Subject: Re: [bitcoin-dev] AT&T has effectively banned Bitcoin nodes by closing port 8333 via a hidden firewall in the cable box

From: odinn <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 01 Sep 2015 07:16:47 +0000

Another note on this subject to add to the stuff people have already
mentioned...

If you have the AT&T landline but don't use AT&T's standard internet /
tv (what they call Uverse) offering - that is, if you prefer to use
some local internet provider - you are probably better off (in terms
of avoiding not only this sort of blockage/censorship but as well,
potentially getting a better privacy policy that isn't going to be
like AT&T's long-term data retention).  You can check directly with
the various local small ISPs to see what their policies are
specifically on ports and whatnot.

Ideally your ISP should let you:

port forward to SOMEPORTNUMBER for tcp and udp

(above may or may not be helpful for some if you are using
decentralized markets)

have port 8333 open

(above is for bitcoin of course)

Supposing you have FTTN because you are paying a local ISP for
internet service, and that local ISP has contracted with AT&T to be
able to provide service in an area where old-style DSL has been phased
out, thus your local ISP is essentially providing you AT&T FTTN.
(FTTN is Fiber to the Node, FTTN-BP is FTTN Bonded Pair).  Even if a
local ISP has its own privacy policy posted which is different from
AT&T, everything is subject to AT&T data retention because the FTTN.
So get yourself a VPN (or set up your own) for your connection. Tor
will run through the VPN.

General observations - TWC stores your IP and other stuffs for 6
months or longer.  Same for Comcast.  Verizon retains your stuffs for
18 month minimum, probably longer though. Qwest/Century, 1 year.
Cox, 6 months.  AT&T retains for longer than a year.  This is just
what they are telling you, the reality is it's probably longer due to
stuff like this:
https://www.lawfareblog.com/odni-and-doj-release-last-section-215-collec
tion-order

Zach G via bitcoin-dev:
> I have been struggling to get port 8333 open all year, I gave up
> and was using blockchain for months despite a strong desire to stay
> on Bitcoin Core, but now the issue has reached critical mass since
> I'm using the python Bitcoin server module. I have literally spent
> my entire day trying to open 8333, I thoroughly made sure it was
> open on the router and computer and it's still closed. Strangely
> enough I got it open for 30 seconds once today but something closed
> it immediately.
> 
> After hours of phone calls and messaging AT&T finally told me the
> truth of what was going on, and only because I noticed it myself
> and demanded an answer. The internet is being routed through a
> DVR/cable box, and they confirmed the DVR also has a firewall. To
> make this even more absurd they refused to turn the firewall off
> because it is their equipment. So effectively they can firewall any
> port they want even if the customer asks them not to, in the
> unlikely event the customer figures it out.
> 
> Perhaps this is the driving force behind the inexplicable and
> massive decline in Bitcoin nodes. Bitcoin is being censored by the
> ISPs themselves, and they won't even tell you that. I had to get in
> touch with headquarters and threaten to rip it out of the wall to
> get a proper answer.
> 
> 
> 
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