something that wasn't intuitive to me when i did this for the first time is that plugins like "mainline dht" and "distributed database" are NOT needed for i2p, only for clearnet. the i2p helper plugin use their own version of dht, you literally do need to disable everything like was said for it to be clearnet silent.

worth noting that the bigly webui client you should be careful about, as we have potentially deanonned some users like this recently to see if you could. just make sure it's behind an auth, as far as i know if you enable the webui and i2p helper plugin it will make a separate tunnel on i2p for it. I don't know of a way to disable this other than disabling the plugin entirely.

If you don't put an auth up at the very least, it can be located and anyone can force the client to add torrents. so i can add torrents using a clearnet tracker address i control and if your bigly can access the clearnet I harvest your ip that way.

We are currently comparing the use of these three client software to make torrent exchange in I2P and to ensure the anonymity of the user who uses it.

I don't think for myself because I run about thirty BiglyBT instances, but I was forced to customize these instances to be only in I2P. But if I'm thinking of a new user who doesn't know this software well and I'm comparing it to I2PSnark and qBitTorrent, it's prudent to warn that simply activate the plugin "i2phelper" and deselect all networks except I2P is not enough, even if your torrents are only for I2P trackers.

And although I've been looking at BiglyBT's official website, I can't find a guide to help a new user use the software with safe I2P. And I maintain that if I'm in I2P only with external I2P router and it opens up uPnP, it's not a desirable behavior.

COMiX wrote: ↑Sat Mar 29, 2025 1:39 pm Yes, that's exactly it, it connects to the clearnet while you have selected 'I2P network only'.

NO it does not.

ABSOLUTE LIES and SLANDER.

I have been using BiglyBT inbuilt I2P, since past 3 years and have never heard or faced this issue.

Until and unless -

1] a user specifically chooses a torrent to be Mixed Mode OR
2] you are use torrent search or some other shit like swarm discovery or some shit.

BiglyBT never connects to public network while torrenting over I2P.


Just shut off every other thing and only set I2P network everywhere [ network settings] and do not use torrent search engine or swarm discoveries. You can not only easily torrent over I2P but upload/download far faster with huge customization available [which is not available in I2PSnark]

Yes, that's exactly it, it connects to the clearnet while you have selected 'I2P network only'.
There are of course many techniques to prohibit the software from communicating with the clearnet (in the software itself, or directly in the system, or higher in the architecture of your internal network). My remark is more oriented to someone who would like to use this software occasionally, without taking many technical steps that require a great knowledge, to download a file on Postman with a torrent client who promises anonymity by selecting "I2P". An important point is that I use an external I2P router. Maybe when using the built-in router we don't have the same behavior.
It was just a remark in case or if parg is still alive and it goes through it, if he was kind enough to make sure that when you select 'I2P' with an external router, it automatically disables all the other network options you don't need (uPnP, for example)

Of course if I don't want the software to communicate on the outside, it won't communicate. But I was thinking about people who are more interested in the file it downloads than the software technique that is used to download

COMiX wrote: ↑Thu Mar 27, 2025 9:01 pm bigly is a bit dangerous though, because if you select I2P mode only, without authorizing any other network, and launch iftop on the machine where it's installed, you'll be surprised (and not in a good way). I'll have to take the time to do a tutorial, but to be good, you'll have to remove almost all the plugins.

I haven't used it, but from what you said, it seems like it still connects to clearnet, or listens to clearnet addresses.

By the way, you can isolate any program you want using linux namespaces technology (with programs like bubblewrap): close off the internet by creating a separate network namespace and "pass through" I2P SAM (or I2CP) using a unix socket and something like socat. That probably works.

bigly is a bit dangerous though, because if you select I2P mode only, without authorizing any other network, and launch iftop on the machine where it's installed, you'll be surprised (and not in a good way). I'll have to take the time to do a tutorial, but to be good, you'll have to remove almost all the plugins.

yeah i agree, a mix is better. what you consider better is relative. qbit still has some pitfalls with its i2p implementation, though it's a great client overall. snark has no risk of leaks and makes it easy to use many clients for more tunnels/upload capacity. bigly has all the bells and whistles but is heavy

In my opinion, we need to use all three, creating redundancy. And don't try to super-seed 1,500 files from a single client; you can create 10 clients sharing 150 files, which is better for your anonymity. And don't forget that qBitTorrent can't resume its SAM tunnels when the router is restarted, so you have to keep an eye on it.

cumlord wrote: ↑Fri Feb 28, 2025 5:05 pm For seeding bigly and qbit are just more efficient clients with a lot more time put in them, bigly especially has a lot of advanced features for i2p. but for downloading i think snark does fine against them.

other qs
- performance-wise probably no difference
- for interacting with the gui in the browser it does use less resources. seems faster
- it works independently of a browser in the background, runs fine headless

So, this means it is better to stick with qBittorrent & BiglyBT rather than Snark for the moment at least. Will do that.

Our good Lord C has already answered your catalogue of questions. In addition, the so-called plus version (I2P+) and various extended versions are provided by third parties. Their manufacturers are your contacts if, as you say, there are problems with their websites. I have not seen the vendors in this forum yet.

I2PSnark is a BitTorrent client that works in the background, a rugged and powerful workhorse. A web browser is only needed if you want to make changes manually. I2PSnark can be used with utilities like screen, tmux or dtach. This allows the user to log off from the system without interrupting the file transfer.

RAM requirements increase with the number of active torrents. In general, all Java programs use more memory because Java has to provide a complete runtime environment to be platform independent.

The changes between 2.7.0 and 2.8.0 are minor. The performance is therefore better. You can check them in the logbook.