will cause you slower speeds and reduced rdict: Blocklists might be better than nothing (barely) but it’s not a really a privacy tool. And it does nothing to anonymize your torrent downloads. Proxy / Socks5 Torrent ProxyA proxy connection is one that routes your traffic from a specific app/program (your torrent client) through a 3rd party server. The proxy server connects to all torrent peers on your behalf. The main benefit is peers will only see the IP address of the proxy server. Your ‘real’ IP address will remain best/most-secure proxy type for torrenting is Socks5 (don’t use HTTP proxies). A proxy allows your Torrent IP address to be different than the IP for all other internet traffic (good). Unfortunately, most torrents don’t encrypt their traffic, so your ISP could still monitor your downloads if they wanted rdict: A proxy is like a VPN without encryption. It’s also slightly faster. It will hide your IP address (the most important privacy feature). Your ISP can still see that you’re torrenting (through Deep Packet Inspection), so frequent torrent downloaders may prefer a commended Socks5 Providers: Private Internet Access, NordVPN, IPVanish, Torguard. Read our complete Torrent Proxy / Virtual Private NetworkA Virtual Private Network routes ALL of your internet traffic through a remote server, which interacts with the internet (and torrent peers) on your behalf. All communication between your device and the VPN server is encrypted with incredibly strong encryption. A VPN give you the highest level of protection & privacy for your torrents. It accomplishes two important things:Hide your real IP address from torrent peers (they see the VPN server’s IP). Encrypt all internet activity so your internet provider (ISP) can’t see what you do/download of the top torrent-friendly VPNs also include SOCKS5 proxy service with your subscription. So you can use both simultaneously, changing your IP address twice and keeping a local IP address for web browsing, but downloading torrents from a torrent-friendly location like the rrent IP Blocklists (Peerguard, iBlocklist, etc…)A torrent IP blocklist is simply a giant database of IP addresses that you tell your torrent client (uTorrent, Vuze…) not to connect to. There many different blocklists, and IP’s tend to get included in a blocklist for a variety of reasons:Non-Residential IP addressSchools/UniversitiesKnown torrent monitoring companies‘Suspicious’ activity from an IP addressWhat is a Blocklist? The idea behind torrent blocklists is if you can create a list of all the ‘BAD’ IP addresses, then you can only connect to ‘safe’ connection from a ‘blocked’ peer will be refused, and they won’t be able to connect to you to download/seed torrent all sounds great (because several blocklists are free) but there are MANY security issues that make a blocklists nearly worthless…Why Torrent Blocklists don’t work…There are many reasons we hate (and never recommend) blocklists. Here are the most important ones:Block way too many peers (mostly safe IP’s)Bad peers can still use an unblocked IP addressTorrents can be monitored via DHT or tracker lists, even by blocked IP’s1. Too many blocked IP addressesLet’s be honest, most torrent peers aren’t threats. They don’t want to infect you, monitor you, or hack you. They just want to share torrent files the top torrent blocklists contain MILLIONS of IP addresses. Are all these peers all dangerous? Of course ’s kind of like firing a machine gun blindfolded. You might get the bad guy, but there will be alot of collateral damage. And every ‘good’ peer you block will reduce your number of available peers, your speeds, and your download you combined all the blocklists, you’d block over 30% of all the IPv4 addresses in the world. 2. Bad Peers will just use a new ‘SAFE’ IP addressIt’s incredibly easy to get a new IP address. You can use a commercial VPN service or proxy to switch IP’s in 5 seconds. Any individual/person that makes a living from monitoring torrent downloads will have a never-ending supply of unblocked IP’s to continue their business if you use a blocklist that blocks all commercial VPN/proxy servers, they could just use a residential IP address by running a home VPN/proxy server on a $100 router, or run the monitoring software from a residential address. 