Ultimately, I only want to use Proton VPN for torrenting and seeding, while not using Proton VPN for browsing the internet, using Steam and Discord (essentially everything else).
I’m currently using Proton VPN for torrenting, but sadly it doesn’t support using a kill switch if I’m already using split tunneling. I read that NordVPN can use both simultaneously, but I’m not sure if this is actually true. Should I switch VPN so that I can use split tunneling and a kill switch together?
Essentially, I only want to use the VPN for torrenting, and it would be nice to be able to use a kill switch for the torrent if it loses connection.
Thank you.
If you are on Linux the best option is to run this:
https://github.com/haugene/docker-transmission-openvpn
Basically a small “virtual machine” that assures that the torrent traffic always passes through the VPN. No VPN=no traffic
If you’re going the Docker router, I’d run separate Docker containers rather than an all-in-one. You get the same functionality, but you can route more than one app through the VPN.
Create a Gluetun container to use for the VPN, then have other containers configured to use the Gluetun container as their network.
All you need to do for the other containers is use
network_mode: "service:gluetun"if you’re using docker-compose, or--network=container:gluetunin the Docker command line otherwise.https://github.com/qdm12/gluetun-wiki/blob/main/setup/connect-a-container-to-gluetun.md
Works great in Unraid especially, since the option to route a container’s network through another container is available in the Unraid UI.
That won’t work for the OP, they are using Proton VPN, which randomizes the port number in a half-hearted attempt to “stop” piracy. They would need to use a script to bind their torrent client to the open port each time the container started, and also any time the connection was lost and Proton reconnected.
Binhex has images that do this automatically, but as far as I know there isn’t any other way to do it that’s as easy or reliable as an all-in-one container. Binding it to a Gluetun container will connect, but you won’t get very good speeds or peers because it won’t be port forwarded.
Ah, I forgot that some VPNs don’t have good port forwarding support. AirVPN does! Older AirVPN accounts can forward up to 20 ports, and you pick the port numbers out of a list of available ones. I think they limited it to 5 ports for new accounts.
With qbittorrent, you can just set it to do this. Tell it to only use the VPN interface.
The absolute most foolproof and failproof way to do it. They can used Docker for Windows as well, even though that is more resource intensive since it actually runs a Linux VM under the covers.