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How to Fix Connection Refused Error Between Prowlarr and qBittorrent in Docker

Read Time: 4 min Updated: 2026-07-27

Quick Diagnostics

The Connection Refused or Test failed: Connection refused error when trying to link Prowlarr to qBittorrent in Docker occurs because both services run in isolated containers that do not share the same virtual logical Docker network, or because qBittorrent rejects external requests due to incorrect WebUI API access settings.

Step-by-Step Solution

Step 1: Configure a shared network in your Docker Compose file

If your containers cannot resolve each other using their service names, define a dedicated bridge network in your docker-compose.yml file:

YAML 
# Define a common bridge network in your compose
networks:
  arr-network:
    driver: bridge

Ensure both the prowlarr and qbittorrent services are assigned to this network:

YAML 
services:
  prowlarr:
    ...
    networks:
      - arr-network
  qbittorrent:
    ...
    networks:
      - arr-network

Step 2: Disable CSRF protection and bypass local authentication in qBittorrent

qBittorrent's security engine will block API calls originating from other containers within the private network unless you configure WebUI access rules:

  1. 1

    Step 1

    Log in to the qBittorrent WebUI.
  2. 2

    Step 2

    Go to Options > WebUI.
    3. Google AdSense Ad (In-Article) In-Article Ad
  3. 3

    Step 3

    Uncheck the box Enable Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF) protection.
  4. 4

    Step 4

    In the field Bypass authentication for clients on local subnets, enter your Docker network subnets:
PLAINTEXT 
172.16.0.0/12, 192.168.0.0/16

Step 3: Use the container service name as the host address

When configuring the Torrent client inside the Prowlarr panel, never use localhost or 127.0.0.1. Instead, enter the exact Docker container service name:

PLAINTEXT 
Host: qbittorrent
Port: 8080

Prevention Advice

Recommended security practices:

  • Do not expose your qBittorrent WebUI or Prowlarr API ports directly to the public Internet without a strong, custom access password. If you want remote access to your services, deploy a secure VPN tunnel (such as WireGuard or Tailscale) instead of executing port forwarding rules on your home router, securing your downloads from unauthorized access.