You can use CyberGhost to download torrents using BitTorrent by connecting to a CyberGhost server before you start your torrent downloads.
This method works best for PCs and Android devices using the BitTorrent web client or app/program.
Additionally, you can bind your CyberGhost IP address to the BitTorrent application for an extra layer of protection. Alternatively, you can just use the CyberGhost kill switch for equal protection.
Otherwise, you can set up CyberGhost on your router to encrypt your torrenting traffic via BitTorrent and steer clear of copyright trolls or DMCA notices.
Keep reading for the full details!
How to Setup CyberGhost With BitTorrent?
There are three standard methods to use CyberGhost with BitTorrent for the most secure torrent downloading and privacy experience. I’ve outlined these methods with stepwise guides below.
Method #1 – Application Setup Method
The CyberGhost-BitTorrent application setup method involves downloading the CyberGhost application and configuring it to work with BitTorrent.
Here’s how to do so:
- Get a CyberGhost subscription. Save more with these discount deals.
- Download the CyberGhost app for your preferred BitTorrent device. BitTorrent is supported on PCs (Windows and Mac) and Android devices. CyberGhost also has an app for these devices, and I’ll be using its Windows PC app for this example.
- Launch the CyberGhost PC app and log in with your account credentials.
- Click the settings cog icon to open the VPN’s settings.
- Select “WireGuard” under “VPN protocol” for the fastest speed and best security. You can also choose IKEv2 as a close alternative.
- Click the CyberGhost icon, then click “Privacy settings.”
- Toggle “Automatic Kill-Switch” ON.
- Toggle “Block Content” to keep ads, trackers, and malware at bay while torrenting.
- In the left-hand menu bar, click “For torrenting.”
- Connect to a preferred P2P server here. I recommend a P2P server closer to your location (it could be one in your country) for the best performance. I’ll use the Algeria server for this example.
- Once connected, download the free BitTorrent client and install it on your PC. You should only download via the official BitTorrent website to avoid malware from unofficial sources.
- Open a preferred torrent website on your PC. CyberGhost should now unblock access to services you didn’t have before. I’ll use The Pirate Bay for this example.
- Search for a preferred torrent file. I’ll use a copyright-free movie for this example.
- Click the magnet link next to the torrent you want to download.
- You should get a pop-up in your browser asking you to open BitTorrent for the download. Click “Open BitTorrent.” You can also enable the checkbox to automatically open BitTorrent for such downloads next time.
- On the next screen, you can specify where you want the file to download on your device, additional files to be downloaded, and the preferred storage name. Or you can click “OK” to go with the standard settings.
- Your torrent should now begin downloading under CyberGhost protection.
Method #2 – Router Setup Method
The CyberGhost router setup method for BitTorrent allows you to bypass CyberGhost’s seven simultaneous device connections limit if more than seven users want to securely unblock and download torrents.
Every device connected to the CyberGhost-enabled router gets the same VPN encryption, torrent download protection, and torrent website unblocking.
Depending on your router type, here are the installation guides you need:
- Installing CyberGhost on DD-WRT routers.
- Installing CyberGhost on Tomato routers.
- Installing CyberGhost on TomatoUSB routers.
Once you’ve installed CyberGhost on your router, do these:
- Connect your preferred device for torrent downloads to the router’s Wi-Fi network.
- Download the BitTorrent client.
- Launch your preferred torrent website. CyberGhost unblocks The Pirate Bay, RARBG, and other top torrent websites.
- Search for a torrent file and click the magnet icon next to the one you want to download.
- You’ll get a prompt to open BitTorrent, or it automatically opens and starts the download based on your device settings.
So, it’s best to stick with the application method (Method #1) as it’s easy to implement for all users.
Method #3 – IP Binding Method
Binding your CyberGhost server’s IP address to BitTorrent means the torrent client will ONLY work on the chosen IP address. In other words, this acts like an advanced kill switch to ensure no downloads (hence, no data leaks) occur once you’re disconnected from that VPN server.
