[tor-dev] The Torouter and the DreamPlug

[Runa A. Sandvik]

On Mon, May 30, 2011 at 12:45 AM, Jacob Appelbaum <jacob at appelbaum.net> wrote:
> On Mon, May 30, 2011 at 1:35 AM, Runa A. Sandvik <runa.sandvik at gmail.com>
> wrote:
>>
>> On Mon, May 30, 2011 at 12:21 AM, Jacob Appelbaum <jacob at appelbaum.net>
>> wrote:
>> > On Sat, May 28, 2011 at 11:52 PM, Runa A. Sandvik
>> > <runa.sandvik at gmail.com>
>> > wrote:
>> >>
>> >> Hi everyone,
>> >>
>> >> DreamPlug is a new plug computer from GlobalScale Technologies:
>> >> http://www.globalscaletechnologies.com/c-5-dreamplugs.aspx. The spec
>> >> looks good, it runs Ubuntu by default and it doesn't cost too much. I
>> >> thought that the DreamPlug was going to be very user friendly and a
>> >> potential candidate for the Torouter project. (Maybe) I was wrong.
>> >>
>> >>
>> >> When the SheevaPlug came out a couple of years ago, it shipped with a
>> >> web interface that enabled users to change various network options. I
>> >> thought the DreamPlug would ship with some kind of interface as well
>> >> (and my plan was to just plug in a Tor page). This is not the case; it
>> >> ships with lighthttpd by default and displays a static and very simple
>> >> placeholder page on 192.168.1.1.
>> >
>> > That's great news. A complex web app is just a giant PITA and huge
>> > attack
>> > surface anyhow.
>>
>> Yeah, that's true.
>>
>> >> If we want to use the DreamPlug for the Torouter, we will have to
>> >> write a web interface for easy configuration of Tor. The interface
>> >> should probably also provide options to better secure the DreamPlug.
>> >> Downloading and installing Tor isn't a problem, but the configuration
>> >> side of things can be tricky for users who aren't used to the command
>> >> line.
>> >
>> > Or perhaps we can just turn Tor on by default, ship tor-fw-helper and
>> > write
>> > a basic status of Tor out to a static html file?
>>
>> Users who aren't familiar with the command line will probably still
>> have a problem configuring Tor. I think that a webui package in
>> Debian/Ubuntu is the best way to go.
>>
>
> Why would they have to configure anything on our router? They just need to
> open a port or let it happen automatically, right?

We should at least give our users the option of running a private /
public bridge, non-exit relay or exit relay, just like on the Excito
B3.

>>
>> >>
>> >> Thoughts? Comments?
>> >>
>> >
>> > The Freedombox will likely run on the dream plug, it's the reference
>> > platform. I think we should work on ensuring that if we ship a dream
>> > plug,
>> > we ship a freedombox pre-configured to run Tor - this will likely be the
>> > case with the FB anyway:
>> > http://wiki.debian.org/FreedomBox
>> > Basically Tor needs some kind of webui package in Debian and we'd be
>> > good to
>> > go.
>>
>> Yep, sounds good.
>>
>> --
>> Runa A. Sandvik
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-- 
Runa A. Sandvik