Utorrent On Linux Is This Possible?

Written by: Berry van der Linden • Edited by: Rebecca Scudder
Updated Sep 29, 2009 • Related Guides: Wine | Windows | Linux

Utorrent (µtorrent) on Linux is possible but not without the use of Wine, a Windows emulator. In this article we will set up Wine and Utorrent. Configuring Utorrent is not much different than on its Windows version.

Introduction

The one thing I always hear when people switch over from Windows is this:

I can't use my favorite application X to do Y, do you know a solution? Some of the time I say yes, there is a Linux version and sometimes no, but you can try Wine.

Wine is a Windows emulator designed to make those “hard to live without” Windows applications work under Linux. At http://winehq.org you can find a list of software that is supported. It has tips on how to get the software to work.

Utorrent, for those who don't know it is a torrent client used to download torrents. These are files shared through the Internet between two computers, also called Peer to Peer sharing or P2P for short. This can be any file but most people use this for downloading music, TV shows, Movies and software. While this might not be legal in every situation, torrents can also be used legally. Kubuntu and Ubuntu can be downloaded directly off the site or you can download the torrent of kubuntu.org. Another example is SXSW, a conference held every year that features amongst other things a music showcase. Every year they release the music showcase via torrent, usually a file that is around 3.5GB, which is full of music and new artists. There are many more torrents to be found around the Internet like this. For legal torrents, check out legaltorrents.com.

Utorrent, or µtorrent as it was originally intended to be spelled, is, next to Azureus, probably one of the most popular torrent clients for Windows.

Utorrent

The How To

First download Utorrent . Then install Wine. There are two ways to do this: in my article Introducing Your New Kubuntu Installation, toward the bottom of the article you will find How To Install Packages With Adept. Replace Firefox with Wine and install the package that comes up. Or Making Your Kubuntu Installation Usable: Install Firefox Java And Flash; download and run perfectbuntu-1.5.3 to install Wine and other goodies.

After installing Wine click on the Utorrent.exe and follow the setup wizard. The speed report window will pop-up; use default settings here. Utorrent will now start.

Adding torrents is a little different. You can't just click the torrent and expect it to open up in Utorrent. You have to do the following: Go to the website where the torrent file is located. Right click on the torrent link and click on Copy Link Location.

Now back in Utorrent, click on file and select Add Torrent from URL or ctrl+U.

Paste the Torrent URL. Then click OK.

Now you select which files to download, then click OK. You are now downloading the torrent File.

TheCammelCoder Jan 30, 2011 11:55 PM

I no speak Win32

I guess I am the same as the other people that have commented on your most as I fail to understand why anyone would want to hack their beautiful linux install with windows ported applications.

Besides qBittorrent provides a lot of the same functionality as uTorrent and its purpose built for the job.

You've already taken the time to get Linux up so just take the time and learn a new qBittoreent interface.

CMD Dec 11, 2010 11:29 AM

Deluge

Deluge is a great native torrent app, even has a client/server setup, I have my server running the backend and gtk clients on all my machines accessing it.

Berry van der Linden Jul 22, 2010 3:10 PM

RE: Brad Kelley

Hello Brad,

Whilst I totally agree with you that new users should use Linux native software, some new user still wan't to hold on to some of the Windows applications they are used to. Transmission is a great torrent client. Personally I use Ktorrent mostly because I am a KDE(Kubuntu) user but also because I like the features Ktorrent has on board.

Thanks,
Berry van der Linden
http://madberry.org
http://q3w.org

Brad Kelley Jul 22, 2010 2:06 PM

Torrents

Why use a windows app for torrents when linux has some great torrent apps that run native. Ktorrent is good, but Transmission is the best linux torrent program. Plus it ships with the newer versions of Ubuntu. Give it a shot before you use a Windows app. I promise you wont be disappointed.

Thanks,
Brad
http://www.crackednoodle.com

Berry van der Linden Dec 12, 2009 12:49 PM

True

How ever it's harder to for non technical readers to understand what Wine is. They don't want it to be called an emulator but it's the best way to describe Wine.

I use Ktorrent myself as well. It's a great piece of software. If you look through my articles you will find a Ktorrent article as well.

Some people are more comfortable not switching completely all at once. But they eventually will.

Berry van der Linden

Simon Dec 12, 2009 3:14 AM

WINE is not an emulator

Sorry to call you on this but WINE is not an emulator, that's even what the initials stand for. Also, I think people using Linux based operating systems should be encouraged to use native applications rather than running their old Windows apps under a compatibility layer. I persisted with uTorrent for a while after I migrated but now I use KTorrent.

Utorrent On Linux Is This Possible?

Introduction

Utorrent

The How To

Comments