TorBox v.0.5.4 - work in progress

[radio24]

TorBox v.0.5.4 will have some new features:

• TorBox on a Cloud -> Installation of TorBox on a cloud server with the new installation option --on_a_cloud.
• TorBox mini -> TorBox on a Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W with an USB-A adapter, which as a RNDIS/Ethernet gadget can plugged into a USB port.

Here is the todo-list for the further development:

• In general: Tests with Raspberry Pi 5:
  Pulling the power on a working Raspi may more likely damage the system on the SD card.
  Update: The problem is probably connected to a lousy SD card (Gigastone). This test lists good SD Card manufacturers.
• In general: Checking the correct installation of the network drivers
• In general: Updating the system should also update the Python modules in a correct way
• In general: Improve the prepare_image.sh script.
• In general: remove the "HMMM... THAT DOESN'T LOOK GOOD..." or success message --> instead show the tor log as it is in restarting tor (same look everywhere).
• In general: Changing the font color of the "100% done message" (Issue Font color of 100% done message #273)
• In general: /boot/config.txt has moved to /boot/firmware/config.txt
• In general: Introduction of the --continue_with_step installation option
• In general: Is it possible to disable or even remove the NetworkManager and ModemManager? NetworkManager is responsible that DHCP doesn't work for usb0. Currently, we test it with TorBox mini and it seems to work. We have to check, if this is also an option for Debian and Ubuntu installations.
• In general: Does the creation or removal of onion services in some cases lead to the insertion of unnecessary teaching lines in torrc?
• In general: Selective restore of domain exclusion.
• In general: avahi-daemon and avahi-daemon.socket have to be disabled (with systemctl) because it could lead to network disruptions.
• TorBox mini: Integration of rc.local
• TorBox mini: rc.local.mini.special-test testing --> rc.local is now improved for all installations
• TorBox mini: Decision on the support of hostapd --> no support
• TorBox mini: no support for additional network drivers (my idea: no support --> raspberrypi-kernel-headers is not necessary, which takes a lot of time during the installation process).
• TorBox mini: Disable Wi-Fi power save mode on Pi Zero 2 W: /sbin/iwconfig wlan0 power off
• TorBox mini: Check --> Installation step 11
• TorBox mini: Does it work with Raspberry Pi OS Lite 64bit?
• TorBox mini: Integrating run_install_mini.sh into run_install.sh. Remark: Partly it is already integrated with the --torbox-mini option, but we have to test it and then to remove the run_install_mini.sh.
• TorBox mini: Migrate "Reset TorBox’s configuration files" in the Update and Maintenance sub-menu.
• TorBox mini: Decision on what connection types in the main menu have to be supported (my idea: a minimized main menu with entry 7 and 10). --> we will not minimize it to give the user the possibility to experiment by himself.
• TorBox mini: Decision on what should be available in the Config sub-menu.
• TorBox mini: Decision on building and giving out a separate image file --> .
• TorBox mini: Figuring out how Linux/Windows has to be configured to use a RNDIS/Ethernet Gadget in general and TorBox mini in particular
• TorBox mini: removing the unused junk from run_install_mini.sh
• TorBox mini: Can I build the SD Card on a Raspberry Pi 5 and later use in a Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W?
• TorBox mini: Writing a build-manual for torbox.ch (in progress)
• TorBox mini: Testing disabling bluetooth.
• TorBox mini: Where is config.txt and cmdline.txt located? Usually with Debian 12 and higher the files are in /boot/firmware/ instead of /boot/!
• Creating a script to convert a standard TorBox installation to a TorBox mini. The idea is to have the following path to build the images: TorBox --> image creating --> executing the script --> TorBox mini --> image creating
• TorBox on a Cloud: Writing a build-manual for torbox.ch (in progress)
• TorBox on a Cloud: Minimizing the Main Menu
• TorBox on a Cloud: use a specific rc.local
• Check: Does the image file created on a Raspberry Pi 5 work in a Raspberry Pi 4?

More is coming later...

