This has been tested to work on Xubuntu 22.04 as a virtual machine in VirtualBox, and Debian 12 (Bookworm) on a Raspberry Pi 4 and 5, but will likely work on most Debian-based operating systems. Briefly, the following steps are to install Docker and BitChan on a Debian-based operating system.
Follow the instructions at https://docs.docker.com/engine/install/ to install the Docker Engine and the docker-compose plugin, then add your user to the docker group.
sudo usermod -aG docker $USERLog out and back in for the group change to take effect, then change to the BitChan/docker directory and start the build process.
git clone https://github.com/813492291816/BitChan
cd BitChan/docker
docker compose up --build -dBitChan can now be accessed at http://172.28.1.1:8000 (If using tor browser, read the README for how to enable access via about:config)
Installing BitChan with Docker is still the recommended method, however it is possible to install BitChan natively within a Debian-based Linux operating system (outside docker). This has been tested to work on Xubuntu 22.04 as a virtual machine in VirtualBox, but will likely work on most Debian-based operating systems, as long as you have both Python 2 and Python 3 available.
This currently works but you may find it takes a while for bitmessage to make its initial connections. You can speed up this process by (after following the installation) copying the knownnodes.dat from your existing bitmessage install that has connections to /usr/local/bitchan/bitmessage/ and restarting bitmessage with "sudo service bitchan_bitmessage restart".
Since the addition of the BitTorrentover I2P post attachment upload method, qBittorrent needs to be installed. The safest way to ensure qbittorrent does not leak non-i2p traffic is by using the Docker install method, as this uses iptables within the container to only allow connections to i2pd for torrenting. Use the non-docker install method at your own risk. It is recommended to set qbittorrent behind some type of firewall to only allow it to communicate with i2pd.
sudo apt update
sudo apt install -yq --no-install-suggests --no-install-recommends git wgetsudo adduser --disabled-password --gecos "" bitchan
sudo usermod -aG bitchan $USER
sudo mkdir -p /usr/local/bitchan
sudo mkdir -p /usr/local/bitchan/bitmessage
sudo mkdir -p /usr/local/bitchan/downloaded_files
sudo mkdir -p /usr/local/bitchan/gnupg
sudo mkdir -p /usr/local/bitchan/i2pd
sudo mkdir -p /usr/local/bitchan/i2pd/tunnels.conf.d
sudo mkdir -p /usr/local/bitchan/i2pd_data
sudo mkdir -p /usr/local/bitchan/log
sudo mkdir -p /usr/local/bitchan/tor
sudo mkdir -p /usr/local/bitchan/tor/bm
sudo mkdir -p /usr/local/bitchan/tor/cus
sudo mkdir -p /usr/local/bitchan/tor/rand
sudo mkdir -p /usr/local/bitchan/tor/authorized_clients
sudo mkdir -p /usr/local/bitchan/tor_data
sudo mkdir -p /usr/local/bitchan_venv2
sudo mkdir -p /usr/local/bitchan_venv3
sudo chmod -R 770 /usr/local/bitchan*
sudo chmod -R 700 /usr/local/bitchan/tor
sudo chmod -R 700 /usr/local/bitchan/tor_data
sudo chown -R bitchan:bitchan /usr/local/bitchan*Log out and back in for the group addition to take effect.
cd /usr/local/bitchan
git clone https://github.com/813492291816/BitChansudo apt install -yq --no-install-suggests --no-install-recommends mysql-server
sudo mysqlAt the "mysql>" prompt, enter:
ALTER USER 'root'@'localhost' IDENTIFIED WITH mysql_native_password BY 'Bitchandbpw';
CREATE DATABASE IF NOT EXISTS bitchan_db;
exitEnter back into the mysql prompt with password "Bitchandbpw":
mysql -u root -pEnter the following command at the mysql prompt to be able to open the mysql prompt with simply "sudo mysql", and create the BitChan database.
