Run a relay

We currently only support running relays using the CLI version. Relays should be run on machines with public IP addresses.

Relays and clients nodes use the same earendil executable. The defining difference is in their config file: relay configs have an in-routes section that specifies where and how to accept incoming connections, while client configs do not.

To run a relay, save this config file into a file named relay-cfg.yaml. Be sure to replace "/your/path/` with an appropriate path:

# Earendil relay config file
state_cache: /your/path/.cache/earendil # where to store persistent information. Must be absolute path

# neighbors, same as in the client config
out_routes:
  example-relay: 
    connect: 45.33.109.28:12345 
    fingerprint: 4b7a641b77c2d6ceb8b3fecec2b2978dfe81ae045ed9a25ed78b828009c4967a  
    obfs:
      sosistab3: "randomly-generated-cookie-lala-doodoo" 

# relay settings
identity_file: /your/path/identity.secret # replace with a writable path for storing identity secret

in_routes:
  main_udp:
    obfs: 
      sosistab3: <your_random_seed> # random seed for obfsudp cookie. Generate your own with `earendil generate-seed`
    listen: 0.0.0.0:19999 # port where this in-route listens

Start the earendil daemon using this relay config:

earendil daemon --config relay-cfg.yaml

While the earendil daemon is running, obtain your relay's contact information for other nodes to connect with you as a neighbor with the control command my-routes:

earendil control my-routes

The output should look like:

main_udp:
  connect: <YOUR_IP>:19999
  fingerprint: 57a407e50c1f4d0cdfb16332f6a836b27cc3409941fa26d85bc2b1eca604e536
  obfs:
    sosistab3: <your_random_seed>

Replace <YOUR_IP> with your server's public IP address. Other nodes (both clients and relays) can simply paste this block into the out_routes section of their config file to add your relay as a neighbor.

To serve users in regions with internet censorship, you should avoid posting your relay's contact information publicly. Instead, distribute it in a way that reaches legitimate users but not censors--your relay will be blacklisted if the censor learns its IP address.