This is a guest post from our friends at anoni.net. This article was made possible with support from Open Culture Foundation.Preface: Why Talk About Anonymous Networks on Campus?In many places, the internet is monitored closely and managed centrally. In that environment, anonymous communication is not just a technical choice. It supports safe exploration, research, and expression. In Taiwan, this matters because we sit in a sensitive part of East Asia. Internet freedom and communication resilience are practical skills for handling real pressure.Universities and academic networks have historically been the earliest places where new technologies and public infrastructure are experimented with. The following interview documents how a computer science student at National Taiwan Normal University, also a member of the anonymous network community, stepped into institutional reality on campus, communicated with the university, and attempted to actually set up a Tor Relay.Within the anonymous network community, people often talk about technology and ideals. The hard part is not the configuration itself. The question is whether the relay can survive in the real world.This time, we interviewed a partner from the anonymous network community, NZ, who is currently studying in the Department of Computer Science at National Taiwan Normal University. He set up a Tor Relay on campus by working openly with the university system and completing the full administrative process.蘇恩立 (Su En-Li, NZ) is currently a third-year undergraduate student in the Department of Computer Science and Information Engineering at National Taiwan Normal University. With a strong interest in information security and network governance, he is currently responsible for operating and maintaining the first Tor node on Taiwan Academic Network (TANet). In addition to hands-on technical practice, he is also dedicated to knowledge sharing, serving as an anonymous network course instructor in the GDGoC NTNU student club. He has long been involved in Taiwan's open source and information security communities, and has volunteered multiple times at major technical conferences such as SITCON, HITCON, and COSCUP, demonstrating both community service experience and strong technical passion.Why Set Up a Tor Relay at a University?His motivation was simple. If anonymous networks in Taiwan only show up in niche communities, overseas VPSs, or are treated as gray-area tools, they will not be taken seriously. Universities—especially academic networks like TANet—are meant to support research, experimentation, and public interest. That is why this kind of foundational infrastructure can fit there.He was also fully aware of the real-world constraints. Taiwan's academic network is highly centralized, with outbound connectivity controlled by the Ministry of Education. In practice, this setup limits what anonymous networks can do.Because of those limits, he wanted to find out: "Under such constraints, can it at least exist?"How Did He Talk to the University? The Goal Was to Help Them Explain It ClearlyAdministrative Process TimelineWhen he moved from ideas to action, he did not frame Tor as something "cool" or radical. He explained it in terms the university could work with:This is a Tor Relay, not an Exit NodeIt does not directly provide content to external usersIt is an experiment in network infrastructure and anonymous communicationProcess-wise, he exchanged emails with network administrators, professors, and the department chair. He made sure everyone who needed to sign off—or be "CC'd"—understood what this machine would do. The university's requirement was practical: if the Ministry of