3. Blocked peers can still see the IP’s of downloadersIn order to connect to torrent peers, you need to know their IP address. That’ show the whole p2p system works. These IP’s are collected and shared via torrent trackers as well as DHT (trackerless peer lists). And anybody can see these peer lists, whether their IP is blocked or; a blocklist WILL NOT prevent bad peers from seeing your torrent IP address and the files you’re downloading. Torrent trackers have that data already. The only good solution is to use a technology that actually hides your IP address (VPN or proxy). Virtual Private Network/VPN (best for most users)A VPN is the ultimate torrent privacy tool. You’ll see them recommended across all the top tech sites, from Lifehacker, to Reddit, and even torrent sites VPN is simply the best tool for the job (and really easy to use) section will discuss how a VPN works, what it’ll do for you, and how to choose the best one for torrents. Choosing the right VPN is extremely important, as there are many that aren’t torrent-friendly, even some that are outright ivate Internet Access and IPVanish are two of the best and most reputable options. We’ll discuss others as a VPN makes your torrent downloads (WAY) more secureThere are two main ways that torrent downloads are monitored:Gathering IP addresses from a torrent swarm (can be done by any 3rd party)Directly inspecting your internet traffic (your ISP or network admin can do this)A high-quality VPN can protect against both these threat vectors, for as little as $3. 33/month. A VPN protects your torrent privacy by doing two things:Hide your ‘real’ IP address and replace it with the IP of the VPN server in torrent swarms. Encrypt 100% of your internet traffic, so even your internet provider (ISP) can’t monitor your traffic or see what files you’re sounds simple (and it is really easy to use). But it’s also incredibly powerful. Which is why VPN usage is growing exponentially, especially in the file-sharing oosing the ‘BEST’ VPN for torrentsAt a basic level, most VPN services are very similar. They will route your traffic through a 3rd-party server, assign you a new IP address, and encrypt all the data you transfer between your device and the VPN server. But that doesn’t mean you should just use any VPN when are still very important differences between standard VPN services, and ones that are ideal for ’s some of the most important things to consider:Logging PolicyMost VPNs keep logs. This means they keep a record of your connection history, IP address assigned, server location, etc. Some even keep records of websites you visit or other traffic a VPN keeps IP address logs (with timestamps), then there is a clear link between your torrent ip address (assigned by the VPN) and your real IP address. If you’re serious about privacy, you should choose a VPN that doesn’t keep any logs at of our favorite zero-log VPNs are:Private Internet Access (Logging policy actually tested in court by the FBI)NordVPNIPVanishSpeedNo matter what you’re doing online, you want to get the speed you’re paying for. If you pay for a 20mbps internet connection, you want to get most of that speed when connected to a VPN service. But servers and bandwidth are expensive, so many of the ‘cheap’ and ‘lifetime’ VPN services are incredibly are a zero-log VPN services that are also quite fast, and we’ve tested PIA, Torguard, and IPVanish at speeds above FeaturesMany VPNs also include other features like a kill-switch/IP leak protection, Socks5 proxies, and p2p-optimized servers that make them even better for torrent users. For more info, read our complete torrent VPN guide below…Read Next: The ultimate list of the best VPNs for Torrents/P2PHow to use a VPN for torrentingThe beauty of a VPN is it’s simplicity. While the actual technology is incredibly complex, the user experience is follow these steps to get up and running the 1st up for a VPNDownload/Install the VPN software/appRun the AppChoose a server location (we recommend Switzerland/Canada/Netherlands)Click Connect (The VPN will switch your IP and encrypt your data automatically). a VPN looks like for users:It’s basically just an App you run on your computer. Choose any server location you want:Connecting to Canada server (IPVanish)In 5-15 seconds, you’ll be connected to your preferred location. Your new IP address will be shown in the top left corner of the software (with IPVanish) and all communications will be encrypted with 256-bit encryption (basically unbreakable). Connected to a Canada server locationThat’s it. You can now torrent as normal. It’s usually a good option to turn on the kill-switch if your VPN software has one. You should also verify that your torrent identity as anonymous by using an IP tracking torrent. Disadvantages of using a VPN for torrentsWhile a VPN is the best