Published on: 2015-09-02T20:31:05+00:00
A debate has arisen among Bitcoin users regarding AT&T's impact on Bitcoin nodes. One user claims that AT&T effectively banned Bitcoin nodes by using private subnets, leading to a worldwide decline in node numbers. However, another user refutes these claims, stating that AT&T's default network configuration did not cause any problems for Bitcoin nodes and accuses the first user of being uninformed about computer networking. Despite this, the first user insists that his accusations are true and that he has confirmed them with AT&T technicians.The first user suggests that the community needs to speak up and educate others about the issue to improve node numbers. Another internet user shares their experience with local ISPs who contract with AT&T to provide internet services in areas where old-style DSL has been phased out. The internet services provided by the local ISP is essentially AT&T FTTN, which means everything is subject to AT&T data retention policy. To protect privacy, the user suggests using a VPN or setting up Tor to run through the VPN.The same issues with AT&T were also faced by a Bitcoin user who struggled to get port 8333 open for Bitcoin Core due to firewall restrictions imposed by AT&T. After several hours of phone calls and messaging with AT&T, he found out that the internet was being routed through a DVR/cable box with a firewall, and AT&T refused to turn off the firewall. The user believes this could be a driving force behind the decline in Bitcoin nodes and suggests that ISPs are censoring Bitcoin without informing their customers.In conclusion, while one user claims that AT&T banned Bitcoin nodes, another user refutes these claims, suggesting that the first user is uninformed about computer networking. However, both users agree that there are issues with AT&T's policies that could negatively impact Bitcoin users and nodes. It is recommended that Bitcoin users take steps to protect their privacy when using AT&T services, such as using a VPN or Tor, and to educate others about these issues.
Updated on: 2023-08-01T15:55:35.584544+00:00