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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

General Questions

What is VoxaCommunications-NetNode?

Q: What is VoxaCommunications-NetNode and how does it work?

A: VoxaCommunications-NetNode is a decentralized networking platform that provides secure, privacy-focused communication through advanced request splitting, dynamic routing, and a built-in crypto chain. Unlike traditional systems, it splits requests into hashed parts, routes them through different network paths, and reassembles them securely at the destination.

Q: How is VoxaCommunications different from TOR?

A: While both provide anonymity, VoxaCommunications offers several enhancements: - Request Splitting: Breaks requests into multiple parts with cryptographic verification - Decentralized Applications: Built-in platform for deploying distributed apps - Crypto Chain Integration: Blockchain capabilities for trust and incentives - Modern Architecture: Built with FastAPI, Docker, and modern technologies - Flexible Routing: Multiple routing algorithms beyond onion routing

Q: Is VoxaCommunications ready for production use?

A: VoxaCommunications is currently in active development and not recommended for production mainnet deployment. It's suitable for: - Development and Testing: Full featured testnet environment - Research Projects: Academic and experimental use - Proof of Concepts: Demonstrating decentralized applications - Community Contributions: Open source development

Installation and Setup

System Requirements

Q: What are the minimum system requirements?

A: - OS: Linux (Ubuntu 18.04+), macOS 10.15+, Windows 10+ - CPU: 2 cores (4 cores recommended) - RAM: 2GB (4GB+ recommended) - Storage: 10GB free space (20GB+ recommended) - Network: Internet connection for registry communication - Software: Python 3.8+, Git, Docker (optional)

Q: Can I run VoxaCommunications on a Raspberry Pi?

A: Yes, with some limitations: - Raspberry Pi 4 with 4GB+ RAM is recommended - 64-bit OS (Ubuntu Server or Raspberry Pi OS 64-bit) - External storage recommended for better performance - Limited container capacity due to ARM architecture

Installation Issues

Q: The installation fails with "Permission denied" errors. How do I fix this?

A: This is usually a file permissions issue: 

# Fix permissions
chmod +x run.sh
chmod +x run_dev_nodes.sh
sudo chown -R $USER:$USER /path/to/VoxaCommunications-NetNode

# Or use sudo for system-wide installation
sudo ./run.sh

Q: I get "Port 9999 already in use" error. What should I do?

A: Find and stop the process using the port: 

# Find process using port 9999
sudo lsof -i :9999

# Kill the process
sudo kill -9 <PID>

# Or use a different port
export VOXA_PORT=9998
./run.sh

Q: Docker installation fails. How do I troubleshoot?

A: Common Docker issues and solutions: 

# Ensure Docker is running
sudo systemctl start docker
sudo systemctl enable docker

# Add user to docker group
sudo usermod -aG docker $USER
# Log out and back in for group changes

# Check Docker permissions
docker run hello-world

# Restart Docker if needed
sudo systemctl restart docker

Configuration

Network Configuration

Q: How do I configure VoxaCommunications for different networks?

A: Edit config/settings.json: 

{
  "node-network-level": "testnet",  // or "mainnet", "devnet"
  "host": "0.0.0.0",               // Listen on all interfaces
  "port": 9999                     // Default port
}

Q: Can I run multiple nodes on the same machine?

A: Yes, use the multi-node development script: 

# Start 3 nodes on different ports
./run_dev_nodes.sh

# Or manually configure different ports
export VOXA_PORT=9999 && python src/main.py &
export VOXA_PORT=9998 && python src/main.py &
export VOXA_PORT=9997 && python src/main.py &

Q: How do I configure SSL/TLS for production?

A: Update your configuration with certificate paths: 

{
  "security": {
    "enable_tls": true,
    "cert_file": "/etc/ssl/certs/voxa.crt",
    "key_file": "/etc/ssl/private/voxa.key"
  }
}

Registry and Authentication

Q: Do I need to register with the central registry?

A: For production mainnet deployment, yes. For development: - Testnet: Registry registration is optional - Devnet: No registry required - Local development: Can disable registry entirely

Q: How do I disable registry authentication for testing?

A: Set in config/dev.json: 

{
  "features": {
    "enable-registry": false
  },
  "development_mode": true
}

Application Deployment

Basic App Deployment

Q: How do I deploy my first application?

A: Use the CLI to deploy the example application: 

# Start the node
./run.sh

# Deploy example app
python src/cli.py app deploy

# Check deployment status
python src/cli.py app list

Q: What types of applications can I deploy?

A: VoxaCommunications supports multiple deployment methods: - Docker containers: Any containerized application - Source code: Python, Node.js, Go, Rust, Java applications - Pre-built binaries: Compiled executables - Static websites: HTML/CSS/JavaScript sites

Q: How do I deploy a custom Docker image?

A: Use the API or modify the CLI example: 

curl -X POST http://localhost:9999/apps/add_app/ \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "name": "my-custom-app",
    "image": "my-registry.com/my-app:latest",
    "replicas": 2,
    "ports": [{"container_port": 8080, "protocol": "tcp"}]
  }'

Advanced Deployment

Q: How do I configure resource limits for applications?

A: Specify limits in the deployment request: 

{
  "name": "resource-limited-app",
  "image": "nginx:latest",
  "resources": {
    "memory": "512m",
    "cpu": "1.0",
    "storage": "1g"
  }
}

Q: Can applications communicate with each other?

