How-To: Use proxy apps for semi-anonymous torrenting!
OK, following the idea Aurion came out with at the Freegate thread, I thought it'd be cool if we could use this kind of proxy applications to announce to trackers through them, and attain a certain degree of anonymity :smile:
And it was possible:
- Make a new folder somewhere.
- Drop a copy of uTorrent's EXE inside it.
Note: if you're an Azureus user, you can skip to step 6, and guide yourself with the Azureus settings post instead. :smile:
- Make an empty settings.dat file in that same folder: open Notepad, don't type anything, go to File -> Save as..., go to this new folder, and save the file with the name:
"settings.dat"
with the quotes!
- Open uTorrent. You should be greeted by an unconfigurated client :smile: (don't worry, your original config at %appdata%\uTorrent is safe.)
- Set it up more or less like you did with your main uT install. Don't worry too much about customizing the GUI or anything yet, network configuration is what we're looking for.
- Download any of these two proxy applications:
Note: I'd recommend Ultrasurf because it's the simplest and fastest, but Freegate works fine too. :wink:
- Note and remember the following:
- Ultrasurf uses port 9666
- Freegate uses port 8580
Now:
If you chose to use Ultrasurf
- Open it, and wait until it connects to a server. ("Successfully connected to server!" message)
http://www.sb-innovation.de/attachme...achmentid=3124
(this screenshot is from version 8.9 - 9.1 is the latest, but the procedure is the same)
- Open your BT client.
- Go to its proxy settings, and set them up like this:
(note: this screenshot is from uTorrent, but it should be enough for you to know what to do with other clients. Here is the Azureus settings post if you need it.)
http://www.sb-innovation.de/attachme...achmentid=3119
(i.e. HTTP - not HTTPS! -, host: localhost, port 9666 and no authentication)
- Press OK.
If you chose to use Freegate
- Open it, and wait until it connects to a server. ("Freegate is running in F3 Tunnel, Proxy mode. IE proxy..." message in the "Status" tab, and "Search completed. If slow..." message in the "Server" tab)
http://www.sb-innovation.de/attachme...achmentid=3120
(these screenshots are from version 6.75 - 6.77 is the latest, but the procedure is the same)
- Open your BT client.
- Go to its proxy settings, and set them up like this:
(note: this screenshot is from uTorrent, but it should be enough for you to know what to do with other clients. Here is the Azureus settings post if you need it.)
http://www.sb-innovation.de/attachme...achmentid=3123
(i.e. HTTP - not HTTPS! -, host: localhost, port 8580 and no authentication)
- Press OK.
NOTE: don't close the proxy program after you finish doing the steps, you have to leave it open! :wink:
- After you finish following the steps corresponding to the proxy app of your choice, and setting up your BitTorrent client's proxy settings accordingly, load a torrent.
If everything has been setup correctly, after a while the tracker's status should be "working" with the proxy enabled.
- Done :smile:
FAQ
Q: How can this be used with Azureus?
A: Azureus settings post
Q: I'm getting a "proxy connect error..." error in the tracker's status message
A: Make sure the proxy application you chose to use is open, and you have setup the proxy settings in your BT client exactly as in the corresponding pic I posted for your chosen proxy program.
Q: I'm getting "connection timed out", or the announces are very slow
A: Choose another server.
- For Ultrasurf:
This is accomplished ny clicking in an unchecked checkbox in the main window. - For Freegate:
Go to the "Server" tab, and choose the fastest server (lowest ms. value) from the list.
Q: I'm getting HTTP error 403, 407 or 503
A: Choose another server. If this persists, alternate proxy applications - Ultrasurf works wonders here :smile: - change your BT client's proxy configuration accordingly, and restart it.
Q: Why is this "semi-anonymous"?
A: Because your tracker announces will be tunneled through the proxy, but peer communication, and therefore the actual file sharing, won't. If you need to be really anonymous, buy a VPN service or a seedbox.
Q: What the...!? I got warned/banned for doing this!
A: Most trackers forbid using different IPs for announcing and downloading files. Please note that
NOBODY'S HELD RESPONSABLE FOR ANY CONSEQUENCES YOU MAY ENCOUNTER WHEN USING THIS METHOD!!!
Q: This would make it hard for the government to track us, right?
A: We could say so. There's no way to know whether the government is behind these free proxies. Anyway, at least, should you get in trouble because of filesharing, you were going to get caught anyway :frown:
This makes you a little harder to track because they'd expect announces to be coming from your computer and not their proxies, if they own these servers. :smile:
When it comes to people/organizations that by law can't see the proxy's logs, I'd dare to say you're completely safe. Announces travel encrypted through the HTTPS protocol.
Q: Does this have anything to do with cheating?
A: No, it's just a way of anonymizing your tracker announces. It is not related to cheating in any way.
Q: I want to hide the big lock icon that appears when using Ultrasurf
A: Go to "Options", tick the "Hide golden lock..." checkbox, and restart the app.
Q: I don't want my browser to be launched along the proxy application
A:
- For Ultrasurf: go to "Options", and uncheck "Start IE automatically".
- For Freegate: go to the "Settings" tab and check "Do not auto open browser...".
Q: I found this really helpful! How can I contribute?
A: Hit the Thanks button :biggrin:
You can also post feedback/suggestions, and/or give anybody who has done so a positive rep. :wink:
Q: I have another question that isn't in this FAQ!
A: Post it in this thread, I'll answer it and add it here :wink:
Q: After starting the proxy application, some apps don't work correctly, or at all (MSN, etc.) How can I fix this?
A:
- For Freegate:
Go to the "Settings" tab -> tick "do not automatically set IE proxy", then restart the app.
- For Ultrasurf:
Go to "Options", untick "Set IE proxy automatically" and press OK. Restart the app.
__________________________________________________
List of trackers this method has been confirmed to work in
- DigitalHive
- RevolutionTT (some issues with Freegate, I recommend you use Ultrasurf there)
- Blackcats Games
- Turbowolke
- TorrentBytes
- Demonoid
- Quorks
- ILoveTorrents
- BitGAMER
- Underground Gamer (if your login type is "secure", you must login to the site using the proxy in your browser first)
- SyncTheBits
- PimpYourMobile
- BitSoup
A big THX to vDD+wR for risking his accounts to try this in a lot of trackers. :biggrin:
This is a Beta thread/Project! Feel free to provide feedback! Please contribute if you have anything to say! :wink2: