Running Bitcoin core over public wifi

[Jet Cash]

When I've set up my wallet, I expect to be running Bitcoin core over public WiFi connections. So I've got a couple of questions with regard to this.

Will my activity have much of an impact on other users of the WiFi service?
Will it increase the costs for the service provider by a noticeable amount?
Do many other users run the core regularly over public WiFi?
Is my activity likely to result in the blocking of relevant ports, and thus remove the facility for other potential users?

I am aware that there will be some personal security issues, but I hope to discuss these in another thread when I understand a bit more.

[shorena]

When I've set up my wallet, I expect to be running Bitcoin core over public WiFi connections. So I've got a couple of questions with regard to this.

Will my activity have much of an impact on other users of the WiFi service?

Depends. Bitcoin core can make streams load sluggish. I hardly notice it while Im surfing regular web pages though. This is also somehow what I would expect from public WiFi, so I dont think anyone would complain.

Will it increase the costs for the service provider by a noticeable amount?

No. They should have a flatrate or other means to limit the traffic.

Do many other users run the core regularly over public WiFi?

No idea, you are the first I heard about. Not that that means anything.

Is my activity likely to result in the blocking of relevant ports, and thus remove the facility for other potential users?

I am aware that there will be some personal security issues, but I hope to discuss these in another thread when I understand a bit more.

It might, but this greatly depends on who is responsible for the public WiFi and how uptight they are. Someone that has no idea what is going on might jump to conclusions and assume the high traffic can only be used for illegal downloads. There is hardly something you can do about this, besides maybe talk to the employees and try to explain to them what bitcoin is.

[Jet Cash]

The local employees don't know much about the WiFi apart from setting up customers to use it. That's probably all they need to know normally. There is an issue at this site. Recently the aircon had a major overhaul, and since then, there has been intermittent interference over the transmission. They have said that they will get their IT guy to look into it, but so far there has been no action. I can't connect my Chromebook here since the work, but it works well everywhere else (including other MasD branches). There are also regular dips in the block transmissions as show in the network analysis tool.

MacD seems to be quite progressive when it comes to technology and payment systems, especially if it involves cost reductions, so it may be that they are already evaluating Bitcoin, but that would be at a corporate level. I might write to them in the future, but for the moment it might be best to leave well alone until somebody says something.

[onlinedragon]

Most public wifi is time limit and have privacy policies who tickle high usage of the network. Also the posibilty with abusing the network they stop offering free wifi. Just short term connection would not be a big problem I guess.

[zodiac3011]

running bitcoin core can make you caught in serious trouble in my opinion. As you have to sync the block all the time and we all know that everything touches the internet it will cost some for the service provider. When syncing you, you are downloading the whole blockchain (which is 50+ GB) so yes things will go bad quite easily if you are trying to do so.

But if you are running bitcoin core for normal transaction not syncing then I think it's fine bitcoin core doesn't take up much bandwidth.

[shorena]

running bitcoin core can make you caught in serious trouble in my opinion. As you have to sync the block all the time and we all know that everything touches the internet it will cost some for the service provider. When syncing you, you are downloading the whole blockchain (which is 50+ GB) so yes things will go bad quite easily if you are trying to do so.

But if you are running bitcoin core for normal transaction not syncing then I think it's fine bitcoin core doesn't take up much bandwidth.

You cant use bitcoin core "for normal transaction not syncing". It will not broadcast a transaction until its fully synced.

Also if someone offers free WiFi they can hardly blame those that use the free WiFi. Most contracts for shops do not charge per byte anyway, so Im not sure where your "everything touches the internet it will cost some" comes from.

[Jet Cash]

I suspect that MacD pays for b/width at the national level, so they will get a good deal. The profit on the coffee that I buy is probably much greater than the computing costs that result from my actions. And that includes the free cups of coffee that they give me. Also I buy snack wraps (I don't buy burgers), and I have some friends who visit me and spend money. I suspect that it is a good symbiotic relationship with MacD making a reasonable profit out of it.

[Spamela Anderson]

Are you just wanting to use the wallet? Is it essential that you use bitcoincore? I much prefer a lite client as it was a pain for me having to download the blockchain all the time and it will stop you worrying about bandwidth etc.

[DannyHamilton]

I suspect that MacD pays for b/width at the national level

That depends on what country you are in.

In the U.S. most McD restaurants are independently owned by local business owners.  They pay fees and rent to the McD corporation for the rights to represent themselves as a McD restaurant, but they pay all the business costs themselves.

