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If it’s that expensive to run Tor nodes, who is actually paying for them? I’ve heard individuals getting doors kicked in for participating in the network, so it

If it’s that expensive to run Tor nodes, who is actually paying for them? I’ve heard individuals getting doors kicked in for participating in the network, so it’s not individuals. Corporates too wouldn’t want this type of burden… so is it really just spy-vs-spy

0points 2y ago
> I’ve heard individuals getting doors kicked in for participating in the network, so it’s not individuals. It's individuals
- autoexec 2y ago
  Unless something has changed, one of the issues with Tor is that it tries to send traffic through servers that have the most bandwidth which are pretty much certain to be servers owned by the state a lot of the time because a random person's residential cable modem is going to be a lot less capable.
  - input_sh 2y ago
    Run by individuals doesn't necessarily mean run on potato hardware. I ran a highly reputable (non-exit) node on a beefy but underutilised dedicated server for at least half a decade.
p4bl0 2y ago
Many individuals contribute to running relays. And there are non-profit organizations collecting donations to operates Tor exit nodes: - https://www.torservers.net/ https://www.torservers.net/ - https://nos-oignons.net/ https://nos-oignons.net/
- idiotsecant 2y ago
  This is probably strictly true but it smacks to me of 'many people say'. I wonder what % of TOR nodes are run by people with an ideological allegiance for the network vs how many are run by nation-state actors.
akimbostrawman 2y ago
only exit nodes get there door kicked in and they are the minority and not needed for the tor network to function
- zerd 2y ago
  They are pretty essential, without them you can only access onion services.
  - akimbostrawman 2y ago
    exit nodes aren't used for the onion services. only when interacting with the clearnet.
    - tylervigen 2y ago
      You are both saying the same thing, you just differ on the degree to which you see that as a problem.
immibis 2y ago
I run a non-exit node any time I have the spare resources. I2P too. This means they're on the same popular providers that have too many other nodes, though. Sometimes I set it up as a bridge (hidden entry node) instead.

0points 2y ago

> I’ve heard individuals getting doors kicked in for participating in the network, so it’s not individuals. It's individuals

autoexec 2y ago
Unless something has changed, one of the issues with Tor is that it tries to send traffic through servers that have the most bandwidth which are pretty much certain to be servers owned by the state a lot of the time because a random person's residential cable modem is going to be a lot less capable.
- input_sh 2y ago
  Run by individuals doesn't necessarily mean run on potato hardware. I ran a highly reputable (non-exit) node on a beefy but underutilised dedicated server for at least half a decade.

p4bl0 2y ago

Many individuals contribute to running relays. And there are non-profit organizations collecting donations to operates Tor exit nodes: - https://www.torservers.net/ https://www.torservers.net/ - https://nos-oignons.net/ https://nos-oignons.net/

idiotsecant 2y ago
This is probably strictly true but it smacks to me of 'many people say'. I wonder what % of TOR nodes are run by people with an ideological allegiance for the network vs how many are run by nation-state actors.

akimbostrawman 2y ago

only exit nodes get there door kicked in and they are the minority and not needed for the tor network to function

zerd 2y ago
They are pretty essential, without them you can only access onion services.
- akimbostrawman 2y ago
  exit nodes aren't used for the onion services. only when interacting with the clearnet.
  - tylervigen 2y ago
    You are both saying the same thing, you just differ on the degree to which you see that as a problem.

immibis 2y ago

I run a non-exit node any time I have the spare resources. I2P too. This means they're on the same popular providers that have too many other nodes, though. Sometimes I set it up as a bridge (hidden entry node) instead.