tool for the job, there are still some drawbacks/tradeoffs to be aware of:Connecting to a distant server will result in slower speedsEncryption uses bandwidth/computing power (slower speeds again)Your torrent IP and web browser IP will be the sameSlight Speed decrease:A high-quality VPN will have plenty of available server bandwidth and speeds should still be quite fast, but don’t expect to get 100% of your ISP connection. For example, if you pay for 25mbps speeds, you will probably only get 10-20mbps while connected to the VPN, depending on the encryption strength you use and how far away (or crowded) the VPN server ivacy and security have tradeoffs, and you’ll have to sacrifice a bit of IP address for web browser and torrentsThis isn’t a major negative, but it’s something to be aware of. People usually use a VPN server in a torrent-friendly country like Switzerland or the Netherlands. But now your web browser will use that IP location as well, meaning you may get foreign google results (though you can change Google’s settings to always show results from your preferred location) you prefer to have a separate IP address for your browser and torrents, you can add a proxy inside the torrent client, while staying connected to a local VPN server. This will give you a local (same country) IP address for most web activities, and change your torrent IP to wherever the torrent proxy server is located (usually Netherlands). Socks5 ProxyThe 2nd best option for anonymous torrents is a proxy. Instead routing 100% of your internet traffic through a 3rd-party server, the proxy will be configured only inside your torrent all desktop torrent clients support proxy connections (SOCKS5 only). Also, 2 android torrent apps (Flud and tTorrent) also support anonymous proxy Proxy Info:Changes the IP address for 1 app (torrent client)Needs to be Socks5 proxy to work properly w/ torrent peers (never use HTTP proxy)Hides you’re real IP address from torrent peers but doesn’t encrypt dataSome torrent clients route proxied connections insecurelyHow a torrent proxy worksWhen properly configured, your torrent client will route all peer and tracker communications through the SOCKS5 proxy server. Torrent peers and trackers will only see the IP address assigned by the proxy server, not your real oxies typically don’t have built-in encryption, meaning the data will still be readable by your ISP. This usually isn’t an issue (since they don’t actively monitor the content of downloads). However, some ISP’s block/throttle torrent traffic. In this case, you should either use a VPN or turn on your torrent client’s built-in vs. HTTP/HTTPSThe best proxy type for torrents is a SOCKS version 5 (SOCKS5) proxy. This is a multi-function proxy protocol that can handle tracker and peer connections. You should never use an HTTP proxy (the most common type of ‘free’ proxy) reason you should never use HTTP proxies: HTTP proxies only can transport HTTP traffic. They can handle things like tracker connections (which use HTTP). But they can’t handle peer connections. This is because peer connections use TCP, which is a different protocol. If you try to use an HTTP proxy, most torrent clients will just ignore the proxy settings when connecting to peers. This means peers will see your REAL ip address which is a major privacy risk (and defeats the the entire purpose of using a proxy) if your torrent client doesn’t route HTTP proxy connections insecurely, you still won’t actually be able to connect to peers (because the HTTP protocol doesn’t work for torrent downloads). Summary: NEVER use a HTTP proxy for torrenting. Always use SOCKS5. Check out our summary of the best socks5 providers Zero-Log Socks5 Proxy servicesThese are our favorite anonymous Socks5 proxy services for torrenting. All of them are true zero-log services, meaning they don’t log your activity or keep records of your IP address the best part…Most of these proxy subscriptions also include VPN service at no additional charge (Torguard is the only exception). #1 – IPVanish Proxy/VPN (Fastest option)IPVanish is a zero-log VPN/Socks5 provider based in the USA. They keep no logs whatsoever and have a reputation for excellent software and incredibly fast speeds. If you have a 50mbps+ internet connection and want to keep most of your speed while connected to a VPN, then go with Review: Read our complete IPVanish review for speedtests, software overview, and setup subscriptions include both VPN & proxy service (for the same price). IPVanish’s proxy server is based in the Netherlands and doesn’t