Help regarding the usage of Tor hidden services (IRC server/Tor)

Hello. I’m following this guide in order to create a IRC server that is connectable via the TOR hidden services: https://null-byte.wonderhowto.com/how-to/host-deep-web-irc-server-for-more-anonymous-chatting-0180682/, but I can only connect to the server created via localhost, not the TOR hidden services that are presented in the guide.

Does anyone have experience with this? This is for a school project and I really need some help.

Thanks!

The first step to debugging this is probably more information.

What happens when you try to connect over the Tor onion service? Are you sure your IRC client is connecting over Tor? Are there any interesting messages in the log from the Tor instance that’s running the onion service?

Well, this is what I have done:

#1:
Created IRC server using inspircd.

This server works on my local network. It uses my local IP and both irssi and HexChat lets my connect.

#2:
Started TOR and configured the torch file found at /etc/tor/torrc.

After configuring the file I get my TOR hidden hostname from this command: sudo cat /var/lib/tor/hidden_service/hostname

#3:
When connecting to HexChat I can see that my hostname is not used and HexChat start using my local IP.

RESULT:
I can not connect to HexChat from outside my local network using the TOR hidden services host address I’m given.

DISCLAIMER:
I might have misunderstood how/what TOR hidden services is, and if so I apologise.

Hi,

It’s good to train locally and test things! Tor is a complex system, and testing things out is probably the best way to learn. By the way, Tor is spelled “Tor”, not TOR :slight_smile:

Did you set Hexchat to go through the Tor network?

We need more info:

  • did you follow exactly this howto?
  • what is your OS, and what version?

Did you try connecting from another computer so that you can be sure there is no trace of your previous config in hexchat config ?

Tor Onion services are basically internet addresses (that end in “.onion”) for which traffic stays in the Tor network the whole way. So you need the tor software on one side (the server side, to “host” the Tor service), and you need the tor software on the other side (the client, the computer which will be used to “visit” or “connect to” the onion service).

Good luck!

Hello gagz.

I did follow exactly this howto.

I used Linux POP OS.

I have never used HexChat before, so there are no old settings/config there.

In the HexChat config I did as the guide and entered my xxxxxxxxx.onion address and changes the socket to socks5 and so on.

BUT, you said that the client also need to run Tor services in order to connect to IRC via my hidden services, that might be one of my problems. However, setting up the IRC server using Tor hidden services does not work. The server can not resolve the hostname and uses my local IP (127.0.0.1).

Hey,

Ok, first, let’s make sure your hexchat works.
Can you please uninstall it, purge the config files (probably in ~/.config/hexchat or ~/.hexchat), and reinstall it. Do this only if you don’t care loosing all your hexchat config :slight_smile:

Then, please follow this to make hexchat use the tor network:

  • Open Preferences
  • Network Setup
  • Where it says Proxy Server enter:
    ** localhost
    ** 9150
    ** SOCKS5
    ** All Connections
    Change nothing else on that page and save.

Now add a New Network, and try the Indymedia IRC onion service (or any other IRC onion that you know works) : akeyxc6hie26nlfylwiuyuf3a4tdwt4os7wiz3fsafijpvbgrkrzx2qd.onion and choose port 6667, no SSL, no TLS. (you can check the onion name by going to the webirc, https://chat.indymedia.org/, see the topic of channel #ircd).

Make sure Tor Browser is running because we told Hexchat to use the tor software bundled in Tor Browser (port 9150. If you want to use the system tor, use port 9050).

Try to connect to this network and join a channel.

If it doesn’t work, try to fix it!

When you have that work, add a New Server and enter your onion service address and the port you chose, and see if that works.

If it does, bravo!

If it doesn’t, could you paste here your onion config? the torrc extract that states the onion port redirection.
Could you also check your ircd config? Like the port numbers and bind addresses. You can check those if you run ss -ltpn, better as root to see process names. (-l lists listening ports, -t only tcp, -p show process name, -n do not resolve names or IPs.)

good luck!

2 Likes