- Distributed network messengers connect through a network of nodes that relay messages to the recipient without a third-party server. Connection can then be established directly as with peer-to-peer networks, or indirectly through a rendez-vu node as in onion routing networks.
+ Peer-to-peer messengers connect to a distributed network of nodes to relay messages to the recipient without a third-party server. Clients (peers) usually find each other through the use of a distributed computing network. Examples of this include DHT (distributed hash table) (used with technologies like torrents and IPFS, for example). Another approach is proximity based networks, where a connection is established over WiFi or Bluetooth (for example, Briar or the Scuttlebutt social networking protocol). Once a peer has found a route to its contact via any of these methods, a direct connection between them is made.
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Peer-to-Peer instant messengers connect directly to each other without requiring third-party servers. Clients (peers) usually find each other through the use of a distributed computing network. Examples of this include DHT (distributed hash table) (used with technologies like torrents and IPFS, for example). Another approach is proximity based networks, where a connection is established over WiFi or Bluetooth (for example, Briar or the Scuttlebutt social networking protocol). Once a peer has found a route to its contact via any of these methods, a direct connection between them is made.
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Non peer-to-peer distributed networks route encrypted messages through a network of user operated nodes. The sender and recipient never interact directly, and hence there is no leak of IP addresses. With onion routing (e.g., Tor), nodes cannot decrypt messages, only the recipient can. Another example is distributed ledger technology (e.g., blockchains), although there is no guarantee of anonymity.
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Softwares can combine multiple approaches, such as Briar using peer-to-peer for local network and Tor for remote connections over the internet, whereas Session always uses onion routing over a blockchain to incentivize nodes.
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+ A messenger using anonymous routing communicates encrypted messages through a virtual overlay network that hides the location of each node as well as the recipient and sender of each message. The sender and recipient never interact directly, and only meet through a secret rendez-vu node, so that there is no leak of IP addresses nor physical location. With onion routing networks (e.g., Tor), nodes cannot decrypt messages nor the final destination, only the recipient can. Each intermediary node can only decrypt a part that indicates where to send the still encrypted message next, until it arrives at the recipient who can fully decrypt it, hence the "onion layers".
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