Ultimate Guide On Using Torrent Using A VPN
As useful as the use of torrent is, using it could be dangerous to you. This danger is even more when you download files on torrent with an unencrypted connection. You stand the risk of exposing your sensitive information to hackers or getting your device infected with malware. This is not always the case but the probability is high and not worth risking; at least not when there are safer ways to go about it. And so in this article, we will let you in on all you need to know about using torrent using a VPN.
Table of Content
1 . What Is Torrenting and How Does It Work?
2. Beginners Guide to Using Torrent with A VPN
4. How A VPN Makes Torrenting Safe
5. Best VPNs for Safely Downloading Torrents
6. Is It Safe and Legal to Use Torrent?
7. What Happens When You Are Torrenting?
To make use of torrent without putting yourself and your device at risk, you need to make use of a good VPN. This way, you can do everything you need from downloading torrent to using it without compromising your privacy and safety.
You may be wondering how your privacy can be compromised. This is because torrent clients often leave your IP address accessible to everyone, and by so doing you can easily be hacked. But with a VPN, your internet requests and traffic remain encrypted and no one sees what you are up to online. This includes hackers, your ISP, the government.
So if you are new to the world of torrents and want to get it right, this guide is for you.
What Is Torrenting and How Does It Work?
Torrenting is a method of sharing files among a large group of people. Rather than rely on a single server for file storage, torrent utilizes computers of users in a file-sharing network and stores files there. This is what is referred to as peer-to-peer computing.
The computers that store the files in the network break the files into smaller pieces and these can be put back together by whoever wants to download a file. So when a file is being downloaded, it’s being uploaded at the same time for other users in the network to have access to. So users don’t have to rely on a single source to download files but have the option of downloading files from other users of the same torrent or downloading from a direct source.
All of these make torrent very fast in file sharing. The process is distributed among computer networks instead of dependence on a single server, and you can download and upload at the same time.
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This means of making file sharing faster also put your device at risk. By allowing other users access to downloading a file from you, your torrent client exposes your IP address taking away your privacy. This way, you can easily be targeted by several groups and malicious users. The integrity of the files available for download also makes the use of torrent risky as they could be malicious.
Sharing of files using torrent is not a problem and is legal, but the type of file that is being shared is what would make your use of torrent illegal. If the file that is being shared is a copyright or not meant for the public, then the use of torrent becomes illegal.
The solution to the problems associated with your use of Torrent is to use it safely and that is done by using a high-quality VPN to encrypt your internet traffic and protect all online activities. A perfect example of a quality VPN that would protect you is LimeVPN.
Beginners Guide to Using Torrent with A VPN
1. Connect to A Good VPN
Torrent websites usually lack good security and so it’s expected that you will encounter several viruses, trackers, and different cyber threats. So before you even visit any torrent website, you should connect to a good VPN to protect your privacy.
Once you begin downloading a file, other users on the same network can see your IP address as download works simultaneously with the upload. Exposing your IP makes it easier for hackers and spies to know your location, attack your device, and also monitor your browsing history. You can also be easily tracked and made to pay if you download any private file or copyrighted file. Depending on your location, the penalty could be a fine, a court session, or worst, imprisonment.
Using a VPN with torrent help you in the following ways;
- Allows you torrent safely: using a VPN bypasses your internet traffic through a secure encrypted tunnel before reaching the web. This way, your sensitive information stays protected from the reach and attacks of cybercriminals. Some VPNs also provide you with built-in features that protect your device from malware, trackers, and targeted ads.
- Allows you to torrent anonymously: by using a VPN, your real IP is masked and replaced with the one you choose. This way, your real identity is protected and your privacy is maintained as your seen location would be different from your actual one. VPN connections are also encrypted and so no one (not even the authorities and your ISP) can see what you are up to on the internet.
- Allows you access to blocked torrent websites: some websites are blocked to your access due to your location, but with the use of a VPN you can still have access to censored websites and services. To bypass this block, connect to a location where the torrent library you want is available.
There are VPN service providers that secure your connections with chrome, firefox, and other browser extensions. This way, you can have access to the internet anonymously as long as you make use of the browser. If you however want to access your torrent client, your connection may not be secure. So to ensure your security and safety while using torrent, choose a VPN that protects your whole device and not just your connection through your browser.
