I just got Azureus, (and I have heard of Deluge... ^_~)
Really, it doesn't matter what bittorrent I use if none of them can connect to anything.

I'm using Slackware 12 and I am behind a firewall (Gaurddog). According to shieldsup! https://www.grc.com/x/ne.dll?bh0bkyd2all ports they check are in stealth mode. "There is NO EVIDENCE WHATSOEVER that a port (or even any computer) exists at this IP address!"

I'm not quite sure what to do with the Azureus wizard as all the ports I test aren't acceptable. Is there a (safe) way to make it so that I can use Bittorrent without getting my computer eaten alive? Perhaps I'm just missing something here...

Well, for once you could use a custom port range. That way you are less likely to get attacks. I don't use Azureus, but you should be able to set the portrange up in the preferences. I guess Slackware has Iptables installed. I use Firestarter to foreward ports through Iptables. You can do it with the command line... I never remember the commands. You will find detailed tutorials on the net though.
If your computer is behind a router, you will have to configure that too.

Hmmm. I think I'll hold off on Azureus for a while. Configuring the router is definitely way over my head.

No it's not

If you can handle a microwave, you can configure a router.
Most routers are accessible over http. Enter 192.168.1.1 in a browser of your choice. After you entered the password, you navigate to sua/nat and forward the ports you need opened to the local ip of your computer. (type ifconfig in a terminal to get your ip).
You might want to get a static address, too, otherwise the port will be opened into the void once dhcp gives you another ip.

http://portforward.com/
This site provides creationist-proof walkthroughs.

Nah, you can do it

You've basically got two barriers between you and the open net - the firewall on your Linux machine and the firewall on your router. First, all your BT client needs is one port open - I personally use 35000 - and make sure you have these ports open on your Linux box firewall and router firewall. I've only done this on GNOME and I'm sure it can also be achieved under KDE and also the commandline. But basically, you need to first open this port on your Linux firewall and somewhere in your config screen for your router will be an option to add custom ports that are either open or closed on your router. It'll probably want to know if this is a TCP or UDP port, its a TCP one. Then you just need to set your BT client to use this particlar port and you're away.

Hope this helps. If you're using GNOME, I can walk you through at least opening a port on your Linux box, but since I doubt you have my model of router, you're probably on your own there. No doubt even the GNOME applet for this does something via the commandline, iptables or something equally scary for me right now - but its basically the same premise as doing it under Windows XP SP2, opening ports.

On a completely different note, have you tried qbittorrent? I ask because azureus seems to becoming a bloat monster. The latest version has a built in media player, which isn't needed and probably wouldn't work unless you were downloading sequentially. Anyway I would recommend trying qbittorrent. You will need qt 4.x.x to run it which you will need to compile yourself since there doesn't seem to be any slack packages for it.

Thanks for all the help!

oskar, that portforwarding site is really helpful. Though My IP definitely switches around a bit. Do you suppose there are any guides for making the IP static?

arashi, I use KDE. I should've mentioned that earlier ^_^; We use a Linksys DSL Router that looks a lot like this: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...efsr41_dsl.jpg

dive... Oh god not source compiles. I really don't get how to perform them at all... but that's for another topic. I'm about to kick Gslapt to the curb.. D:<