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Advanced

Torrenting

Advanced Torrenting with YAMS 🌊

While Sonarr and Radarr handle most of your downloads automatically, sometimes you might want to download something manually. Let’s explore how to do that safely!

Manual Downloads 📥

Adding Torrent Files

  1. Open qBittorrent at http://{your-ip}:8081

  2. Click the “+” icon or “Add torrent file” button: Add torrent button

  3. Select your .torrent file and click “Upload Torrents”: Upload torrents

  4. Watch your download progress: Download progress

Finding Your Downloads

When your download finishes, find it in your media folder under the “downloads” directory:

/srv/media$ tree downloads/torrents/
downloads/torrents/
└── your-downloaded-file.iso

0 directories, 1 file

Safety First: IP Leak Testing 🛡️

Even with a VPN, it’s good practice to verify that your real IP isn’t leaking. Here’s how to do a thorough check:

Using the IP Checker

  1. Visit whatismyip.net’s Torrent Checker and grab their test magnet link: Torrent checker

  2. In qBittorrent, click “Add Torrent Link”: Add magnet link

  3. Paste the magnet link and click “Download”: Paste magnet

  4. You’ll see a new torrent called “Torrent Tracker IP Checker” in your list. Don’t worry - it won’t actually download anything! IP checker torrent

  5. Back on the checker website, you’ll see your torrent client’s IP: IP check results

Verifying the Results 🔍

For proper privacy protection, check that:

  1. The reported IP is different from your real IP address
  2. The IP matches what yams check-vpn reports
  3. The country shown matches your VPN server location

Pro Tips for Safe Torrenting 🎯

  1. Always Verify VPN First

    yams check-vpn

    Do this before starting any downloads!

  2. Use the Kill Switch YAMS configures qBittorrent to only use the VPN network interface. If the VPN drops, downloads stop automatically.

  3. Regular Testing

    • Run the IP leak test monthly
    • Check VPN status before large downloads
    • Monitor qBittorrent’s connection status

  4. Download Organization

    • Use labels for different types of content
    • Set up category-specific download folders
    • Remove completed torrents regularly

  5. Enable Port Forwarding

Blocking Dangerous File Types 🦠

Protect yourself from malware and viruses by configuring qBittorrent to automatically block potentially dangerous file extensions. This prevents malicious files from being downloaded even if they’re included in an otherwise legitimate torrent.

Setting Up File Extension Blocking

  1. Open qBittorrent at http://{your-ip}:8081
  2. Navigate to Tools → Options → Downloads
  3. Find the “Excluded file names” section
  4. Copy and paste this comprehensive blocklist of dangerous extensions:
*.apk;*.bin;*.dll;*.exe;*.msi;*.txt;*.url;*.001;*.7z;*.7z*;*.arj;*.arj*;*.b1;*.b1*;*.b6z*;*.b6z;*.bh*;*.bh*;*.br*;*.br;*.bz2*;*.bz2;*.cab*;*.cab;*.dar*;*.dar;*.dmg*;*.dmg;*.gz*;*.gz;*.ha*;*.ha;*.ice*;*.ice;*.ipa*;*.ipa;*.iso*;*.iso;*.kgb*;*.kgb;*.lz*;*.lz;*.partimg*;*.partimg;*.rar*;*.rar;*.sda*;*.sda;*.sea*;*.sea;*.st*;*.st;*.tar*;*.tar;*.tbz2*;*.tbz2;*.tgz*;*.tgz;*.tlz;*.tlz;*.txz*;*.txz;*.wim*;*.wim;*.xz*;*.xz;*.z*;*.z;*.zip*;*.zip;*.zipx*;*.zipx;*.zpaq*;*.zpaq;*.zst*;*.zst;*.zz*;*.zz;*.accda;*.accdb;*.accdc;*.accde;*.accdr;*.accdt;*.accdu;*.cfg;*.conf;*.csv;*.doc;*.docm;*.docx;*.dotm;*.dotx;*.duarcfg;*.ecf;*.env;*.eps;*.hta;*.html;*.ini;*.inf;*.info;*.inx;*.job;*.json;*.jtrrcfg;*.md;*.netcfg;*.netccfg;*.netecfg;*.netgcfg;*.ods;*.one;*.pdf;*.php;*.pot;*.potm;*.potx;*.ppa;*.ppam;*.pps;*.ppsm;*.ppsx;*.ppt;*.pptm;*.pptx;*.properties;*.prx;*.prxe;*.ps;*.pub;*.puff;*.rc;*.reg;*.rtf;*.sldm;*.sldx;*.sumocfg;*.toml;*.wbk;*.xaml;*.xlam;*.xls;*.xlsb;*.xlsm;*.xlsx;*.xlm;*.xlt;*.xltm;*.xltx;*.xml;*.xsd;*.yaml;*.yml;*.4DB;*.4DC;*.4DD;*.BSON;*.CDB;*.CRYPT1;*.CRYPT10;*.CRYPT5;*.CRYPT6;*.CRYPT7;*.CRYPT8;*.CRYPT9;*.DBC;*.DB;*.DB-JOURNAL;*.DB-WAL;*.DDL;*.FMP12;*.FMPSL;*.FP3;*.FP7;*.GDB;*.MARSHAL;*.MDB;*.MDF;*.NDF;*.NSF;*.ODB;*.PDB;*.SDF;*.SQLITE;*.SQLITEDB;*.SQLITE3;*.TRC;*.UDL;*.appx;*.appxbundle;*.axf;*.bat;*.cmd;*.deb;*.elf;*.ex;*.ins;*.isu;*.jar;*.js;*.jsx;*.jse;*.j;*.ko;*.lnk;*.mpkg;*.msix;*.mod;*.out;*.o;*.obs;*.pkg;*.ps1;*.py;*.pyc;*.pyo;*.rpm;*.run;*.scr;*.script;*.sh;*.so;*.vb;*.vbs;*.ws;*.wsf;*.wsh;*.0XE;*.73K;*.89K;*.A6P;*.AC;*.ACC;*.ACR;*.ACTM;*.AHK;*.AIR;*.APP;*.ARSCRIPT;*.AS;*.ASB;*.AWK;*.AZW2;*.BEAM;*.BTM;*.BUP;*.CAB;*.CEL;*.CELX;*.CHM;*.COF;*.COM;*.CRT;*.DEK;*.DLD;*.DMC;*.DXL;*.EAR;*.EBM;*.EBS;*.EBS2;*.ECF;*.EHAM;*.ES;*.EX4;*.EXM;*.EXP;*.EXOPC;*.EZS;*.FAS;*.FKY;*.FPI;*.FRS;*.FXP;*.GEO;*.GS;*.HAM;*.HMS;*.HPF;*.IFO;*.IIM;*.IPF;*.KIX;*.LO;*.LS;*.MAM;*.MCR;*.MEL;*.MPX;*.MRC;*.MS;*.MSP;*.MXE;*.NEXE;*.OCX;*.ORE;*.OTM;*.PEX;*.PIM;*.PLX;*.PRC;*.PVD;*.PWC;*.QPX;*.RBX;*.ROX;*.RPJ;*.S2A;*.SBS;*.SCA;*.SCAR;*.SCB;*.SPR;*.TCP;*.THM;*.TLB;*.TMX;*.UDF;*.UPX;*.VLX;*.VPM;*.WCM;*.WEBSITE;*.WIDGET;*.WIZ;*.WPK;*.WPM;*.XAP;*.XBAP;*.XIP;*.XQT;*.XYS;*.ZL9;*(sample).*
  1. Click OK to save your settings

