We have noticed that uTorrent is not working with VPN enabled. So, when trying to download anything, either the download doesn’t start or progresses really slowly. In this post, we will see what to do if uTorrent is not working with VPN.
When downloading Torrents from a client such as uTorrent, it’s essential to use a virtual private network (VPN). VPNs make your browsing safe and protect you from the hammer of your ISP.
However, several users have experienced issues with uTorrent and their VPN, where the Torrents fail to download when they connect to a VPN. Firstly, the primary suspects for this problem are that the VPN is leaky or doesn’t support P2P activity. This guide explores the causes of this issue and the ways to repair it.
uTorrent is not working with VPN
Apart from the usual suspects mentioned above, some other factors can also prevent uTorrent from working with VPN software. The following solutions will fix the issue for good.
- Turn on the VPN firewall or Kill switch.
- Ensure that there are no connection leaks.
- Use a VPN server that supports P2P traffic.
- Disable IPv6 on your device.
- Allow uTorrent in Windows Firewall.
Without further ado, we’ll dive into the detailed steps for the solutions above.
1] Turn on the VPN firewall or kill switch
Several factors may disrupt your VPN connection randomly, and you might not even know that it happened. When this happens, the Torrent download will not stop or pause but keep on downloading without the VPN connection. Note that the VPN firewall is different from that of Windows Defender.
Most VPN services sport the kill switch or firewall feature that disconnects your internet when there’s no VPN connection. Users have enabled this kill switch feature to fix the issue where uTorrent isn’t working on their VPN connection.
With the kill switch active, uTorrent will pause the download when on a non-VPN connection. Some VPNs will install system-wide firewalls that stay active even when you exit the VPN client. If your VPN has this feature, I recommend that you activate it.
2] Ensure that there are no connection leaks
When using a VPN, all your data packets are tunneled through its network. However, it’s usual to experience some leaks, when some of your data escapes from the VPN. Some ISPs have filters that detect and restrict P2P traffic, and a leaking connection will prevent your uTorrent downloads from working.
Thankfully, you can check your VPN connection for leaks quickly with free online services, such as IPX, Browserleaks, and ipleak, etc. Check for leaks, and if you find them, you have to switch to a more reliable VPN to download uTorrent torrents successfully.
3] Use a VPN server that supports P2P traffic
Torrenting is regarded as a peer-to-peer (P2P) activity and frowned on by some countries thanks to users who use it for illegal activities. For this reason, P2P traffic is blocked in these territories.
Some VPNs have also blocked P2P traffic in compliance with regulations. Your uTorrent downloads may not work because your VPN server doesn’t support P2P traffic. If this is the case, you can get your downloads up and running by switching to a server that supports P2P operation.
That said, some VPNs do not have servers that work with P2P traffic. Therefore, if you download a lot of Torrents, opt for a VPN that supports these kinds of activities and always select P2P-enabled servers when Torrenting.
4] Disable IPv6 on your device
Your computer supports two internet protocols – IPv4 (or simply IP) and IPv6. IPv4 is the most used protocol, while IPv6 is newer and not much supported for now. Due to the nature of IPv6, most VPNs aren’t equipped to protect IPv6 traffic from your ISP. Check out our detailed comparison between IPv4 and IPv6.
Some VPNs claim to support IPv6, but they may leave out some details of the limitations. If you can’t use uTorrent on your VPN connection, your best bet is to disable IPv6 on your device.
To do this:
- Right-click on the network icon on your taskbar
- Select Open Network & Internet settings.
- Next, click on the Change adapter options link in the window that opens
- Right-click on your internet adapter and select Properties from the context menu.
- Find Internet Protocol Version 6 (TCP/IPv6) and unmark the checkbox next to it.
Finally, hit the Ok button below to save your settings and close the Properties window.
Read: How to fix uTorrent not responding on Windows
5] Allow uTorrent in Windows Firewall
This solution assumes that the issue isn’t related to your VPN. If uTorrent works perfectly without a VPN connection, you can skip this solution. Otherwise, the problem may be that the Windows firewall blocks incoming Torrent connections.
Press the Windows key and type firewall. Select Firewall & network protection from the search results. Click the Allow an app through the firewall link on the Windows Security page.
Hit the Change Settings button at the top and locate uTorrent from the application list. Ensure to mark the checkboxes for both public and private firewalls, and click the OK button below. Restart your machine to effect the changes.
These techniques should allow you to download Torrents on the uTorrent client when using a VPN. If you try them and have no luck, read this guide where we provide other troubleshooting methods for uTorrent on Windows.
What VPN to use with uTorrent?
With uTorrent, you need to ensure that it follows peer-to-peer (P2P) file-sharing, which is essentially what torrenting is. You can Proton VPN, NordVPN, Norton, Surfshark, and Express VPN as these are some of the most compatible VPNs with Torrent.
Also Read: Best uTorrent alternatives for Windows PC