VALIDATE PASSWORD COMPONENT: No Change the password for root? No Remove anonymous users? Yes Disallow root login remotely? Yes Remove test database and access to it? Yes Reload privilege tables now? Yes
#ALTER USER 'root'@'localhost' IDENTIFIED WITH auth_socket;
exitNow run the setup script to disable anonymous login and delete test database.
sudo mysql_secure_installationAfter the server has run at least 24 hours or longer, consider running the mysqltuner to assess and recommend a tuning that can improve performance: https://github.com/major/MySQLTuner-perl
If you already have tor installed, skip this step. If you're using non-default tor ports (9050/9051), you'll need to change those in /usr/local/bitchan/BitChan/config (TOR_SOCKS_PORT and TOR_CONTROL_PORT) and /usr/local/bitchan/bitmessage/keys.dat (socksport) to the ports you're using.
If you choose, torsocks will be installed and used to install the rest of BitChan. Wait for tor to be boostrapped 100% before proceeding. You can monitor the progress with "sudo service bitchan_tor status". The first time bootstrapping may take longer than subsequent starts.
export TORVER="tor-0.4.8.10"
export TORLOC="https://www.torproject.org/dist/${TORVER}.tar.gz"
export TORPASS=$(tr -dc a-zA-Z0-9 < /dev/urandom | head -c32 && echo)
sudo apt update
sudo apt install -yq --no-install-suggests --no-install-recommends \
build-essential automake autoconf libevent-dev libssl-dev zlib1g-dev zlib1g liblzma-dev libzstd-dev systemd libsystemd-dev pkg-config libnss3-dev wget
cd ~
wget --retry-connrefused --waitretry=5 --read-timeout=20 --timeout=20 -t 5 --continue ${TORLOC}
tar xvzf ${TORVER}.tar.gz
cd ${TORVER}
./configure --enable-systemd --enable-nss
make
sudo make install
cd ~
rm -rf ${TORVER}.tar.gz
rm -rf ${TORVER}
sudo cp /usr/local/bitchan/BitChan/install_files/tor/torrc /usr/local/bitchan/tor/
echo "${TORPASS}" | sudo dd of=/usr/local/bitchan/tor/torpass
echo "HashedControlPassword $(tor --quiet --hash-password ${TORPASS})" | sudo tee -a /usr/local/bitchan/tor/torrc
sudo chmod -R 700 /usr/local/bitchan/tor
sudo chown -R bitchan:bitchan /usr/local/bitchan/tor
sudo systemctl enable /usr/local/bitchan/BitChan/install_files/bitchan_tor.service
sudo service bitchan_tor startThis can be skipped, but you will need to search and remove "torsocks" from any further commands. Torsocks will increase the time it takes to download components, but it will improve privacy by conducting those downloads over tor.
Whether you install torsocks or not, one of the following commands need to be run before proceeding.
If you would like to use torsocks for further connections in the install process, run the next command and proceed with the installation of torsocks.
export TORSOCKS_RUN="torsocks"Otherwise, to disable torsocks from being used, run this command, and skip the installation of torsocks.
