Build Your Own Torrent Downloader using Transmission Client

Recently, I wanted to download CentOS image, but owing to the large file I thought torrent download would be easier. But my service provider doesn’t allow torrent connection. So, what’s the solution?

Luckily we have transmission torrent client which can be installed on any Linux server. Fun fact is that you need not necessarily buy new Linux server for transmission client. You can install it along side with your application without any issue at all. Just in case if you don’t have any Linux server, then check out this VPS hosting which charges $1/month.

If you look at online torrent downloader, they charge you from $5 per month onwards for unlimited download and unlimited file size. With your own server you have full freedom to download as many torrent as you want and download speed will drive you crazy.

So, let’s begin building your own torrent downloader using transmission client. First of all you need to identify your Linux OS and then follow the guide accordingly.

Installing Torrent Transmission Client on Ubuntu

First of all update the system. If you don’t know how to access remote server, then you can refer to this tutorial.

sudo apt update -y

Install Transmission

sudo apt-get install transmission-cli transmission-common transmission-daemon

Now, stop the transmission

sudo service transmission-daemon stop

Next edit the settings file to make following changes

sudo nano /var/lib/transmission-daemon/info/settings.json

You will see output like below

{
    "alt-speed-down": 50,
    "alt-speed-enabled": false,
    "alt-speed-time-begin": 540,
    "alt-speed-time-day": 127,
    "alt-speed-time-enabled": false,
    "alt-speed-time-end": 1020,
    "alt-speed-up": 50,
    "bind-address-ipv4": "0.0.0.0",
    "bind-address-ipv6": "::",
    "blocklist-enabled": false,
    "blocklist-url": "http://www.example.com/blocklist",
    "cache-size-mb": 4,
    "dht-enabled": true,
    "download-dir": "/var/lib/transmission-daemon/downloads",
    "download-limit": 100,
    "download-limit-enabled": 0,
    "download-queue-enabled": true,
    "download-queue-size": 5,
    "encryption": 1,
    "idle-seeding-limit": 30,
    "idle-seeding-limit-enabled": false,
    "incomplete-dir": "/var/lib/transmission-daemon/Downloads",
    "incomplete-dir-enabled": false,
    "lpd-enabled": false,
    "max-peers-global": 200,
    "message-level": 1,
    "peer-congestion-algorithm": "",
    "peer-id-ttl-hours": 6,
    "peer-limit-global": 200,
    "peer-limit-per-torrent": 50,
    "peer-port": 51413,
    "peer-port-random-high": 65535,
    "peer-port-random-low": 49152,
    "peer-port-random-on-start": false,
    "peer-socket-tos": "default",
    "pex-enabled": true,
    "port-forwarding-enabled": false,
    "preallocation": 1,
    "prefetch-enabled": true,
    "queue-stalled-enabled": true,
    "queue-stalled-minutes": 30,
    "ratio-limit": 2,
    "ratio-limit-enabled": false,
    "rename-partial-files": true,
    "rpc-authentication-required": true,
    "rpc-bind-address": "0.0.0.0",
    "rpc-enabled": true,
    "rpc-host-whitelist": "",
    "rpc-host-whitelist-enabled": true,
    "rpc-password": "{e9b3b9c4411dd33d01cd5997e36152fce3cdc887smVY2tx8",
    "rpc-port": 9091,
    "rpc-url": "/transmission/",
    "rpc-username": "transmission",
    "rpc-whitelist": "127.0.0.1",
    "rpc-whitelist-enabled": true,
    "scrape-paused-torrents-enabled": true,
    "script-torrent-done-enabled": false,
    "script-torrent-done-filename": "",
    "seed-queue-enabled": false,
    "seed-queue-size": 10,
    "speed-limit-down": 100,
    "speed-limit-down-enabled": false,
    "speed-limit-up": 100,
    "speed-limit-up-enabled": false,
    "start-added-torrents": true,
    "trash-original-torrent-files": false,
    "umask": 18,
    "upload-limit": 100,
    "upload-limit-enabled": 0,
    "upload-slots-per-torrent": 14,
    "utp-enabled": true
}

In above file look for line and make changes as follows

"rpc-password": “Type your password here”

"rpc-username": “your username”

"rpc-whitelist-enabled": true

You can also specify download directory, which is by default as follows.