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2. Cross Check Your VPN Settings
A VPN is meant to protect you, but you never be so sure of how much it does this except you confirm and make adjustments yourself where applicable. Enabling your VPN’s best privacy settings is easy and can be done in a few clicks;
Once the software/app is launched, go to settings. You may also see it as options or preferences, depending on the VPN provider you use. While there, look out for the following:
- Encryption: some VPN providers allow you to choose your encryption protocol yourself. For airtight security, we recommend that you select AES 256-bit encryption and an OpenVPN protocol. Don’t use PPTP as it’s an old protocol and may not be able to protect you from attacks when you begin torrenting.
- Leak protection: when you locate leak protection, enable DNS leak monitoring and IP/IPv6 leak protection. Doing this prevents your device from leaking your real IP address as it would try to bypass the VPN.
- Kill switch: by enabling the kill switch on your VPN, you would ensure that your data doesn’t leak to any torrent user even if you are on the same network and sharing files when the network connection gets interrupted. The kill switch is sometimes referred to as a Network lock.
You don’t always need to adjust these settings as some VPN service providers choose these settings as the default for you.
3. Connect to A VPN Server
After launching your VPN app, select a location, and connect. If your VPN allows peer-to-peer (P2P) file sharing on all its available servers, then you just have to connect to any one of your choices and begin. Note however that connecting to the nearest available server would ensure faster downloads.
Not all VPNs allow P2P connection on all its servers. If yours is this way, then always connect to the optimized servers for P2P file sharing. Such servers have been made to offer faster speeds for faster downloads.
4. Download A Torrent Client
Torrent clients are an essential part of torrenting that is likely most confusing to new users. Torrent files are not like regular files and so you can’t download them using your web browser alone. You need the help of torrent clients due to the working of P2P file sharing.
A BitTorrent is a software that helps you manage your files. It connects you to the file-sharing network and makes it possible for you to download and share files with your device. It also shows you your download progress for easy monitoring.
Choosing a trustworthy client makes it easy for you to do everything as the software would do all the work for you. Our Top BitTorrent clients include;
1 . uTorrent
some of the pros of using uTorrent are;
- it’s a light app
- consumes low CPU space
- allows scheduled downloads
- allows fast downloads
uTorrent is managed by the BitTorrent project and is very useful as it has low CPU usage and great efficiency. With a size as small as 2MB, you won’t even feel it running in the background.
One of its most appealing features is a large number of scheduled Torrent downloads to option it gives to users. It’s free and is compatible with several operating systems like Mac OS, Windows, Linux, and Android. So you can easily download large movies, songs, games, and other files directly to your device.
A downside to it however is the large number of ads that pop up. It also comes with other software embedded in it sometimes. So installing uTorrent could sometimes install another app in the process.
2. qBitTorrent
Some of the pros of using qBitTorrent are;
- it’s free to use
- comes with no ads
- it’s available in up to 70 languages
- has simple graphical user interface (GUI)
This is the best alternative to using uTorrent and is easy to use, with a neat outlook and an efficient CPU usage. This way, you can run this app with others on your computer without having las or insufficient RAM space.
An appealing feature for this app is its absence of annoying ads even though it’s a free service. Operating systems that are compatible with this app are Linux, Mac OS, and Windows too. Other services that qBitTorrent offers include torrent queuing, IP filtering, and also torrent prioritization.
A major drawback to this app is that it’s not compatible with the widely used IOS and Android operating systems.
3. BitTorrent
Some perks of this service include;
- It’s a lightweight app
- It’s fast and allows scheduled downloads
- Also available for mobile devices that run on Android OS
BitTorrent runs both uTorrent and BitTorrent with slight differences between the two services. BitTorrent is compatible with Mac OS, Windows, and Android operating systems, so users with mobile phones can also have direct downloads to their mobile phones.
A downside to BitTorrent is that so many ads pop up constantly.
4. Tixati
Some perks of using this service include;
- It’s a free service and has no ads
- There is no spyware
- It’s easy to use and quick to install
- It comes with detailed bandwidth management and reporting
Tixati is widely known because of its features such as support for magnet links, download scheduling, IP filtering, and ease of use. It has a small size and takes no toll on your CPU storage. It’s also easy to install and fast. Even though it’s free, you do not get ads popping up and that’s one of the god sides to using this app.
Its downside is that it’s not available for use to Mac OS, iPhone, or Android users.