Here’s how to bind your CyberGhost VPN’s IP address to BitTorrent:
- Get a CyberGhost plan (grab these discount deals).
- Download the CyberGhost app for your preferred torrenting device. I’ll use my Windows PC in this case.
- Choose the WireGuard protocol for faster speeds. Do this by going through Settings > VPN protocol > WireGuard.
- Click “For torrenting” to open CyberGhost’s P2P-optimized servers. Choose the closest one to you (CyberGhost sorts them by distance) for the best performance. I’ll use the Algeria server for this example.
- Once connected, copy the CyberGhost VPN IP address.
- Open your BitTorrent client. You can download and install one if you don’t have one.
- Click “Options” then “Preferences.”
- Click “Advanced.”
- Search for “net.bind_ip” in the Filter box.
- Click the option, and paste the IP address you copied from CyberGhost in its value box. Then, click “Set.”
- Next, search for “net.outgoing_ip” and click the option.
- Paste the IP address in there again, and click “Set.” Then, click OK to save all the settings.
- Restart your BitTorrent client for the changes to take effect. I recommend closing it from the Task Manager to ensure it’s not running in the background when you exit the app.
- Enjoy secure and stellar downloads.
How to Test CyberGhost’s BitTorrent Protection?
You shouldn’t wait till the worst happens to know whether CyberGhost has you covered during your BitTorrent download sessions.
Here are a few simple tests you can conduct yourself to see if the VPN protection works.
Test #1 – Basic IP/DNS Leak Test
Conducting an IP/DNS leak test after connecting to a P2P CyberGhost server helps to determine if you’re still accessing the web/torrent application via your real IP address or the VPN-assigned IP address.
Here’s how to figure that out:
- Connect to a CyberGhost server.
- Access a reliable IP/DNS leak testing tool. I recommend www.ipleak.net.
- A successful test should return the same IP address as the CyberGhost-assigned IP.
In other words, your ISP, copyright trolls, or anyone else monitoring your activity can’t associate your torrent downloads with your IP address. Hence, keeping you safe from DMCA notices, cease-and-desist letters, and other forms of harassment.
Test #2 – Torrent Leak Test
Testing for IP/DNS leaks is one thing, but how about a targeted torrent leak test?
Here’s how to do one in less than five minutes:
- Connect to a CyberGhost server. I’ll retain the Algeria server connection for this example.
- Visit a reliable torrent leak test service. I recommend www.doileak.com.
- Click “Torrent IP Leak Test,” then “Begin test.”
- Click “Yes, my VPN is on.”
- Click on all four torrent files so that they can start downloading in your BitTorrent client. I recommend clicking “Magnet Link” to trigger BitTorrent automatically.
- Your BitTorrent client should have all four files when you’re done, like in the image below.
- Check “All four files are running in my torrent client,” then click “Show Results.”
- You should get a clean result like this. Notice that the IPv4 address is the VPN-assigned IP address, not my actual IP address.
- Once successful, highlight the four test files in your BitTorrent client and right-click.
- Hover on “Remove And,” then click “Delete .torrent + data.” Click “Yes” on the prompt that shows afterward.
6 Best Practices to Use CyberGhost With BitTorrent
Getting the startup or shutdown sequence on the VPN and torrent client wrong can expose you, even if you do everything correctly. Likewise, you may suffer slow download speeds with the wrong settings, making your secure torrenting experience unbearable.
I’ve provided some pointers below to keep these and more from happening.
Use the Correct Startup Sequence
There are two sides to this coin:
First, NEVER have your BitTorrent client startup with your PC.
Otherwise, your device may transmit some data over the BitTorrent client on startup before the VPN protection kicks in.
Your ISP and copyright trolls will identify this activity with your IP address, and that’s enough to get on your back for torrenting.
