I have a lot of questions here so please be patient with me. I have been using and promoting tor for a long time and I'm working on a new project to create a ready-to-go LAN package of tor (for running tor on a LAN). Here are my questions.
Example one: I am distributing tor to all the users on a LAN that has a restrictive firewall blocking access to some internet sites. SOME tor servers are blocked, others not. 1. If I make an authoritative directory server on the LAN that excludes non-local IPs from connecting and doesn't advertise to other directory servers, would it mess with tor connections? The reason I ask is I think if I have a local directory server it could do all the work of finding out that certain tor servers are blocked so that the user doesn't have to go through all the trouble. I'm aware this would lessen people's anonymity. Is there a way to improve that? Example two: I am distributing tor to users on a wireless managed or ad-hoc network. Inside the cache file is a list of lots of IPs where servers on the network *might* (since IPs are semi-dynamic) be located. All tor installs by default run servers (middleman, exit, rond. etc.) as well as an authoritative directory server. Nothing ever exits the wireless network as it would only serve to help people use hidden-services. 1. Once connected, how fast will tor transfer data from a hidden service with unlimited CPU/bandwidth/etc. (assuming normal end-user machines are all clients and servers and wireless network speed is around 56 mbps) 2. If the default servers list in the torrc contains the entire IP subnet (let's say for example's sake, this means 1000 IPs), how many times will tor try each IP in the list before it is deleted, and will it be put there again if a local authoiritative directory server suggests it. 3. How long will an authoritative directory server consider a node "down" before it is removed from the list? 4. What would be the best way to make this network work on the managed wireless network in example one but have a local-only tor network as in example two in case the filter starts blocking ALL the tor servers on the external internet. 5. Since we are working on an extremely high-speed link, would it hurt to run a tor client inside of a tor client to stop adversaries from finding user identitied (since on a wireless network all data can be seen by anybody) I will probably have some more questions once some of these get clarified. Any other related suggestions are helpful. Any help you can offer on any of these questions is appreciated. Thank you, A true tor fan