5. Transmission
Some perks of using it include;
- Has low CPU memory usage
- Doesn’t pop third party ads
- Provides you with high-level encryption
- No usage tracking
This BitTorrent client is popular among and considered to be the best for Mac OS. It takes up very little system memory but still gives a great performance. Its downside is that it’s not compatible with Android, IOS, or Windows operating systems.
5. Visit A Torrent Website
A lot of low-quality torrent websites are available and you may not be too careful to avoid them. So we will give you a brief about some of the best.
It’s a bad idea to search for torrent websites on google. The best of them are mostly blocked from the results and as torrenting is a risky process, going through google could lead you straight to low quality websites laden with malicious files.
Some of the best torrent websites are:
1. The Pirate Bay
The Pirate Bay is still one of the users’ favorites and has millions of available torrents for downloads in different categories, and it also has support for magnet links. One more alluring feature if the website is it’s easy to use interface so even if you’re a beginner, you would find it easy to use.
2. RARBG
This website has been around for a long time and has high-quality torrents available for download. It is very easy to use and has the latest content available at all times.
A downside to using RARBG is that it’s blocked for use in many countries some of which include Bulgaria, Denmark, Portugal, and also the UK. Bypassing this block is easy and all you have to do is connect to a VPN and select a server for another country where the block doesn’t apply.
3. 1337x
If you have favorites and need something you love even though you don’t know exactly what it is, 1337x is the torrent website for you. It’s simple and organized interface will help you easily locate your favorite contents. The website has a beautiful layout and has taken care of some serious security risks to visitors.
Being one of the best torrent websites, you won’t find it among google search results.
4. Torlock
If you’re a fan of anime, or you love reading, Torlock is the torrent website that gives you high quality of both worlds. Torlock’s contents may be difficult to find on other websites, but you can also get the latest content here.
5. Torrentz2
This website is a duplicate of the original popular Torrentz website. It still maintains the simple and minimalist of the original site but focuses mainly on music. So if you are a lover of music, this is a great choice for you as it prides itself as one of the best trackers available.
6. YTS
The YTS torrent site’s main focus is on movies. Due to its layout and different types of tiles, movie enthusiasts will love it here. One of the best features of using this site is that it’s easy on our bandwidth.
A downside to this site is that it only offers you one category; movies. So for other files like games, TV shows, music, etc., you would have to visit another site.
7. EZTV
If you are into TV shows a lot, then EZTV is the torrent website for you and it has a lot of active users. Different TV shows are available here for your download from the latest series, NASCAR races, reality TV shows, and even late-night shows.
Its interface may look old-school but it’s easy to use and as popular TV shows have their page, finding the shows you’re looking for would be easy to do.
8. Zoogle
Zoogle is new amongst torrent sites but has over 37,000 movies and 600 TV shows for download. It’s easy to use even though the interface could use some adjustments. As a new site, it is promising and in a short time would be in serious competition with the big dogs.
9. TorrentDownloads
TorrentDownloads is one of the most popular especially if you are interested in some old books or software. Some trackers may not have what you are looking for because it’s old and rarely used and if all else fails, TorrentDownloads is most probably your best chance at getting what you want.
Since this site is one of the best, it may be blocked in your country and as always, use a VPN to bypass the block.
10. LimeTorrents
While this isn’t great at being your favorite torrent site, its great as an alternative if your favorite is down. Its user experience is great due to its simple and well-arranged layout. You can enjoy new and popular releases from here.
A downside to its use however is that older torrents are forgotten most times, so this makes it more ideal as a backup rather than a first choice.
Why Some Torrent Websites Can’t Be Accessed?
Because torrenting could be illegal, governments make ISPs to block torrent websites. Doing this blocks users from having access to torrent sites even for safe and legal P2P file sharing. Some torrenting sites have been blocked too by legal action and that way you won’t be able to have access to them.
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Torrent sites are blocked in many countries and so you won’t have access to them except you make use of a VPN. Searching for torrent sites on google will also lead to a dead end as the best sites are blocked from appearing on search results. Chrome ad block extension also blocks torrent trackers so any of these could be the reason why you are unable to access torrent sites.
6. Choose A Torrent File and Download It
When you visit a torrent site and locate the file you wish to download, you will see an available number of seeders for then file. Choose the file copy with the highest number of seeders as this will give you faster download speed. If you however see a particular file you want but has a low number of seeders, the download speed will be slow but you could wait if it’s worth it.
