Re: Tor VoIP, etc...

2005-09-07 Thread Damian Gerow
Thus spake Shawn K. Quinn ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) [06/09/05 09:22]:
:  TOR can only contact other entry/mid/exit nodes on the ports they're
:  listening on.  The documentation actually requests that people set up nodes
:  on TCP ports 80 and 443, for the exact case that this Houston, TX library
:  seems to be in.
: 
: The bigger problem is convincing the library's computer to run your
: software without getting caught. Even then, there's no guarantee that
: the computers have direct Internet access; it's likely everything is
: funneled through proxies.

Generally speaking, it's not terribly difficult to convince a library
computer to run your software.  Especially if there's anything from MS
Office installed.  And whether or not it's funneled through proxies doesn't
matter one bit: you're submitted a valid HTTP request to a valid HTTP port.
There's no reason the proxy would reject your request.

At this point, I think I'll put my money where my mouth is, and try running
a TOR node (client only) at my local library.  See what happens.



Re: Tor VoIP, etc...

2005-09-06 Thread Damian Gerow
Thus spake Tyler Durden ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) [03/09/05 14:03]:
: Well, here I meant after registration, etc...in a regular IP network it 
: can take seconds to minutes in order for routing tables (at layer 3) or the 
: local MAC Address tables (at layer 2) to recognize that you're back on 
: line. With a Tor node I'm wondering how long it takes for the greater Tor 
: network to both notice your existence and then trust that you're here to 
: stay...for a while.
: 
: In other words, am I contributing to the greater Tor network if I allow my 
: USB Tor node to function while I'm sucking down a cappucino or two?

As others have stated, no, likely not: bouncing your connection up and down
like that will likely cause great untrust within the TOR routing.  Whether
you will be /harming/ the TOR network or not is a more interesting
question...  I'd suspect not, but it's probably worth looking into.

: In other words, just for me. That, of course, is great.

Good.

: As for simplicity, I need that: I know my way around the BLSR protection 
: switching bytes in an OC-48 4 fiber ring, but I'm a veritable IP dummy (oh, 
: well I DID design parts of a layer 2 GbE switch, but I'm no routing jock). 
: I just don't have time to have to fiddle with the OS myself, so this will 
: be interesting. Think I might get me one of those gizmos and then stick it 
: on my PDA.

It is, quite literally, a matter of installing the binary (whichever OS you
are using will determine the method of installation), setting two, maybe
three configuration parameters -- things like logging levels, interfaces to
use, and other very basic parameters -- starting it up and using it.

So I imagine you can handle it quite easily.

: So: Can Tor support VoIP Yet? I could call up bin Laden from a Starbucks!

In theory, TOR can support anything that can handle a SOCKS connection.  So
if your VoIP program can do SOCKS, then yes, it can.  If your VoIP program
can't, wrappers are readily available.

The question to ask here is: can TOR support VoIP /well/?  I wouldn't put
much faith in maintaining a solid VoIP connection: due to the very nature of
what TOR does, you're introducing a substantial amount of latency to your
connection, and it might be enough to throw off any VoIP connections you try
to make.

But it's worth trying...

  - Damian



Re: Tor VoIP, etc...

2005-09-06 Thread Shawn K. Quinn
On Sun, 2005-09-04 at 11:49 -0400, Tyler Durden wrote:
 Shawn Quinn wrote...
 For the people that only route stuff like HTTP traffic through your Tor
 node, it will be a benefit. If I'm IRCing and get routed through your
 node, that's a different story (but it's no different than the bad old
 days of IIP where people dropped off by the dozens when someone shut
 down their computer). A Mixmaster remailer where the mail was transacted
 at public Internet access points would be much more useful. It would
 actually be funny if someone did this and named the node starbuck.
 
 So: How hard would it be to surreptitiously install a Tor node into a 
 computer at a public library?

A Houston (TX, USA) public library? Could be next to impossible, as well
as excellent cause for revocation of your library card and possible
criminal prosecution if caught. Needless to say, I haven't tried. The
best you could do from Houston libraries would be a proxy accessed via
HTTPS. At one time you could telnet, but that has long since passed.

Other public libraries? Who knows.

-- 
Shawn K. Quinn [EMAIL PROTECTED]



Re: Tor VoIP, etc...

