this post was submitted on 13 Jan 2024
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So I use a VPN when torrenting as per usual but with Soulseek I wish to share my music with others and that requires me to open a port. I have no problem doing so I just do not pay for a VPN that can do this at the current price I am paying. Is it possible/what are the chances of me getting in trouble ISP wise from using soulseek with no VPN. With where I live I would get in trouble with no VPN and torrents for clarity.
I see posts from years ago saying no just wondering if things have changed.

Thanks

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[–] eya@lemmy.dbzer0.com 25 points 10 months ago (1 children)

As far as I know you don't need a VPN to use Soulseek, but it's obviously always recommended to use one over not using one.

[–] glibg10b@lemmy.ml 3 points 10 months ago (2 children)

but it’s obviously always recommended to use one over not using one

Why? Why does it matter whether your traffic is visible to your ISP or a VPN company?

[–] Banzai51@midwest.social 9 points 10 months ago

Because you are doing something illegal. Your ISP might not care, but if someone complains, they HAVE to start the process. You're not only protecting yourself, but your ISP from the music industry's wrath.

[–] Azzu@lemm.ee 2 points 10 months ago (1 children)

It's more about being visible to other users. If other users have your IP address, they can go to your ISP and complain about your IP address sharing copyrighted material. In certain jurisdictions they have to give out your info so that legal action can be taken against you.

If you use a VPN, they only know that somebody using this VPN is sharing copyrighted material. Since VPNs usually do not log who sends what, they can't be made to give out users data, so you're safe.

[–] sqgl@beehaw.org 1 points 10 months ago (2 children)

Other users do not have your IP address. It is not like torrenting.

[–] ArcaneSlime@lemmy.dbzer0.com 6 points 10 months ago (1 children)

Wait then why does nicotine+ have a button when I right click on a peer, "users>Show IP Address," which returns "IP address of user [REDACTED] is [REDACTED], port 40447 (CA/Canada)" (In case you're wondering, I'm the one that redacted it. I'm looking at my most recent peer's info).

[–] sqgl@beehaw.org 1 points 10 months ago (1 children)
[–] ArcaneSlime@lemmy.dbzer0.com 1 points 10 months ago

Oh yeah nic+ is way better. I didn't know the official didn't let you.

[–] Azzu@lemm.ee 2 points 9 months ago (1 children)

Yeah idk why you spread misinformation like that. File up/downloads are done via a p2p connection (see a reverse-engineered documentation of the p2p connection process) and thus the IP addresses are obviously known. Maybe not directly visible in the SoulseekQt client itself, but definitely through third party network connection monitors like Wireshark. It's pretty trivial for anyone using Soulseek to get IPs of the people they download from.

[–] sqgl@beehaw.org -1 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago)

Yeah idk why you spread

You do know why. I said.

[–] ArcaneSlime@lemmy.dbzer0.com 23 points 10 months ago

"Need" no, but I would. I don't like exposing my real IP to peers, idk them, and my ISP doesn't need to know a GODDAMN thing.

[–] zarkanian@sh.itjust.works 16 points 10 months ago (2 children)

Could somebody complain to your ISP? Yes.

Is this likely to happen? No.

I've been using slsk for about 20 years, and I've never gotten a warning about it. If I start torrenting, I'll get a warning from my ISP tomorrow. I think that it's considered too obscure to be worth monitoring.

[–] vasco@lemmy.dbzer0.com 2 points 9 months ago (1 children)

What is your secret to stand the literal neonazis there?

[–] zarkanian@sh.itjust.works 0 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago) (1 children)

I'm not aware of any neo-Nazis (literal or otherwise). I don't spend any time in the chat rooms, though.

[–] vasco@lemmy.dbzer0.com 2 points 9 months ago (1 children)

like half of the network is 4channers nazis. Sometimes you might stumble in neonazi material depending on the search terms.

[–] zarkanian@sh.itjust.works 0 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago)

Like I said, I've never ran into this, and I've been using it for about 20 years. Politics never comes up, because I'm almost never chatting with other users.

[–] BearOfaTime@lemm.ee 10 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago) (2 children)

Tailscale has the Funnel feature that doesn't require an open port (well, it's a UPnP port), and maintains an encrypted tunnel to your music server for anyone you decide to share it with.

Alternatively you could get as many of your friends to use Tailscale itself to minimize the need for the Funnel feature (so anyone you know get them using TS, for the general sharing let it happen via Funnel).

Tailscale is free, and easy to setup.

[–] Blxter@lemmy.zip 4 points 10 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago)

Definitely looking into tailscale thanks for this.

Edit: Did not solve original problem but was the solution to other things I have been doing. Unless I am mistaken I can not use the funnel feature to open ports the way that is needed.

[–] vasco@lemmy.dbzer0.com 1 points 9 months ago

This is awesome, do you happen to know a tutorial for this? I have tried google but only some youtube videos that are worst than nothing

[–] Tinfoiledhat@lemmy.world 9 points 10 months ago (2 children)

Haven't used soulseek in about a decade, so things might have changed, but back then my workaround was this: I search for what I want, find a person who's sharing it, and if their library was good I'd allow them to see my library before downloading from them.

So basically I'd share with folks I downloaded from, but not the general public. Not foolproof, but drastically reduced chance that somebody with a well-curated library was there just to prosecute.

[–] datavoid@lemmy.ml 10 points 10 months ago

Wouldn't a well curated library be the ultimate honeypot?

[–] IlIllIIIllIlIlIIlI@lemmy.world 9 points 10 months ago (1 children)

If all users do the same soulseek would be dead.

[–] Tinfoiledhat@lemmy.world 4 points 10 months ago

True. Now I pay for VPN with port forwarding, so if I were to use soulseek again I'd just share. Back then I was in the same boat as OP and couldn't afford a VPN.

[–] notthebees@reddthat.com 9 points 10 months ago

I would recommend using a VPN. Since it is p2p, theres a non zero chance that you might get in trouble. Some ISPs don't care and will only act if DMCAed.

[–] Aurix@lemmy.world 8 points 10 months ago

Soulseek is Peer To Peer like a torrent. You will likely run into legal trouble, if that program is monitored more heavily.

[–] Rotkehle@feddit.de 7 points 10 months ago

using it in Germany without VPN since ages and never got a letter from anyone :)

[–] stevedidWHAT@lemmy.world 7 points 10 months ago (1 children)

Anytime you switch from consumer to sharer, you run some heavier risks.

Plex should be a cautionary tale

[–] TimewornTraveler@lemm.ee 3 points 10 months ago (1 children)

jeez, soul seek? how about limewire or napster or telegram lol

[–] taanegl@beehaw.org 16 points 10 months ago (2 children)

Bro, don't crap on SoulSeek. Music collectors all over the world use it. You can find some rare gems on there you won't find in Spotify, Tidal, YouTube or any other music platform.

And comparing it to limewire is kind of unfair.

[–] Blxter@lemmy.zip 5 points 10 months ago

Honestly I was sleeping on soulseek for a while it is a great source of music.

[–] TimewornTraveler@lemm.ee 2 points 9 months ago

Who is crapping on anything? I just haven't heard of SoulSeek since the days of Limewire. longer even