How to Run a Tor Relay
The Tor network depends on volunteers running relays. By running a relay, you donate bandwidth to help millions of people browse anonymously. This guide covers setting up middle relays, guard relays, and bridge relays - the backbone of the Tor network.
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Types of Relays
- Middle relay - Passes encrypted traffic between other relays. Low risk, moderate bandwidth.
- Guard relay - First hop in a Tor circuit. Requires high uptime and bandwidth. Automatically promoted from middle relay after running stably.
- Exit relay - Final hop that connects to the destination. Higher risk - your IP appears as the source. Only run if you understand the legal implications in your jurisdiction.
- Bridge relay - Unlisted relay that helps users in censored countries connect to Tor. Not in the public directory.
Recommendation: Start with a middle relay. It's low risk and makes a real impact.
Setting Up a Middle Relay
sudo apt install tor
sudo nano /etc/tor/torrcAdd these lines:
ORPort 9001
Nickname myTorRelay
ContactInfo your@email.com
ExitRelay 0
RelayBandwidthRate 1 MB
RelayBandwidthBurst 2 MBExitRelay 0 ensures you're running a middle relay, not an exit. Restart Tor and your relay will join the network within a few hours.
Bandwidth Requirements
- Minimum: 2 Mbps (250 KB/s) - even small relays help
- Recommended: 10+ Mbps for meaningful contribution
- Ideal: 100+ Mbps for high-impact relays
- You can set bandwidth limits in torrc to control how much you donate
Host Your Relay on Dedicated Infrastructure
Running a Tor relay on your home connection isn't ideal - it uses bandwidth and may attract attention from your ISP. AnubizHost provides VPS and dedicated servers in privacy-friendly locations perfect for running Tor relays. Our offshore servers in Iceland, Romania, and Finland are ideal for relay operators.
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