Re: dns-proxy-tor / freecap

[Anothony Georgeo <anogeorgeo@xxxxxxxxx>]

Hi tup :-) 

--- tup <tup@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

> Applications that properly support SOCKS4A or SOCKS5
> also don't leak DNS requests. DNS leakage remains
> a problem in every other situation.

Personally I don't trust most apps to support Socks5
correctly.  To error on the side of caution I use a
local DNS server. IMHO Dns-Proxy-Tor is superior to
all others...Great Job!

> > Tor-Dns-Proxy can be run from command line or as a
> > service.  Unfortunitly, I am unable to run
> > Tor-Dns-Proxy as a service becasue the service
> > won't start.  In my testes I ran it from command 
> > line. 
>
> Actually, no matter how you invoke the Windows
> binary
> (win32/dns-proxy-tor.exe in the distribution), it
> will always run as a service. 

Well, when I launch your app via. the command 
"start dns-proxy-tor.exe" and type "continue" in the
resulting Dns-Proxy-Tor command window, then hit
[Enter] your app lauches _without_ installing as a
service and begins processing DNS quaries.  

I have verified this as "services.msc" doesn't show
the service 'Dns-Proxy-Tor' if your app is started
with the "continue" command as I described above.

> The Windows "port" is really an afterthought since I
> don't use Windows. In my testing, once installed 
> and started the service will permanently remain 
> in the "starting" state, never advancing to 
> "started". This is somehow related to the PAR
> packaging, as it doesn't occur when running 
> perl directly. Regardless, dns-proxy-tor runs 
> normally despite the constant "starting" state.

I was unaware that Dns-Proxy-Tor will process DNS
quaries without showing "started", thanks for the tip.

> > only problem I have with Tor-Dns-Proxy is the
> > command line mode requires end-user input...You 
> > can't run "start Tor-Dns-Proxy" and have it 
> > launch, you need to type "continue" then it 
> > will begin  routing the DNS quaries.
> 
> What you're referring to must be something related
> to Windows services and not to dns-proxy-tor in
> particular. dns-proxy-tor itself is not interactive;
> it accepts command line arguments and either 
> terminates or runs forever. Installing the service 
> is the only way I recommend using the provided 
> binary.

I posted my fist email from memory and I just
re-tested your app for clairifaction.

When Dns-Proxy-Tor is started via. double-clicking the
.exe or via. the command "start dns-proxy-tor.exe" the
resulting Dns-Proxy-Tor command window offers an
option to install the service (eg. type "install" and
hit [Enter]).  Or, an end user may type "continue" and
hit [Enter] to start running Dns-Proxy-Tor _without_
installing it as a service.

In the past I have used your app _without_ intalling
it as a service because it would never show "started".
 I assumed it was not running properly and hence was
not processing DNS quaries properly.  This is why I
mentioned typing "continue" to run it without
installing it as a service.

When I use the command "dns-proxy-tor.exe -start"
Windows attempts to start the service (which takes 2-3
minutes) before I get the error Dns-Proxy-Tor failed
to start.  

Because attempting to start the Dns-Proxy-Tor service
takes 2-3 minutes I run your app without installing it
as a service.  

But, when I launch your app without installing it as a
service (via. the command "start Dns-Proxy-Tor.exe")
the resulting Dns-Proxy-Tor command window _requires_
end-user input in the form of typing "continue" and
the hitting [Enter] key.  

Unfortunitly, either method of lauching Dns-Proxy-Tor
(as a service or not) requires processes I would
rather avoid (eg. 2-3 minutes to process "-start" or
typing "continue").

I really like your app and I like the fact Tor
developers recommend it.  I would really like to use
it but the negative apects I have outlined prevent me
from doing so.

---------------------------------------

Are either of these two suggestions an option for
Dns-Proxy-Tor:

1. Dns-Proxy-Tor running as a service:

Is there a workaround/hack that could reduce the time
it takes for Windows to attempt to start it as a
service?  I am uncomfortable with a 2-3 minute waiting
period for Windows to give me the unable to start
error.  

2. Dns-Proxy-Tor _not_ running as a service:

Would you update Dns-Proxy-Tor so that an end-user
could launch it and have Dns-Proxy-Tor begin
processing DNS quaries _without_ typing "continue" and
hitting [Enter]?  Maybe add an option to start your
app with the parm "-continue"?

For Eample:

@ECHO OFF
start Dns-Proxy-Tor.exe -continue
exit

--------------------------------------

I hope this email is clear and rational ;-) Anogeorgeo

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