Knowledgebase

Running a torrent tracker server on a VPS gives you full control over the sharing and management of torrent files. This guide will walk you through the process of installing and running a torrent tracker server on your AnonVM VPS, ensuring privacy and scalability for your server. By following this tutorial, you'll be able to host and manage torrents securely.

Why Use AnonVM for Your Torrent Tracker?

• Privacy-Focused Hosting: Offshore VPS options ensure privacy and anonymity for your tracker server.
• High Performance: Enjoy fast and reliable performance for your tracker and torrents.
• Scalability: Easily upgrade resources as your torrent tracker grows in popularity.

Prerequisites

Before starting, make sure you have the following:

• An active AnonVM VPS with at least 2GB RAM and 1 CPU core (recommended for small to medium traffic).
• Basic knowledge of Linux commands.
• A domain or subdomain (optional but recommended).
• A torrent tracker software (e.g., Opentracker, XBT Tracker).

Step 1: Access Your VPS

1. Order an AnonVM VPS from AnonVM.
2. Log into your VPS via SSH:
    

   ssh root@<your_vps_ip>
   Replace <your_vps_ip> with your VPS's IP address.

Step 2: Update Your Server

To ensure a smooth installation process, update your VPS:

Step 3: Install Required Dependencies

Install the necessary dependencies for the torrent tracker:

Step 4: Install Opentracker

Opentracker is a lightweight and high-performance torrent tracker. Here's how to install it on your server:

1. Clone the Opentracker repository:
    

   git clone https://github.com/erdnaxela/opentracker.git
2. Navigate to the Opentracker directory:
    

   cd opentracker
3. Compile Opentracker:
    

   make
   This will create the Opentracker binary (opentracker), ready to be run.

Step 5: Configure Opentracker

1. You can configure Opentracker using the configuration file, but for basic use, no major changes are required. You can start with the default configuration.
2. Optionally, if you want to change the default settings (e.g., port, IP binding), edit the opentracker.conf file:
    

   nano opentracker.conf
   For basic configuration, leave the default settings as they are.

Step 6: Run Opentracker

Run the Opentracker server using the following command:

By default, it will bind to port 6969 and listen for incoming torrent client connections.

Step 7: Verify Tracker is Running

To verify that the tracker is running, try accessing the tracker’s web interface:

You should see the status page indicating that the tracker is active.

Step 8: Set Up Firewall and Open Port

If you are using a firewall on your VPS, make sure to open port 6969 (or whichever port you configured) to allow incoming connections to your tracker.

For example, with UFW:

Step 9: Make Opentracker Start on Boot

To make Opentracker start automatically when your server reboots, you can create a systemd service file:

1. Create a new systemd service file for Opentracker:
    

   nano /etc/systemd/system/opentracker.service
2. Add the following configuration:
   ini

    

   [Unit] Description=Opentracker Torrent Tracker After=network.target [Service] ExecStart=/root/opentracker/opentracker Restart=on-failure User=root [Install] WantedBy=multi-user.target
3. Save and exit (Ctrl + O, Enter, Ctrl + X).
4. Reload systemd and start the Opentracker service:
    

   systemctl daemon-reload systemctl start opentracker systemctl enable opentracker

Step 10: Set Up a Web Interface (Optional)

You can set up a web interface to manage your torrents more easily. One popular option is the WebUI for Opentracker. If you want to set up the WebUI, follow these steps:

1. Clone the WebUI repository:
    

   git clone https://github.com/erdnaxela/OpentrackerWebUI.git
2. Navigate to the OpentrackerWebUI folder and follow the installation instructions provided in the repository.

Step 11: Testing and Adding Torrents

1. To add a torrent to your tracker, create a .torrent file and use a torrent client (e.g., qBittorrent, Transmission) to start seeding it with the Opentracker.
2. In the .torrent file, make sure the tracker URL points to your server:
   arduino

    

   http://<your_vps_ip>:6969/announce

Step 12: Monitor Your Tracker

Use the Opentracker status page to monitor incoming requests and the number of peers. You can also review logs to ensure your tracker is functioning as expected:

Benefits of Hosting a Torrent Tracker on AnonVM

1. Privacy: Offshore hosting options ensure that your tracker is anonymous and secure.
2. Reliability: AnonVM's high-performance VPS can handle the traffic generated by a torrent tracker.
3. Scalability: As your tracker gains popularity, you can easily upgrade your VPS resources.

Conclusion

Running a torrent tracker server on AnonVM VPS allows you to have full control over your torrents while maintaining privacy and performance. By following this guide, you can set up your own Opentracker server, which is lightweight, high-performing, and ready to handle large numbers of torrents.

This setup can be expanded to suit your needs, from adding a web interface to improving security settings. Enjoy hosting your private torrent tracker today!