How to Torrent Safely: A Beginner’s Guide

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Downloading torrents can be risky and dangerous. If your internet connection is not adequately protected, you are exposed to various risks, malware, and cyber threats. While torrenting is conveniently easy and fast to share large files, you expose your sensitive information from files found in your devices—computers that hackers can easily exploit. 

Some torrent files have dangerous malware which can infect your computer. This can cause major issues on your device and expose your privacy, data, and other sensitive information to third-parties, spies, hackers, your ISP and at times, government surveillance. 

With a reliable VPN, you can safely and securely download files or torrent anonymously as you protect your device and privacy at the same time.

Tips On How To Torrent Anonymously And Safely

A VPN hides your identity and encrypts all traffic sources to ensure you are appropriately protected. This encryption ensures that nobody—the government, your ISP, and hackers—can see what you’re doing while online. Finding the best VPN for torrents, among all those who claim they’re the best, can be tricky, but there are several essential factors to help you identify the right VPN solution for your distinctive needs. 

The suitable VPN for your torrenting needs should have robust security protocols, protect your information, and be lightning-fast when it comes to downloading speeds. 

Torrenting is risky at times due to several reasons, including: 

  • ISP bandwidth throttling
  • Data safety—exposes business and personal information
  • Being exposed to hackers and cyber threats
  • Can infect your device or network with malicious malware

A virtual private network (VPN) is a proven and easy way to secure your connection and ensure you stay anonymous while online or torrenting. The right VPN works by securely encrypting your connection across various private servers. 

VPNs use robust AES-256 secure encryption to protect your data. It ensures you’re fully undecipherable and protected from hackers and everyone who tried to access your privacy and identity.

When you decide to use VPN when torrenting, setting up is easier, and the process is more straightforward. Upon installation on your devices, these solutions are already pre-configured and highly effective to heightened your internet security. 

  • Download a VPN solution
  • Install the solution and sign in
  • Open the VPN settings/menu and adjust several settings if needed: 
    • Protocol
    • Leak protection
    • Kill switch
    • encryption
    • Split tunneling
  • Choose a server location or gateway
  • Connect to your VPN

VPN is an essential tool that you should not procrastinate when torrenting, downloading large files, sharing files, and more. It reduces any potential cyber threats and risks as it:

  • Bypass regional content restriction on your area 
  • It helps bypass ISP bandwidth throttling, and it hides all your internet traffic
  • Protects your privacy
  • Hides your IP address

Besides using a reliable and trusted VPN, you can help leverage your security when torrenting by:

  1. Using an antivirus to monitor and scan all files you download and prevents malware and viruses from infecting your network or device
  2. Configure torrent client safely
  3. Choose the torrents properly and carefully to ensure you’ll not get infected by viruses

What To Look For With a VPN For Torrenting?

With plenty of VPN solutions in the market today, there are particular features that you need to consider and check on your chosen VPN provider. To ensure digital security and robust torrent encryption, check the following features: 

  • Kill Switch

This feature ensures that your privacy and protection won’t get compromised in case of VPN connection issues. This cuts your connectivity, prevents unencrypted data from leaving the device, and ensures your identity is private.

  • P2P Support

Not every VPN solution supports peer-to-peer file sharing, and this is an essential element of a reliable server for torrenting. Ensure that your VPN provider supports P2P servers.

  • No Logs Policy

Zero logging on your VPN provider ensures that you are not being monitored or spied on nor store sensitive information online. Everything you do or download should remain private.

  • Unlimited Bandwidth

Sharing and downloading files can consume more bandwidth than most of your traditional online activities. Your VPN provider must offer unlimited bandwidth to ensure fast and safe file sharing and downloads. 

  • Fast Connectivity

At some point, since a VPN solution ensures that your connection is secured, this can affect speed and slow down data from traveling further. Torrenting can also affect your connection speed as multiple seeds or people are sharing it. An excellent VPN should offer a faster internet connection to ensure there are no buffering or lags. 

  • Full Apps Protection

Several VPN solutions may offer only an extension to your browser and not the entire application. These extensions won’t fully protect your activity as it serves as an external solution. This means the solution only protects what’s leaving the browser. 

Check whether your VPN provider offers complete application protection on every connected device.

Final Words

A Torrent is a popular method of sharing and downloading files over the internet. Obtaining remote access may seem appealing, but your privacy may be compromised if you do not secure your connection. If you want to remain anonymous when you share or download files online, follow proper security guidelines, use a VPN to encrypt all your digital activities and have peace of mind knowing your information is protected.