more letters from the feds

[patgus at stonewwwall.org]

 Problem still exists though, that Tor needs more exit nodes. If nobody is
willing to run an exit server the performance of the network suffers
dramatically. I personally find the performance of the network to be
almost unusable, so I choose other pay-for anonymity services. This is
not a bash of Tor or its design, but as we all know there are simply not
enough servers running to handle the amount of clients.
 Perhaps someone could draft a generic response letter to be sent to law
enforcement if a server operator is contact and post it online or even
include it in the package.

> It might be easier for you to have the tor traffic routed through a
> gateway machine and have it limit bandwidth.
>
> On 1/11/07, gabrix <gabrix at gabrix.ath.cx> wrote:
>> xiando wrote:
>> >> I think this is a valid point. I ran an exit-node for a short while
>> at
>> home
>> >> without thinking too much about it. The huge amount of traffic I was
>> >> attracting (even within minutes of booting up) made me shut it off
>> for
>> the
>> >> sake of personal convenience, but I don't think I will ever go back -
>> >>
>> >
>> > Use bandwidth limiting?
>> >
>> > BandwidthRate 45 KB
>> > BandwidthBurst 95 KB
>> >
>> > This is low, but that's all I can spare on my home ADSL, and at least
>> it
>> > contributes something. Limit your home node and it don't attract more
>> than
>> > you can spare. Also, you can lower it temporarily (the minimum is 20
>> KB)
>> and
>> > just -HUP tor if you need to upload a big file somewhere or something
>> like
>> > that.
>> >
>> >
>> >> explaining to the authorities why child porn/terrorist manuals/online
>> fraud
>> >> appear to have originated from my home IP is not an edifying
>> prospect, to
>> >> say the least.
>> >>
>> >
>> > This is something you need to consider if you're going to run a exit
>> node,
>> you
>> > may have to face legal problems running a Tor exit server. If you are
>> not
>> > willing to do it then don't. My view is that if it ever comes to that
>> then
>> > I'll just face the legal problems, for in my view it won't be a matter
>> of
>> >
>> > me vs. the state
>> >
>> > it'll be a matter of
>> >
>> > freedom (of speech) vs the state
>> >
>> > and if freedom vs the state has to be tried with my being involved
>> then
>> I'll
>> > do it.
>> >
>> >
>> >> These days I generally run a middle-man node but even that has
>> started to
>> >> feel inappropriate for home use. I would be amazed if regular
>> appearances
>> >> on directory servers does not blink wildly on some form of
>> institutional
>> >> radar, low-hanging fruit and all that.
>> >>
>> >
>> > Middle-man don't exit any traffic. If someone puts you on a list
>> simply
>> for
>> > _relaying_ encrypted traffic from A to B then that's just insane, but
>> if
>> > someone wants to do it, then go ahead. I really don't see how running
>> a
>> > middle-man node could get you into any kind of trouble (but what do I
>> know).
>> >
>> > Has anyone ever got into trouble for running a middle-man node?
>> >
>> >
>> >> * From a common-sense, peace-of-mind point of view, is running an
>> exit-node
>> >> strictly for co-located servers? Does anyone here run one at home? If
>> so,
>> >> have you had second thoughts?
>> >>
>> >
>> > I run exit nodes co-located and also on my home ADSL. I don't have any
>> second
>> > thoughts, but as said, I am aware that I may get into legal trouble
>> and
>> I'm
>> > 100% willing to face that if it comes to it - because, as said, I view
>> that
>> > as something that would be Freedom vs Tyranny, allowing Tor-servers
>> vs.
>> > forbidding them, not something that really has anything to do with me
>> (apart
>> > from my name being on the legal action because I run a tor-server, but
>> the
>> > case itself won't be me vs. the state, it'll be Tor vs. the state).
>> >
>> >
>> >> * Are tor-at-home users who run middleman servers out of the goodness
>> of
>> >> their heart possibly exposing themselves to unwanted attention? Do we
>> have
>> >> any evidence of such attention, anecdotal or otherwise?
>> >>
>> >
>> > Very good question. You'll be on the list of tor-servers, but I see no
>> > other "attention" you could get.
>> >
>> >
>>
>> I had run an exit node as middle-man for about 5 mounthes and i never
>> got into any kind of legal troubble apart that normal operations like
>> browsing were impossible even bandwidth limiting
>> BandwidthRate 20KB and BandwidthBurst 20KBthe minimum possible.I hope
>> with new versions of tor , bandwidth limiting improved because when i
>> used it, it didn't seem much to work .My isp says i have a 2MB
>> connection in download but it never goes up 500KB-700KB most of the
>> time.I was really disappointed to stop my middle-man but i had to .Let
>> me know how you find bandwidth limiting  once you start because you
>> better start and try yourself , hasta siempre !!!
>>
>>
>>
>>
>