If I use Tor or a VPN, my relay does not see my IP address, but it still works normally, contrary to what the FAQ says. It is not clear why the relay needs to know my IP address, as claimed on the FAQ.
Some IP addresses are dynamic and others are persistent, so this part of the FAQ is very misleading.
The Wikipedia article for this topic makes it obvious why the information presented in the FAQ is false:
Within a network, the network administrator assigns an IP address to each device. Such assignments may be on a static (fixed or permanent) or dynamic basis, depending on network practices and software features. Some jurisdictions consider IP addresses to be personal data.
IP addresses are assigned to a host either dynamically as they join the network, or persistently by configuration of the host hardware or software. Persistent configuration is also known as using a static IP address.
Sticky is an informal term used to describe a dynamically assigned IP address that seldom changes. IPv4 addresses, for example, are usually assigned with DHCP, and a DHCP service can use rules that maximize the chance of assigning the same address each time a client asks for an assignment. In IPv6, a prefix delegation can be handled similarly, to make changes as rare as feasible. In a typical home or small-office setup, a single router is the only device visible to an Internet service provider (ISP), and the ISP may try to provide a configuration that is as stable as feasible, i.e. sticky.
The FAQ does not back up the claim that IP addresses are not persistent.
this is just how the internet and other messengers work by default
Other messengers also demand your phone number and force you to use a central server by default, but DC aims to be better. Why lower privacy standards in this case just because other apps do? The justification “because other messengers do this by default” is selectively applied to this case but not to other cases, so the logic is not consistent.
If you see your IP Address as a security or privacy risk, we recommend to use a VPN, in combination with system lockdown mode.
Lockdown mode is an iOS feature. What do people who use other platforms do?
I mentioned above that another DC dev has said that this is not sufficient to protect your IP address for webxdc apps:
Either I misunderstood the advice, or DC devs give two different conflicting pieces of advice which can’t both be true. If I misunderstood the advice, I would be happy if someone corrects me about this.
To clear up the confusion, can we establish which DC devs are the most knowledgeable about iroh, and can they confirm the advice presented in the FAQ that simply using a VPN with lockdown mode is guaranteed to never expose your IP address when using P2P realtime chat apps, as claimed on the FAQ and on the github issue for removing the P2P realtime switch? And will this also work for people who do not use iOS and therefore can’t use lockdown mode?