HomeLabDocs/qbittorrent_complete.md

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🧲 qBittorrent - Container 108

Overview

qBittorrent is a lightweight and powerful BitTorrent client with a modern Web UI. It is used in this homelab setup as the primary download client for Sonarr and Radarr.

Service Details

  • Container ID: 108
  • Hostname: qbittorrent
  • IP Address: 192.168.1.47
  • Port: 8080 (Web UI)
  • Access: LAN-only or via Tailscale
  • Authentication: Web UI login enabled
  • Username / Password: admin / pcideas (stored in Bitwarden under homelab > qBittorrent)

Hosting & Platform

  • Platform: Native install in unprivileged Debian-based LXC container
  • Install Method: Community script or manual binary install
  • Privileged: No
  • Features Enabled: keyctl=1, nesting=1
  • Service Management: Runs as systemd service or default user session
  • Runs As: root

Storage & Mounts

Host Path Container Path Purpose
/mnt/ssd_downloads /downloads Download storage volume

Configuration

  • Web UI URL: http://192.168.1.47:8080/
  • Username / Password: admin / pcideas
  • Download Categories: Optional (tv, movies)
  • Save Path: /downloads/completed
  • Temp Path: /downloads/incomplete
  • ShareLimitAction: Pause (allows Radarr/Sonarr import + cleanup)
  • Remote Path Mapping:
    • Host: /mnt/ssd_downloads
    • Sonarr/Radarr Container: /downloads

Backup & Recovery

  • Config File: ~/.config/qBittorrent/qBittorrent.conf
  • Log Directory: ~/.config/qBittorrent/logs/
  • Backup Strategy: LXC snapshot or tar archive of config directory
  • Manual Backup:
    tar -czvf /root/qbittorrent-config-$(date +%F).tar.gz ~/.config/qBittorrent
    
  • Restore: Drop files back in place and restart the service

Logs & Monitoring

  • Log Path: ~/.config/qBittorrent/logs/qbittorrent.log
  • Monitoring: Not configured (can be added via custom agent or journalctl)
  • Health Check: Optional; port check on 8080 via Prometheus or watchdog

Updates

To update manually:

  1. Stop qBittorrent
  2. Download latest binary or package
  3. Replace executable (if not using apt-managed version)
  4. Restart service or container

System Behavior

  • ShareLimitAction = Pause ensures completed torrents can be removed or cleaned up by Radarr/Sonarr without conflict.
  • No Hardlinking used (due to SMB-backed storage).
  • Resource Footprint: Very lightweight — runs well with 2 vCPU / 2 GB RAM.
  • Firewall: LAN/Tailscale access only; not exposed externally.

Notes

  • Acts as the central downloader for all automated media.
  • Runs as root (inside LXC), allowing clean access to mount paths.
  • Categories can help organize media intake (tv, movies, etc.)
  • Paused torrents enable smooth post-processing.
  • Web UI can be accessed only internally, secured via basic auth.