After selecting the file, download the .torrent file and remember that you can only open it with your torrent client. First downloads may require manual import to the torrent client but subsequently, the client you choose would be the default app for your .torrent files.
What Is Torrent VPN?
Torrenting requires a high level of protection and speed and not all VPN services can offer these, so those services that have been optimized to meet your P2P file sharing needs are referred to as a Torrent VPN.
Using a VPN service that isn’t optimized for torrenting could lead to any of these two problems;
- Your IP address could be leaked during the process of file sharing. Many VPNs don’t protect their users even in the case of network fluctuation and as a result, leak their users’ IP addresses. Leaked IP address is a security risk as your location could be discovered by any interested third parties.
- Not all VPNs give you the speed you need for torrenting. So your use of one that isn’t optimized for torrenting could be frustrating.
How A VPN Makes Torrenting Safe
1 . Secured IP Address
When you connect to a VPN, your IP is replaced with that of the VPN server you connect to. This way, your real location, and identity are protected when you share files on P2P networks.
2. No Messing Up of Bandwidth
Your ISP is most likely required by law to avoid any torrenting actions. So when they detect the sharing of files over a P2P network, they mess up with the bandwidth so that your internet connection is slow and not fit for torrenting. This can be avoided with the use of a VPN as your online activities are blocked from their radar.
3. Encryption Keeps You Anonymous
Choosing a VPN that offers you a 256-bit encryption protocol is the best way to ensure that there isn’t any snooping around on your connection. These encryptions are hard to crack and whatever files are being shared can only be seen by the sender and receiver.
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4. Multiple Servers Available
If you stay in a country where torrenting websites are blocked, you won’t have any access to them using your real IP address. You can however overcome this block by using a VPN and choosing a server location that has no blocks on your favorite torrent website.
5. No Logs Policy
Choosing a VPN that operates on a strict no-logs policy will help protect your privacy in the long run. Sometimes due to government investigation, the VPN company may be required to turn in their records of your activity and if that’s the case, then the privacy you sought for isn’t provided. But with a VPN service that keeps no records, no information on you can be gotten.
6. A VPN Kill Switch
In some situations, especially when there is some break in the network, your VPN connection may be interrupted. If you are online and downloading files on a torrent when this happens, your security would have been compromised as your IP address would now be visible. To avoid this from happening, a kill switch is embedded as one of the safety features of most VPNs.
A kill switch disconnects your internet connection if your VPN is connection is lost, ensuring that at all times the only way you are connected to the internet is through the VPN. This way there is nothing left to chance and your IP address can’t be leaked accidentally.
Best VPNs for Safely Downloading Torrents
1.LimeVPN
LimeVPN provides you with all the security and speed you require for torrenting effectively and safely. With speeds of up to 10 Gbps, you have fast connections and can share files quickly. All servers around the world are optimized greatly for torrenting so no matter the one you choose, you have the speed you need.
Because your privacy and security are most important, LimeVPN gives you military-grade encryption, using a 256-bit encryption protocol. This way, all requests, and shared data would only be between the sender and the receiver. This together with their no logs policy ensures that not even your ISP or other third parties will know what you are doing online.
With a great pool of IPs around the world, you can maneuver blocks on your IP against torrenting due to your location by choosing another with access. You can also protect your location and identity during file sharing as the IP that would be visible can’t be linked to you.
2. NordVPN
NordVPN offers you fast connection and great security as well, making it one of the best for torrenting. It has dedicated P2P servers that offer you the high speed that is required to share files on the torrent network.
Anonymity is one of the great features of this service. Your IP is masked using DNS and IPv6 leak protection so that even in the event of a network malfunction, your true IP remains hidden. Your connection is of course encrypted using the AES 256-bit encryption so nobody can interfere with your data.
To ensure you have full protection, it also comes with features that protect you from malware, trackers, and also botnet control. Some torrent sites have annoying pop-ups or ads and the ad blocker can save you from the stress.
Dedicated torrenting servers in no way imply a possibility of overcrowding and lagging. The dedicated servers are numerous that there is more than enough to go round; no problem of overcrowding.
3. ExpressVPN
ExpressVPN comes to you with easy to use and user-friendly apps to make your experience great. It offers you safety and anonymity as you use the web for all purposes including torrenting. So even if you are a beginner at using VPNs, you will have no issue with its app.