"download-dir": “/var/lib/transmission-daemon/downloads”

After above setting save (CTRL+X) and exit (Yes) the file. And then restart the transmission

sudo service transmission-daemon start

Add firewall rules

sudo ufw allow 9091

Now go to the browser and access http://IP_address:9091

Enter your username and password and start downloading torrent.

Installing Torrent Transmission Client on CentOS

Here again first of all update the system. Also you will need SSH client like Putty to connect to remote server.

sudo yum update -y

Install Transmission

sudo yum install transmission-cli transmission-common transmission-daemon -y

Now, stop the transmission

sudo service transmission-daemon stop

Next edit the settings file to make following changes

sudo nano /var/lib/transmission-daemon/info/settings.json

You will see output like below

{
    "alt-speed-down": 50,
    "alt-speed-enabled": false,
    "alt-speed-time-begin": 540,
    "alt-speed-time-day": 127,
    "alt-speed-time-enabled": false,
    "alt-speed-time-end": 1020,
    "alt-speed-up": 50,
    "bind-address-ipv4": "0.0.0.0",
    "bind-address-ipv6": "::",
    "blocklist-enabled": false,
    "blocklist-url": "http://www.example.com/blocklist",
    "cache-size-mb": 4,
    "dht-enabled": true,
    "download-dir": "/var/lib/transmission-daemon/downloads",
    "download-limit": 100,
    "download-limit-enabled": 0,
    "download-queue-enabled": true,
    "download-queue-size": 5,
    "encryption": 1,
    "idle-seeding-limit": 30,
    "idle-seeding-limit-enabled": false,
    "incomplete-dir": "/var/lib/transmission-daemon/Downloads",
    "incomplete-dir-enabled": false,
    "lpd-enabled": false,
    "max-peers-global": 200,
    "message-level": 1,
    "peer-congestion-algorithm": "",
    "peer-id-ttl-hours": 6,
    "peer-limit-global": 200,
    "peer-limit-per-torrent": 50,
    "peer-port": 51413,
    "peer-port-random-high": 65535,
    "peer-port-random-low": 49152,
    "peer-port-random-on-start": false,
    "peer-socket-tos": "default",
    "pex-enabled": true,
    "port-forwarding-enabled": false,
    "preallocation": 1,
    "prefetch-enabled": true,
    "queue-stalled-enabled": true,
    "queue-stalled-minutes": 30,
    "ratio-limit": 2,
    "ratio-limit-enabled": false,
    "rename-partial-files": true,
    "rpc-authentication-required": true,
    "rpc-bind-address": "0.0.0.0",
    "rpc-enabled": true,
    "rpc-host-whitelist": "",
    "rpc-host-whitelist-enabled": true,
    "rpc-password": "{e9b3b9c4411dd33d01cd5997e36152fce3cdc887smVY2tx8",
    "rpc-port": 9091,
    "rpc-url": "/transmission/",
    "rpc-username": "transmission",
    "rpc-whitelist": "127.0.0.1",
    "rpc-whitelist-enabled": true,
    "scrape-paused-torrents-enabled": true,
    "script-torrent-done-enabled": false,
    "script-torrent-done-filename": "",
    "seed-queue-enabled": false,
    "seed-queue-size": 10,
    "speed-limit-down": 100,
    "speed-limit-down-enabled": false,
    "speed-limit-up": 100,
    "speed-limit-up-enabled": false,
    "start-added-torrents": true,
    "trash-original-torrent-files": false,
    "umask": 18,
    "upload-limit": 100,
    "upload-limit-enabled": 0,
    "upload-slots-per-torrent": 14,
    "utp-enabled": true
}

In above file look for line and make changes as follows

"rpc-password": “Type your password here”

"rpc-username": “your username”

"rpc-whitelist-enabled": true

You can also specify download directory, which is by default as follows.

"download-dir": “/var/lib/transmission-daemon/downloads”

After above setting save (CTRL+X) and exit (Yes) the file. And then restart the transmission

sudo service transmission-daemon start

Update firewall rule

sudo firewall-cmd --permanent --zone=public --add-port=9091/tcp

Now go to the browser and access http://IP_address:9091

Enter your username and password and start downloading torrent.

Conclusion

It’s super easy to install torrent transmission client on Linux machine. You can take advantage of super fast download speed without any restrictions.