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How to configure rTorrent

This guide shows you how to configure rTorrent as your download client in Cinephage.

Prerequisites​

  • rTorrent installed and running with XML-RPC enabled
  • ruTorrent or direct XML-RPC access configured
  • Cinephage installed and running
  • Network connectivity between Cinephage and rTorrent

Step 1: Enable rTorrent XML-RPC​

rTorrent uses XML-RPC for remote control. You must enable this for Cinephage to connect.

Edit .rtorrent.rc​

  1. Locate your rTorrent configuration file:

    • Linux: ~/.rtorrent.rc or ~/.config/rtorrent/rtorrent.rc

  2. Add or verify the following settings:

# Enable XML-RPC
scgi_port = localhost:5000

# Or use Unix socket (more secure)
# scgi_local = /tmp/rtorrent.sock

# Enable network access (if needed)
network.scgi.open_port = 0.0.0.0:5000
  1. Restart rTorrent:
# If running as systemd service
sudo systemctl restart rtorrent

# Or kill and restart manually
pkill rtorrent
rtorrent

Verify XML-RPC is Working​

Test the connection:

# Using xmlrpc tool (install with: pip install xmlrpc-client)
xmlrpc localhost:5000 system.listMethods

# Or using curl
curl -d "<?xml version='1.0'?><methodCall><methodName>system.listMethods</methodName></methodCall>" http://localhost:5000

Step 2: Add rTorrent to Cinephage​

  1. In Cinephage, go to Settings > Integrations > Download Clients
  2. Click Add Download Client
  3. Select rTorrent from the dropdown
  4. Configure the connection settings:

Connection Settings​

FieldDescriptionExample
NameDescriptive name for this clientrTorrent
HostrTorrent IP or hostnamelocalhost, 192.168.1.100, or rtorrent (Docker)
PortXML-RPC port5000
UsernameOptional authenticationadmin
PasswordOptional authenticationyour password
Use SSLEnable for HTTPSUnchecked (unless configured)
URL BaseFor reverse proxy setups/RPC2 (optional)

Host Configuration Guide:

  • Same machine: localhost or 127.0.0.1
  • Docker on same host: Use host IP (e.g., 192.168.1.100)
  • Separate machine: Use that machine's IP address
  • Docker container name: rtorrent (if on same network)

Advanced Settings​

SettingDescriptionDefault
CategoryrTorrent label/tagcinephage
PriorityDownload priorityNormal

Step 3: Test and Save​

  1. Click Test to verify Cinephage can connect
  2. If successful, click Save to add the download client

If the test fails:

  • Verify XML-RPC is enabled in rTorrent (Step 1)
  • Check that the host and port are correct
  • Confirm rTorrent is running
  • Check firewall rules allow connections on port 5000
  • If using Docker, verify containers can communicate
  • Test XML-RPC manually with curl (see Step 1)

Testing Your Configuration​

  1. Add a movie or series to your Cinephage library with monitoring enabled
  2. Go to the item and click Search
  3. Cinephage should find releases and send one to rTorrent
  4. Check Activity > Queue to see the download
  5. Verify the download appears in ruTorrent or rTorrent console

Common Issues​

XML-RPC Not Enabled​

Problem: Connection refused or RPC not accessible.

Solutions:

  • Ensure scgi_port or scgi_local is set in .rtorrent.rc
  • Restart rTorrent after editing configuration
  • Verify the port is not blocked by a firewall
  • Check that rTorrent has permission to bind to the port

Connection Timeout​

Problem: Connection test times out.

Solutions:

  • Verify rTorrent is running
  • Check network connectivity between Cinephage and rTorrent
  • Ensure the correct IP address or hostname is used
  • Check if a firewall is blocking the connection
  • If using Docker, verify the container is running and accessible

Downloads Not Importing​

Problem: Downloads complete in rTorrent but do not appear in Cinephage library.

Solutions:

  • Check path mappings if Cinephage and rTorrent use different paths
  • Verify Cinephage can access the download folder
  • Check Cinephage logs in Settings > Logs
  • Ensure the download directory has correct permissions

rTorrent Configuration Tips​

Download Directory​

Ensure your download directory is accessible to Cinephage:

# In .rtorrent.rc
directory = /downloads/complete

Label/Category Support​

Cinephage uses rTorrent labels (tags) to categorize downloads:

# Labels are applied automatically via XML-RPC
# No manual configuration needed

Ratios and Seeding​

Configure seeding behavior in rTorrent:

# Stop seeding at ratio 2.0
ratio.min.set = 200

# Or stop after 24 hours
schedule = ratio_stop, 60, 60, "if=(ratio,stop)"

See Also​