How to Enable aria2 RPC Interface on Ubuntu

This guide explains how to configure the aria2 download utility on Ubuntu to accept remote commands via its RPC interface. You will learn how to edit the configuration file, set up authentication tokens for security, and start the daemon so you can manage downloads from web interfaces or mobile apps.

Install aria2

Open your terminal and ensure aria2 is installed on your system. Run the following command to install it via the package manager:

sudo apt update
sudo apt install aria2

Create the Configuration File

aria2 reads settings from a configuration file. Create the directory and the file using the following commands:

mkdir -p ~/.aria2
touch ~/.aria2/aria2.conf

Open the file in a text editor like nano:

nano ~/.aria2/aria2.conf

Configure RPC Settings

Add the following lines to the configuration file to enable the RPC interface. Replace YOUR_SECRET_TOKEN with a strong password or random string.

enable-rpc=true
rpc-listen-all=true
rpc-listen-port=6800
rpc-secret=YOUR_SECRET_TOKEN

enable-rpc=true: Activates the RPC interface.
rpc-listen-all=true: Allows connections from external IP addresses.
rpc-listen-port=6800: Sets the default port for RPC communication.
rpc-secret: Sets the authentication token required for remote control.

Save the file and exit the editor.

Start aria2 as a Daemon

To keep aria2 running in the background and listening for RPC commands, start it with the conf file specified. Run the following command:

aria2c --conf-path=~/.aria2/aria2.conf -D

The -D flag runs aria2 as a daemon. If you want this to start automatically on boot, consider creating a systemd service file.

Verify the Connection

You can test the RPC interface using a web-based frontend like AriaNg or a command-line tool like curl. Ensure your firewall allows traffic on port 6800 if you are connecting from a different machine.

sudo ufw allow 6800/tcp

Once configured, connect your preferred client using the server IP, port 6800, and the secret token you defined.