[tor-relays] Noob query, wish to run a bridge relay for tor community.

[dmz21]

Hi,

I'm no authority on this, but I would like to try to answer your questions. My message might sound a bit unappreciative of your willingness to help, which was not my intention, but I want you to know the issues involved (as I see them) before running a relay.

On Saturday, January 23, 2021 9:55 AM, ramesh bhootra <ramesh.bh777 at gmail.com> wrote:

> Hi,
> 

> I have been using Tor since a decade, always had limited resources and couldn't give back anything to the community.
> Now I wish to run relays in an effort to give back something.
> 

> Right now I have a 100 mbps reliable internet connection on a gaming laptop with windows 10 "HP Envy K204tx", I disabled windows updates, and a good quality ethernet cable. Even though it's a laptop, I use it like a desktop, with hdmi out to a TV, ethernet cable, usb hubs and 24x7 electricity with lots of inverter (home ups) backup.
> 

> I keep this laptop always stationary since I have another sleek and lightweight one which I use for portable purposes.
> 

> Earlier my internet plan was limited to 500 gb per month but recently they upgraded it for free, now it's 3000 gb per month, which is too much for me and my family, we hardly use 300-400 gb per month.
> 

> I was thinking about running a relay for Tor, (maybe a bridge relay) at night since both my laptop and internet are unused at night.
> I have following queries:
> 

> 1. Can I run relay on my laptop simultaneously while using other internet services and browsers normally?

Yes, this is usually not a problem (on a modern system with more than 1 core). A small/slow bridge will not use many system resources.

> 2. Is it possible to schedule everything automatically, say to run a relay from 1 am to 7 am then shut it down automatically after that? I start using it at 9 am and 2 hours of rest will be enough for the laptop.

I assume that starting and stopping the service can be easily arranged by Windows Scheduled Tasks. (I don't use Windows.)

> 3. I have Kaspersky internet security, will it create problems for running tor relays? Currently when I use tor browser as a client, I don't have any issues, kaspersky doesn't provide a warning, doesn't block any connections.

A virus-scanner like that might complain about the network ports that you have to open to the world. This is indeed a security risk. Running an internet service for strangers always comes with a security risk. Please make sure you understand what a Tor relay or bridge does and how it allows others to use your system and internet connection.

> 4. Do I need to be punctual in running the relay every day at the scheduled time? Is it okay if I can't run the relay on a few occasional days, for reasons like power outage, feeling sick, too busy etc?

I have asked a similar question to this community and the response was always that it is not nice to bridge users. They receive your bridge connection information from the Tor network and expect that your bridge is running and won't disconnect them suddenly.
You can also limit the bandwidth that the bridge/relay uses (traffic will count in both directions against your data limit).
Technically punctuality or regularity is not in any way necessary, but it does impact the relay/bridge users' experience.

> 5. Can I use a Tor browser (client) while running the relay? If yes, will I get faster browsing speed with that?

Yes. You can also use your own relay/bridge to enter the Tor network. It will not make things faster or hide that you are using the Tor network from your internet provider. Running a bridge on a rented server somewhere else can increase your anonymity.
A bridge located nearby can make it faster for users, but as you stated before, they can only use it during the night.

Personally, I would not run any internet service to strangers on a Windows computer that my family uses. Please do not feel pressured into giving back to the community until you are sure you can spare it and do so safely.
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