I previously posted about how to secure you torrenting using OsX and the awesome Transmission client, but this time I’ll show you how to get the same security using Windows. The process is a little different in that we’ll need some third party free software to handle the peer blocking side of things in Windows, but don’t worry I’m going to walk you through all the steps neccessary. If you’d like an explanation of the theory behind what we’re doing here, please read the first half of my previous post where I explain all about bad peers, bandwidth limits and encrypted connections. Sorry there’s no screencast this time, the only free time I have nowadays is in my shared office at university, but I have made some screenshots to make things clear enough.
1. Torrent Client: For Windows I recommend uTorrent – it’s fast because it runs on native code, lightweight, and has all the features we need to just download and do it safely. I’ve heard good things about Azureus (now called Vuze) but personally I’m not fan of it’s clunky Java-based interface. If you do want to use Vuze because you want all the extra media features, you should still be able to follow this tutorial as long as you can find your way around the preferences and options page yourself.
2. Set Bandwidth Limits: You’ll need to find this out from your ISP, but even if you don’t have a set bandwidth limit I’d recommend something like 200 KB/s up and down. This works out at about 18gb per day. In Japan, the only limit I know of is my own ISP, NTT OCN, which has explicitly told me not to go above 20gb a day UPLOAD. Those of you in America may find you have much more severe download limits. If you want to calculate your gigabyte per day limit into a realistic kilobytes per second speed limit, use this calculator (scroll to the bottom to put in gigabyte per day, and then scroll to the top to find the KB/s limit) – reduce the number if you use other internet device in your house like game consoles etc, as they will add to the upload limit during online gaming etc too.
To set the limit, go to Options > Preferences, then choose BANDWIDTH. Fill in the two boxes for UPLOAD and DOWNLOAD limit, they wil be set at 0 for unlimited by default.
3. Turn on encryption: While still in Options > Preferences, go to the BitTorrent tab on the left side. At the bottom of the right hand options dialog, there should be a Protocol Encryption box. In the drop down box, select FORCED and then UNCHECK the Allow Legacy Connections checkbox, so your screen should like mine below. This will ensure you don’t connect to anyone unencrypted and your ISP won’t be able to spy on you.
4. Download PeerGuardian: PeerGuardian is an awesome piece of software from Phoenix Labs. It handles all the blocking of bad peers and can be set to automatically update it’s bad peer list every day. Install the app and tell it to launch automatically with windows, then run through the setup wizard.
Turn on the first five blocklists, and allow HTTP connections always. If you don’t enable the last one, you’ll find a lot of websites stop working and you’ll be kicking yourself for ages trying to figure out why.
Leave the rest of the options on the default, unless you want to change it to update everyday instead of every other day. When you’re done, PeerGuardian will download the latest lists and you’ll be automatically blocking bad peers.
Congratulations, you’re now 99% safe. Happy Torrenting, and only download legal things, ok?
For people having problems with Vista and Windows 7 Driver Signing:
PeerGuardian 2 seems to be bit finicky with vista and windows 7(according to some of forum threads), as a result I have had to use a work-around to successfully install and run PG2. This is to be expected because PG2 is still in the Beta stages for these two operating systems. The problem comes from Vista’s (and I am assuming Windows 7) Driver Signing and verification deadlock, a.k.a Microsoft does not want you installing non-verified drivers. The easiest work around for this that I have found is by using a program called “Driver Signature Enforcement Override.” Found here: http://www.ngohq.com/home.php?page=dseo
The work-around step-by-step:
1. Download the latest PeerGuardian2 and Install, but DO NOT RUN. Exit after installation.
2. Turn off your User Account Control in your Windows settings. Control Panel > User Accounts > Turn off UAC.
3. Install and run Driver Signature Enforcement Override. Follow the instructions on the link above. It should ask you to restart your computer after you add your peerguardian sys file (something like C:\Program Files\PeerGuardian2\pgfilter.sys) to the program.
4. Restart.
5. Run PeerGuardian and set it up as this article suggests.
As I said, this is the easiest way that doesn’t involve installing a 3rd party program in your boot menu or require you to press F8 every time you start your computer to manually override this driver signing verification thing. This effectively starts your computer up in Test Mode and you will see a notification above the Start icon on your desktop.
I hope this was helpful. This is working with Vista x64: service pack 2 as of September 2, 2009.
Thanks for those awesome instructions Mike, but I may have to ban you if you don’t uninstall Windows Vista ASAP
Just kidding. Can anyone confirm if Windows 7 is having the same issues?
I am pretty sure that the same thing is happening for Windows7. Many, Many threads on the PhoenixLabs website are dedicated to properly getting PG2 to work on both Vista and Windows 7. I cannot personally confirm that this is happening, but it seems many people with both systems were having the same trouble that I was having. It would make sense that Microsoft wouldn’t want to change something that makes them $500USD every time a program is summited for Microsoft Driver Verification. That would be like giving away air at one of those Oxygen Bars that they have in fancy shopping malls. It also seems that Windows7 has its own set of compatability issues, but that’s to be expected this early in the game. Many people are also downloading the windows 98/ME version of PG2 because it doesn’t have a driver, but PhoenixLabs warned against using that seeing as the protection is not as guaranteed.
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FYI, I found a better program for Vista/7 users. It has a signed driver so there is no reason to use the workarounds to make PeerGuardian2 work. It seems to do the same thing and can even add custom lists of IP addresses.
http://www.peerblock.com/
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