This tutorial explains the basics on how to add torrents, start/stop jobs & run transfers, and change (tweak) your seedbox settings to maximize performance. If you've figured out the general ins-and-outs of a BitTorrent client such as µTorrent or Azureus, then you should find the transition to the TorrentFlux interface easy to comprehend.

We've used Firefox as the web browser of choice for these guides, although they all operate in a similar fashion.

 

Find, Download and Save Your Torrents:

 

You've got a seedbox, now all you need are torrents! The easiest method for manually adding torrents to your seedbox is to download (save) them to your PC's hard drive first; and then add (upload) them into TFlux from there. Assuming you're using private torrent trackers, this will ensure that your passkey is directly associated with the torrent so you'll be sure to get the stats counted towards your account. (This can also be done through the 'Cookie Management' feature in your Profile - we'll get to this later).

Find a torrent website, and choose a desired torrent. Click the 'download link' associated with the torrent.

Depending on whether or not you already have a BitTorrent client such as µTorrent installed on your home PC, the options for saving the .torrent file may vary slightly. In any event, choose "Save File" when presented with the options window:

Remember the location where you saved the .torrent file - you'll need to recall this in the next step below. In Windows Vista, the default save location is - Local Disk (C:) > Users > Your_Name > Downloads.

 

Uploading torrent files to your seedbox:

 

TorrentFlux is extremely versatile. Torrents can be added to your seedbox through a variety of different methods, although the easiest way involves directly uploading them through the Browse button on the main TFlux page.

TIP: With SeedboxHosting, you're not limited to the number of allowable active torrents on the seedbox. After all, it's your seedbox server - not some oversold shared box with an unknown number of users.

NOTE: We probably don't need to say this, but avoid using public torrents on a seedbox. Aside from it being incredibly useless to seed at high-speed to a public tracker and a waste of precious bandwidth; some seedbox hosts don't allow it in their ToS (Terms of Service) or AUP (Acceptable Use Policy). This also goes for using a private torrent with public trackers listed in the torrent: Be sure to only use torrents that you've downloaded from your own private tracker account.

Adding .torrents to your seedbox:

 

Login to your seedbox account - you'll be presented with the main TFlux page - this is the TorrentFlux interface (your working desktop). This may appear intimidating at first - not to worry, this is all very simple.

To add a torrent, click on the "Browse..." button where it says "Select a Metafile for upload".

Browse to your torrent file - select 'Open' once found:

The path (and title) of the torrent should now be displayed in the TorrentFlux GUI - see below:

You now have two choices from the dropdown menu on the right - either Upload or Upload+Start (see below). "Upload" adds it to TorrentFlux (but does not start the torrent), while "Upload+Start" does both. For our example, we'll just select "Upload". After making a selection, click the "Go" button located below the upload options menu.

Uploading/Starting the .torrent

 

Looking at the image below, you should now notice that the torrent has been added to your list of Transfers. Because we selected the Upload option - and not Upload+Start - by default the torrent won't actually "run" (that is, download or upload) - it remains in an idle state. There are a few different ways to get this transfer going. We'll first explain the easiest method of getting a new torrent downloading and uploading - but beware - you'll be using the default settings on your seedbox.

While many options are configurable during the 'transfer' or 'run', often the torrent is downloaded so fast that you may not even have time to alter crucial settings, such as "Completion Activity" which allows you to keep seeding the torrent once it's finished downloading. While your seedbox with SeedboxHosting comes generously pre-configured & streamlined, there's always the option to change the settings before the transfer even begins (using the Advanced Transfer option).

1. Run Transfer (Quick) Method:

 

If you want to just start the torrent into its downloading frenzy, click on the "Run Transfer (Quick)" button - it's the double-green arrow underneath the Admin heading (see below). This is comparable to using the "Upload+Start" function when originally loading in the torrent file. If your seedbox is running optimally, this is the recommended method to start your transfers.

2. Run Transfer (Advanced) Method:

 

The Advanced option allows you to change certain settings for the torrent before it begins. To initialize this task, click the "Run Transfer (Advanced)" button - it's the single-green arrow (see below).

This will launch the Transfer Settings window in its own popup, without the torrent yet starting. The available options shown below may vary - depending on your provider - and how your seedbox is set up.

Transfer Settings: Similarly, you can also view each individual torrent's settings by clicking on the small "Notepad" icon:

Depending on which BitTorrent client is set as default, the available options to you will vary. The image below explains the settings for Transmission (the recommended client), which is the default BT client for SeedboxHosting seedboxes.

Below is a brief explanation of the settings for a torrent. Remember, this is done on a per-torrent basis.

