Nodes

A node is a computer that keeps a copy of the Monero blockchain. Biscuit asks one for blocks to find your transactions, and gives it your payments to pass on to the network.

Public nodes

By default, Biscuit connects to a random node from a list of public nodes run by trusted members of the Monero community, built into Biscuit and updated with each release. If a node stops answering, it moves to another one. In Tor mode, it uses the .onion addresses from the same list.

What a public node learns

A node doesn’t know your addresses or your balance, can’t see your incoming payments, can’t see where you send money or how much, and can’t take your coins. Your wallet scans every block on your computer.

A malicious node could still:

• try to guess which input of your transaction is the real one. It rarely works, and Biscuit warns you if it notices;
• suggest an unusual fee, which would make your payments stand out;
• link your payments to your IP address, unless you use Tor.

Your own node removes all of that.

Your own node

Settings › Network › Node: untick Let Biscuit manage this list, click Add custom node(s) and enter host:port.

A node on this computer is 127.0.0.1:18081; Biscuit finds it by itself at first launch. Nodes on your local network (127.x, 10.x, 172.16–31.x, 192.168.x, or a .local name) count as local: Biscuit never sends their traffic through Tor. To run one, the guide by Seth for Privacy is a good start.