Education asked about it, they needed to be able to explain it. That became the entry point for communication.The Administrative Process Is a Hassle, but It Can Still WorkProject Proposal DocumentAt National Taiwan Normal University, all outbound connections are blocked by default. Any service requires applying for an exception, including specifying IP addresses, intended use, and supporting documentation, and ultimately ensuring it aligns with the university's reporting procedures to the Ministry of Education. He described this process as annoying and predictable.As long as one is willing to write the paperwork and explain things clearly, this path does exist.Student Organizations and Outreach: Let Tor Mean More Than a LabelStudent Organization Event: Anonymous Network WorkshopBeyond the machine itself, he also organized anonymous network–related activities through student clubs on campus, introducing Tor, anonymous communication, and the design principles behind them. Even if attendance wasn't always high, it helped create a place where people could understand that "anonymous networks ≠ criminal tools," without leaning on stereotypes.These efforts may not be highly visible. They still matter.Practical Advice and Pitfalls for OthersThe following points are distilled from this experience, intended as a reference for anyone who wants to promote or deploy a Tor Relay on a university campus in the future.Actionable AdviceTake the public route from the start: don't wait until something goes wrong to explain—let network administrators and supervising professors know what you are doing early on.Clearly distinguish between a Tor Relay and an Exit Node: this is almost always the deciding factor in whether communication succeeds, so be explicit about the difference in risk.Explain things in a way the university can "account for": you are not asking faculty to support anonymous networks ideologically. You are making sure they can answer questions when asked.Expect a lot of paperwork: IP addresses, outbound connectivity, and usage descriptions are all basic requirements.Common PitfallsAssuming technical correctness is enough: within academic networks, institutional processes often determine success or failure before technology does.Underestimating the Ministry of Education's level of control: most universities block outbound connections by default, and any exceptions must align with formal reporting procedures.Failing to plan for maintenance and account ownership: account privileges after graduation directly affect whether long-term operation is possible.ConclusionThis attempt to deploy a Tor Relay at National Taiwan Normal University is not an endpoint, and it is not a definitive answer. Still, it proves one thing clearly:Within Taiwanese universities, as long as one is willing to communicate and explain,Anonymous networks are not entirely without a place.If we hope to see Tor Relays on more campuses in the future, these "uncool but time-consuming" efforts may well be the most important foundation of all.Further Reflection: Why Are Attempts Like This Worth Preserving?After reading this interview, it is easy to focus on "what he accomplished." For the anonymous network community, the key detail is "how this was accomplished."In Taiwan, anonymous networks do not lack technical documentation or ideological support. The real scarcity is experience from actually working through the real institutional system once. Especially in an environment where academic networks are highly centralized and outbound connectivity is tightly controlled, distributed anonymous infrastructure like Tor Relays is inherently difficult to sustain.This implementation