A torrent file is a computer file containing metadata of files and folders used to distribute and download files via a torrent client such as uTorrent and BitTorrent. This works differently from traditional downloading, letting users share or download parts of the file from multiple sources.
It uses a peer-to-peer network, allowing file sharing and faster downloads. However, torrenting can be illegal as pirated files are shared through the network without authorisation. The uTorrent client often runs into errors and gets stuck on the status, “connecting to peers,” due to interference from other programs and antivirus.
In this article, we will explain how you can fix the problem of connecting to peers in uTorrent. Here’s a video explaining the same:
Here’s what we’ll cover:
Restart uTorrent
The first method is to close the uTorrent client and relaunch it. The steps to restart the client are as follows:
Step 1: Close the uTorrent client.
Step 2: Right-click on the uTorrent icon in the system tray and click on Exit.
Step 3: Launch uTorrent again by searching for it in the Start menu.
Change connection settings
Enabling the UPnP and NAT-PMP port mapping and adding the client as a firewall exception could also fix the problem. The steps to do so are:
Step 1: Hover the cursor over Options in uTorrent and click on Preferences.
Step 2: Click on Connection.
Step 3: Select the tick boxes for Enable UPnP port mapping, Enable NAT-PMP port mapping and Add Windows Firewall exception.
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Check network and bandwidth settings
If the network and bandwidth settings are incorrectly configured, it could lead to the connecting to peers issue. The steps to modify the settings appropriately are:
Step 1: Hover over Options again and click on Setup Guide.
Step 2: Select the nearest server to you under Bandwidth and set Upload Speed to Unlimited.
Enable BitTorrent protocol encryption
The connecting to peers problem could be a result of not using the BitTorrent protocol encryption. To enable it:
Step 1: Head over to Options and click on Preferences.
Step 2: Click on the BitTorrent section.
Step 3: Set the Outgoing dropdown to Enabled or Forced.
Step 4: Click Apply to save the changes.
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Toggle VPN
Using or disabling an active VPN could fix the problem as the client may not be allowed in specific geographical locations. To do so:
Step 1: Open the VPN client
Step 2: If there is no VPN active, click on the Quick Connect button
If you are currently using a VPN, disabling it could allow the servers to communicate as well.
Delete resume.dat file
Finally, removing the resume.dat file from uTorrent’s local storage could help to resolve the issue. To do so:
Step 1: Open the Run prompt (Windows key + R), type in %appdata% and press Enter.
Step 2: Head over to the uTorrent folder
Step 3: Delete the resume.dat file.
Once the file has been deleted, restart the uTorrent client and the download should work without running into the connecting to peers issue.
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