Making a TOR router

Question

Hi all!

I've decided to buy my brother a Raspberry for Xmas and as he is quite interested into privacy and security I would like to buy the components to build a TOR browser. The fact is that I was about to buy what I think is the latest model so far, the Raspberry Pi 3 B, the case, the SDcard... and read in some places that you may need two wifi dongles for the project and if you wanted to use the integrated wifi you could have issues. Besides, I've also read that this TOR feature is actually not so private as it claims.

- The reason why I would buy the Pi 3 B is just because it's the latest and has more features in case he wants to make further projects.

- Are more less all the projects the same or is there one you find your favourite?

- Should I buy two wifi dongles or one would be fine?

Thanks in advance

balearicdynamics · Answer

Hello Pepe,

as a matter of fact you can make a router just only with software, so the extreme option is routing packets on different network (public and private) with filtering, security rules etc. under Linux (the best support IMHO) with just one connection. The problem that arises is that just for its hardware nature a single-network connection routing platform is not so secure as we can expect. So, the solution is routing the LAN (typically from the WiFi ADSL router) over the WiFi.

You are right, the Pi 3B is the right model as you have both kind of boards on the same board. I have experimented a while with the Pi3 and Pi3B (and also on the other models too) and I have never meet blocking issues avoiding me to use the internal network. In past I have also done a script and some articles on how to manage the public network on a Pi (cable connection) while a series of other Pi are connected with a private WiFi network. If this is something you plan to do I can provide you the stuff I have developed.

Enrico

balearicdynamics · Answer

The concept is the one suggested by Adafruit. In my opinion, there is not any "happy making" feeling buying the entire stuff already done. Then, always in my opinion, Adafruit (and similar open source sellers) pushing to sell hardware they tend to simplify too much the projects; true that are for everyone but some little more sophistication sometimes it is the worth.

Linux has very good firewall software that can be easily implemented in a Pi to create a dual-network router more secure with a lot of fun discovering the power of Linux in network protection.

Enrico

balearicdynamics · Answer

If you need to route Wifi to Wifi you need a second dongle (as one is already present in the PI B3 instead if you should route Lan to WiFi you don't need it and only the MicrSD (better choiche is 32 Gb) is sufficient.

Enrico