Should I have VPN on when downloading a torrent?

Check your BitTorrent client. Binding your BitTorrent client to the VPN interface acts as a client-only kill switch, preventing it from downloading and uploading torrents unless the VPN connection is active.

Make a note of the connection name eth6 in the example shown below. Go to the top of the list and enter the interface name in the Bind to localIPaddressorinterface dialog box. Head down to the bottom of the list and check Enforce IP bindings even when interfaces are not available. A little routing icon at the bottom of the Vuze client should now show green to let you know everything is working correctly.

If you disconnect from your VPN, the icon will turn red and all torrent downloads will come to a stop. Looking for something? Written by Douglas Crawford. Want to torrent on another device? Click the button above. Disconnect from your VPN and click Continue.

Connect to any server on your VPN. The results will display automatically. Is torrenting illegal? Connect your VPN. Disconnect your VPN. And also, there are some free P2P VPNs out there as well, which might be suitable for really light torrenting as those come with bandwidth limitations.

Next, you need to set up your chosen VPN software. Keep in mind that you need to have an active VPN session in the background every time you plan to open uTorrent and download P2P files. In other words, your VPN needs to run on your device locally preferably as a native application. To learn how to check if your VPN works properly , click on the provided link.

When using uTorrent with a VPN, make sure to have a kill-switch enabled from the get-go. That is what will keep you safe if your VPN connection drops unexpectedly which can happen at any moment. To learn more, here's what to know about a VPN kill switch. Then, take a look at the bottom of that page, where it says 'Network Lock.

Once you enable this option, your Internet connection will work only if you have an active VPN session. So, if something goes sideways, your access to the Internet will be blocked, preventing your torrenting-related activities from being exposed online.

When it comes to downloading torrents, you should think twice before connecting to a VPN server. Again, these vary from country to country, with some setting fixed amounts while others depend on a civil suits being filed. You read that right: in some places, when you download a torrent you are starting a process that might involve you needing to hire a lawyer.

These kinds of strong-arm tactics have become popular in Holland, for example. Read our guide on the best VPN for the Netherlands for the details. Though there are ways to circumvent this surveillance, most of them are rather technical or will limit what you can download. Trackers are now embedded into popular movies which automatically find users who download their material unlawfully. Recently 3, Canadians faced the legal consequences of illegally downloading movies in Federal Court.

The crackdown was launched by a Toronto law firm on behalf of U. Your actual IP address is replaced with an IP provided by the service. This provides anonymity since the IP in use is not associated with any one person. As there has been a surge in demand for VPNs, there is no shortage of services to choose from. Luckily even the best VPNs are affordable, so there is no reason to go for anything less than top-notch.

Read full reviews of the best VPN providers here. These are currently among the top choices out there:. ISPs and corporations with copyrights to protect have a very dim view of torrent use.