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Bootstrap Nodes

In order to facilitate quick connections to other people using Tox, Tox employs bootstrap nodes that each client may connect to in order to retrieve a list of clients currently connected to the pool.

Real time node status

To see the real time status of the nodes below visit https://nodes.tox.chat/

Active Nodes List

Below are a list of active nodes that you can connect to. This list is actively maintained.

IPv4 IPv6 Port Public Key Maintainer Location
144.76.60.215 2a01:4f8:191:64d6::1 33445 04119E835DF3E78BACF0F84235B300546AF8B936F035185E2A8E9E0A67C8924F sonOfRa DE
tox.zodiaclabs.org v6.tox.zodiaclabs.org 33445 A09162D68618E742FFBCA1C2C70385E6679604B2D80EA6E84AD0996A1AC8A074 stal US
195.154.119.113 2001:bc8:3698:101::1 33445 E398A69646B8CEACA9F0B84F553726C1C49270558C57DF5F3C368F05A7D71354 Munrek FR
biribiri.org NONE 33445 F404ABAA1C99A9D37D61AB54898F56793E1DEF8BD46B1038B9D822E8460FAB67 nurupo US
46.38.239.179 NONE 33445 F5A1A38EFB6BD3C2C8AF8B10D85F0F89E931704D349F1D0720C3C4059AF2440A Martin Schröder DE
nodes.tox.chat NONE 33445 6FC41E2BD381D37E9748FC0E0328CE086AF9598BECC8FEB7DDF2E440475F300E Impyy NL
130.133.110.14 2001:6f8:1c3c:babe::14:1 33445 461FA3776EF0FA655F1A05477DF1B3B614F7D6B124F7DB1DD4FE3C08B03B640F Manolis DE
104.167.101.29 NONE 33445 5918AC3C06955962A75AD7DF4F80A5D7C34F7DB9E1498D2E0495DE35B3FE8A57 noisykeyboard CA
205.185.116.116 NONE 33445 A179B09749AC826FF01F37A9613F6B57118AE014D4196A0E1105A98F93A54702 Busindre US
198.98.51.198 2605:6400:1:fed5:22:45af:ec10:f329 33445 1D5A5F2F5D6233058BF0259B09622FB40B482E4FA0931EB8FD3AB8E7BF7DAF6F Busindre US
80.232.246.79 NONE 33445 CF6CECA0A14A31717CC8501DA51BE27742B70746956E6676FF423A529F91ED5D fUNKIAM LV
108.61.165.198 2001:19f0:5000:8121:5054:ff:fe1c:9ded 33445 8E7D0B859922EF569298B4D261A8CCB5FEA14FB91ED412A7603A585A25698832 ray65536 NL
139.162.217.110 NONE 33445 0EEBE6304F4B3F6549F39A87FBB45751929F4833BA6AC5F35B6DFA79D01B4523 Kr9r0x GB
194.249.212.109 2001:1470:fbfe::109 33445 3CEE1F054081E7A011234883BC4FC39F661A55B73637A5AC293DDF1251D9432B fluke571 SI
185.25.116.107 2a00:7a60:0:746b::3 33445 DA4E4ED4B697F2E9B000EEFE3A34B554ACD3F45F5C96EAEA2516DD7FF9AF7B43 MAH69K UA
192.99.168.140 NONE 33445 6A4D0607A296838434A6A7DDF99F50EF9D60A2C510BBF31FE538A25CB6B4652F WIeschie CA
46.101.197.175 2a03:b0c0:3:d0::ac:5001 443 CD133B521159541FB1D326DE9850F5E56A6C724B5B8E5EB5CD8D950408E95707 clearmartin DE
95.215.46.114 2a02:7aa0:1619::bdbd:17b8 33445 5823FB947FF24CF83DDFAC3F3BAA18F96EA2018B16CC08429CB97FA502F40C23 Rotkaermota SE
5.189.176.217 2a02:c200:1:10:3:1:605:1337 5190 2B2137E094F743AC8BD44652C55F41DFACC502F125E99E4FE24D40537489E32F tastytea DE
148.251.23.146 2a01:4f8:201:8493::2 2306 7AED21F94D82B05774F697B209628CD5A9AD17E0C073D9329076A4C28ED28147 pucetox DE
104.223.122.15 2607:ff48:aa81:800::35eb:1 33445 0FB96EEBFB1650DDB52E70CF773DDFCABE25A95CC3BB50FC251082E4B63EF82A ru_maniac US