2005-09-06 Thread Damian Gerow
Thus spake Tyler Durden ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) [04/09/05 21:14]:
: I assume Tor is smart enough to try various open ports

TOR can only contact other entry/mid/exit nodes on the ports they're
listening on.  The documentation actually requests that people set up nodes
on TCP ports 80 and 443, for the exact case that this Houston, TX library
seems to be in.

So yes, TOR *is* smart enough to try various open ports, but it will only
work if something is listening on said ports.



Re: Tor VoIP, etc...

2005-09-06 Thread Tyler Durden


SQ wrote...


A Houston (TX, USA) public library? Could be next to impossible, as well
as excellent cause for revocation of your library card


Oh no! Loss of the Houston library card! My passport to knowledge!!!


criminal prosecution if caught.


Well, the idea would be not to get caught. I'm thinking basically of just 
adding one of those $40 Tor nubbins at the end of a USB cable and then 
tucking the nubbin under the carpet with a sign saying, DO NOT TOUCH. If 
it lasts a month then it might be money well spent, particularly if Al Qaeda 
successfully nukes DC.



Needless to say, I haven't tried. The
best you could do from Houston libraries would be a proxy accessed via
HTTPS. At one time you could telnet, but that has long since passed.


Damn. They blocked Telnet? They might as well just block TCP/IP. Do they do 
this by blocking the likely ports or by merely de-balling the protocol stack 
somehow? I assume Tor is smart enough to try various open ports


-TD




Re: Tor VoIP, etc...

2005-09-06 Thread Shawn K. Quinn
On Sat, 2005-09-03 at 13:56 -0400, Tyler Durden wrote:
 In other words, am I contributing to the greater Tor network if I
 allow my USB Tor node to function while I'm sucking down a cappucino
 or two?

For the people that only route stuff like HTTP traffic through your Tor
node, it will be a benefit. If I'm IRCing and get routed through your
node, that's a different story (but it's no different than the bad old
days of IIP where people dropped off by the dozens when someone shut
down their computer). A Mixmaster remailer where the mail was transacted
at public Internet access points would be much more useful. It would
actually be funny if someone did this and named the node starbuck.

Anyway, as others have said, your node will only be able to function as
middleman in such a setup, because by the time you register your IP will
change unless you camp out in the Starbucks parking lot. Not that
middleman is not useful, mind you (this applies to both Tor and
Mixmaster).

-- 
Shawn K. Quinn [EMAIL PROTECTED]



Re: Tor VoIP, etc...

2005-09-06 Thread Tyler Durden

Shawn Quinn wrote...


For the people that only route stuff like HTTP traffic through your Tor
node, it will be a benefit. If I'm IRCing and get routed through your
node, that's a different story (but it's no different than the bad old
days of IIP where people dropped off by the dozens when someone shut
down their computer). A Mixmaster remailer where the mail was transacted
at public Internet access points would be much more useful. It would
actually be funny if someone did this and named the node starbuck.


So: How hard would it be to surreptitiously install a Tor node into a 
computer at a public library?


-TD




Re: Tor VoIP, etc...

2005-09-06 Thread Shawn K. Quinn
On Sun, 2005-09-04 at 21:03 -0400, Tyler Durden wrote:
 SQ wrote...
 
  A Houston (TX, USA) public library? Could be next to impossible, as
  well as excellent cause for revocation of your library card and
  criminal prosecution if caught.
 
 Well, the idea would be not to get caught. I'm thinking basically of just 
 adding one of those $40 Tor nubbins at the end of a USB cable and then 
 tucking the nubbin under the carpet with a sign saying, DO NOT TOUCH. If 
 it lasts a month then it might be money well spent, particularly if Al Qaeda 
 successfully nukes DC.

 Damn. They blocked Telnet? They might as well just block TCP/IP. Do
 they do this by blocking the likely ports or by merely de-balling the
 protocol stack somehow? I assume Tor is smart enough to try various
 open ports

All you get access to as a library card holder is a Web browser (or
pathetic excuse for same, as I think it's a hacked-up IE).

The computers at the Houston libraries don't allow access to the USB
ports from what I have seen, and in order to get access to anything
besides a Web browser you would probably need to reboot the machine and
you then have maybe 15-20 minutes before a librarian notices you. Now,
the Harris County libraries might be different; I have not gone to one.

-- 
Shawn K. Quinn [EMAIL PROTECTED]