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How to Unblock Torrent Sites (The Pirate Bay, etc.): 5 Easy Ways
Torrent websites have a bad rap for distributing copyrighted materials, such as pirated movies, copyrighted games and cracked software. However, a blanket ban on popular torrent websites prevents you from accessing torrent sites even for perfectly legal content.
Below, we will explain how to unblock torrent sites in various ways, including changing DNS servers, using a VPN, implementing a seedbox and more. The security level of each method varies. For instance, proxy servers offer less security than VPNs or Tor. Read our guide to VPN vs Proxy vs Tor for more details.
1. Switch Networks to Access Blocked Torrent Sites
The simplest way ISPs keep torrent sites blocked is by configuring their network firewalls to prevent access to domains known to host torrent files. You can easily bypass this type of blocking by switching to another internet service provider before clicking any magnet links.
One easy way to switch your ISP for testing is to use your smartphone as a WiFi hotspot. You can also visit a café or a friend who uses a different ISP.
2. Adjust Your DNS Server Settings to Unblock Torrent Sites
When you type a torrent website address into your browser, the domain name server translates it into the website’s numerical IP address. Since ISPs usually direct traffic through their own DNS servers, they often block torrent websites at the DNS level. Switching to a public DNS server can be a quick way to unblock torrent websites.
You can change your DNS settings from your device’s network control panel. Below is a list of some popular public DNS servers you can choose from:
- Google DNS: 8.8.8.8 | 8.8.4.4
- Comodo DNS: 8.26.56.26 | 8.20.247.20
- Alternate DNS: 76.76.19.19 | 76.223.122.150
- CleanBrowsing DNS:185.228.168.168 | 185.228.169.168
- Cloudflare DNS: 1.1.1.1 | 1.0.0.1
On your network control panel, find the “IPv4 properties” option
to enter your preferred DNS server.
3. Use a Premium VPN to Download Torrent Files
A VPN is the most effective and secure way to circumvent a ban on torrent websites. It routes your web traffic through a server in another country to bypass geoblocking. Moreover, a VPN encrypts your web traffic, meaning your ISP cannot know which websites you visit. A good VPN will also come with its own private DNS to prevent DNS leaks.
However, you should avoid using free VPNs, as they often implement inadequate security measures, serve up intrusive ads and sell your data.
ExpressVPN — The Best VPN to Bypass Torrent Blocking
We recommend ExpressVPN for torrenting due to its independently verified zero-logs policy, fast speeds and reliable security record.
ExpressVPN has advanced protection, including the threat manager feature, which includes an ad blocker and parental controls.
Pros:
- Very fast download speeds with the Lightway protocol
- Threat Manager to block ads, trackers & malicious websites
- Audit-proven security & privacy
Cons:
- Expensive
- No multi-hop feature
ExpressVPN has many features that make it one of the best VPNs for torrenting. Its TrustedServer technology wipes data from the servers with each restart to enhance privacy, and its proprietary Lightway protocol offers a faster and more secure VPN service.
ExpressVPN has more than 3,000 servers in 105 countries, allowing you to pick the best server to meet your torrenting needs. It uses an encrypted private DNS on every server to offer a safer, more private connection.
Torrent websites can have adware, third-party trackers and malware, so torrenting without a VPN can be dangerous. In all our tests, ExpressVPN’s protection kept us safe from phishing, third-party trackers and malicious websites. Our full ExpressVPN review has more details.
ExpressVPN Plans
4. Consider Seedboxes to Unblock Torrent Websites
A seedbox is a dedicated, secure space for torrenting. It functions as a virtual computer that downloads files via peer-to-peer (P2P) file sharing. You can securely transfer downloaded files to your device using protocols like File Transfer Protocol Over TLS (FTPS), a secure FTP (SFTP) connection or HTTPS.
There are free and paid versions of seedboxes, and you can choose between local or cloud-based options. If you have the necessary hardware, a local seedbox can be more cost-effective and offer better privacy than a cloud seedbox, though it may provide subpar speeds if your internet connection is slow.
5. Use the Tor Browser to Access Blocked Websites
The Tor Browser routes your traffic through a network of virtual tunnels, making it difficult for anyone to trace your online activity. Thus, it’s a good tool for unblocking torrent sites. You can download it for free from the Tor Project website.
As the Tor Browser uses special domains known as onion domains, you’ll need to find the onion addresses of torrent websites you want to visit.The following are the onion addresses of two popular sites:
- The Pirate Bay — piratebayo3klnzokct3wt5yyxb2vpebbuyjl7m623iaxmqhsd52coid.onion
- 1337x — 1337xdarkkaqfwzntnfk5bmoaroivtl6xsbatabvlb52umg6v3ch44yd.onion
Though Tor and VPNs both hide your online activity and unblock torrent websites, Tor is slower and less secure than a VPN. Read our Tor review to learn more.