tox.verdict.gg NONE 33445 1C5293AEF2114717547B39DA8EA6F1E331E5E358B35F9B6B5F19317911C5F976 Deliran DE
d4rk4.ru NONE 1813 53737F6D47FA6BD2808F378E339AF45BF86F39B64E79D6D491C53A1D522E7039 D4rk4 RU
81.4.110.149 2a00:d880:3:2::8bdc:f19 33445 9E7BD4793FFECA7F32238FA2361040C09025ED3333744483CA6F3039BFF0211E tibietigni NL
95.31.20.151 NONE 33445 9CA69BB74DE7C056D1CC6B16AB8A0A38725C0349D187D8996766958584D39340 Igor Novgorodov RU
104.233.104.126 NONE 33445 EDEE8F2E839A57820DE3DA4156D88350E53D4161447068A3457EE8F59F362414 wildermesser CA
51.254.84.212 2001:41d0:a:1a3b::18 33445 AEC204B9A4501412D5F0BB67D9C81B5DB3EE6ADA64122D32A3E9B093D544327D a68366 FR
home.vikingmakt.com.br NONE 33445 188E072676404ED833A4E947DC1D223DF8EFEBE5F5258573A236573688FB9761 umgeher BR
5.135.59.163 NONE 33445 2D320F971EF2CA18004416C2AAE7BA52BF7949DB34EA8E2E21AF67BD367BE211 Skey FR
185.58.206.164 2a02:f680:1:1100::3313 33445 24156472041E5F220D1FA11D9DF32F7AD697D59845701CDD7BE7D1785EB9DB39 ru_maniac RU
188.244.38.183 2001:470:de00:2:20c:29ff:fe68:354f 33445 15A0F9684E2423F9F46CFA5A50B562AE42525580D840CC50E518192BF333EE38 gem RU
mrflibble.c4.ee 2a02:16e0:0:12::4 33445 FAAB17014F42F7F20949F61E55F66A73C230876812A9737F5F6D2DCE4D9E4207 mrflibble GB
82.211.31.116 NONE 33445 AF97B76392A6474AF2FD269220FDCF4127D86A42EF3A242DF53A40A268A2CD7C Net.Verified RU
128.199.199.197 2400:6180:0:d0::17a:a001 33445 B05C8869DBB4EDDD308F43C1A974A20A725A36EACCA123862FDE9945BF9D3E09 wiiaam SG
bootybay.club NONE 33445 0CB9D8D636F8E3D71CF44A3019408A846B7BEDFA2810853355DB58C0A36BFE38 AssPirate AU
91.121.66.124 2001:41d0:1:757c::1 33445 4E3F7D37295664BBD0741B6DBCB6431D6CD77FC4105338C2FC31567BF5C8224A h4nt3r FR
92.54.84.70 NONE 33445 5625A62618CB4FCA70E147A71B29695F38CC65FF0CBD68AD46254585BE564802 t3mp RU
tox1.privacydragon.me NONE 33445 31910C0497D347FF160D6F3A6C0E317BAFA71E8E03BC4CBB2A185C9D4FB8B31E PrivacyDragon US
195.93.190.6 2a01:d0:ffff:a8a::2 33445 FB4CE0DDEFEED45F26917053E5D24BDDA0FA0A3D83A672A9DA2375928B37023D strngr UA
tox.uplinklabs.net tox.uplinklabs.net 33445 1A56EA3EDF5DF4C0AEABBF3C2E4E603890F87E983CAC8A0D532A335F2C6E3E1F AbacusAvenger US
zawertun.net NONE 33445 5521952892FBD5C185DF7180DB4DEF69D7844DEEE79B1F75A634ED9DF656756E ZaWertun NL
87.98.168.93 NONE 33445 C3F6C06A624FAE086DA94604A7838DB495769807EC055FADA36EBF2D4484FB33 _kinka_ ES
185.61.253.189 2a04:ee00:0:9:20c:29ff:fe27:ad96 33445 73EEBCB4CBBE56BF0E0F01881DDD88C6B250BAE92CF487BE3FBE02FD830CE200 MAXL-SPB RU
109.75.40.105 2001:470:70d6::1 33445 2B9CD794424FD579044EC2FC5252B23DF8B4AAF239C25074F70B1090C3F8C83A nek AM
toxnode.nek0.net toxnode.nek0.net 33445 20965721D32CE50C3E837DD75B33908B33037E6225110BFF209277AEAF3F9639 Phsm UA
95.215.44.78 2a02:7aa0:1619::c6fe:d0cb 33445 672DBE27B4ADB9D5FB105A6BB648B2F8FDB89B3323486A7A21968316E012023C HooinKyoma SE
srv1.ricin.im NONE 1337 3651DAB570D7F60381F87B19D6935EE7F5FE01308DCE71C4B69993150C6A903C Ricin.im FR
