SoulseekQT on M1 workaround – TLDR: Use UTM and the Windows client

[bluebird]

Until Nir finds a way to make the native macOS Soulseek client nice and stable on the M1 chip (and hopefully, in doing so, the full Apple Silicon range), I recommend this:

1. Install UTM.app on your M1 Mac. It’s free or optionally donation-ware through the App Store.
2. Get a Microsoft account and join the Windows Insider Program.
3. Download the beta of Windows 11 ARM.
4. Load that into UTM. It’s the VHDX file you downloaded that you’re looking to import, here.
5. After installing Windows, shut down the VM.
6. Open its settings and change the Network mode to Bridged.
7. Relaunch the VM.
8. In Windows, install the Windows SoulseekQT client. Open it, set it up (though skip the folder sharing for now). Take note of the ports it uses in Options.
9. In Windows, open Settings, go to Network, Ethernet and note the IPv4 address of the VM.
10. In macOS, open System Preferences, Security, Firewall and turn it on if you must. Open the Firewall Options and add UTM to the list of apps there, allowing incoming connections.
11. In your router now – and I don’t know what router you use to you’ll have to work out the method of doing this yourself – forward the ports you noted from Soulseek to the IP address you took from Windows Network settings. For example: 54400 to 192.1.1.123:54400. Don’t forget the obfuscated port of course – you’ll need to do two forwards in total.

You’ll be set up with Windows 11 running on your Mac without dual booting, so you can run them at the same time; with Soulseek running smoothly and accessing incoming connections thanks to the Bridged network in UTM and the correctly forwarded ports on your router.

If you want to store and share to and from your Mac’s storage, rather than use the VM’s storage for your files, you must do this:

1. In macOS, open System Preferences, Security, Privacy. Scroll to the File and Folders section (or the Full Disk Access section if you’re feeling wild) and allow UTM.app permission to your Mac’s storage, wherever you want to store your stuff. Personally, I allow Full Disk Access but you could indeed allow your Downloads folder if you want.
2. Share the folder you’ve got set to store your Soulseek files with the VM, using the Share button at the top right of the VM’s window.
3. Select the folder, which will be in the Z: drive, in Soulseek like you would normally.

Phew! A lot of work. It’s gonna take you a while and some heavy thinking if you’re not confident but it’s worth it. I’ve been using this setup for the last couple of hours and it runs smooth as… well, not silk, but maybe nylon – UTM has only basic graphics support, not any GPU acceleration – and as stable as a Weeble (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dFzhjnjXc2o).

[bluebird]

One thing that I left out of these instructions: UTM needs something called SPICE Guest Tools installed. You have to install it on the Windows 11 installation directly after you've finished installing Windows, so install it at the point between points 4 and 5. The UTM web site has a link to the SPICE tools in its Gallery section, under the Windows 11 entry.

I recommend reading up on anything in these instructions that you don't understand, before you implement the points. It'll make getting this setup working much more enjoyable.

I'm also around to answer any questions you have, if I can.