export TORSOCKS_RUN=""sudo apt install -yq --no-install-suggests --no-install-recommends autoconf automake libtool gcc
cd ~
git clone https://git.torproject.org/torsocks.git
cd torsocks
./autogen.sh
./configure
make
sudo make install
cd ~
rm -rf torsocks# Bitmessage dependencies
sudo ${TORSOCKS_RUN} apt install -yq --no-install-suggests --no-install-recommends \
python2-minimal python2-dev python-setuptools libssl-dev fakeroot sed \
build-essential cmake libcap-dev libc-dev crudini
cd ~
${TORSOCKS_RUN} wget --retry-connrefused --waitretry=5 --read-timeout=20 --timeout=20 -t 5 --continue --no-check-certificate https://bootstrap.pypa.io/pip/2.7/get-pip.py
sudo ${TORSOCKS_RUN} python2 get-pip.py
# BitChan dependencies
sudo ${TORSOCKS_RUN} apt install -yq --no-install-suggests --no-install-recommends \
curl secure-delete gnupg2 ffmpeg libsm6 libxext6 \
nano netbase nginx libcurl4-openssl-dev libjpeg-dev python3-dev python3-pip zlib1g-dev${TORSOCKS_RUN} python2 -m pip install --no-cache-dir virtualenv
python2 -m virtualenv /usr/local/bitchan_venv2
${TORSOCKS_RUN} /usr/local/bitchan_venv2/bin/pip install --no-cache-dir --upgrade pip
${TORSOCKS_RUN} /usr/local/bitchan_venv2/bin/pip install --no-cache-dir -r /usr/local/bitchan/BitChan/requirements_bitmessage.txt
${TORSOCKS_RUN} python3 -m pip install --no-cache-dir virtualenv
python3 -m virtualenv /usr/local/bitchan_venv3
${TORSOCKS_RUN} /usr/local/bitchan_venv3/bin/pip install --no-cache-dir --upgrade pip
${TORSOCKS_RUN} /usr/local/bitchan_venv3/bin/pip install --no-cache-dir -r /usr/local/bitchan/BitChan/requirements.txtcd ~
${TORSOCKS_RUN} git clone https://github.com/Bitmessage/PyBitmessage
cd PyBitmessage
git checkout 3d19c3f23fad2c7a26e8606cd95c6b3df417cfbc
${TORSOCKS_RUN} /usr/local/bitchan_venv2/bin/pip install --no-cache-dir -r requirements.txt
sudo ${TORSOCKS_RUN} /usr/local/bitchan_venv2/bin/python2 setup.py install
sudo ln -sf /usr/local/bitchan_venv2/bin/pybitmessage /usr/local/bin/pybitmessage
export BITMESSAGE_HOME="/usr/local/bitchan/bitmessage"
cd /usr/local/bitchan/bitmessage
/usr/local/bin/pybitmessage -h
export APIUSER=$(tr -dc a-zA-Z0-9 < /dev/urandom | head -c12 && echo)
export APIPASS=$(tr -dc a-zA-Z0-9 < /dev/urandom | head -c32 && echo)
sudo crudini --set /usr/local/bitchan/bitmessage/keys.dat bitmessagesettings socksproxytype SOCKS5
sudo crudini --set /usr/local/bitchan/bitmessage/keys.dat bitmessagesettings sockshostname 127.0.0.1
sudo crudini --set /usr/local/bitchan/bitmessage/keys.dat bitmessagesettings socksport 9050
sudo crudini --set /usr/local/bitchan/bitmessage/keys.dat bitmessagesettings onionport 8444
sudo crudini --set /usr/local/bitchan/bitmessage/keys.dat bitmessagesettings sockslisten False
sudo crudini --set /usr/local/bitchan/bitmessage/keys.dat bitmessagesettings onionbindip 127.0.0.1
sudo crudini --set /usr/local/bitchan/bitmessage/keys.dat bitmessagesettings extport 8444
sudo crudini --set /usr/local/bitchan/bitmessage/keys.dat bitmessagesettings apienabled True
sudo crudini --set /usr/local/bitchan/bitmessage/keys.dat bitmessagesettings apiport 8445
sudo crudini --set /usr/local/bitchan/bitmessage/keys.dat bitmessagesettings apiinterface 127.0.0.1
sudo crudini --set /usr/local/bitchan/bitmessage/keys.dat bitmessagesettings apivariant json
sudo crudini --set /usr/local/bitchan/bitmessage/keys.dat bitmessagesettings onionservicesonly False