It's possible that McD Corporation may have gotten involved and assisted the local McD owner in negotiating the broadband rates, but it probably isn't paid for at the national level.


That being said, they provide the service because it is a competitive thing for them to do.  Doing so encourages more people to spend more time in the restaurant.  They already have to pay for broadband service for moving business data in and out of the restaurant, so allowing the customers to share that bandwidth probably doesn't cost them much.  If your use becomes a problem I suppose they may limit you, but it probably isn't going to be an issue.

[Jet Cash]

I suspect this one is owned and operated by MacD. There are at least three levels of manager above the main man for this site, and I have met all of them. They seem to take an interest in regular customers.

[number2]

I do not think that this would be beneficial, for you never know when you will be limited an with the number of users getting on and off, you never know when you are going to get logged off or such.  You also have to weight the possibility of getting hacked by someone who wishes to see what you are up to.  There are a number of things to consider.

[Jet Cash]

Well I've learnt a lot by downloading the blockchain via public WiFi. Well actually it has been taking far too long, so I'm finishing the download through a domestic connection. Unfortunately it is based on overhead copper wire, and it's a bit windy out here in the country. I'm well into the final year at the moment, so I can move to the next stage fairly soon. I might try to run a full node on a Chromebook - I haven't seen anyone report on this.

[BitBidder]

As an alternative, you could consider running it in Amazon's AWS and connecting in remotely from your notebook.

Since AWS also has a 12-month free usage tier for anyone with a credit card (including prepaid gift-card types), you can try it "risk free"* without having to bring the whole blockchain down to your notebook. You also get free usage for both Windows and Linux systems so you can play with both.

* may contain traces of risk

[Jet Cash]

Thanks for the suggestion, but if Amazon needs credit card details, it would seem to defeat the basic philosophy of Bitcoin.

[Blue_Panda73]

Thanks for the suggestion, but if Amazon needs credit card details, it would seem to defeat the basic philosophy of Bitcoin.

If you just save the block chain with AWS, they will not know the bitcoin account linked to the blockchain.

[shorena]

As an alternative, you could consider running it in Amazon's AWS and connecting in remotely from your notebook.

Since AWS also has a 12-month free usage tier for anyone with a credit card (including prepaid gift-card types), you can try it "risk free"* without having to bring the whole blockchain down to your notebook. You also get free usage for both Windows and Linux systems so you can play with both.

* may contain traces of risk

Has anyone run a full node on a free(!) AWS? I doubt its working. IIRC free instances are crawling at best.

[elite3000]

As an alternative, you could consider running it in Amazon's AWS and connecting in remotely from your notebook.

Since AWS also has a 12-month free usage tier for anyone with a credit card (including prepaid gift-card types), you can try it "risk free"* without having to bring the whole blockchain down to your notebook. You also get free usage for both Windows and Linux systems so you can play with both.

* may contain traces of risk

No way it gonna work, I don't think the free AWS will support 40 GB download, the free services have limitations of course. You may be charged and maybe have some bad surprise when you credit card bill arrives

And if you account is terminated then everything will be lost, just run a light client is more safe

[DannyHamilton]

Free tier EC2 at AWS only supports up to 30 GB of Amazon Elastic Block Storage.

I believe that the blockchain is currently larger than 50 GB.

That means that you would exceed free tier size by more than 20 GB.

EBS pricing can be as cheap as $0.05 per GB per month, so you'd be paying more than $1.00 per month just for the extra 20+ GB of storage.

In addition, I think free tier allows up to 15 GB of outbound internet traffic per month.  After that you'll pay $0.09 per GB.

There may be additional charges on top of that for other services.

[Jet Cash]

I started this project to see if Bitcoin could help people with no banking facilities, and no home connection, so if Amazon asks for a credit card, then it will not be suitable. I've already had to "cheat" by using a home connection to complete the blockchain download. I feel that it is still within the spirit of the project, as it should be possible to procure the blockchain on a dvd if one wanted to run a full node. I take the point about using light services and 3rd party wallets. Maybe I'll look into that later. I've checked my credit card, and the MacDonalds costs alone probably exceed anything Amazon would charge. The WiFi is free, the cost is for a few gallons of coffee, plus a load of egg wraps etc.

[Aglacan]

Yeah I would definitely use a light wallet like electrum.  You don't have to bother with all the syncing.

Here's a link to the electrum wallet download.
https://electrum.org/#download

-Aglacan