How to Ensure Vuze Only Downloads When Connected to your VPN

Whether your using a VPN for security, privacy, or something else you may not be as safe as you think when downloading bittorrents. A VPN can disconnect for all sorts of reasons, and when your VPN disconnects bittorrent clients will resume downloading as soon as they detect a usable connection. Meaning that while your away your downloads will continue without your knowledge.

This guide will show you how to setup the Vuze bittorrent client so that it will only download when connected to your VPN. Keeping you safe, secure, and private.

 

Step 1 – Download Vuze

This process is going to require two things. The Vuze bittorrent client and a working VPN. Let's start by grabbing the Vuze bittorrent client. 

If your running Ubuntu you will find Vuze is conveniently available in the Ubuntu Software Center.

 

 If your using a different operating system then you can head over to the Vuze website and download the appropriate free version. http://www.vuze.com/download.php

 

Step 2 – Connect to your VPN

Now lets work on the second requirement, a working VPN connection. This guide will assume you have some working knowledge of a VPN but we'll give you a quick rundown.

If your running Ubuntu simply open Network Connections. Click Add a Connection.

 

Now go ahead and select Point to Point Tunneling Protocol (PPTP) under VPN.

 You will now see a dialog where you can enter all of your VPN credentials. Go ahead and enter your information.

 

Once this is setup, you can connect to your VPN via Network Manager. Click the Network Icon and select Connect under VPN.

 

If your computer is running something other than Ubuntu this will be a slightly different process, but you will essentially be completing the same steps.

 

Step 3 – Configure Vuze I

Now that we have our VPN setup and we are connected we can turn our attention to Vuze.

Open up Vuze. Click on Tools, then Options.
The dialog below will appear.  The dialog should open to the Mode menu.
If it doesn't locate and click Mode on the left side. 

You will see three options on the right side. Click Advanced.

 

Step 4 – Configure Vuze II

Next we will click Connections on the left side, and then under Connections click Advanced Network Settings.
Now locate Bind to local IP address or interface.  Here you will need to enter the name of your VPN interface. The box below this option lists the network interfaces on your computer. In this example the VPN interface is ppp0, so I will enter ppp0 into the Bind to local IP address or interface box.

 

HINT: If your not sure what your VPN interface name is try this trick. Simply shut down your VPN connection. Load this page and take note of what connections are there. Now reconnect to your VPN, restart Vuze, and return to this dialog. The interface name that wasn't there before is your VPN interface name.

  

Step 5 – Configure Vuze III

Next, under this same menu screen. Locate “Enforce IP bindings when interfaces are not available, prevents any connections if none of the interfaces are available.” Make sure this checkbox is checked.

  

Step 5 - Test

Now click save and your all set for a test run!  Locate a torrent for testing. If you don't have one handy head over to the Ubuntu page below and grab one for testing.

http://www.ubuntu.com/download/alternative-downloads

Now start downloading.

 

Now disconnect from your VPN and return to Vuze and check your download.

 

 

 If your download stops, then congrats! You can now rest easy in knowing that you will stay secure even if your VPN connection is disrupted.