What This Blocks

This blocklist prevents downloading of:

  • Executables: .exe, .bat, .cmd, .sh, .ps1, .vbs, and many others
  • Compressed archives: .zip, .rar, .7z, .tar, and variants (which often hide malware)
  • System files: .dll, .sys, .bin, .so
  • Scripts: .js, .jsx, .py, .php, .vbs
  • Documents with macros: .docm, .xlsm, .pptm
  • Database files: Various database formats that can contain malicious code
  • Sample files: Files named *sample.* (commonly used to hide malware)

Important Notes

  • This won’t affect legitimate media files: Your movies, TV shows, and music will download normally
  • Sonarr/Radarr are unaffected: Automatic downloads continue working as expected
  • Manual downloads get filtered: If a torrent contains blocked files, they simply won’t download
  • Keep your list updated: Save the blocklist source and check periodically for updates

When You Might Need to Adjust

Some legitimate torrents may include blocked file types:

  • Software ISOs: May contain installers (consider downloading from official sources instead)
  • Game torrents: Often include executables (evaluate carefully and scan with antivirus)
  • Development tools: Might include scripts or binaries

For these cases, temporarily disable the filter, but always scan downloads with antivirus software and only download from trusted sources.

Troubleshooting Common Issues 🔧

Downloads Won’t Start

  1. Check VPN connection:
    yams check-vpn
  2. Verify tracker status in qBittorrent
  3. Try a different VPN server

Slow Speeds

  1. Try a VPN server closer to you
  2. Check if your VPN provider throttles P2P
  3. Verify you’re not hitting VPN bandwidth limits

Connection Drops

  1. Check VPN provider status
  2. Try a different VPN server
  3. Monitor system resources

Best Practices 📚

  1. Keep VPN Active

    • Always check VPN status before downloading
    • Use yams check-vpn regularly
    • Monitor qBittorrent’s network interface

  2. Regular Maintenance

    • Clear completed torrents
    • Update qBittorrent when YAMS prompts
    • Run periodic IP leak tests

  3. Download Management

    • Set reasonable ratio limits
    • Use categories for organization
    • Monitor disk space regularly

Need Help? 🆘

Having issues with torrenting? We’ve got you covered:

  1. Check the Common Issues page
  2. Visit the YAMS Forum
  3. Join our Discord or Matrix chat

Remember: Safe torrenting is good torrenting. Always verify your VPN is working before downloading! 🛡️