yams.media/content/advanced/prowlarr-behind-vpn.md

title, date, draft, weight, summary

title	date	draft	weight	summary
Running Prowlarr Behind the VPN	2024-09-27T16:44:00-03:00	false	60	A complete guide to routing Prowlarr's traffic through your VPN for extra privacy

Extra Privacy for Prowlarr 🔒

While downloading .torrent files isn't usually illegal, some ISPs might try to block your access to indexers. Let's fix that by putting Prowlarr behind your VPN!

Why Put Prowlarr Behind the VPN? 🤔

1. Bypass ISP Blocks: Some ISPs block torrent indexer websites
2. Extra Privacy: Keep your searches private
3. Better Access: Reach indexers that might be geo-blocked in your country

Configuration Steps 🛠️

We'll need to modify two services in your docker-compose.yaml file: Prowlarr and Gluetun. Let's do this step by step!

Step 1: Modify Prowlarr's Config

First, let's update Prowlarr to use the VPN network. Open your docker-compose.yaml and find the Prowlarr service:

prowlarr:
    image: lscr.io/linuxserver/prowlarr
    container_name: prowlarr
    # Delete or comment out the 'ports' section
    # ports:
    #   - 9696:9696
    network_mode: "service:gluetun"  # Add this line
    environment:
      - PUID=${PUID}
      - PGID=${PGID}
      - WEBUI_PORT=9696  # Add this line
    volumes:
      - ${INSTALL_DIRECTORY}/config/prowlarr:/config
    restart: unless-stopped

Key changes:

1. Remove or comment out the ports section
2. Add network_mode: "service:gluetun"
3. Add WEBUI_PORT=9696 to the environment variables

Step 2: Update Gluetun's Config

Now we need to tell Gluetun to handle Prowlarr's traffic. Find the Gluetun service in your docker-compose.yaml:

gluetun:
    image: qmcgaw/gluetun:v3
    container_name: gluetun
    cap_add:
      - NET_ADMIN
    devices:
      - /dev/net/tun:/dev/net/tun
    ports:
      - 8888:8888/tcp   # HTTP proxy
      - 8388:8388/tcp   # Shadowsocks
      - 8388:8388/udp   # Shadowsocks
      - 8080:8080/tcp   # gluetun
      - 9696:9696/tcp   # Add this line for Prowlarr
    volumes:
      - ${INSTALL_DIRECTORY}/config/gluetun:/config
    environment:
      - FIREWALL_OUTBOUND_SUBNETS=192.168.1.0/24  # Add this line
    restart: unless-stopped

Key changes:

1. Add 9696:9696/tcp to the ports
2. Add FIREWALL_OUTBOUND_SUBNETS to the environment section

Step 3: Find Your Subnet 🔍

The FIREWALL_OUTBOUND_SUBNETS value needs to match your container subnet. Here's how to find it:

1. Open Portainer
2. Click on "Containers"
3. Look at the "IP Address" column

Most setups use one of these subnets:

• 172.18.0.0/24 - If your containers use IPs like 172.18.x.x
• 192.168.1.0/24 - If your containers use IPs like 192.168.1.x

Step 4: Apply the Changes 🔄

Save your changes and restart YAMS:

yams restart

Testing Your Setup 🎯

After YAMS restarts, check that:

1. You can still access Prowlarr at http://your-ip:9696
2. Your indexers still work
3. The search function works correctly

Troubleshooting 🔧

Can't Access Prowlarr?

1. Check Gluetun's logs:

docker logs gluetun

2. Verify your subnet setting is correct
3. Make sure the port mapping is right in both services

Indexers Not Working?

1. Check your VPN connection:

yams check-vpn

2. Try accessing an indexer manually through Prowlarr
3. Check Prowlarr's logs for any errors

Still Having Issues?

1. Compare your configuration with the examples above
2. Make sure your VPN provider allows port forwarding
3. Try a different VPN server

Pro Tips 💡

1. Speed Matters: Choose a VPN server close to you for better performance
2. Regular Checks: Use yams check-vpn to verify your VPN is working
3. Monitor Logs: Keep an eye on both Prowlarr and Gluetun logs for issues

Need Help? 🆘

If you're stuck:

1. Check the Common Issues page
2. Visit the YAMS Forum
3. Join our Discord or Matrix chat

Remember: Taking a few extra steps for privacy is always worth it! Stay safe out there! 🛡️