185.120.34.64 2a06:8ec0:1:bb::3862 33445 728925473812C7AAC482BE7250BCCAD0B8CB9F737BF3D42ABD34459C1768F854 Kostik GB
tox.dzenspace.ru tox.dzenspace.ru 33445 80EF8660D9C5ACE1577BAB031375A0F08284CBFD9F810A857955DCC87377FC4D abbat DE
163.172.136.118 2001:bc8:4400:2100::1c:50f 33445 2C289F9F37C20D09DA83565588BF496FAB3764853FA38141817A72E3F18ACA0B LittleVulpix FR
sorunome.de sorunome.de 33445 02807CF4F8BB8FB390CC3794BDF1E8449E9A8392C5D3F2200019DA9F1E812E46 Sorunome DE
37.97.185.116 NONE 33445 E59A0E71ADA20D35BD1B0957059D7EF7E7792B3D680AE25C6F4DBBA09114D165 Yani NL
193.124.186.205 2a02:f680:1:1100::542a 5228 9906D65F2A4751068A59D30505C5FC8AE1A95E0843AE9372EAFA3BAB6AC16C2C Cactus RU
80.87.193.193 2a01:230:2:6::46a8 33445 B38255EE4B054924F6D79A5E6E5889EC94B6ADF6FE9906F97A3D01E3D083223A linxon RU
initramfs.io NONE 33445 3F0A45A268367C1BEA652F258C85F4A66DA76BCAA667A49E770BCC4917AB6A25 initramfs TW
tox.neverlocate.me NONE 33445 49183DBF0E865713154069D1C7C7A2732ED78CF32C4D76AF5304FE31C5FEB81A brandon US
hibiki.eve.moe hibiki.eve.moe 33445 D3EB45181B343C2C222A5BCF72B760638E15ED87904625AAD351C594EEFAE03E EveNeko FR
shigure.eve.moe shigure.eve.moe 33445 1A480A53FAF2CBBFCC382D786C43E69EEE23F22C7C23A7CFEB6180A373E23E54 EveNeko GB
tox.deadteam.org tox.deadteam.org 33445 C7D284129E83877D63591F14B3F658D77FF9BA9BA7293AEB2BDFBFE1A803AF47 DeadTeam DE
prok.pw NONE 33445 69C3FEBB977687B64FA0213BDEB89A43463BB48DED288150CFFB6429EFF82436 Prototik RU
46.229.52.198 NONE 33445 813C8F4187833EF0655B10F7752141A352248462A567529A38B6BBF73E979307 Stranger UA
maggie.prok.pw maggie.prok.pw 33445 B75583B6D967DB8AD7C6D3B6F9318194BCC79B2FEF18F69E2DF275B779E7AA30 Prototik DE
138.201.172.228 NONE 33445 1B08FC930EE60429B63273CE39068D46316E79A3F7DDAFAD9C8CA65E50047B7A sys0p DE
node.tox.ngc.network node.tox.ngc.network 33445 A856243058D1DE633379508ADCAFCF944E40E1672FF402750EF712E30C42012A Nolz DE
144.217.86.39 fe80::f816:3eff:fe61:92e3 33445 7E5668E0EE09E19F320AD47902419331FFEE147BB3606769CFBE921A2A2FD34C velusip CA
185.14.30.213 2a00:1ca8:a7::e8b 443 2555763C8C460495B14157D234DD56B86300A2395554BCAE4621AC345B8C1B1B dvor NL
77.37.160.178 NONE 33440 CE678DEAFA29182EFD1B0C5B9BC6999E5A20B50A1A6EC18B91C8EBB591712416 Madji RU
77.37.142.179 NONE 33445 98F5830A426C6BF165F895F04B897AFC4F57331B4BE0561F583C9F323194227B ps RU
85.21.144.224 NONE 33445 8F738BBC8FA9394670BCAB146C67A507B9907C8E564E28C2B59BEBB2FF68711B himura RU
tox.natalenko.name tox.natalenko.name 33445 1CB6EBFD9D85448FA70D3CAE1220B76BF6FCE911B46ACDCF88054C190589650B post-factum DE
37.187.122.30 NONE 33445 BEB71F97ED9C99C04B8489BB75579EB4DC6AB6F441B603D63533122F1858B51D dolohow FR
202.36.75.162 NONE 33445 F202E0936ABEE09067F55B0955C3FF6A84ABEED3C750A9EB930D926D03248F4C ws NZ
94.19.12.244 2001:470:27:19f::2 33445 92E139CCD0006AF84241A38629E77E73BCF2F98602DCC136E8D5F089E5196D46 bax RU
plfgr.eu.org plfgr.eu.org 33445 F5A2E533EC720927FA970F508D949D5958F37889F039F50C905010244842656E nnnn20430 SI

