Using webserver (1&1 Linux package) to download torrents - how can I do this?

[tankman1989]

I am wondering if I can use my web server as a way to download torrents. It is the 1&1 Linux package and is not a shared or dedicated server so I don't have full root access to install. I can install things like Wordpress, Joomla and other things like that so I was wondering if there is something out there that would allow me to download torrents.

I know there is some command "btdownloadcurses" (why would it be named that??) that can be run from the Linux CL but that doesn't work with the access I have.


Why do I want to do this?-
I would download the torrent to my server and then from my server to my home computer. This way it cuts down a little on network traffic and other issues. Many times I find torrents that have only 1-2 seeds and only transfer at like 2-10K a second but are large files. I'd like to be able to start those on the server as it is on 100% of the time and I can power off my machines at home without falling out of the que on some of the torrents.

 

[TimJacobs]

I am wondering if I can use my web server as a way to download torrents. It is the 1&1 Linux package and is not a shared or dedicated server so I don't have full root access to install. I can install things like Wordpress, Joomla and other things like that so I was wondering if there is something out there that would allow me to download torrents.

I know there is some command "btdownloadcurses" (why would it be named that??) that can be run from the Linux CL but that doesn't work with the access I have.


Why do I want to do this?-
I would download the torrent to my server and then from my server to my home computer. This way it cuts down a little on network traffic and other issues. Many times I find torrents that have only 1-2 seeds and only transfer at like 2-10K a second but are large files. I'd like to be able to start those on the server as it is on 100% of the time and I can power off my machines at home without falling out of the que on some of the torrents.

I have never found a webhost like 1 & 1 or HostGator or even Godaddy allow torrents on their servers...... Even with a dedicated server most of them won't allow it. Check your T&S.

 

[tankman1989]

I have never found a webhost like 1 & 1 or HostGator or even Godaddy allow torrents on their servers...... Even with a dedicated server most of them won't allow it. Check your T&S.

Checking the T&S is a good idea.

 

[Corbin]

I know for fact the T&S has nothing on torrents. It does have a good paragraph or 2 on copyright. So as long as you are torrenting make sure you are the sole owner of the material.

But do watch out if I remember right, if you are doing the month to month deal it does say you are agreeing to a new T&S every time you pay or something crazy like that.

 

[lake54]

There'll probably be something in the ToS that talks about hogging the server's processing time too often. If you're downloading a torrent, a process that is going to be running permanently for a fair while, then I'd imagine they might stop you from doing that.

I have three suggestions:

1) Use (or buy cheap) an old machine. Anything with a 40GB or more hard drive will do. Put any operating system on there, put TeamViewer (or your remote control software of choice), and you have a simple server. You can leave this machine on 24/7/365 and your torrents will download. Need to get the file off of it? Simply connect your HDD, remote in, and copy the file. Done! There are many other ways of doing this, it's simply a rough and ready solution. I have a cheap workstation (HP d530 SFF) that I use solely for things like torrents and large downloads. I'm also practising AD and other things (Win Server 03) to get my experience up, plus for things like printer sharing.

2) In a slight variation to the above, use/get a NAS box. More and more have started coming with a lot of software to do things like this. The NetGear ReadyNAS systems are very good, a colleague of mine has one and highly recommends it. For torrents, it's a web-based control panel, you add the torrent, it downloads it to the box, you can then use it. Low power consumption, too, plus all the other benefits of a NAS box.

3) Get a dedicated 'Seedbox' - you'll have to find a site yourself, as I have never used one, but there are plenty of guides around the net which I've looked at before. Seedboxes are like webservers, but made purely for torrents etc. They almost always have 10 or 100 connections, some are 1000, but are more expensive. They will complete the download in seconds in some cases. You've then got to download in the traditional way, obviously, but if your normal connection is fast enough, that'll probably be alright.

/largeamountoftyping

Hope that helps somewhat,

James