sudo crudini --set /usr/local/bitchan/bitmessage/keys.dat bitmessagesettings onionhostname ""
sudo crudini --set /usr/local/bitchan/bitmessage/keys.dat bitmessagesettings apiusername "bitchan_${APIUSER}"
sudo crudini --set /usr/local/bitchan/bitmessage/keys.dat bitmessagesettings apipassword "${APIPASS}"
sudo cp /usr/local/bitchan/BitChan/install_files/bitmessage/knownnodes.dat /usr/local/bitchan/bitmessage/
sudo chown -R bitchan.bitchan /usr/local/bitchan/bitmessagesudo cp /usr/local/bitchan/BitChan/install_files/nginx/nginx.conf /etc/nginx/
sudo cp /usr/local/bitchan/BitChan/install_files/nginx/project.conf /etc/nginx/conf.d/
sudo service nginx restartexport I2PVER="2.51.0"
export I2PLOC="https://github.com/PurpleI2P/i2pd/archive/refs/tags/${I2PVER}.tar.gz"
sudo ${TORSOCKS_RUN} apt install -yq --no-install-suggests --no-install-recommends \
build-essential cmake debhelper libboost-date-time-dev libboost-filesystem-dev libboost-program-options-dev libboost-system-dev libssl-dev zlib1g-dev wget
cd ~
${TORSOCKS_RUN} wget --retry-connrefused --waitretry=5 --read-timeout=20 --timeout=20 -t 5 --continue ${I2PLOC}
mkdir i2pd
tar xzf ${I2PVER}.tar.gz -C i2pd --strip-components=1
cd i2pd/build
cmake -DWITH_HARDENING=ON -DWITH_ADDRSANITIZER=ON
make
sudo make install
cd ../..
rm -rf ${I2PVER}.tar.gz
rm -rf i2pd
sudo cp /usr/local/bitchan/BitChan/install_files/i2pd/i2pd.conf /usr/local/bitchan/i2pd/i2pd.conf
sudo chown -R bitchan:bitchan /usr/local/bitchan/i2pd/i2pd.conf
sudo systemctl enable /usr/local/bitchan/BitChan/install_files/bitchan_i2pd.service
sudo service bitchan_i2pd start
# You should now be able to access the i2pd webconsole at http://127.0.0.1:7070 using user bitchani2p and password bci2ppassIf you're setting up a kiosk and want to use an eepsite to access BitChan over HTTP, copy /usr/local/bitchan/BitChan/install_files/i2pd/bitchan_tunnels.conf to /usr/local/bitchan/i2pd/tunnels.conf.d/ and restart i2pd. If you have a key.dat, you can replace bitchan-tunnel.dat in bitchan_tunnels.conf in order to specify your i2p address, otherwise one will be randomly generated.
Note: torsocks has been removed from the git clone commands due to connection refusals for the submodule downloads.
sudo ${TORSOCKS_RUN} apt install -yq --no-install-suggests --no-install-recommends \
autoconf automake build-essential cmake curl git libboost-tools-dev libboost-dev libboost-system-dev libexecs-dev \
libicu-dev libqt5svg5-dev libssl-dev libtool linux-headers-generic perl pkgconf python3 python3-dev qtbase5-dev \
qttools5-dev qttools5-dev-tools re2c ninja-build tar zlib1g-dev
cd ~
# Commit 74bc93a37a5e31c78f0aa02037a68fb9ac5deb41 v2.0.10
git clone --shallow-submodules --recurse-submodules https://github.com/arvidn/libtorrent.git ./libtorrent
cd ./libtorrent
git checkout 74bc93a37a5e31c78f0aa02037a68fb9ac5deb41
cmake -Wno-dev -G Ninja -B build -D CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE="Release" -D CMAKE_CXX_STANDARD=17
cmake --build build
sudo cmake --install build
cd ..
rm -rf ./libtorrent
# Commit 785320e7f6a5e228caf817b01dca69da0b83a012 v4.6.4
git clone --shallow-submodules --recurse-submodules https://github.com/qbittorrent/qBittorrent.git ./qbittorrent
cd ./qbittorrent
git checkout 785320e7f6a5e228caf817b01dca69da0b83a012
cmake -Wno-dev -G Ninja -B build -D GUI=OFF -D CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE="release" -D CMAKE_CXX_STANDARD=17
cmake --build build
sudo cmake --install build
cd ..
