[tor-relays] Node specialization

[Sebastian G. <bastik.tor>]

31.08.2013 18:32, Pascal:
> http://torstatus.blutmagie.de indicates that only 21.4% of Tor nodes are
> exit nodes.  Are we wasting this precious resource by running non-exit
> traffic through these nodes?
> 

Hi,

whenever or not these numbers are accurate or not, yes exit nodes
transport all Tor related traffic.

They transport client traffic into the network (if they are guards) and
back to the client, relay it to exits (where traffic exits) and
exit-traffic to and from the destination.

The question is whenever or not it beneficial to change the role of
nodes to achieve better ... what... performance... anonymity.

For example I thought myself if exits should be guards, because if I ran
two exits which both got the guard flag and I don't set family on them
there is some probability that traffic enters at one point (my exit
no.1) and exits to my other exit.

Well Tor people are well educated and have more experience in that field.

Exits only transporting exit-traffic seems to be beneficial for
performance, but to what expense on the anonymity side of things?

Best,
Sebastian G.