Let’s talk about VPNs! While they might seem like an optional extra, you should always use a VPN when downloading torrents. It’s not just about privacy - it’s about keeping you safe and sound on the internet!
YAMS uses gluetun to manage VPN connections. It’s like a super-smart traffic controller for your downloads! 🚦
YAMS works with tons of VPN providers! Here’s the full list, with direct links to their setup guides:
Want to use a different VPN? You can set up a custom VPN provider, but keep in mind this isn’t officially supported by YAMS. You’ll be in DIY territory! 🛠️
Let’s walk through setting up your VPN manually. For this guide, I’ll assume your YAMS is installed in /opt/yams
- adjust the paths if you installed it somewhere else!
yams stop
Open your .env
file:
nano /opt/yams/.env
Find the VPN section and update it:
# VPN configuration
VPN_ENABLED=y
VPN_SERVICE=protonvpn # Your VPN service from the list above
VPN_USER=your-username # Your VPN username
VPN_PASSWORD=your-pass # Your VPN password
Open docker-compose.yaml
:
nano /opt/yams/docker-compose.yaml
Find the qBittorrent section and make these changes:
qbittorrent:
# ports: # Comment out these lines
# - 8081:8081
network_mode: "service:gluetun" # Uncomment this line
Find the SABnzbd section and make similar changes:
sabnzbd:
# ports: # Comment out these lines
# - 8080:8080
network_mode: "service:gluetun" # Uncomment this line
At the bottom, find the gluetun section and uncomment these ports:
gluetun:
ports:
- 8080:8080/tcp # Uncomment this line
- 8081:8081/tcp # Uncomment this line
yams restart
yams check-vpn
You should see something like:
Getting your qBittorrent IP...
<qbittorrent_ip>
Your country in qBittorrent is Brazil
Getting your IP...
<your_local_ip>
Your local IP country is North Korea
Your IPs are different. qBittorrent is working as expected! ✅
If you get an error, double-check all your settings and make sure they’re correct!
yams check-vpn
periodically to make sure your VPN is working correctlyBy default, YAMS uses OpenVPN for Gluetun. But if your VPN provider supports it, you can switch to WireGuard for faster speeds and quicker connections.
We recommend ProtonVPN for this, and we’ve written a full guide to help you switch:
👉 Switching Gluetun to WireGuard
💡 If you store your WireGuard private key in the
.env
file, make sure to read the Environment File Guide to learn how to manage secrets securely.
Can’t access qBittorrent:
docker logs gluetun
VPN keeps disconnecting:
Slow speeds:
Want to double-check that your torrent client is really using the VPN? Head over to Double-checking your torrent client IP address for a detailed guide!
If you’re stuck:
Remember: A working VPN is crucial for safe downloading. Take the time to set it up right, and you’ll be good to go! 🚀