uTorrent not working with a VPN in 2024: 11 quick fixes

uTorrent is widely used for file sharing. The problem is, with certain VPNs, uTorrent users often face connection difficulties and download interruptions. Not all VPNs support uTorrent, leaving users vulnerable to ISPs and unintentionally increasing risks like malware and legal concerns.

In this article, we help you choose a suitable VPN for secure and anonymous torrenting. We also provide guidance for troubleshooting uTorrent issues. We've tested 41 VPNs to determine which ones are compatible with uTorrent.

Based on our testing, NordVPN is the best choice for uTorrent, effortlessly bypassing restrictions in various regions with its advanced security features. Its exceptional speed ensures a fast torrenting experience unmatched by others. If you're facing issues even with a premium VPN, our 11 troubleshooting steps will help you fix these problems.

Why is uTorrent not working with a VPN?

You may find uTorrent not working with a VPN for several reasons. One of the most common ones is that your VPN doesn’t support torrenting altogether. But there are a few more reasons why the VPN may not work with uTorrent.

• No P2P-optimized servers. Some VPNs allow torrenting only on specific servers. If you’re not connected to a torrenting-optimized server, you might face issues. Thanks to such servers that trusted VPNs like NordVPN offer, you will get the best torrenting experience with fast upload and download speeds and high-end security.
• The ISP throttles your connection. Torrenting requires an excessive amount of data usage. Unfortunately, if your VPN is not robust enough, it won’t hide your VPN traffic, and the ISP will throttle your connection. This will cause significantly lower speeds and a worse overall experience.
• uTorrent and VPN are not configured to work together. It might be the case that you haven’t configured your torrenting client with your VPN-given IP address.
• Firewall or antivirus are interfering with your VPN connection. Even if you’ve installed a VPN compatible with torrenting sites, your firewall or antivirus software may interfere with it. This is because firewalls and antiviruses block suspicious traffic, and it might consider your VPN as untrusted traffic.

VPNs that work with uTorrent in 2024

Not all VPN clients come with servers suitable for torrenting, so we decided to test some of the best VPNs on the market and see whether they will work with uTorrent. For our tests, we considered the most crucial criteria, such as P2P-optimized servers, robust security features, and speed. Based on our research, we put up a list of the best 3 uTorrent VPNs:

1. NordVPN – the best VPN for uTorrent, providing effortless access in restricted countries and top-notch security features. With a vast server network and impressive speeds, NordVPN ensures a seamless and secure torrenting experience.
2. Surfshark – an affordable option for accessing uTorrent in restricted regions and staying secure on the platform. It ensures strong security, privacy, and P2P file-sharing support with servers in over 100 countries.
3. ExpressVPN – a good choice for uTorrent users, with P2P-friendly servers across 105 countries. With advanced encryption and high-speed retention rates, it ensures a secure and seamless torrenting experience.

Use uTorrent securely with NordVPN

uTorrent not working with a VPN: 11 ways to fix

Now that you know the reasons why uTorrent might not work with a VPN, we compiled a thorough guide to the most effective solutions.

Change your VPN server

Sometimes, VPNs might block torrenting on particular servers and only allow it on the less busy ones. Try switching servers or even countries to see if it helps. Or, it’s best to switch to a P2P-optimized server if your torrenting VPN offers such.

Use hundreds of P2P-optimized servers with NordVPN

Try a different VPN protocol

Some protocols provided by the VPN are better than others for certain activities. Experiment by changing protocols and see if that works for you.

Make sure your OS and apps are up to date

It’s essential to always update applications and operating systems. As sometimes outdated software might not work as expected and cause compatibility issues.

Check for IP and DNS leaks

If your VPN has IP, DNS, or WebRTC leaks, your ISP will detect that and potentially restrict your torrenting traffic. You can check whether there are any leaks on websites like ipleak.net or dnsleaktest.com.

To prevent IP and DNS leaks, activate the kill switch feature on your VPN app. As soon as there is a VPN failure, the kill switch will cut your connections, preventing leaks.

Avoid IP & DNS leaks with NordVPN

Flush DNS

Sometimes, a cluster of cached data on the device can intervene with some applications and connections. Flushing DNS through the Terminal should help with any cached data interrupting connections.