[radio24]

Interesting: The installed additional network driver are working with a Raspberry Pi 4 but not with a Raspberry Pi 5. 🤔
Ok, re-installing the network drivers fixes the problem.

[radio24]

I had problems rebuilding TorBox on a Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W. The problem is that the cmdline.txt file can not just be replaced. It has the following option, which changes depending on the running kernel: root=OARTUUID=nnnnn.

That could be why working with Raspberry Pi OS "Bookworm" lite 64-bit was unsuccessful - I will recheck it later.

[gozillah]

I read your most recent reply on link a bit late, sorry for the delay. I will have more time end of April / beginning of May.

I noticed your April 2024 page about TorBox mini on torbox.ch, in particular the last section (thanks for the flowers!), and updated my post link with a reference to the appropriate adapter and assembly instructions.

You mentioned that ungracefully shutting down the Pi5 may cause SD card problems: The small, white power up/down button close to the LED is assumed to prevent this.

I installed TorBox054 from your Github sources on a uSD card with Pi OS Lite 64 Bookworm on my Pi5. Doing this headless it looped during installation of OpenCV. I then discovered your comment in run_install.sh and successfully repeated the install via Ethernet. The install took only 30 minutes on the Pi5, some 20% of the time required for TorBox053 mini on Zero 2W.

In the TorBox054 run_install.sh the TorBox default SSID and hostname are still TorBox053.

During installation of the additional network drivers some warnings flashed by:

You mentioned the drivers not working initially. I haven't checked this yet as I am still using the Ethernet port for Internet access (thanks to the problem with OpenCV). In link you mentioned having solved the OpenCV problem.

In my oppinion the additional network drivers are essential for those who are using the TorBox access point with Internet connection via wlan1 (e.g. at a public hotspot).

The font color issue at the end of the Tor restart ("100% Done ...") is now well fixed, but the instruction to quit with "q" will have quickly disappeared beyond the top of the screen (in particular on a Pi5 ;-) before the "100% Done ..." is being displayed:

The processing and screen updating is simply too fast for humans. Ideally the "q" instruction should appear after the "100% Done ..." (if programmatically possible).

I now have a number of (test-)Pis with various TorBox versions and I would appreciate a TorBox version number somewhere on the main menu, e.g. at its top like here:

As for user friendliness, I think the current TorBox offers sort of an expert mode. A significant amount of prior reading and knowledge is necessary to adapt the parameters safely to the user's situation and intentions. User friendlyness is currently good for experts but not for non-experts. Looking at standard applications I would suggest the following raw ideas (just for consideration):

• Initial setup after installation split into an expert mode (as is) and a simplified one-click setup for non-experts (intentionally lacking finesse).
• Parameter management split into an expert mode (as is) and a non-expert mode with scenarios, i.e. the non-expert selects a usage scenario leading to programmatically selected parameters (even if this non-expert mode will not cover all the features available in TorBox). Section "Is the use of a TorBox (or tor in general) considered secure?" link was inspirational to me. The four scenarios there could be a starting point for brainstorming.
• Alternatively the non-expert could be guided through a series of questions which will then lead to a parameter set. The current user interface is implementing this idea to a very limited extent.

These are just my first ideas about improving user frienlyness. I am by no means certain if their implementation will be possible, make sense and show the expected results ...

[gozillah]

This text should be in red and "Tor" with leading capital letter:

So far still no problems with Torbox 0.5.4 on Pi5.

A collegue asked for TorBox mini with Internet over Ethernet instead of WiFi. The ubiquitous Waveshare Ethernet/USB-hat is occupiying usb0 for connecting the two boards. I am looking for alternatives., e.g. link

[radio24]

SORRY FOR TEMPORARY STOPPING WORKING ON TORBOX
At the beginning of 2024, I planned to introduce a revised version of TorBox in the middle of the year. Unfortunately, that didn't materialize. It is due to the massive pile of work in my new job. This will delay my work on TorBox for at least six months. However, I hope to resume work on TorBox at the end of 2024/beginning of 2025.
Sorry!