Alias & RGB not propagated

[unixb0y]

So, I noticed that after multiple days, multiple channel creations, and successful transactions, even though my node shows up on 1ml.com and amboss.space, none of those show my alias and RGB. Is there anything specific I have to set in my config for c-lightning to propagate them in the network?

[vincenzopalazzo]

Hi @unixb0y, maybe if you post your getinfo command result and the configuration file we can help.

Honestly, I don't know if you did specify nothings in the file, the node will make some choice for you. However, have your configuration can be helpful to fix your problem.

[unixb0y]

Hi @unixb0y, maybe if you post your getinfo command result and the configuration file we can help.

Honestly, I don't know if you did specify nothings in the file, the node will make some choice for you. However, have your configuration can be helpful to fix your problem.

sure, here's my info:

$ lightning-cli getinfo
{
   "id": "0318849334f3d45ded8dbbfad27bbd54e0fcdae495f4c1e6536775c984a156fa78",
   "alias": "ln.unixb0y.de",
   "color": "ff00ff",
   "num_peers": 6,
   "num_pending_channels": 0,
   "num_active_channels": 5,
   "num_inactive_channels": 1,
   "address": [],
   "binding": [
      {
         "type": "ipv6",
         "address": "::",
         "port": 9735
      },
      {
         "type": "ipv4",
         "address": "0.0.0.0",
         "port": 9735
      }
   ],
   "version": "0.10.0",
   "blockheight": 691160,
   "network": "bitcoin",
   "msatoshi_fees_collected": 0,
   "fees_collected_msat": "0msat",
   "lightning-dir": "/home/dave/.lightning/bitcoin"
}

The config file in ~/.lightning/config specifies these options as well as a few plugin settings:

mainnet
alias=ln.unixb0y.de
rgb=ff00ff

[vincenzopalazzo]

@unixb0y your configuration looks good to me, I have the same configuration on my node

[unixb0y]

@unixb0y your configuration looks good to me, I have the same configuration on my node

weird then what can I do to propagate my alias and rgb?

btw whats the plugin used for your webpage?

[GlenCooper]

@unixb0y your configuration looks good to me, I have the same configuration on my node

@vincenzopalazzo : the QR codes presented on your webpage are not scannable using the QR scanner software on my phone. Please increase the margin size of the QR image (to at least Margin Size 3 if using qtqr) to make them more easily scannable.

[vincenzopalazzo]

@unixb0y all the plugin used are under this organization https://github.com/clightning4j, there are a couple of plugin under the hood

weird then what can I do to propagate my alias and rgb?

@unixb0y I really don't have idea about that, and I'm curious to know more about that

@vincenzopalazzo : the QR codes presented on your webpage are not scannable using the QR scanner software on my phone. Please increase the margin size of the QR image (to at least Margin Size 3 if using qtqr) to make them more easily scannable.

@GlenCooper, Ops! i reproduced it now. thanks to reporting this error :-)

[unixb0y]

@unixb0y all the plugin used are under this organization https://github.com/clightning4j, there are a couple of plugin under the hood

thanks!

weird then what can I do to propagate my alias and rgb?

@unixb0y I really don't have idea about that, and I'm curious to know more about that

Okay, maybe someone here knows.. 😊

[jsarenik]

@unixb0y there is some issue because even though you seem to have channels, your peers may not be connected to anyone else or something like this. I tried to connect to your node, no success.

$ lightning-cli connect 0318849334f3d45ded8dbbfad27bbd54e0fcdae495f4c1e6536775c984a156fa78
{
   "code": 400,
   "message": "Unable to connect, no address known for peer"
}

Ah it could be that you have bindings, but do not announce any address and the node may be behind NAT (and probably no IPv6 there, the binding is just local-host).