rm -rf ./qbittorrent
sudo adduser --disabled-password --gecos "" --home /usr/local/bitchan/BitChan/i2p_qb qb
sudo usermod -aG bitchan qb
sudo usermod -aG qb $USER
sudo mkdir -p /usr/local/bitchan/BitChan/i2p_qb/.config
sudo mkdir -p /usr/local/bitchan/BitChan/i2p_qb/.config/qBittorrent
sudo mkdir -p /usr/local/bitchan/BitChan/i2p_qb/Downloads
sudo mkdir -p /usr/local/bitchan/BitChan/i2p_qb/Downloads/temp
# Copy qbittorrent config files
sudo cp /usr/local/bitchan/BitChan/install_files/qbittorrent/qBittorrent.conf /usr/local/bitchan/BitChan/i2p_qb/.config/qBittorrent/
sudo cp /usr/local/bitchan/BitChan/install_files/qbittorrent/watched_folders.json /usr/local/bitchan/BitChan/i2p_qb/.config/qBittorrent/
sudo chown -R qb:qb /usr/local/bitchan/BitChan/i2p_qb
sudo chmod -R 770 /usr/local/bitchan/BitChan/i2p_qb
# Set up persistent iptables rules to prevent user qb that runs qbittorrent from accessing the internet but allow connecting locally to i2pd
sudo debconf-set-selections <<< "iptables-persistent iptables-persistent/autosave_v4 boolean false"
sudo debconf-set-selections <<< "iptables-persistent iptables-persistent/autosave_v6 boolean false"
sudo ${TORSOCKS_RUN} apt install -y iptables-persistent
sudo cp /usr/local/bitchan/BitChan/install_files/qbittorrent/rules.v4 /etc/iptables/
sudo chown root:root /etc/iptables/rules.v4
sudo chmod 644 /etc/iptables/rules.v4
sudo systemctl enable --now netfilter-persistent.service
sudo service iptables restart
sudo systemctl enable /usr/local/bitchan/BitChan/install_files/bitchan_qbittorrent.service
sudo service bitchan_qbittorrent start
# You should now be able to access the qbittorrent Web UI at http://127.0.0.1:8080You can verify no connections are leaking from the qb user that runs qbittorrent.
# Verify that your current user has internet
ping yahoo.com
# Verify that the internet is not accessible by use qb (the user that will run qbittorrent)
sudo su qb -c "ping yahoo.com"
# You should see the following returned:
### ping: yahoo.com: Temporary failure in name resolution
# qbittorrent can now be used with i2p without the possibility of connections leaking to the clearnetsudo systemctl enable /usr/local/bitchan/BitChan/install_files/bitchan_bitmessage.service
sudo systemctl enable /usr/local/bitchan/BitChan/install_files/bitchan_frontend.service
sudo systemctl enable /usr/local/bitchan/BitChan/install_files/bitchan_backend.servicesudo service bitchan_frontend start
curl -sL -I 127.0.0.1:8000/favicon.ico > /dev/nullConnecting to 127.0.0.1:8000/favicon.ico (above) creates the database and is required to be done only once, before starting the backend for the first time.
sudo service bitchan_backend startBitChan can now be accessed at http://127.0.0.1:8000 (If using tor browser, read the README for how to enable localhost access via about:config)
The default connection settings for bitmessage allows incoming connections to use tor and clearnet and outgoing connections to use tor. You can check the number of bitmessage connections that have been made (named networkConnections) under Bitmessage Status on the Status page. If you don't have at least one connection after an hour, try changing the Incoming and Outgoing Connections setting on the Configuration page.
cd /usr/local/bitchan/BitChan
git pull
sudo systemctl daemon-reload
sudo service bitchan_qbittorrent restart
sudo service bitchan_backend restart
sudo service bitchan_frontend restartUpgrading tor and i2pd will need to be done manually, by repeating the compilation steps for each, with the new version.