[tor-dev] Want to build circuit via unpublished relay, can't add microdesc using control port

[Roger Dingledine]

On Mon, Jul 11, 2022 at 01:05:55AM +0300, ValdikSS via tor-dev wrote:
> I'm experimenting with Tor network and wanted to build a circuit via
> unpublished relay (PublishServerDescriptor 0). To do so, I set up a relay,
> got its authority descriptor, imported it with +POSTDESCRIPTOR in the client
> using control port and tried to build a circuit using its fingerprint with
> EXTENDCIRCUIT.
> 
> Everything works fine with UseMicrodescriptors 0

Great! That is how you're supposed to do it.

>, however with
> MicroDescriptors activated, the client does not detect imported (full)
> descriptor, returning:
>     552 No descriptor for "fingerprint here"
> 
> I found no way to import microdescriptor using control port and no other
> means to use unpublished nodes. How can I add microdesc which is not in
> consensus into router? Or how can I build circuit with a relay not in
> consensus otherwise?

You're supposed to do it the way you described in the first part of this
post.

There is no way to add a microdesc via the control port, and part of
the reason is that the microdescs aren't self-signed. They only
get authenticated by having their hash match the hash listed in the
consensus.

So if you want to use your own relay, you need to use the vanilla
(non-micro) desc.

--Roger