Follow these steps to disable BitTorrent from your PC startup menu (I’ll use Windows for this example):
- Open your device’s task manager. Holding the “CTRL + Shift + Esc” keys simultaneously should do the magic.
- Click the “Startup” bar.
- Click “BitTorrent Web,” then “Disable.” Do the same for any other BitTorrent versions you have.
The next startup consideration is when you’re about to download torrents.
ALWAYS enable the VPN before launching BitTorrent or any torrent website.
So
- Launch CyberGhost.
- Connect to a P2P server.
- Launch BitTorrent.
- Go to your preferred torrent website.
By doing so, your ISP doesn’t know that you launched BitTorrent or accessed a torrent website.
Use the Correct Shutdown Sequence
Besides starting the VPN client and BitTorrent properly, you also need to end your torrent sessions properly. To put it in context:
- Close the torrent website(s) you visited.
- Close the BitTorrent client next.
- Shut down the VPN.
Never shut down the VPN first, as that allows the rest of your BitTorrent internet traffic to pass through to all your ISP or government unencrypted.
Use WireGuard or IKEv2
WireGuard and IKEv2 are the best torrenting protocols as they balance speed and security. OpenVPN is alright too, but it’s mostly slower than these other protocols.
Set Your MTU Properly
The wrong MTU settings can throttle your bandwidth and reduce your torrenting speeds. We don’t want that, so here’s the best way to get around the issue:
- Launch your CyberGhost app.
- Disconnect from a VPN server if you’re previously connected. Remember to shut down all torrenting activities before disconnecting from the server.
- Click the settings (gear icon) in the app’s lower-left corner.
- Click the dropdown menu under “MTU Size” and select “Small” or “Auto.”
- Reconnect to a P2P server.
Enable the Kill Switch
Never download torrents over BitTorrent without enabling your CyberGhost kill switch. Otherwise, you risk exposing your IP and DNS details to your ISP, copyright trolls, and the government whenever the VPN connection unexpectedly drops.
Follow the recommended CyberGhost-BitTorrent setup guide above to enable the kill switch before browsing.
Enable the Ad and Tracker Blocker
The Pirate Bay, RARBG, and most other popular torrent websites are notorious for ads and malware. Likewise, BitTorrent (the free version) is usually ridden with ads.
But once you enable CyberGhost’s Block Content, you stand a better chance against these ads, malware, and trackers.
However, note that this ad blocker doesn’t keep all the ads away.
Still, it blocks the more aggressive ones, and it’s better than not having any protection against these ads anyway.
What Makes CyberGhost an Ideal BitTorrent VPN?
CyberGhost stands out for BitTorrent with its exemplary compatibility with the torrent client and torrent-optimized servers. But there’s more where that came from:
Ad Blocking
No one likes those pesky and malicious ads on The Pirate Bay tricking you into downloading malware or falling into scams. Thankfully, CyberGhost’s Block Content, an ad blocker, steps up to nip those ads in the bud.
You don’t have to pay extra since it’s included in the basic VPN package.
Healthy Server Spread
CyberGhost has 9,500+ standard servers in 90+ countries, ensuring you stand a higher chance of landing a nearby server for the best torrenting experience.
On top of that, it has a subset of P2P-optimized servers specially designed for the most secure and fastest torrent downloads. The best part is that they’re sorted by distance, enabling you to quickly choose the closest one for better performance.
Fast Download Speeds
CyberGhost averaged more than 1Mb/s at the start of my torrenting guide tests above, and it would have attained more if I hadn’t paused the download midway to write the rest of this guide.
In another speed test, CyberGhost averaged 37 Mbps on a 45 Mbps network.
That represents a mere 17.7% speed drop, which is impressive considering the VPN’s encryption load on your connection.
I recommend using its WireGuard or IKEv2 protocols to get similar speeds.
AES 256-Bit Encryption
CyberGhost’s encryption ensures your online activities are passed through a secure tunnel, making them invisible to copyright trolls, your ISP, network admins, or anyone else trying to see what you’re doing online.
