[tor-bugs] #13234 [Tor]: Consensus Algorithm Causes Flip-Flopping

Tor Bug Tracker & Wiki blackhole at torproject.org
Wed Sep 24 19:29:57 UTC 2014


#13234: Consensus Algorithm Causes Flip-Flopping
--------------------+----------------------------------
 Reporter:  pipeep  |          Owner:
     Type:  defect  |         Status:  new
 Priority:  normal  |      Milestone:
Component:  Tor     |        Version:  Tor: unspecified
 Keywords:          |  Actual Points:
Parent ID:          |         Points:
--------------------+----------------------------------
 I had a relay running on 94.23.214.156. It's an unmetered VPS that is
 NATed with other VPSes, so everyone ends up with the same IPv4 address,
 but on different ports with port forwarding. Everyone gets their own IPv6
 address, but AFAIK, you can't run a relay without IPv4.

 This was fine initially, as my relay just ran on a high-numbered port.
 [https://globe.torproject.org/#/search/query=94.23.214.156 Currently,
 there are two other relays using the same IP]. This apparently causes the
 consensus algorithm to flip-flop, keeping any of the relays from becoming
 stable.

 To mitigate this, I've disabled my relay, but this is a less than ideal
 situation, especially if someone else starts running a relay.

 Relevant IRC discussion:

 {{{
 <Sebastian> well, this situation totally sucks.
 <Sebastian> I think it is a Tor bug, too.
 <Sebastian> because the dirauths disagree on who they think should go in
 the consensus
 <Sebastian> so there's flopping
 <pipeep> Ouch.
 <Sebastian> so of the three relays doing potentially useful things, zero
 are useful atm
 <pipeep> Sebastian, well, I can shut down my relay for now, so at least
 there won't be any flip-flopping.
 <pipeep> And I can contact one of the two other relay operators, and we
 can decide based on who has the beefier box
 * galex-713 has quit (Ping timeout: 480 seconds)
 <pipeep> The other one didn't appear to put valid contact information
 <Sebastian> that would be nice. You can also file a Tor bug with the
 information so other people can see that this is an issue

 ...

 <pipeep> Sebastian, what's the issue exactly? That the consensus algorithm
 is unstable?
 <Sebastian> that's one of the issues, the other issue is imo the
 restriction to two relays/IP itself
 }}}

--
Ticket URL: <https://trac.torproject.org/projects/tor/ticket/13234>
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