• 1. BitTorrent Client: By default this is set to Transmission (recommended), but can be changed to tornado, mainline or azureus.
• 2. Max Upload Rate: "0" is unlimited (maximum), the default setting.
• 3. Max Download Rate: "0" is unlimited (default). This can be tweaked to a lower number (to remain in the swarm longer).
• 4. Completion Activity: This is important! If you wish to seed after finishing the download (and who doesn't??) you'll need to be sure this option is set to "Keep Seeding" (default is ON).
• 5. Percentage When Seeding Should Stop: If you want to continuously seed a torrent, leave this at "0" (unlimited). For example, if you set this to 900%, in theory you should be able to get a 1:9 (DL:UL) sharing ratio on the torrent. "0" - the default - is the recommended setting.
• 6. Port Numbers: By default, this doesn't need to be adjusted, and these are already optimum port numbers for good connectability.
• 7. Path: Doesn't need to be changed - this is the download path for your completed files for the torrent.
• 8. Save: Be sure to save your settings after changing them. Be aware that these are not "global" settings, and are only specific to that particular torrent. Checkmark the "Send Changes to Client" (if possible) if you wish to save the settings globally. When enabled, this will save your new settings as globally for all torrents, including future ones that you'll be adding later - so you won't have to come back to the "Settings" window and make specific torrent changes every time you add a new torrent job.

Note about different BT clients: For example, if you switch from transmission to tornado, you'll notice some new options that weren't available as settings for Transmission. They are:

• Max Upload Connections: "4" the default, but this can be increased. Set this too high, and you start to split your upload bandwidth among too many leechers in the torrent. Tweak this setting to find a 'sweet spot'.
• Max Cons: These are the overall maximum connections. Again, if this is set too high, the server will become flooded and there will be packet delays, a high serverload or other problems.
• Rerequest Interval: The default time in (in seconds) in which the BT client attempts to update the tracker & peerlist. Do not set this too low, as most private trackers already have a predetermined update interval built into the torrent.
• Superseeder: Should only be set to "true" if you're the original uploader (seeder) of the torrent. In any event, it's best to just leave this to "false".

If you closed the popup window, you can always re-open it again by clicking the green (or black) 'radio' button next to the running torrent. If it is not green, you may have to restart the torrent, or you haven't yet initiated the torrent job.

Starting The Torrent

 

After making changes (and saving them), either click the "Control" tab (next to "Settings" in the same window) and scroll to the bottom, then click "Run Transfer", or go back to the main TFlux transfer window and click the double-green arrow to "Start Transfer (Quick)".

This should now start the torrent. The stats will be updated periodically in the main Firefox window, and also in the smaller "Transfer Stats" popup window (click the "Stats" tab at the far left). To refresh the results, just click the stats tab again (although they should update periodically on their own).

Other Options in the 'Transfer Stats' Window:

• 1. Stats: Real-time statistics of the up/down traffic & connections.
• 2. Hosts: Shows a list of IPs that are sharing in the torrent (that you are connected to).
• 3. Scrape: This may show a pie-chart of seeders vs. leechers in the torrent. Often a 'scrape' will fail - not to worry - it shouldn't affect your connections anyways.
• 4. Images: Shows a pie-chart of users you are connected to, and your total up/down traffic.
• 5. Log: Provides proper paths of files and a log of stats and settings.
• 6. Details: This shows the files in the torrent, dir name and at the bottom you can find the 'announce URL' for the tracker, plus your passkey.
• 7. Files: Lists the files in the torrent. Also, if the job has not been yet started, you'll be able to select/de-select certain files in the job.
• 8. Settings: Shows the specific settings associated with the torrent.
• 9. Control: If the job has not been run, you may be able to select and deselect certain files in the torrent here, change the settings, and "run the transfer" at the bottom. If the download has already been completed, you'll be able to restart and stop the torrent here.

Progress:

 

Since a seedbox is designed for private trackers, it's important to know the seeding rules specific to each tracker. Most trackers recommend a "safe" sharing ratio (per-torrent) that meets 1:1 or better (for example; 1 MB downloaded to 1 MB uploaded). In TorrentFlux, this ratio is represented as a percentage, whereby 100% is identical to 1:1. Thus, it would be generally acceptable to stop the torrent transfer once you hit the 100% threshold, if desired. Continued seeding is beneficial (and one of the main reasons for using a seedbox), and will positively add extra upload data to your tracker statistics.

Note that the seeding progress is only reflected in torrents that have finished downloading. If a torrent is currently still in the process of being downloaded, the progress is only reporting what % of data has been downloaded, and upload (seeding) progress is not yet reported.

 

Multiple File Uploading

 

Incorporated into TorrentFlux is the ability to upload multiple files (torrents) simultaneously. To do this, either click the "More..." button; or the "Multiple Upload" button. Using "More..." will add additional URL 'browse' fields to the main TFlux page; whereby "Multiple Upload" will take you to its own page. Be advised: if you are using the More... feature and you have the Page Refresh turned on, you'll need to be quick to upload your torrents, since if the page successfully refreshes before the torrents are uploaded, they'll disappear from the Browse fieldbox(es).

The easiest way to upload multiple torrents is to use Multiple Upload feature, or, temporarily turn off the page refresh on the main TorrentFlux interface. Here's a look at the Multiple Upload page - you have the option to either Upload, or Upload+Start (for all files).