Hi There,

I have been keeping a causal eye on Tor for quite a few years now and have been getting more and more worried about the data/meta data that is being collected and the known and unknown micro and macro ways in which it can be used to harm/manipulate individuals, groups and societies. Anyway, last week I got a new Android phone and installed Orbot and then happened to watched the latest Juiced Media Rap News which prompted me to set up Tor on my Linux laptop. Since then I have (for the last few days) been trying to set up a Tor relay to help the community but haven't managed. I have read quite a few guides including the one on the TorProject site (https://www.torproject.org/docs/tor-doc-relay.html.en). I'm pretty stuck and hoping someone might be able to help?

My hardware set up is: Boradband phone line into > modem router (no wireless and only 1 out going Ethernet port - I have tried login into this box but can't!) plugged in via Eithernet into > Netgear wireless router which communicates over wireless with my > Thinkpad laptop running Ubuntu 12.04 (see a photo my modem router and wireless router set-up here: http://flossnotes.blogspot.co.uk/2012/09/tor-relay.html )

I have Tor set up as a relay as per the configuration guide (see screenshots of the "Sharing tab (everything else is default)*. I have set up port forwarding on the Netgear wireless router for ports 9001 and 9030 (see screenshot*). I have stopped my Laptops fire wall using Fire Starter. And, in desperation I have even set-up my laptops IP in the DMZ settings on the Netgear wireless router (see screenshot*)

*photos and screen shots here: http://flossnotes.blogspot.co.uk/2012/09/tor-relay.html

Again in more detail... 1) I have Tor running and my internet traffic from Firefox is going through it. I know this because when I visit: https://check.torproject.org/ I'm met with the message "Congratulations. Your browser is configured to use Tor" and I get these messages in the Tor message log

"[Fri Sep 28 14:22:32 2012] The Tor Software is Running - You are currently running version "0.2.3.22-rc (git-4a0c70a817797420)" of the Tor software."

"[Fri Sep 28 14:23:28 2012] External IP Address Changed - Tor has determined your relay's public IP address is currently xx.xxx.xx.106. If that is not correct, please consider setting the 'Address' option in your relay's configuration."

"[Fri Sep 28 14:23:38 2012] Connected to the Tor Network - We were able to successfully establish a connection to the Tor network. You can now configure your applications to use the Internet anonymously."

2) I have followed the configuring Tor relay guide and get these messages,

"[Fri Sep 28 14:23:38 2012] Checking Server Port Reachability - Tor is trying to determine if your relay's server port is reachable from the Tor network by connecting to itself at xx.xxx.xx.106:9001. This test could take several minutes."

"[Fri Sep 28 14:43:28 2012] Server Port Reachability Test Failed - Your relay's server port is not reachable by other Tor clients. This can happen if you are behind a router or firewall that requires you to set up port forwarding. If xx.xxx.xx.106:9001 is not your correct IP address and server port, please check your relay's configuration." (I get the same message for port 9030 - Directory)

3) I have configured my Netgear router to forward ports 9001 and 9030 asa per the instructions here: http://portforward.com/english/routers/port_forwarding/Dlink/DIR-655/

4) I have stopped my laptops firewall.

5) On the Netgear router I have set up my laptops IP to sit outside of the firewall in the "DMZ" so as far as I understand, it should be exposed to all external requests!

Sorry for such a long first post. I'm pretty frustrated!

Any help would be much appreciated.

Cheers, Mike