Configuring Your Bitcoin Core Wallet for Use with Tor
When switching from a traditional desktop wallet to one that uses the Tor network, it’s important to ensure that your wallet remains secure and compatible with the Tor protocol. This article will help you configure Bitcoin Core v0.1.2 (64-bit) for use with Tor.
Prerequisites:
- Make sure you have Bitcoin Core installed on your Windows system.
- Your Bitcoin Core wallet is now up and running on your desktop device.
- Familiarize yourself with the Tor protocol and its configuration requirements.
Step 1: Configure Your Bitcoin Core Wallet for Tor
To enable Bitcoin Core to use the Tor network, you need to create a new wallet or update your existing one. Follow these steps:
- Create a new wallet: If you haven’t already created a new wallet, launch the Bitcoin Core client and select Wallets > New Wallet. Select the format: « Electrum Wallet (Unsealed) ».
- Edit the wallet file: After creating a new wallet, edit the « Electrummechanical » folder in the « Electrum_wallet » directory to enable Tor support:
- Using a text editor, open the « electromechanical.conf » file and add the following lines to the end of the file: « net.use.tor = true »
- Save the changes.
- Update your existing wallet: If you already have a wallet configured to use non-Tor, update it to use Tor by adding the following line to the electromechanical.conf file: « net.use.tor = true »
Step 2: Configure your Electrum wallet
To connect your Bitcoin Core wallet to the Tor network:
- Launch Electrum
: Launch the Electrum wallet client from the command line or terminal.
- Connect to the Tor node: Use this URL as the Tor node address:
wss://tornode.net:443
- Use your Bitcoin Core wallet: Log in with your existing password and configure additional settings if necessary.
Step 3: Test your configuration
After completing these steps, test your configuration by sending some funds to a predefined address using the Electrum client or via an online transfer service.
Tips and Variations
- If you encounter any problems or errors during the process, please refer to the Bitcoin Core documentation or contact the Tor community for assistance.
- Consider creating separate wallets for different use cases, such as Tor-only and non-Tor transactions.
- Remember that using Tor can increase the security of your wallet by encrypting incoming and outgoing transactions.
With these steps, you have successfully configured your Bitcoin Core wallet to use the Tor network. Be sure to regularly test and monitor your configuration to ensure optimal performance and security.