To better explain this, I conducted Wireshark tests using BitTorrent with and without CyberGhost. The Wireshark test simulates how network admins and ISPs see your data stream on their end.
In the test without CyberGhost’s protection, Wireshark identified that I was using BitTorrent and might have included some markers to identify my IP address and the file I was downloading.
On connecting to CyberGhost, Wireshark was unable to replicate such a result.
Thus, making it impossible for ISPs and copyright trolls to determine what you do online.
I first noticed that Wireshark recognized that I was using the CyberGhost WireGuard protocol. Thus, showing that my data is being passed through this encryption protocol.
Furthermore, Wireshark could only determine the VPN-assigned IP address, meaning anyone snooping on my connection won’t be able to identify me via my IP address alone.
Multi-Platform Compatibility
CyberGhost works seamlessly on Android, MacOS, and Windows devices, the same devices you can use BitTorrent on. The VPN even has native apps for these operating systems to aid easier setup and usage for torrenting.
The best part is that it’s not missing any torrent-essential features on these units.
What Are the Best CyberGhost Alternatives for BitTorrent?
CyberGhost ticks most right boxes for BitTorrent, but it doesn’t have it all.
Hence, you should check out some of its alternatives that perform well with BitTorrent.
NordVPN – SOCKS5 Proxy + More P2P Servers
NordVPN, like CyberGhost, is also compatible with BitTorrent, offering native Android, Windows, and macOS apps.
On top of that, NordVPN also offers SOCKS5 proxy servers which can guarantee faster downloads since they don’t use the VPN’s encryption. The best part is that they come free with the VPN, so you don’t have to shell out extra to get these proxies.
Furthermore, NordVPN uses an in-house NordLynx protocol to ensure faster torrenting speeds. Likewise, NordVPN’s ad blocker (Threat Protection) blocks more ads than CyberGhost’s. That’ll come in handy if you’re big on privacy and keeping the ads at bay without paying for BitTorrent Pro.
Using these HUGE discounts, you can save more on NordVPN and test it risk-free for 30 days.
ExpressVPN – Port Forwarding + Automatic Obfuscation
ExpressVPN stands out for BitTorrent with its
- P2P optimization on ALL 3000+ servers.
- Port forwarding on the router app to ensure torrent seeding.
- Faster torrent downloads, thanks to its in-house Lightway protocol.
On top of that, ExpressVPN offers automatic and fast obfuscation on all servers and protocols. This makes it harder for your ISP and network admins to even know that you’re using a VPN in the first place. And in countries/on networks with firewall blocks to torrent websites or BitTorrent traffic, obfuscation is your best bet to regain access!
The only downside to ExpressVPN is its higher cost compared to CyberGhost.
Luckily, I’ve got these ExpressVPN discounts to ease that burden.
PIA – Port Forwarding + Ad Blocking
While ExpressVPN offers port forwarding on routers alone, PIA offers it on its PC apps. You can also port forward almost all PIA servers, making it ideal for torrent seeding – something you can’t do with CyberGhost.
On top of that, PIA’s ad-blocking tool (called MACE) is stronger than CyberGhost’s offering. This makes it ideal for privacy buffs and users who prefer to avoid being interrupted by pesky torrent websites and BitTorrent ads.
Furthermore, PIA supports unlimited simultaneous connections, making it ideal for many users who want to torrent safely and securely.
Save more with these PIA discounts and test it risk-free for the first 30 days of your subscription.
Open the (Bit)Torrent Floodgates
Suppose you’ve been holding back on downloading or streaming torrents due to the fear of copyright trolls, DMCA notices, or nasty letters from your internet service provider.
In that case, CyberGhost ensures you no longer have to worry about these issues.
Thanks to its BitTorrent compatibility, reliable encryption, fast download/streaming speeds, and torrent-optimized servers, you can safely download your torrents anywhere.
And if you’re getting started today, you can save more with these CyberGhost deals before they run out.
