Setting Up a Tor Node and Tor Bridge

This guide will help you set up a Tor node, including an exit node and a Tor bridge. Follow the steps carefully to ensure a successful setup.

Prerequisites

• A server or computer running a Linux distribution (e.g., Ubuntu, Debian).
• Basic command line knowledge.
• Root or sudo access to the server.

Step 1: Install Tor

First, we need to install Tor. Open a terminal and run the following commands:

sudo apt update
sudo apt install tor

Step 2: Configure the Tor Relay

Edit the Tor configuration file /etc/tor/torrc to set up your relay. You can use a text editor like nano:

sudo nano /etc/tor/torrc

Add the following configuration to the file:

# Tor Relay Configuration
SocksPort 0 # Disable the default SOCKS port
ORPort 9001 # Port for Tor traffic
Nickname MyRelay # Choose a nickname for your relay
ContactInfo [email protected] # Your contact information

# BandwidthRate and BandwidthBurst control the maximum bandwidth
# for your relay. Adjust these values as needed or comment out to disable limits.
BandwidthRate 100 KB
BandwidthBurst 200 KB

Step 3: Set Up an Exit Node (Optional)

If you want to set up an exit node, add or modify the following lines in your /etc/tor/torrc file:

# Tor Exit Node Configuration
ExitRelay 1
ExitPolicy accept *:80, accept *:443 # Allow HTTP and HTTPS traffic
ExitPolicy reject *:* # Reject all other traffic

Note: Running an exit node can have legal implications. Make sure you understand the responsibilities and risks involved.

Step 4: Set Up a Tor Bridge

To set up a Tor bridge, add or modify the following lines in your /etc/tor/torrc file:

# Tor Bridge Configuration
SocksPort 0
ORPort 9001
BridgeRelay 1
ServerTransportPlugin obfs4 exec /usr/bin/obfs4proxy
ExtORPort auto

Step 5: Restart Tor Service

After making the necessary changes, restart the Tor service to apply the new configuration:

sudo systemctl restart tor

You can check the status of the Tor service with:

sudo systemctl status tor

Step 6: Verify Your Relay/Bridge

To verify that your relay or bridge is running correctly, you can use the following commands:

sudo journalctl -u tor | grep "Self-testing indicates your ORPort is reachable"
sudo journalctl -u tor | grep "Self-testing indicates your DirPort is reachable"

Additional Configuration Options

Here are some additional configuration options you might find useful:

Option	Description
DirPort 9030	Port for directory information. Uncomment to enable.
RelayBandwidthRate 100 KB	Maximum bandwidth for relayed traffic.
RelayBandwidthBurst 200 KB	Maximum burst bandwidth for relayed traffic.
AccountingStart day 0:00	Start accounting period (e.g., daily at midnight).
AccountingMax 5 GB	Maximum bandwidth for accounting period.

Troubleshooting

If you encounter any issues, check the Tor logs for errors:

sudo journalctl -u tor

Common issues might include incorrect configuration or firewall settings blocking the necessary ports.

Conclusion

Congratulations! You have successfully set up a Tor node and a Tor bridge. Make sure to regularly monitor your node for performance and connectivity issues. For more detailed information, refer to the official Tor Project documentation.