qBittorrent official forums

Hi all new here as well as new to torrenting so please bare with me. I did try multiple google searches on this matter but couldn't turn up a a direct answer.

I am running two PCs both windows 10. The first which I will refer to as main is the one I use for downloading torrents. I run Express VPN pretty much 24/7 on the main computer but always when QBitTorrent is open. Computer two which I will refer to as the server, is where I need the files to ultimately end up. The server computer is where Plex is running for streaming purposes. I do not run a VPN on the server due to the problems it causes with Plex. At present I download the torrent onto a folder on the main computer. Once it is finished I drag and drop it into a Shared Network Folder which transfers it onto the server computer. As some of the files are rather large the transferring is very time consuming.

For that reason I have been researching how to automate/speed up the transfer. I had two thoughts on possible solutions:

1. Have the torrent file save right to the Shared Network Folder. Is this possible and if so would doing that expose my IP because the resulting file location is on a computer which is not VPN protected?

2. The second option I turned up in searching the web. This was to use Qbittorents feature that will automatically transfer the file to another location upon completion. So I would have the in progress file on the main computer protected by a VPN and then the completed folder would be the Shared Network Folder. I got this all set up and then had the same concern that I might be exposing my VPN by having Qbitorrent transfer the file to the unprotected server computer. Will using this option expose my VPN or am I worrying for nothing?

Reading this forum and countless reddit threads it is clear that many of you who will reply have a much deeper understanding of computers then I do so I apologize if my questions are stupid. I appreciate your patience as well as advice as I work to hone my setup. Thanks!

not a stupid question at all. if you traceroute (cmd > type: tracert <servername>) from main to server, does the traffic go through the vpn endpoint, or does it stay within the lan?
to my understanding traffic within your lan, should stays within your lan and not go out anywhere. the traffic from your client will auomatically be routed through vpn adapter, what happens after that is internal and won't show outside lan.

if anyone has other insights on this i would be interested to learn it myself. 

[quote="novalawyer"]
1. Have the torrent file save right to the Shared Network Folder. Is this possible and if so would doing that expose my IP because the resulting file location is on a computer which is not VPN protected?[/quote]
Firstly you have to set up the vpn correctly, as in launch on PC startup and its firewall always on - you need that kill switch to work
Second, is too configure QB - Cog icon > Network interface (choose the vpn one), and below Optional ip address (should be only one listed and often starts with 10....)
Saving to a shared area will not expose the files, providing you do not have any other software exposing them


[quote="novalawyer"]
2. The second option I turned up in searching the web. This was to use Qbittorents feature that will automatically transfer the file to another location upon completion. So I would have the in progress file on the main computer protected by a VPN and then the completed folder would be the Shared Network Folder.[/quote]
shared to a local network, and not shared with the  outside world is fine
Some software types do phone home.
if you pick up a rat, then you are compromised. If you pick up an encryption virus expect that to encrypt your shared file too

for QB to share a unknown file, it must go the Torrent Creator. QB torrent only shares files on its list

what i think you are doing is having one pc user a vpn, and you are surfing or gaming on a second that has no vpn, which is not a problem until you pick up something nasty. VPN only provides security if both fixed endpoints are secure, otherwise it just encrypts traffic