Is this logical?

low · 2008-08-21 15:24:57

I'm trying to set up a server for torrenting on a spare desktop I have and I'm looking for some suggestions. I want to use rtorrent since it is very lightweight and the desktop is not too swift, and also because it has scheduling and watch folders. I was thinking of setting up an nfs so I could mount the server to my laptop and then place torrents into the correct folders on the server which rtorrent would immediately see in the watched folder and start the torrent.

Basically I'd like some input whether or not this would be easy to implement and overall how good/bad of an idea it is. Improvements and criticism are welcome

bangkok_manouel · 2008-08-21 15:41:43

you could also use ssh to start torrents from anywhere...

low · 2008-08-21 15:47:50

yea that's what i do now but i really don't like it since i want to store the files on the server. Everytime I need to transfer one I have to sftp to the server blah blah blah im too lazy. I figure this is a little more seamless...

Denacke · 2008-08-21 16:04:33

Aye you could work with a watch folder, I prefer a web ui though.

Currently I'm using rtorrent with this webui: http://wl500g.info/showthread.php?p=99824 alternatives web interfaces could be wtorrent or rtgui.

it's a bit of fiddling to set up (with the scgi gateway), but it's really nice.

low · 2008-08-21 16:11:52

actually, struggle that led to frustration with setting up wtorrent led me to wanting to use nfs. How did you set it up? I've followed a few guides, mostly the official one from the wtorrent website, but still can't get it. I open the install.php file on a web browser, enter the user/pass that i want to use and end up with a blank page that has "install" written at the top...

Last edited by low (2008-08-21 16:24:12)

insane · 2008-08-21 16:55:03

I have a spare desktop which I use in the same way. I don't use rtorrent, I use azureus instead. It has an option to start minimized so it doesn't use much CPU. I even run Folding at Home in that box. It worked fine when the box was a Pentium 2 @300MHz and it works fine now that it is a Celeron @700MHz. I use NFS for the same purpose that you intend to. I browse the torrent site and I download the file directly in the share. From there azureus picks it up and starts to download.

I also have set up Samba because sometimes my friends come with their laptops. The only reason why I have both is because NFS is much faster but I can't make it work with windows.

The machine runs without a keyboard or monitor. Just the power cable, the UPS cable and off course the network cable. All the management is done with ssh and vnc. A web interface is a must if you want to monitor the torrents quickly from your desktop.

Last edited by insane (2008-08-21 16:55:54)

Denacke · 2008-08-21 18:08:31

Aye wtorrent is harder to configure, most problems are due to a badly configured scgi gateway. You could try out the link I gave you, it does not need to be configured when your webserver is set up correctly.

Are you using apache or lighttpd?
I'm using lighttpd, and I have altered this to my configuration in lighttpd:
added in server.modules array: mod_scgi

added at the bottom of config :
scgi.server = (
"/RPC2" => # RT_DIR
( "127.0.0.1" =>
(
"host" => "127.0.0.1", # Ip where rtorrent is listening
"port" => 5000, # Port specified in .rtorrent.rc
"check-local" => "disable"
)
)
)

optional: you could add authentication for it by adding this (you also need to have mod_auth uncommented in server.modules array). You'll have to look up how to make a htdigest file though, I found those commands in some wtorrent guide.
auth.backend = "htdigest"
auth.backend.htdigest.userfile = "/path/to/userpasswordfile"
auth.require = ( "/RPC2" =>
(
"method" => "basic",
"realm" => "XML-RPC",
"require" => "valid-user"
)
)

Also important to add in your rtorrent config file (~/.rtorrent.rc):
scgi_port = localhost:5000

when all is configured well, you should start up lighttpd, start an rtorrent session and then try it out!

Edit1: Can be I forgot something, so if it doesn't work, please do ask

Edit2:
Thinking about it further, I forgot about another process where errors can easily happen. When installing rtorrent, you'll have to compile it yourself with xml-rpc-c flag (and it has to be 0.8.2+, so you'll have to use the svn if i recall correctly). You'll have to install xml-rpc-c (found on AUR) and then rtorrent-svn (also found on AUR). You'll have to edit the pkgbuild of rtorrent-svn to include the --with-xmlrpc-c flag for configure.

Last edited by Denacke (2008-08-21 18:16:22)

low · 2008-08-21 20:55:42

yep i compiled libtorrent and rtorrent both from svn with xmlrpc-c used, and i did all that stuff for wtorrent it is just really poorly documented. i installed the link you gave me and had it up and running in a grand total of 5 minutes, spiffy little program indeed. however i can't seem to add torrents, maybe a permission problem?

Denacke · 2008-08-21 22:13:30

Ah yes, I knew I missed something.

It's important you set your directory in the rtorrent.rc config
eg:
directory = ./torrents/

make sure it's writable by the user executing rtorrent

Xiong Chiamiov · 2008-08-25 04:42:52

I was in the process of converting my torrent-/file-server from Xubuntu+Deluge to Arch+rtorrent when it... well, it had issues. Then I've been without internet for a while (plus moving apartments), so now I can finally get things started again. Now I just have to figure out why it won't boot. Sigh.

low wrote:

yea that's what i do now but i really don't like it since i want to store the files on the server. Everytime I need to transfer one I have to sftp to the server blah blah blah im too lazy. I figure this is a little more seamless...

You could of course use scp instead of full-blown sftp. It cuts you down to just one command, and you don't have to be running an ftp server.

Last edited by Xiong Chiamiov (2008-08-25 04:43:29)

ashyanbhog · 2008-10-04 05:24:09

You can use SSHFS to transfer files instead of NFS, SMB or SFTP. It uses ssh for data transfer and the only setup required is to have sshd running on the torrent box.

DokanSSHFS is a free SSHFS client for windows and does not need installation to run. In Dokan, make sure you "disable cache" and "offline attribute" in options before connecting.

synthead · 2009-02-14 14:11:11

On the topic of wtorrent, it's being a nightmare for me. I got the thing running and set up precisely as the tutorial on their website says (besides enabling mod_fastcgi in lighttpd.conf that they failed to mention), and install.php loads fine and dandy. But when I click to save the configuration, I get a "page not available" error from my browser, and index.php does the same thing too. It just sits doing nothing. I'm pulling my hair out cause everybody around me is getting this to work fine. I compiled rtorrent with the correct options too.

Last edited by synthead (2009-02-14 14:13:10)

greenfish · 2009-09-08 14:25:50

Hi guys! Yeah same issues here, spent a whole afternoon trying to to make rtgui to work, but in the end I realised we shouldn't have to go through all this crap just to get a basic webgui working. I installed wtorrent, and it's working great.

ngoonee · 2009-09-08 23:07:20

Uh, greenfish, the previous post was from February...

Arch Linux

#1 2008-08-21 15:24:57

Is this logical?

#2 2008-08-21 15:41:43

Re: Is this logical?

#3 2008-08-21 15:47:50

Re: Is this logical?

#4 2008-08-21 16:04:33

Re: Is this logical?

#5 2008-08-21 16:11:52

Re: Is this logical?

#6 2008-08-21 16:55:03

Re: Is this logical?

#7 2008-08-21 18:08:31

Re: Is this logical?

#8 2008-08-21 20:55:42

Re: Is this logical?

#9 2008-08-21 22:13:30

Re: Is this logical?

#10 2008-08-25 04:42:52

Re: Is this logical?

#11 2008-10-04 05:24:09

Re: Is this logical?

#12 2009-02-14 14:11:11

Re: Is this logical?

#13 2009-09-08 14:25:50

Re: Is this logical?

#14 2009-09-08 23:07:20

Re: Is this logical?

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