Transmission on IX4-300d

Transmission is a lightweight and efficient BitTorrent client known for its minimalistic interface and solid performance across multiple platforms. It offers a straightforward user experience while maintaining powerful features under the hood, making it a popular choice for users who want a no-fuss torrenting solution. With its clean WebGUI and support for remote access, Transmission is especially well-suited for NAS devices, allowing you to manage your downloads from any browser on your network.

In this guide, I’ll walk you through the process of installing the Transmission torrent client, complete with its WebGUI, on an IOmega/Lenovo IX4-300d NAS. This setup allows you to harness the power of your NAS for continuous, low-power torrent downloading while managing everything remotely via a simple web interface. Whether you’re looking to automate downloads or just want a convenient way to manage torrents without keeping a PC running, this guide will help you get everything up and running step by step.

Requirements

Before we begin, make sure the following requirements are met:

• SSH Access (Guide Here):
  You must be able to connect to your NAS using SSH. If you haven’t set this up yet, please follow [this SSH access guide].

• Optware Package Manager Installed (Guide Here):
  Transmission will be installed using the ipkg package manager provided by Optware. Make sure it’s installed and working. You can follow [this guide to install Optware].

• Modified Startup Script (Guide Here):
  To ensure Transmission starts automatically after rebooting your NAS, you’ll need a custom startup script located at /mnt/system/opt/init-opt.sh. Set this up by following [this startup script guide].

• A Public Share Called “Downloads”:
  This guide assumes you have a shared folder named Downloads. If you’re using a different share, replace all references to this path accordingly.

 

 

• SSH Access to your NAS. You’ll need to log in remotely to manage files and execute commands. See [this SSH guide] if you haven’t set this up yet.

• A Custom Startup Script located at /mnt/system/opt/init-opt.sh. This ensures that Minecraft starts automatically when the NAS reboots. Follow [this startup script guide] to set it up.

 

 

Installing Transmission

Connect via SSH
Start by logging into your NAS using SSH. On most systems, you can use:

Install Transmission
Once connected, run the following command to install the Transmission BitTorrent client:

This will download and install Transmission along with any required dependencies.

Stop the Default Transmission Service
By default, Transmission will start running immediately after installation. However, we need to update its configuration first:

Modify Configuration Settings
Open the settings file using nano (or your preferred text editor):

Use the down arrow key to scroll until you find the line:

Change the value from 18 to 0:

This will ensure proper file and folder permissions.
Save the file by pressing:

• CTRL + O (to write)

• ENTER (to confirm)

• CTRL + X (to exit)

Start Transmission with Proper Access
Depending on who you want to allow access to the Transmission web interface, use one of the following commands:

Allow all IP addresses (including over the internet):

Allow only local network (192.168.x.x):

Allow only a specific IP (your computer):

Replace 192.168.1.100 with your PC’s IP:

Access the Web Interface
In your browser, go to:

You should now see the Transmission WebGUI.

Set the Download Location
Click the wrench icon (⚙️) in the bottom left corner of the WebGUI.
Under the Directories or Download folder setting, change the download path to:

If you want to download into a subfolder or another share, just update the path accordingly.

 

Auto-Start Transmission on Boot

To make Transmission start automatically when your NAS restarts, you’ll need to add a startup command to your init-opt.sh script:

1. Open your startup script file:

   nano /mnt/system/opt/init-opt.sh


2. Add the following lines at the bottom:

   echo "Transmission Starting" >> /opt/init-opt.log
/opt/bin/transmission-daemon --config-dir /mnt/pools/A/A0/Downloads/config/transmission/ --allowed *.*.*.*


   Adjust the --allowed value if you want more restricted access.

3. Save and exit (CTRL+O, ENTER, CTRL+X).

4. Restart your NAS. Transmission should now launch automatically and be accessible via the WebGUI within a few minutes.

 

Errors & Fixes

Port Forwarding (Recommended for Speed)
Open Transmission’s settings via the wrench icon, then go to the Network section.
You’ll see an option to set the incoming port for torrenting.
To maximize download/upload speeds:

• Choose a port (e.g., 51413)

• Open your router’s configuration and forward this port to your NAS IP.

Can’t Delete Folders (“Unremovable folders”)
If Transmission creates folders you can’t remove via the UI:

• SSH into your NAS

• Navigate to the download location:

  cd /mnt/pools/A/A0/Downloads/


• Then remove the folder manually:

  rm -r "folder-name"