Installing the Tor Network on Linux: A Step-by-Step Guide

As you continue to navigate the world of online privacy, you may have considered installing the Tor network on your Linux device. With the ability to provide employees with a tool for protecting their online privacy, find new uses for old servers, and contribute to a larger community, hosting your own Tor relay or node can be a rewarding experience.

The benefits of having control over your own relay or node are numerous. The fine people at the Tor Project provide the software and maintain the directory of relays, while volunteers around the world donate their hardware and internet bandwidth to power the entire network. By installing the Tor network on your Linux device, you'll not only be able to enjoy the benefits of this powerful tool but also contribute to its growth and development.

Before we dive into the installation process, it's essential to understand that the Tor network is a collection of volunteers working together to provide secure and private internet access. As part of this community, you'll have the opportunity to share your skills and expertise with others while gaining valuable experience in maintaining your own relay or node.

If you've already read our beginner's guide to Tor and have been using the network for some time, you're likely ready to take the next step: installing a Tor relay on your Linux device. With this guide, you'll learn how to do just that.

Installing the Tor Network on Linux

To get started with installing the Tor network on your Linux device, follow these steps:

1. Update your system packages by running the command `sudo apt-get update` (for Debian-based systems) or `sudo yum update` (for RPM-based systems).

2. Install the necessary dependencies using the following commands:

```

sudo apt-get install tor tor-geoipdb torsocks

```

3. Start the Tor service and enable it to start automatically on boot by running the command:

```

sudo systemctl start tor && sudo systemctl enable tor

```

4. Verify that the Tor service is running by checking the status using the command:

```

sudo systemctl status tor

```

5. To ensure your relay or node is properly configured, you'll need to edit the `torrc` configuration file. You can do this by running the command:

```

sudo nano /etc/tor/torrc

```

6. Add the following lines to the bottom of the file and save it:

```

Nickname mynode

ContactInfo your-email@example.com

ExitPolicy reject *:*

RelayEarlyCells 1

```

7. Restart the Tor service to apply the changes by running the command:

```

sudo systemctl restart tor

```

That's it! With these simple steps, you've successfully installed the Tor network on your Linux device and are now ready to start using your own relay or node.

Remember, as a member of the Tor community, you'll be contributing to a powerful tool that helps protect online privacy for millions of people around the world. By hosting your own relay or node, you'll be playing a crucial role in keeping the internet free and open for everyone.

Install tor network linux