1. Find the Terminal using the Search bar or Start menu and launch it as administrator (right-click, Run as administrator, and confirm)
2. In the Terminal window, type in these commands one after the other:
   1. ipconfig /flushdns
   2. ipconfig /registerdns
   3. ipconfig /release
   4. ipconfig /renew
   5. netsh winsock reset
3. After the last command, restart your device. After this, your DNS cache will be cleared

Disable IPv6

Pv6 is the latest internet protocol that provides an additional layer of security by routing your traffic through the internet. This feature helps with overcoming the limited number of addresses that were available on the previous version of the internet protocol – IPv4.

Unfortunately, some VPN servers don’t work with the newer version of the internet protocol. Therefore, they can leak data, which will cause your ISP to restrict your traffic or throttle it. Luckily, you can fix this on your Windows and macOS devices.

Disable IPv6 on Windows:

1. Go to the Control Panel and click on Network and Internet
2. Open the Network and Sharing Centre
3. Click on Change Adapter Settings
4. Right-click on the internet connection that you’re using
5. Click on Properties
6. If the “Internet Protocol Version 6 (TCP/IP v6)” box is checked, uncheck it

Disable IPv6 on macOS:

1. Open System Preferences
2. Click on Network
3. Select your active connection
4. Click on Advanced
5. Choose TCP/IP
6. Select Link-local only from the drop-down menu that will appear beside Configure IPv6

Make sure the antivirus or firewall doesn’t block uTorrent

Firewalls and antivirus programs are made to prevent connections that are suspicious or potentially harmful from entering your device. However, they can often recognize torrenting traffic as such. Due to this, we recommend you whitelist the uTorrent app in the firewall and antivirus app settings.

Restart your device

Sometimes, changes take effect only after a restart. We suggest you restart your device, reopen your VPN app, reconnect, and try again opening uTorrent.

Bind the VPN IP with the torrenting app

You might need to bind your VPN’s IP with the uTorrent app for it to work properly.

Easily bind uTorrent with NordVPN

1. Connect to your chosen VPN server and launch your browser
2. In the search bar, type in “What is my IP address” or visit dnsleaktest.com and note your IP from there
3. Launch the uTorrent app and click on the Options tab at the top left corner
4. Click on Preferences and go to the Advanced tab
5. In the filter menu, type in “IP” and click on the net.bind_ip option when search results come back
6. In the value field, paste in your noted IP address and click Set; do the same with net.outgoing_ip
7. After you set everything, click OK and restart the uTorrent app

Contact the VPN customer support

If you’re still having trouble, you should contact your VPN’s customer support. They should guide you through the process and explain step by step what you should do in order to use uTorrent with your VPN. They might also advise you on any ongoing server maintenance.

Switch to a more reliable VPN

The VPN that you choose might have a negative impact on your torrenting experience or, simply isn’t capable of supporting uTorrent. Most of the time, weak or free VPNs cause such issues. The main reason for this is that free VPNs lack optimized servers, have limited bandwidth, and offer slower speeds. All of this contributes to a bad torrenting experience.

Fortunately, a trustworthy VPN like NordVPN is a perfect option for torrenting and will help you avoid such issues. It has unlimited bandwidth, numerous VPN servers, and lightning-fast speeds. On top of that, it has next-level security features, like strong encryption, a kill switch, obfuscation, and a no-logs policy.

Use uTorrent with NordVPN effortlessly

NordVPN offers multiple torrenting-specialized servers around the globe, as well as lightning-fast speeds, top-notch security features, robust encryption, and more. It will work with uTorrent with no issues, making your torrenting experience a breeze.

cybernews® score

4.9 /5

• P2P-optimized servers
• Fast speeds
• 30-day money-back guarantee

Visit NordVPN

Conclusion

uTorrent is a famous torrenting platform. However, it doesn’t always work with a VPN. This is because some VPNs lack P2P-optimized servers and don’t have the necessary security features, or you may have activated a firewall or an antivirus program that blocks the VPN connections.

Regardless of your issue, you can implement the fixes we explained in this article and avoid all the fuss and hassle. The most effective solution, however, is choosing a reputable VPN, like NordVPN, that has P2P-optimized servers, sufficient speeds, and top-notch security features.

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