at National Taiwan Normal University was not meant to provide a final answer for anonymous networks. It was a concrete attempt made within real-world institutions. It may not immediately improve the performance or security of anonymous networks, and it was not intended to become a directly reproducible standard process. What it did achieve was leaving behind a clearly visible path of practice—one that can be understood, referenced, and built upon.This path shows us that:Anonymous networks do not necessarily have to operate only overseas, underground, or in legal gray areasCampuses are not places that can only reject such efforts; they need to be properly informedAdministrative procedures may be cumbersome, but they are not entirely impossibleBeyond technology, language, patience, and institutional understanding are equally importantFor Taiwan, the advancement of anonymous networks is unlikely to begin with a "killer application." It will more likely grow from slow, tedious, and even somewhat clumsy attempts.If, in the future, we hope to see Tor Relays or other anonymous communication infrastructure across more universities and academic network nodes, then these early experiences—whether successful or obstructed—are all worth recording, discussing, and passing on.Anonymous networks exist because communities keep communicating, understanding each other, and cooperating over the long run. Through those processes, internet freedom can move from an abstract concept to public infrastructure that can actually be put into practice.Tor × EFF University Challenge: Make Your Campus Part of the Anonymous NetworkThe Tor Project and the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) jointly run the Tor University Challenge, inviting university students around the world to set up Tor Relays on their campuses using academic networks. By successfully deploying and maintaining a Tor Relay within a university network, participating institutions can have their university names listed on the project's official website—showing the world that their campus is actively contributing to the infrastructure of anonymous communication and internet freedom.This is both a technical challenge and a symbolic act: it represents a university's willingness to support the practice of privacy, anonymity, and an open internet within the realms of education and research. In the National Taiwan Normal University case discussed here, we saw the same point in practice: if people are willing to communicate and understand institutional constraints, Tor Relays can exist on Taiwanese campuses.If you are currently a university student with an interest in networking, cybersecurity, privacy, or public infrastructure, the Tor University Challenge offers a concrete and documentable starting point: make your work visible beyond your own computer—so others can see it.→ Project website: https://toruniversity.eff.orgThe Role of Tor Relays in Academic NetworksMany people have heard of Tor, but do not necessarily understand its significance within academic networks.What Is a Tor Relay?Tor is an anonymous communication network that routes traffic through multiple nodes using layered encryption. A Tor Relay (middle relay) helps forward encrypted traffic and, by design, cannot see either the user's source or the final destination.It does not provide content. It is not an exit node.Why Are Academic Networks Suitable for Discussing Tor Relays?Academic networks are inherently meant to support experimentationUniversities carry public responsibility and research legitimacyExperience can be accumulated in a controlled environment, rather than relying solely on overseas resourcesTaiwan's academic network is highly centralized and externally controlled, so Tor's presence here feels more like a "compressed experiment."Why Is It Still Worth Doing Even If the Impact Is Limited?The goal is not only performance. We are trying to:Leave behind an institutionally "viable path"Accumulate experience in communicating with universitiesBring anonymous networks into public discussion, rather than leaving them as underground technologies正體中文 (Traditional Chinese)本文為 anoni.net 的客座文章。