I am running a tor relay - gracemissionstor - and have begun providing the relay name to friends who would like to use TBB.
What I have not been able to google yet properly, is what startup/connection procedure is "best" for those using TBB, _and_ are on the local network - many people come and go here and there, and connect to the Internet from the LAN/internal network.
Should those connecting in this way, simply select the default connection options, and add "gracemissionstor" into the final "I need to use a bridge relay" screen, or is there a preferred way to connect - I am running the TOR SOCKS proxy for example.
I would like to be able to explain to people how to use TBB and connect to the local TOR relay when they are connected to the LAN - either via SOCKS or otherwise - but of course, it does not make sense to have TBB connect through TOR relay SOCKS (on the local network TOR relay), just to thereafter be tunnelled through the TOR network, just to thereafter establish _another_ connection back to the "gracemissionstor" relay, thereby having all Internet access travelling multiple times through the TOR network unnecessarily.
Does this make sense?
There ideally ought be a TORButton config option, or similar, to "connect using local TOR relay SOCKS port" and an easy way to let the TBB know (perhaps on each startup default to safety option) that (eg on next boot) we are no longer on a trusted local network.
E.g. when TBB starts up (at least first time, and there SHOULD be option to have TBB ask _every_ time), and the user chooses "use SOCKS proxy to connect to Internet", then when TBB connects to the SOCKS proxy, the TOR relay which is that SOCKS proxy ought notify the TBB that it is in fact connected to the desired (if the TOR relay name matches of course) TOR relay. Of course, it would _also_ make sense for TBB to SSL encrypt its connection to the local tor relay SOCKS port.
This might all be wishful thinking and pie in the sky, but please forgive my enquiry if so - I don't yet have a full understanding of these things.
TIA Zenaan