log IP addresses. It works great with all major torrent clients. We even have a dedicated setup guide for using the IPVanish socks5 proxy for torrents. #2 – NordVPN Socks5/VPNNordVPN is one of the best all-around VPNs in the world. All subscriptions include both VPN & proxy service (more than 20 Socks5 server locations)’re a true zero-log VPN based in Panama (a privacy haven). And you’ll be thrilled to learn that NordVPN is one of the last VPN’s in the world that still works with Netflix. In fact you can unblock more than 50 video streaming services including Hulu, HBOgo, MLBtv and more! SPECIAL OFFER: Save 72% when you buy a 2 year subscription of NordVPNNordVPN For Torrenting:NordVPN has p2p/torrent-optimized servers in more than 10 countries. They also have torrent-friendly SOCKS5 servers in more than 10 countries. You can have up to 6 simultaneously connected devices with NordVPN, allowing you to protect all your devices on 1 Review: Read our NordVPN review for more info about their software, speed, and SmartPlay technology. #3 – Private Internet Access VPN/Socks5 ($40/year)Private Internet Access basically invented the zero-log VPN category, and they’re still one of the most torrent-friendly vpn/proxy companies in the world. They’re also incredibly cheap with 1-year subscriptions costing a mere $3. 33/rdict: Proxy vs. VPN vs. Blocklist/PeerblockIn the end, the tool you use to anonymize your torrents will be a personal decision. If speed is most important (and security less so) then go with a proxy. If you value greater security and/or ease of use, then go with a remember, blocklists like peerguardian/peerblock are nothing more than a bandaid solution. They don’t offer real privacy, and usually just give users a false sense of security. Any serious torrent downloader will tell you that a VPN/Seedbox/proxy is the only real option for serious erblock/PeerGuardian/BlocklistsList of IP addresses to blockLike carpet-bombing, rather than precision targetingDoesn’t encrypt torrent traffic or change your IP addressDangerous blocked peers can easily get unblocked by getting a new IP addressProxy SummaryAlways use a SOCKS5 proxy (HTTP proxies route torrent traffic insecurely)Manually Configured inside your torrent built-in encryption but you can use your torrent client’s built-in encryption (will reduce available peers) around $4-6/ remember, you can always use a proxy and VPN simultaneously for extremely secure torrent downloads. The main tradeoff with this setup is speed, but not price. Many VPN services include Socks5 proxy access at no additional SummaryEasily installed on most devices as software/appMany server locations (some VPNs have 100+)Strong encryption prevents your internet provider from monitoring your internet usageWill slow your connection slightly (because of encryption and server distance)Cost: $3. 33+ per monthNext step: Choose one of our top-rated Torrent VPN companies and start torrenting securely in under 10 minutes.
qBittorrent Setup Guide – Windscribe
Step 1
In qBittorent, click on Tools and then press Options
Step 2
In Options window, click on Connection
Step 3
From Proxy Server section, choose Type SOCKS5.
Step 4
Get SOCKS profile and credentials (requires a pro account).
Step 5
Check mark the box next to “Authentication”. Input Host Server address, Port number, Username and Password as provided on the SOCKS5 Profile Generator page.
Step 6
Check mark the boxes: Use proxy for peer-to-peer connections, Disable connections unsupported by the proxy. Press Apply then OK button once you finish.
Frequently Asked Questions about bittorrent proxies
What is a BitTorrent proxy?
Proxy / Socks5 Torrent Proxy A proxy connection is one that routes your traffic from a specific app/program (your torrent client) through a 3rd party server. The proxy server connects to all torrent peers on your behalf.Jul 5, 2017
How do I use a proxy with BitTorrent?
Click here for the guide.In qBittorent, click on Tools and then press Options.In Options window, click on Connection.From Proxy Server section, choose Type SOCKS5.Check mark the box next to “Authentication”. … Check mark the boxes: Use proxy for peer-to-peer connections, Disable connections unsupported by the proxy.
Is BitTorrent illegal?
Is Torrenting Legal? BitTorrent is a legitimate file transfer protocol, and using it — called torrenting — is legal as long as the content can be downloaded or uploaded legally. However, using it to download copyrighted material — like a brand-new movie — without the copyright owner’s permission is not legal.
