Server-Bits #7: Transmission and Web-Controlled Torrents

Have you ever been away from your machine when you've thought to yourself, "Oh! I need to torrent *COMPLETELY LEGAL CONTENT HERE*!! I wish I was at my machine...". Now you don't have to be at your computer, you can control all of your torrents, and add new ones, entirely through Transmission's web client.

Transmission should be installed on Ubuntu by default, but just in case it isn't, you can install it by running the command:

sudo apt-get install transmission

Go ahead and start this in GUI-mode. Just open Transmission while you are logged into Gnome. From here, go to: Edit -> Preferences. Navigate to the Privacy tab. There are a few options that NEED to be changed.

First off: Blocklist. Blocklist. Blocklist. Enabling the blocklist will keep the vast majority of anti-P2P groups off of your back. Make sure that you enable automatic updates as well. The next thing you need to change is the encryption. Change this to Encryption Required. This will ignore and close any connection that is not masked by encryption.

Next, in the Network tab, check the "Pick a random port every time Transmission is started" box.

In the Web tab, check the "Enable web client" box, change the listening port to whatever you prefer (and forward the port on your router if you so choose [forwarding this port will give you the ability to manage your torrents outside of your network]). Make sure "Use authentication" box is checked and choose a username/password. If you would like, you can also restrict access to certain IP Addresses. This is helpful if you are only going to be accessing this page from a known machine with a constant known address.




Now, in a web browser of your choice, navigate to 'YourHostname:YourTransmissionPort' and you should be greeted by a popup login box. Enter the username/password combination that you set up and start remote torrenting!!

About Server-Bits:


If you've ever wanted to get started building a server, right in your own backyard, kitchen, closet, mother's closet, mother's basement, then this is the read for you. Aimed at the not-so-technical-but-willing-to-learn, this will give you everything you need to build... that monster server you've dreamed of. My goal: To give you a working, rocking server, for free, that you can use daily.