I heard that in some countries you can get fined for using torrents or seeding beyond a certain limit (Das Deutschlandlied intensifies). How to seed so that no idiot government would get hands on the fact that you are downloading torrents? I am pretty sure I can do this using Tails OS but what else? Is there a safe way to SEED TILL YOU BLEED?
It would have been nice if we (someone but not me) could have created a website where we could read a particular country’s law and how to torrent safely from there.
Use a VPN, and turn on “Anonymous mode” in your client settings. Also change the setting saying “allow encryption” to “require encryption”.
[Edit: The VPN bit is what protects your privacy. The other two options are mostly superflouos and shouldn’t be used without an VPN either.]
Both settings still send your IP and everything to other peers. It doesn’t really make any difference regarding privacy.
If you’re trying to protect against law enforcement, they’re going to join the swarm of peers. They get exactly the same info about you whether you turn these on or off.
“anonymous mode” just doesn’t send you’re using qtorrent version xy. For law enforcement it doesn’t make a difference whether you’re using qtorrent. and idk if it makes any difference not to include your IP into tracker requests unless you have a badly configured vpn. Your packets originate from your IP anyways.
And encryption protects you from your dad/tech savy mom or your boss snooping on your traffic. Main point is your ISP can’t see those are bittorrent packages so they won’t limit your bandwidth. Doesn’t make you anonymous in the bittorrent network though.
The very first thing the person you’re replying to said was “Use a VPN…”
Thanks. I’ve updated my comment. The part after the VPN bit is very misleading.
So, how do you hide your IP from the peers?
As long as you want them to send data to you, they have to know where to send that data. So there is no possibility to not have an IP. Except from shutting down your bittorrent client.
You can get a different IP though. An IP address that isn’t traceable to you. And use that IP. But you definitely need one, or you can’t receive data. At least the way bittorrent works. That would be a VPN or service provider who doesn’t tell on you, or another layer like TOR.
[Edit: Sorry. Might have misread your comment. Updated my previous reply. Use a VPN for example]