uTorrent is one of the BitTorrent clients that quickly allows users to share large files over the internet. But there are several regulations when it comes to using BitTorrent clients these days. People often face certain issues while downloading files using uTorrent, and they are unaware of how one can correctly configure and optimize uTorrent’s downloading capabilities. They see their downloads getting stuck with a “Connecting to Peers” message on the screen.
Whenever you see connecting to peers show up on your uTorrent, you won’t be able to download the current queue file. There are several solutions that you can try to get rid of this issue, and here in this article, we will take a look at all of them. If you constantly see the “connecting to peers” message on your screen whenever you try to download a file on uTorrent, this article will help you out. So without any further ado, let’s get into the list.
How to fix uTorrent Not Downloading or Not Connecting to Peers?
Utorrent may be facing downloading issues due to internet connectivity issues, dead seeds, firewall or antivirus block, ISP blocking, or incompatible VPN service issues. Let’s take a look at the solutions for all of these causes.
Check network speed:
Before going ahead with all the solutions, perform a speed test on your network. There are various websites out there that can check the speed of your connection for you in real-time. If you have a slow internet connection, or an inconsistent one, then that is the cause behind your connecting to peers issue. Switch over to a different network or contact your Internet Service Provider(ISP) to improve your network speed.
If the connection speed is good, but you are still encountering the issue, try the next solution.
Allow uTorrent in Firewall:
Windows Firewall, by default, might block out some of the features in the uTorrent program. You need to enable uTorrent through the firewall protection for it to function normally.
- Click on the search bar and look for “firewall and network protection.”
- Open it up from the results section.
- Once Firewall and network protection window shows up, click on “Allow an app through firewall.”
- Click on the “Change settings” button.
- Find uTorrent in the list of applications that show up in a window and check the boxes under private and public next to the uTorrent application.
- Click on Ok.
Now check whether you encounter the same connecting to peers issue or not. If you do, then move on to the next potential solution.
Disable Antivirus program:
Several antivirus programs block out uTorrent and other similar BitTorrent client programs from functioning normally in a computer. If you have a third-party antivirus program installed on your system, then consider disabling that program in your system temporarily. Different antivirus programs have different interfaces. So depending on your antivirus program, look for the option of turning off real-time protection. Keep the real-time protection disabled and check whether the connecting to peers issue is resolved or not.
If you still encounter the same issue despite having the antivirus disabled, move on to the next solution mentioned below.
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Change uTorrent Connection Settings:
There are a few things you can try in the uTorrent settings menu.
- Open the uTorrent program and click on the “Options” button in the top left corner of your window.
- Then select “Preferences.”
- In the preferences window, click on the BitTorrent option on the left.
- Under the Protocol Encryption section, change the Outgoing option from Disabled to Forced.
- Click on Apply and then click on Ok.
Once you are done with this, try downloading files in uTorrent again. If you see connecting to peers showing up again, try the next solution mentioned below.
Allow Port Forwarding:
uTorrent requires access to network ports that allow incoming and outgoing traffic. So you should enable port forwarding for pushing traffic from the BitTorrent ports to your PC and vice versa. This will allow for a more steady connection while downloading the files and seeding them simultaneously.
- Open the uTorrent program and click on the “Options” button in the top left corner of your window.
- Then select “Preferences.”
- In the preferences window, click on the Connection option on the left.
- Check the boxes next to “Enable UPnP port mapping,” “Enable NAT-PMP port mapping,” and “Add Windows Firewall exception.” This will allow you to connect directly to the seeders.
- Click on Apply and then click on Ok.
Now try downloading files using uTorrent again. If you still see connecting to peers on it, then move on to the next solution.
Run Network Configuration Tests:
There could be something wrong with the network settings of the uTorrent program. To sort that out, you can run some tests that will automatically set every setting on uTorrent to the most optimal configuration.
- Open the uTorrent program and click on the “Options” button in the top left corner of your window.
- Then select “Setup guide.”
- Check the boxes next to “Bandwidth” and “Network.”
- Click on the “Run tests” button below it.
- Once the test is done, everything will be set to the best configuration as per your network. Click on the “Save & Close” button in the bottom right screen of the window after that.
Now check whether you still see connecting to peers in your uTorrent program while downloading files. If you do, then try the next solution.
Set a maximum download speed:
You can try setting the maximum download limit for your downloads as per your connection speed. For some people, changing the speed from unlimited to a specific number helped with their download issue.
- Open the uTorrent program and click on the “Options” button in the top left corner of your window.
- Then select “Preferences.”
- In the preferences window, click on the Bandwidth option on the left.
- You will see that the “Maximum download rate-limiting” is set to 0, which means it is unlimited. Change it to a value like 10000 kb/s.
If you are still facing the connecting to peers issue while downloading files in uTorrent, then try the next solution.
Use a VPN:
If your ISP blocks torrent traffic, then you will have to opt for a premium VPN service. Many VPN services claim to provide the best network speed while providing security, but some of these services also do not allow torrent traffic. So perform proper research and invest in a VPN service that works with uTorrent.
Find a better Torrent file:
If none of the solutions mentioned above solved your uTorrent file download issue, then you are probably dealing with a file with no seeders. In that case, you should download some other file via uTorrent. Games, movies, or anything that you are looking to download, you will find torrent files for all of them in various sites like pirate bay, 1337x, YTS, etc. So look for another torrent file that has active seeders. You will definitely find duplicate files for any file that you were having trouble downloading in the first place.
So that is how you can fix the uTorrent Not Downloading or Not Connecting to Peers issue. If you have any questions or queries about this article, then comment down below, and we will get back to you. Also, be sure to check out our other articles on iPhone tips and tricks, Android tips and tricks, PC tips and tricks, and much more for more useful information.