If you want a list of these nodes in a more machine-readable format, try using the JSON output provided by https://nodes.tox.chat.

If you are a developer and you are considering making your application automatically download the list of nodes either off this wiki page or https://nodes.tox.chat, we strongly advise you to cache the list of nodes your application downloads on user side, in order to reduce the number of requests our servers are getting. It's also a good idea to not rely on these lists to be available (e.g. our websites might be blocked by a firewall), which can be solved by shipping your application with a pre-set list of bootstrap nodes and allowing users to add their own list of bootstrap nodes through a user interface.

FAQ

What is the purpose of bootstrap nodes?

If you are familiar with the concept of DHT, they are your regular DHT bootstrap nodes. If you are not familiar with DHT, then a more detailed explanation follows.

In Tox, every client communicates with other Tox clients, together creating an interconnected network. This Tox network is used to discover other peers in the network and communicate with them, which enables you to send/receive friend requests or get notified when your friend comes online. To connect to the Tox network, a client needs to connect to at least one other client that is connected to the Tox network, from which point it can ask the client it connected to for more clients it can connect to and keep repeating this process to discover more and more clients. A bootstrap node is what a client connects to first if it doesn't know of any other nodes in the network, thus it's required that bootstrap nodes are highly available (are online most of the time), have static IP addresses or use domain names, don't change port numbers, have static public keys and so on. While technically any Tox client can be used as a bootstrap node, the usage patterns of a Tox client by an average user violate the previously mentioned requirements – the user might want to shut down their computer, they might have dynamic IP addresses, their client might be changing public keys, and so on, therefore we need Tox clients dedicated to the task of being used as bootstrap nodes. Because bootstrap nodes would generally run on servers, they are made to have as small footprint as possible – they don't support most features a Tox client supports, they perform only some basic network functionality required for clients to discover other clients.

How do I run a bootstrap node?

How do I get my bootstrap node added to the table above?

  1. Subscribe to the bootstrap mailing list, which is low-traffic announcement-only mailing list for cases when updating a bootstrap node would result in better network performance or toxcore changes DHT in non-backwards-compatible way.
  2. Send an email to node-request@tox.chat requesting your node to be added to the table of bootstrap nodes. Mention the email address you used to subscribe to the mailing list and provide information for the fields of the table. Sample email template:
    Mailing list email address:
    IPv4:
    IPv6:
    Port:
    Public Key:
    Maintainer:
    Location:

Note that nodes that are offline for long periods of time are subject to removal from the table.

How much bandwidth is required to run a bootstrap node?

Generally it depends on popularity of your bootstrap node.

At the moment of writing this (August 4th, 2016), you may expect 700GiB of total traffic (1/2 incoming, 1/2 outgoing) per month for a very popular bootstrap node, one that was in the table for years and is actively used by many clients. The amount of traffic increases over time.

If you are familiar with software development, there is an interesting idea for a project that would help us quite a bit.

You might have noticed that the process of adding a node to the table above is somewhat tedious: a person running the node needs to subscribe to a mailing list, send an email, someone must review that email, possibly ask additional questions and finally edit the wiki table adding the node. We can get rid of this process entirely. If we traverse the Tox DHT network, we can collect data such as IP addresses, public keys and port numbers of all nodes in the network. Collect that data over time, and we will be able to identify nodes that are online most of the time, don't change their IP address, use the same port and use the same public key, i.e. the perfect candidates for being bootstrap nodes. Make a webpage similar to https://nodes.tox.chat/ and show only nodes that are the perfect candidates for being bootstrap nodes. Any person running a bootstrap node long enough will show up on such table automatically, without any interaction required. There is already a project that does something similar – Tox Statistic project similarly traverses Tox DHT network, collects data on nodes in Tox DHT network, and displays it on a web page, but for statistical purposes.

If you are interested in working on this project, feel free to come to our development IRC channel to discuss it. iphy, Impyy, JFreegman and nurupo would probably be the best people to discuss this with.

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