本文章由 財團法人開放文化基金會 支持完成。在台師大架設 Tor Relay：一段與學校溝通、留下可能性的實作經驗前言：為什麼在校園談匿名網路？在網路高度被監控與集中管理的時代，匿名通訊是安全探索、研究與表達的重要基礎。對台灣而言，這個問題尤其現實——我們身處東亞關鍵位置，網路自由與通訊韌性，早已從抽象價值變成社會能否承受壓力的底層能力。大學與學術網路，本來就是新技術與公共基礎建設最早被嘗試的地方。接下來的訪談，記錄了一位台師大資工系學生、也是匿名網路社群夥伴，如何在校園裡，實際走進制度、與學校溝通，嘗試把 Tor Relay 真正架起來。在匿名網路社群裡，我們常常談技術、談理想。真正困難的是「這台機器能不能在現實世界活下來」。這次，我們訪談了一位匿名網路社群的夥伴 NZ，目前就讀臺灣師範大學資工系。他在校內成功架設了一個 Tor Relay，而且選擇正面與學校體制溝通，走完行政流程。蘇恩立（NZ），現就讀於國立臺灣師範大學資訊工程學系三年級。對資訊安全與網路治理深感興趣，目前負責維運臺灣學術網路（TANet）首個 Tor 節點。除技術實作外，亦致力於知識共享，於 GDGoC NTNU 學校社團擔任匿名網路課程講師，也長期參與臺灣開源與資安社群，曾多次擔任 SITCON、HITCON 及 COSCUP 等大型技術年會志工，具備社群服務經驗與技術熱忱。為什麼想在學校架 Tor Relay？他的出發點其實很單純：如果匿名網路在台灣永遠只存在於社群、海外 VPS，甚至被當成灰色地帶的工具，那它很難被認真對待。而大學，特別是學術網路（TANet），本來就承載著研究、實驗與公共性，理論上應該能容納這類基礎設施嘗試。不過他也很清楚現實限制：台灣學術網路高度集中，對外連線受教育部控管，匿名網路在這樣的結構裡，本來就不容易發揮完整效果。但正因如此，他更想知道：「在這樣的限制下，至少能不能先存在？」跟學校怎麼談？重點在於讓對方能交代行政流程時間表實際行動時，他沒有把 Tor 包裝成什麼很酷或很激進的東西，而是用學校能理解的語言來說明：這是一個 Tor Relay，不是 Exit Node它不會直接對外提供內容是網路基礎建設與匿名通訊的實驗在流程上，他與網管、教授、系主任之間有實際的 mail 往返，讓每個需要簽名、需要被「CC」的人，都知道這台主機在做什麼。學校不需要完全懂 Tor。只要今天教育部來問，他們能回答得出來，這就是溝通的切入點。行政流程真的很麻煩，但走得通專案計畫說明書在台師大的情況下，對外連線預設是全部封鎖，任何服務都必須申請例外開放，包含 IP、用途、說明文件，最後還得能對應到學校回報教育部的流程。他形容這段過程「很煩，但可預期」。只要願意寫文件、願意解釋，這條路是存在的。社團與推廣：至少讓 Tor 不再只是標籤社團活動：匿名網路工作坊除了機器本身，他也曾在校內社團舉辦匿名網路相關活動，介紹 Tor、匿名通訊與其背後的設計理念。即使參與人數不一定多，但至少讓「匿名網路 ≠ 犯罪工具」這件事，有機會在校園被好好講清楚，讓大家不再只靠刻板印象理解。這些累積，或許不顯眼，但很重要。給其他大學的行動建議與踩雷提醒以下整理自這次經驗，給未來想在大學校園中推動 Tor Relay 的夥伴參考。行動建議一開始就走公開路線：不要等出事才解釋，先讓網管與指導教授知道你在做什麼。清楚區分 Tor Relay 與 Exit Node：這幾乎是溝通成敗的關鍵，務必要講清楚風險差異。用「學校能交代」的語言說明：不要用動員的語氣，而要讓他們在被問時能回答得出來。預期 paperwork 很多：IP、對外連線、用途說明，這些都是基本門檻。常見的困難點以為技術正確就夠了：在學術網路裡，制度往往比技術更先決定生死。低估教育部控管的影響：多數學校預設全封鎖，例外開放一定要能對應回報流程。沒有想清楚維護與帳號問題：畢業後帳號權限，會直接影響能不能長期維運。結語這次在台師大的 Tor Relay 嘗試，沒有把事情做成終點，也不是唯一的標準答案。但它至少證明了一件事：在台灣的大學裡，只要願意溝通、願意解釋 ...匿名網路仍然有位置。如果未來我們希望在更多校園看到 Tor Relay，那這些「不酷、但很花時間」的努力，可能正是最重要的基礎。延伸思考：為什麼這樣的嘗試，值得被留下來？讀完這段訪談，我們很容易把焦點放在「他做成了什麼」。但對匿名網路社群而言，更重要的其實是：這件事是怎麼被做成的。在台灣，匿名網路並不缺技術文件，也不缺理念支持，真正稀少的，是「在現實制度裡走過一次」的經驗。尤其是在學術網路高度集中、對外連線受控的環境中，Tor Relay 這類分散式匿名基礎設施，本來就不容易存在。這次在台師大的實作，是一次在現實制度中踏出的實際嘗試。它不是為了替匿名網路給出最終解答。它未必能立刻改變匿名網路的效能或安全性，也不意圖成為一套可直接複製的標準流程，但它成功留下了一條清楚可見、能被理解與參考的實踐路徑。這條路徑告訴我們：匿名網路不一定只能在海外、地下或灰色地帶運作校園不是只有拒絕一種選擇，需要把內容講清楚行政流程雖然繁瑣，但仍然有機會走通技術之外，語言、耐心與制度理解同樣重要對台灣來說，匿名網路的推動，很可能從這些看似緩慢、瑣碎、甚至有點笨拙的嘗試累積開始。如果未來，我們希望在更多大學、更多學術網路節點中，看見 Tor Relay 或其他匿名通訊基礎設施，那麼這些早期經驗（無論成功或卡關）都值得被記錄、被討論、被傳承。匿名網路的存在，來自社群在長時間的溝通、理解與協作中逐漸形成的成果。透過這樣的過程，網路自由得以從概念，轉化為可被實踐的公共基礎。Tor × EFF 大學挑戰計畫：讓你的學校成為匿名網路的一部分Tor 專案與美國電子前線基金會（EFF）共同推動 Tor University Challenge（大學挑戰計畫），邀請全球的大學生在校園內，透過學術網路實際架設 Tor Relay（中繼節點），協助匿名網路的運作與穩定。只要成功在大學校園中，使用學校網路建立並維運 Tor Relay，就可以將學校名稱登錄到計畫官方網站，讓全世界看見你的大學，實際參與了匿名通訊與網路自由的基礎建設。這同時是技術挑戰，也是一種象徵：代表你的學校，願意在教育與研究的場域中，支持隱私、匿名與開放網路的實踐。在這次台灣師範大學的案例中，我們也看見：只要願意溝通、願意理解制度，Tor Relay 就有機會出現在台灣的校園。如果你也正在大學就讀，對網路、資安、隱私或公共基礎建設有興趣，Tor University Challenge 提供了一個具體而可被記錄的起點：讓你的行動不再只停留在自己的電腦上，也能被世界看見。→ 計畫網站：https://toruniversity.eff.orgTor Relay 在學術網路中的角色解說很多人聽過 Tor，但不一定理解它在「學術網路」裡的意義。Tor Relay 是什麼？Tor 是一個透過多層加密與多個節點轉送流量的匿名通訊網路。其中 Tor Relay（中繼節點）的功能，是協助傳遞加密流量，本身看不到使用者的來源與最終目的。它不提供內容，也不扮演出口節點。為什麼學術網路適合討論 Tor Relay？學術網路本來就承載實驗性質大學有公共性與研究正當性可以在受控環境中累積經驗，不必完全仰賴海外資源但同時，台灣學術網路高度集中、對外受控，這也讓 Tor 在這裡更像是一種「被壓縮的實驗」。為什麼即使效果有限，仍然值得做？這次嘗試要達成的重點是：留下一條制度上「能走的路」累積與學校溝通的經驗讓匿名網路進入公共討論，不僅僅只是地下技術 community partners relays global south