Utorrent is one of the best torrent clients you can get for managing your torrents. But there is no official desktop version available of Utorrent for Ubuntu or any other Linux distributions. But we have a solution to this problem with two different methods.
We are going to show you how you can install Utorrent on Ubuntu using Wine and another way is to use Utorrent Server. We will discuss both of them.
Table of Contents
Key Features of Utorrent
- Bandwidth configuration: You can easily control the bandwidth for downloading the torrent file.
- Speed limits: If you want to limit the speeds of downloads, you can configure the max speed a file can reach for downloading.
- Remote management: You can remotely start and stop torrents. This feature is really helpful for controlling systems located in remote areas.
- Proxies: It allows users to connect through a BitTorrent proxy and helps you to download files without exposing your IP address.
Installing Utorrent Using Wine
Wine is software that allows us to add Windows compatibility layers by which we can install and use Windows programs in our Linux system. Before downloading Utorrent, we have to configure Wine.
Step 1: Adding Wine Repository to Enable Downloads
The repository contains the location where our required package is situated. By adding the Wine repository we can easily download and install Wine. Utilize the following command to add the Wine repository.
sudo apt-add-repository ‘deb https://dl.winehq.org/wine-builds/ubuntu/ bionic main’
Step 2: Adding GPG Key to Authenticate Packages
In this step, we are going to add the GPG key. GPG key enables us to authenticate the packages that we are downloading. Use the following commands to add the GPG key for Wine in your system.
wget -nc https://dl.winehq.org/wine-builds/winehq.key
sudo apt-key add winehq.key
Step 3: Enabling 32-bit Architecture
Utorrent is not available for 64-bit architecture so we have to enable 32-bit architecture by the following command:
sudo dpkg –add-architecture i386
Step 4: Updating System
After performing all these changes, we have to update our system so that we can have benefited by making changes. The following command will update repositories, and download pending updates (if any):
sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y
Step 5: Installing Wine on Ubuntu
After performing all those changes, we are ready to install Wine. As Utorrent works fine on Wine’s stable branch, there is no need for us to mess with their unstable branches such as devel and staging.
Use the following command to install Wine stable:
sudo apt install winehq-stable
Step 6: Installing Utorrent
Once Wine is installed, we are ready to install Utorrent. Go to the official site of Utorrent. Download the basic version.
Step 7: Opening Utorrent with Wine
Open your File Manager and go to Downloads. You will see the previously downloaded .exe file. Right-click on that file and select the “Open With Other Application” option.
Select Wine “Wine Windows Program Loader”
Step 8: Configuring Utorrent
You will see a prompt opened for installation. Click on the Next button.
A warning will be shown to you. Don’t worry. Click on Next.
You will see a Licence agreement. Read the details carefully and click on Accept.
Choose install options. As for now, defaults are good enough. Click on Next.
In the configuration section, uncheck options related to Windows.
Click on Finish.
That’s it Utorrent has been installed on your system.
Note: This method is known for being glitchy. If you face any issues with it, use 2nd method.
Method 2: Installing Utorrent Server
This is the most efficient method to use Utorrent. This is Utorrent Server so you are required it to use on Browser. Let’s start our process:
Step 1: installing Library Dependencies.
Open your Terminal to install the required Dependencies to run Utorrent.
sudo apt install libssl-dev
We will also require libssl1.0.0 which is removed from Ubuntu 19.10. Click here and your browser will automatically download the .deb file.
Open your file manager and go to Downloads. Locate that file and hit Enter.
You will see a new prompt with details about libssl1.0.0. Click on the Install button. It will ask for your Administrator password. Enter your password and it will install the required file.
Step 2: Downloading Utorrent
After downloading and installing the required files, use the following command to install Utorrent Server:
wget http://download.ap.bittorrent.com/track/beta/endpoint/utserver/os/linux-x64-ubuntu-13-04 -O utserver.tar.gz
Step 3: Extracting Downloaded files:
Once you download Utorrent Server, use the following command to extract files at /opt/ to use it globally.
sudo tar -zxvf utserver.tar.gz -C /opt/
Step 4: Creating Link to Executable File:
After Extracting files, use the following command to create a link to the executable file:
sudo ln -s /opt/utorrent-server-*/utserver /usr/bin/utserver
Step 5: Start Utorrent Server
Use the following link to start our Utorrent Server:
utserver -settingspath /opt/utorrent-server-*/ &
Step 6: Starting Utorrent Web Client
Once we start your Server successfully, we can easily use Utorrent Web Client by using the following link on the browser:
http://localhost:8080/gui
You can also use http://server_ip:8080.gui in the same local server by other devices.
Enter the following when you are asked username and password:
username: admin
password: {leave empty}
You will get a window of Utorrent which will look similar to the below image:
Uninstalling Utorrent from Ubuntu 22.04
If you are not satisfied with the outcomes of Utorrent or do not require it to be installed on your system, you can easily remove it from your system.
Method 1: Uninstalling Utorrent (Wine)
Open your Terminal and use the following command to remove Utorrent from Wine.
wine uninstaller
Select Utorrent from options and click on remove. It will remove Utorrent from your system.
If you want to remove Wine also, you can use the following command:
sudo apt purge –auto-remove wine-stable
Method 2: Uninstalling Utorrent Server
If you went through the 2nd method which explained installation on Utorrent Server, you can remove it by the following command:
sudo rm -r /opt/utorrent-server-alpha-v3_3 /usr/bin/utserver
Frequently asked questions related to Utorrent
Is Torrenting safe on Linux?
As far as you are downloading files without malware, you are good to go on Utorrent. Some countries have banned using torrents so make sure you check about yours.
Does uTorrent work on Linux?
Yes, it surely does. You can use the official version released by Utorrent which still works like charm.
Related Posts:
- How to Uninstall Python in Ubuntu
- How to Uninstall TeamViewer on Ubuntu
- How to Uninstall NGINX Ubuntu
Final verdict
By using these two methods, you can easily install Utorrent on Ubuntu. Many users have faced problems using Utorrent from the 1st method but for your convenience, we have also mentioned the 2nd method which will work smoothly on any hardware.