A bitcoin full node FAQ - page 2. | Bitcointalksearch.org

phillipsjk

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Let the chips fall where they may.

Quote from: Phinnaeus Gage on May 12, 2014, 12:41:06 AM

Let's say, for example purposes only, there's hidden illegal data embedded in the full node. Could I be arrested for having illegal data, i.e. child porn on my computer even though it was unbeknownst to me?

Well, it depends which country you are in. If you are in the US, you can be liable for merely linking to infringing content. In Canada, the Supreme Court ruled that linking is not the same as hosting (in a libel case).

Quote from: Josepht on May 12, 2014, 12:39:14 AM

Is one full node in theory enough for the whole network?

Having only one full node starts to break the security assumptions of the protocol. Cheating is prevented by "proof-of-work". However, if there is only one node, you have a situation where that node can rewrite the entire block-chain history. To avoid this situation, you probably need at least 3 nodes for an active Bitcoin network.

Phinnaeus Gage

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Bitcoin: An Idea Worth Spending

Let's say, for example purposes only, there's hidden illegal data embedded in the full node. Could I be arrested for having illegal data, i.e. child porn on my computer even though it was unbeknownst to me?

I know my question may be far-fetched, but humor me with an answer. BTW, in case anybody's wondering, there's a reason I'm asking.

Josepht

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Is one full node in theory enough for the whole network?

Foxpup

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Quote from: dree12 on May 12, 2014, 12:12:31 AM

Say the node A sends something to you (B) and you relay it to C. Well, if your node wasn't leeching in the first place, A would have had room for another connection: directly to C.

Implying A actually can connect directly to C, which is not always (or even usually) the case. A and C might only be online at different times; C might be a hidden service and A can't use Tor; an evil government firewall might block connections between A and C; or any number of other scenarios may prevent A and C from connecting directly. It is simply not true that any node can always connect to any other node at any time.

phillipsjk

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Let the chips fall where they may.

Quote from: dree12 on May 12, 2014, 12:12:31 AM

I am talking about UPnP-less (or UPnP-disabled) routers that some people still hide behind, deliberately or not.

My router has UPnP disabled with the port manually forwarded.

Quote

Say the node A sends something to you (B) and you relay it to C. Well, if your node wasn't leeching in the first place, A would have had room for another connection: directly to C.

There is a possibility that (B) would relay the information to more than one host. The odds get smaller with fewer connections though.

jc01480

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Nope..

Hat's off to the OP. +1 for a legitimate subject finally.

Second, can I run a full node on Linux Backtrack? Planning to install on a computer with a failed drive I plan to replace with SSD. I have full node now but it is a business computer and I want my wallets off of it.

Are there any benefits to a full node other than relating information? Can you mine with it. If my node is a full one and is passing transactions, why do I not get fees for doing so? Just some thoughts you may hear many times over.

And again, nice topic, OP.

dree12

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Quote from: phillipsjk on May 12, 2014, 12:08:54 AM

Quote from: dree12 on May 11, 2014, 11:17:33 PM

Please elaborate.

UPnP does firewall piercing so: that you don't have to, or, DRM/malware can do it without your consent.

I am talking about UPnP-less (or UPnP-disabled) routers that some people still hide behind, deliberately or not.

Quote from: phillipsjk on May 12, 2014, 12:08:54 AM

Even with no inbound connections, you can help relay transactions if you happen to be the lowest latency route between two nodes.

Say the node A sends something to you (B) and you relay it to C. Well, if your node wasn't leeching in the first place, A would have had room for another connection: directly to C.

phillipsjk

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Let the chips fall where they may.

Quote from: dree12 on May 11, 2014, 11:17:33 PM

Please elaborate.

UPnP does firewall piercing so: that you don't have to, or, DRM/malware can do it without your consent.

Even with no inbound connections, you can help relay transactions if you happen to be the lowest latency route between two nodes. Edit: Bittorrent can work the same way: you can upload with outbound connections.

Currently my node uses less than 100GB per month with 16 Bitcoin and P2Pool connections (I wish I had better stats--have not gotten around to breaking bandwidth down by port).

dree12

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Quote from: Foxpup on May 11, 2014, 11:31:31 PM

Quote from: dree12 on May 11, 2014, 11:17:33 PM

Quote from: Foxpup on May 11, 2014, 11:11:09 PM

Quote from: dree12 on May 11, 2014, 09:51:54 PM

There are also "leech nodes" that arise from people running "full nodes" behind an archaic UPnP-less router that blocks the port... They waste all the resources a full node does while providing none of the benefit.

False.

Please elaborate.

Nothing in your post is even remotely true. Therefore, it is false. If you have any reason for believing anything in your post to be true, please provide such reasons.

How about an appeal to authority?

Quote from: Gavin Andreson

Most ordinary folks should NOT be running a full node. We need full nodes that are always on, have more than 8 connections (if you have only 8 then you are part of the problem, not part of the solution), and have a high-bandwidth connection to the Internet.

So: if you've got an extra virtual machine with enough memory in a data center, then yes, please, run a full node.

Foxpup

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Quote from: dree12 on May 11, 2014, 11:17:33 PM

Quote from: Foxpup on May 11, 2014, 11:11:09 PM

Quote from: dree12 on May 11, 2014, 09:51:54 PM

There are also "leech nodes" that arise from people running "full nodes" behind an archaic UPnP-less router that blocks the port... They waste all the resources a full node does while providing none of the benefit.

False.

Please elaborate.

