joininbox/prepare_remote_node.md

Prepare a bitcoin node to accept a remote RPC connection

If you have arrived here from running JoininBox locally on the RaspiBlitz can skip these steps (CTRL+C to exit the connection settings). The connection to the local bitcoin node is set up automatically.

JoinMarket (running in JoininBox) needs to connect to Bitcoin Core via RPC.
A pruned node with the bitcoind wallet enabled will do and txindex is not required.

• RaspiBlitz
  • Enable the bitcoind wallet
  • LAN connection
  • Tor connection
  • CONFIG -> CONNECT in JoininBox
• RoninDojo
  • Enable the bitcoind wallet
  • LAN connection
  • Tor connection
  • Recompile the Docker containers (takes time)
  • CONFIG -> CONNECT in JoininBox
• Resources

RaspiBlitz

Enable the bitcoind wallet

Since the RaspiBlitz v1.6 run this script:
$ config.scripts/network.wallet.sh on

To set up manually:

• Edit the bitcoin.conf:
  $ sudo nano /mnt/hdd/app-data/bitcoin/bitcoin.conf

• Change the disablewallet option to 0:

  disablewallet=0
  

• Restart bitcoind:
  $ sudo systemctl restart bitcoind

LAN connection

In the terminal of the node - allow remote RPC connections to Bitcoin Core
This can be skipped if you connect through Tor

1. Edit the bitcoin.conf
   $ sudo nano /mnt/hdd/app-data/bitcoin/bitcoin.conf

   Add the values:

   • rpcallowip=JOININBOX_IP or RANGE
     • either specify the LAN IP of the computer (here JoininBox)
     • or use a range like: 192.168.1.0/24 - edit to your local subnet - the first 3 numbers of the LAN IP address, the example used here is: 192.168.1.x
   • rpcbind=LAN_IP_OF_THE_NODE
     • use the local IP of the bitcoin node in the example: 192.168.1.4
   • can keep the other rpcallowip and rpcbind entries especially for the localhost: 127.0.0.1

   Example:

   rpcallowip=192.168.1.0/24
   rpcbind=192.168.1.4
   

2. Restart Bitcoin Core

   $ sudo systemctl restart bitcoind

3. Open the firewall to allow the RPC connection from LAN

   edit to your local subnet - in the example here 192.168.1.X):
   $ sudo ufw allow from 192.168.1.0/24 to any port 8332

4. Take note of the LAN_ADDRESS of the remote node and fill it in to the rpc_host in joinmarket.cfg

Tor connection

On the node - activate Tor and create a Hidden Service

Make sure that Tor is installed or active in the SERVICES menu

Create a Hidden Service to forward the bitcoin RPC port:

1. On the RaspiBlitz there is a script to create a hidden service

• Raspiblitz v1.7.2 and above:

~/config.scripts/tor.onion-service.sh bitcoinrpc 8332 8332

• Raspiblitz v1.4 - v1.7.1:

~/config.scripts/internet.hiddenservice.sh bitcoinrpc 8332 8332

2. Take note of the Tor_Hidden_Service.onion and fill in to the rpc_host in the joinmarket.cfg

Alternatively proceed manually:

1. Open the Tor configuration file
   $ sudo nano /etc/tor/torrc

2. Insert the lines

   # Hidden Service v3 for bitcoinrpc
   HiddenServiceDir /mnt/hdd/tor/bitcoinrpc
   HiddenServiceVersion 3
   HiddenServicePort 8332 127.0.0.1:8332
   

3. Restart Tor

   $ sudo systemctl restart tor

4. Take note of the Tor_Hidden_Service.onion

   $ sudo cat /mnt/hdd/tor/bitcoinrpc/hostname

Fill in the Tor_Hidden_Service.onion to the rpc_host in the joinmarket.cfg

CONFIG -> CONNECT in JoininBox

• Username: raspibolt
• Password: passwordB or sudo cat /mnt/hdd/bitcoin/app-data/bitcoin.conf | grep rpcpassword | cut -c 13-
• Host: LAN_IP_OF_THE_NODE or sudo cat /mnt/hdd/app-data/tor/bitcoinrpc/hostname
• Port: 8332

---

RoninDojo

Enable the bitcoind wallet

• Run in the RoninDojo ssh terminal:

  $ sed -i 's/  -disablewallet=.*$/  -disablewallet=0/' ~/dojo/docker/my-dojo/bitcoin/restart.sh
  

• Alternatively edit manually
  $ nano ~/dojo/docker/my-dojo/bitcoin/restart.sh
  modify:

    -disablewallet=1
  

  to:

    -disablewallet=0
  

LAN connection

• Edit the bitcoind container settings
  $ nano ~/dojo/docker/my-dojo/conf/docker-bitcoind.conf

• Set the following:

  # should be already on
  BITCOIND_RPC_EXTERNAL=on   
  # the RoninDojo_IP is the LAN IP address of your RoninDojo
  BITCOIND_RPC_EXTERNAL_IP=RoninDojo_IP
  

• Open the firewall to allow the RPC connection from LAN
  (edit to your local subnet - in the example here 192.168.1.X):
  $ sudo ufw allow from 192.168.1.0/24 to any port 28256

• Note that Dojo uses the port 28256 instead of the default 8332.

Tor connection

• Create a Hidden Service to forward the bitcoin RPC port

• Edit the torrc
  $ sudo nano /etc/tor/torrc

• Add:

  HiddenServiceDir /var/lib/tor/bitcoinrpc/
  HiddenServiceVersion 3
  HiddenServicePort 8332 127.0.0.1:28256
  

• Restart Tor
  $ sudo systemctl restart tor

• Show the .onion service address
  $ sudo cat /var/lib/tor/bitcoinrpc/hostname

Recompile the Docker containers (takes time)

$ cd ~/dojo/docker/my-dojo && ./dojo.sh upgrade --nolog

CONFIG -> CONNECT in JoininBox

Fill the connection settings from the 5 Credentials -> 6 Bitcoind menu of RoninDojo:

• RPC username: RoninDojo
• RPC password: RPC Password
• Host: RoninDojo_IP or sudo cat /var/lib/tor/bitcoinrpc/hostname
• Port: 28256 for LAN or 8332 for the .onion service

---

Resources

• JoinMarket on the RaspiBlitz guide

• Connect JoinMarket running on a Linux desktop to a remote node

• Note about the Tor connection (applied automatically in the JoininBox): Remember to use torsocks with the python scripts when connecting remotely through Tor
  Example:
  torsocks wallet-tool.py wallet.jmdat
  also need to allow Tor to connect to localhost