See my getinfo:

{
   "id": "032de5c0f28f9d7d10c0c0b5ec92e83f9bf40def2bf40181c0f4330c57e58a8605",
   "alias": "IRATEMONKEY-v0.10.0-448-g896da4f",
   "color": "96da4f",
   "num_peers": 4,
   "num_pending_channels": 0,
   "num_active_channels": 4,
   "num_inactive_channels": 0,
   "address": [
      {
         "type": "ipv4",
         "address": "78.98.73.119",
         "port": 19735
      },
      {
         "type": "ipv6",
         "address": "300:5ecb:6b8a:d837::3",
         "port": 19735
      },
      {
         "type": "ipv6",
         "address": "2001:470:1f1b:365:aa20:66ff:fe3f:1909",
         "port": 19735
      },
      {
         "type": "torv3",
         "address": "seagd6ubksxmppexhzfibzjjk5ummiii5ancqdoc6ppfzhkqnrn4a5ad.onion",
         "port": 9735
      }
   ],
   "binding": [
      {
         "type": "ipv4",
         "address": "127.0.0.1",
         "port": 9735
      },
      {
         "type": "ipv4",
         "address": "192.168.1.118",
         "port": 19735
      },
      {
         "type": "ipv6",
         "address": "2001:470:1f1b:365:aa20:66ff:fe3f:1909",
         "port": 19735
      },
      {
         "type": "ipv6",
         "address": "300:5ecb:6b8a:d837::3",
         "port": 19735
      }
   ],
   "version": "v0.10.0-448-g896da4f",
   "blockheight": 691236,
   "network": "bitcoin",
   "msatoshi_fees_collected": 39514,
   "fees_collected_msat": "39514msat",
   "lightning-dir": "/home/nsm/.lightning/bitcoin"
}

[unixb0y]

Ah it could be that you have bindings, but do not announce any address and the node may be behind NAT (and probably no IPv6 there, the binding is just local-host).

Indeed I'm behind NAT without a static IP! But I do have DNS so I give people this format and it works well: ID@url:9735

Should I put the url in the config? Does that work or just IPs?

[jsarenik]

Yes, your node needs to know about that address as well because this is what gets into the gossip.

In my config I have these address-related lines:

bind-addr=127.0.0.1:9735
bind-addr=192.168.1.118:19735
announce-addr=78.98.73.119:19735
addr=[2001:470:1f1b:365:aa20:66ff:fe3f:1909]:19735
addr=[300:5ecb:6b8a:d837::3]:19735
proxy=127.0.0.1:9050
addr=statictor:127.0.0.1:9051

The IPv4 annonce-addr line (currently 78.98.73.119) gets updated according to my dynDNS record (a.bublina.eu.org) every time the home DSL router gets another address. The IPv6 is tunneled through tunnelbroker.net and the funny IPv6-looking address is on Yggdrasil-Network. And then Tor (see doc/TOR.md).

[unixb0y]

@jsarenik Thanks a lot! But how is announce-addr updated? Is it done somehow automatically?

And why can't I just put my URL in announce-addr?

Do I have to set the local IP (lines 1,2) since I had a lightning node with exposed IP on a server in the past and did not need that there.

[unixb0y]

@jsarenik the localhost stuff and everything on 9735 is for Tor and 19735 is normal internet?

[vincenzopalazzo]

@unixb0y I try to answer to the best of my knowledge below

And why can't I just put my URL in announce-addr?

In my knowledge the URL it is not supported because the node needs to resolve the url, I don't know the motivation, but maybe @rustyrussell can give an exhaustive answer here.

But how is announce-addr updated? Is it done somehow automatically?

You need to specify the announc-addr in this way you are telling to be available on the public network, however, the bind-addr is made automagically if no error happens, in this case you can specify the bind-addr on the config file.

the localhost stuff and everything on 9735 is for Tor and 19735 is normal internet?

You are free to use any port that you want, I have all expose on 9735 port, but maybe I didn't catch your question here?

[unixb0y]

@vincenzopalazzo thanks a lot! yeah maybe URL → IP resolution can be added in the futute :)

I earlier managed to get Tor running using the guide in the docs, but I will try again to get both up! I would like for both ways to use 9735, but according to amboss.space your clearnet endpoint is on 19735.

I still didnt understand if you have to use like a cronjob to periodically update the clearnet IP in the config file or if c-lightning does that automatically.