Nothing in your post is even remotely true. Therefore, it is false. If you have any reason for believing anything in your post to be true, please provide such reasons.

dree12

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Quote from: Foxpup on May 11, 2014, 11:11:09 PM

Quote from: dree12 on May 11, 2014, 09:51:54 PM

There are also "leech nodes" that arise from people running "full nodes" behind an archaic UPnP-less router that blocks the port... They waste all the resources a full node does while providing none of the benefit.

False.

Please elaborate.

Foxpup

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Quote from: dree12 on May 11, 2014, 09:51:54 PM

There are also "leech nodes" that arise from people running "full nodes" behind an archaic UPnP-less router that blocks the port... They waste all the resources a full node does while providing none of the benefit.

False.

gweedo

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Quote from: R2D221 on May 11, 2014, 09:57:40 PM

I want to run a full node, but I don't have any spare computer to leave it running 24/7. I'm planning to buy hosting. Is that a good idea? What specs should the hosting have?

1GB of ram, at least 50gb or more of HDD space, get SDD (solid state drive as hard drive type) unmetered or high bandwidth at least 1 tb.

Quote from: mailmansDOG on May 11, 2014, 09:56:14 PM

Ok I saw that one on reddit, does running a full bitcoin node in a casual home computer with a kind of slow connection really contribute to the network? Or could it even have a negative effect?

Is the sacrifice of your bandwidth and hard drive space worth it? I think that if your connection is slow you won't get enough connections and therefore your client wont send information to other people trying to receive the blockchain. This way being a "leecher" of the p2p data without contributing.

Could this by any means be true?

I would suggest if that is the case you aren't helping by having this slow peer, but instead invest in a VPS, that would worth more to the network.

DeathAndTaxes

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Quote from: mailmansDOG on May 11, 2014, 09:56:14 PM

Ok I saw that one on reddit, does running a full bitcoin node in a casual home computer with a kind of slow connection really contribute to the network? Or could it even have a negative effect?

Is the sacrifice of your bandwidth and hard drive space worth it? I think that if your connection is slow you won't get enough connections and therefore your client wont send information to other people trying to receive the blockchain. This way being a "leecher" of the p2p data without contributing.

Could this by any means be true?

It depends on what you mean by slow. If you are on dialup then no you probably are not helping. If you aren't accepting inbound connections then no you aren't helping. However even with reasonable speed and a moderate number of connections (you can limit it based on your bandwidth) you are providing available connections to new nodes so you are helping. Even a node with 8 inbound connections on a home cable or dsl line helps.

R2D221

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I want to run a full node, but I don't have any spare computer to leave it running 24/7. I'm planning to buy hosting. Is that a good idea? What specs should the hosting have?

mailmansDOG

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Ok I saw that one on reddit, does running a full bitcoin node in a casual home computer with a kind of slow connection really contribute to the network? Or could it even have a negative effect?

Is the sacrifice of your bandwidth and hard drive space worth it? I think that if your connection is slow you won't get enough connections and therefore your client wont send information to other people trying to receive the blockchain. This way being a "leecher" of the p2p data without contributing.

Could this by any means be true?

dree12

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Quote from: DeathAndTaxes on May 11, 2014, 09:46:28 PM

Quote from: Greenleed on May 11, 2014, 09:41:15 PM

So,what is not "full node" or " half-full node "? I use multibit wallet and sometimes it seems taking forever for syn the blockchain. Does that mean I am just in a bad luck by connecting to a "not full node" peer?

No there are only full nodes and lite or SPV nodes. You can't download the blockchain from lite nodes because they don't have it. The "forever" may be due to your peers being slow or it may just be due to your system. SSD and lots of memory help in the initial sync.

There are also "leech nodes" that arise from people running "full nodes" behind an archaic UPnP-less router that blocks the port... They waste all the resources a full node does while providing none of the benefit.

DeathAndTaxes

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Quote from: Greenleed on May 11, 2014, 09:41:15 PM

So,what is not "full node" or " half-full node "? I use multibit wallet and sometimes it seems taking forever for syn the blockchain. Does that mean I am just in a bad luck by connecting to a "not full node" peer?

No there are only full nodes and lite or SPV nodes. You can't download the blockchain from lite nodes because they don't have it. The "forever" may be due to your peers being slow or it may just be due to your system. SSD and lots of memory help in the initial sync.

Greenleed

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So,what is not "full node" or " half-full node "? I use multibit wallet and sometimes it seems taking forever for syn the blockchain. Does that mean I am just in a bad luck by connecting to a "not full node" peer?

gweedo

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Quote from: Epiphany on May 11, 2014, 09:24:18 PM

Quote from: gweedo on May 11, 2014, 09:18:21 PM

Quote from: Epiphany on May 11, 2014, 09:15:13 PM

Do you have to be mining to have a full node? Can I just open my wallet with the full blockchain and it is a full node while it is open? Or do I have to tweak some setting for that to happen? I assumed you had to mine to have a full node. Can you clarify?

You don't have be mining to run a full node. You just have to have port 8333 open on your router or firewall. So peers can connect to you and download data. Default bitcoin is setup to do just this relay transactions.

A full node can just relay transactions to peers and help the network be connected.

Interesting, I didn't realize that. Cheesy

How much bandwidth does that hog? I don't have a great internet connection but if it didn't use much, I'd leave mine running to help secure the network.

It is a lot of bandwidth it really depends on your hoster or ISP. I run a VPS that has 5tb bandwidth and I am not even close to that level and my mac mini has a node running and it is fine no complaints from my ISP.

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