Their trusted server technology and no logs policy ensures that no actions can be tied to you as there are no records kept. So not even your ISP or the government can have proof of what sites you visited or what files you downloaded.
Every connection and data is encrypted with the powerful 256-bit encryption, and together with its DNS/IPv6 leak protection, hackers can’t get in and you remain secure.
4. CyberGhost
CyberGhost is ideal for new users especially because of its user-friendly interface and its top security features together with fast connections. So you can set it up easily even if you have no idea what VPNs are like.
There are a good number of torrent optimized servers to offer you the required speed and give you the tight security that you need when on torrenting websites. These servers are easy to find and are marked out in the server menu.
To further increase your security, your connection is protected with DNS and IPv6 leak protection to prevent leaks, and an automatic kill switch that cuts off your internet connection if you are disconnected from the VPN. This way your true IP or data can’t be compromised.
Is It Safe and Legal to Use Torrent?
Torrenting or P2P file sharing isn’t considered legal, and that’s why ISPs try to block the sites and discourage their customers from the practices. This is because a lot of illegal files can be shared like files that are bound by copyright, or files that are not meant to be public. So the sites themselves are not illegal, but their use is what makes them illegal.
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It’s far from safe to use a torrent website as all IPs of devices that are downloading and sharing files are visible to users. This way, you can easily be tracked and your security compromised. Not only can other users track you, but your ISP also can detect your use of torrent sites. This way they can slow you down by limiting your bandwidth or deny you access to the site altogether.
What Happens When You Are Torrenting?
You may receive a violation of copyright notices from your ISP or legal actions that require that you pay for damages. This means that you have downloaded copyright material from the internet and your ISP is aware. ISPs are required by law to ensure that you do not carry out any illegal activities online and so they have good trackers to monitor your online activities and to detect your use of a torrent network.
Your ISP may also monitor you to protect their interest as torrenting requires a lot of bandwidth and more bandwidths cause extra cost. So if they notice you are using any torrent service, they will slow you down.
Torrent Glossary
If you have had any difficulty with some terms concerning torrenting, they will be explained here for your better understanding.
- Torrent client: torrent clients are the necessary software needed for torrenting. They allow you to take part in the P2P file sharing.
- Peer: a peer in the world of torrenting refers to the Torrent client that downloads and shares files simultaneously on the network.
- Torrent metadata: a .torrent metadata helps your torrent client find the relevant peers with the file you are interested in. It acts as a roadmap for your torrent client.
- Swarm: a swarm is made up of all peers in the torrent network that are sharing a particular file.
- Seeders: in P2P, a seed is a peer that has the file you need and can share it with you. If the number of seeders is high, then your download will be faster.
- Leechers: in P2P, a leech is a peer that is currently downloading a torrent file. If the number of leechers is greater than the number of seeders for a particular file, then your file will take longer to download.
- Indexer: an index is a site that has lists of available torrents for download.
Conclusion
Torrenting is very beneficial and a fast way to share a large number of files. Its however considered illegal in many locations and so steps are put in place to discourage the act. Your internet access to the sites may be blocked depending on your location, or your ISP could slow down your bandwidth if they discover you are torrenting.
Your privacy is also at risk as your IP address is visible to all users within the network who are sharing the same file as you. This way, hackers, and anyone interested can get your location or infiltrate your device. So just by torrenting, you stand to lose your saved data and your security. The only way around the ISP blocks and limitations to your torrenting, and also to ensure you are safe is by using a good VPN.
A good VPN will provide you with other servers so that what is seen isn’t your true IP address but that which you have chosen. It also helps you bypass the blocks by your ISP so that you can torrent without restrictions. A good VPN doesn’t keep logs of your online activities so there is no history tied to you. Sometimes bad network connection disconnects your VPN and exposes you but good VPNs incorporate a kill switch to prevent any form of internet access until the VPN is connected again and top on our list of VPNs for torrenting is LimeVPN.
LimeVPN ensures that you are protected from attacks with its 256-bit encryption. Your privacy is ensured with its pool of IPs and no logs policy. With its high speed, you can download large files easily. In all, what you will get is a great user experience.
Rachael Chapman
A Complete gamer and a Tech Geek. Brings out all her thoughts and love in writing blogs on IOT, software, technology etc