A: Yes, through several methods: - Service discovery: Apps can discover other apps via API - Direct networking: Apps on the same node can communicate - P2P messaging: Cross-node communication through VoxaCommunications - Shared storage: Apps can share data through the storage API

Q: How do I scale applications automatically?

A: Enable auto-scaling in config/apps.json: 

{
  "auto_scaling": {
    "enabled": true,
    "min_replicas": 1,
    "max_replicas": 10,
    "cpu_target_percent": 70,
    "memory_target_percent": 80
  }
}

Networking and P2P

P2P Communication

Q: How does the P2P networking work?

A: VoxaCommunications uses multiple P2P protocols: - SSU (Secure Socket Utility): Core P2P communication protocol - Kytan: Advanced networking protocol for secure channels - Discovery: Automatic peer discovery via mDNS, registry, and bootstrap nodes - UPnP: Automatic port forwarding for NAT traversal

Q: How do I configure firewall rules?

A: Open the necessary ports: 

# Ubuntu/Debian with ufw
sudo ufw allow 9999/tcp  # API port
sudo ufw allow 9000/tcp  # P2P communication
sudo ufw allow 9001/tcp  # Kytan protocol
sudo ufw allow 9002/tcp  # SSU protocol

# CentOS/RHEL with firewalld
sudo firewall-cmd --permanent --add-port=9999/tcp
sudo firewall-cmd --permanent --add-port=9000/tcp
sudo firewall-cmd --reload

Q: Can VoxaCommunications work behind NAT?

A: Yes, VoxaCommunications includes NAT traversal capabilities: - UPnP: Automatic port forwarding - STUN/TURN: NAT hole punching - Relay nodes: Traffic forwarding when direct connection isn't possible

Network Discovery

Q: How do nodes discover each other?

A: Multiple discovery mechanisms: 1. Registry: Central directory of known nodes 2. Bootstrap nodes: Hard-coded initial peer list 3. mDNS: Local network discovery 4. Peer exchange: Nodes share peer information 5. DNS-SD: Service discovery via DNS

Q: What happens if the registry is down?

A: VoxaCommunications is designed to be resilient: - Cached peers: Previously discovered nodes remain accessible - Bootstrap nodes: Alternative discovery mechanism - Local discovery: mDNS for local network nodes - Peer exchange: Existing connections help discover new peers

Security and Privacy

Privacy Features

Q: How does request splitting enhance privacy?

A: Request splitting provides multiple privacy benefits: - Content privacy: No single node sees complete requests - Traffic analysis resistance: Request patterns are obscured - Metadata protection: Routing information is distributed - Plausible deniability: Difficult to prove what data a node handled

Q: Is my data encrypted?

A: Yes, multiple layers of encryption: - Transport encryption: TLS 1.3 for all connections - P2P encryption: End-to-end encryption between peers - Storage encryption: Data at rest is encrypted - Application encryption: Apps can implement additional encryption

Q: Can someone track my network activity?

A: VoxaCommunications provides strong privacy protections: - Onion routing: Multi-hop routing like TOR - Request splitting: Advanced technique unique to VoxaCommunications - Dynamic routing: Routes change frequently - Traffic mixing: Requests are mixed with other traffic

Security Concerns

Q: Is VoxaCommunications secure for sensitive data?

A: VoxaCommunications implements enterprise-grade security: - Cryptographic verification: All data integrity is verified - Container isolation: Applications run in sandboxed environments - Regular security updates: Active security maintenance - Audit logging: Comprehensive security event logging

However, as the project is in development, use appropriate caution for highly sensitive data.

Q: How do I report security vulnerabilities?

A: Please follow responsible disclosure: 1. Do not post publicly 2. Email security@voxacommunications.com 3. Include detailed reproduction steps 4. Allow 90 days for resolution 5. Coordinate public disclosure timing

Development and Contributing

Development Setup

Q: How do I set up a development environment?

A: Several options are available: 

# Option 1: Local development
git clone https://github.com/Voxa-Communications/VoxaCommunications-NetNode.git
cd VoxaCommunications-NetNode
./run.sh

# Option 2: VS Code Dev Containers
# Open in VS Code and select "Reopen in Container"

# Option 3: Docker development
docker-compose -f docker-compose.dev.yml up

Q: How do I run tests?

A: Multiple test suites are available: 

# Run all tests
python -m pytest tests/

# Run specific tests
python tests/test_compression.py
python network_diagnostics.test.py
python test_app_deployment.py

# Run with coverage
python -m pytest tests/ --cov=src/

Q: How do I contribute to the project?

A: Follow the contribution workflow: 1. Fork the repository on GitHub 2. Clone your fork locally 3. Create a feature branch 4. Make your changes 5. Test thoroughly 6. Submit a pull request

See CONTRIBUTING.md for detailed guidelines.

API Development

Q: How do I add new API endpoints?

A: Create new endpoints in the appropriate API module: 

# src/api/my_feature/endpoints.py
from fastapi import APIRouter

router = APIRouter()

@router.get("/my-endpoint")
async def my_endpoint():
    return {"message": "Hello from my endpoint"}

# Register in src/routes.py
from api.my_feature.endpoints import router as my_feature_router
app.include_router(my_feature_router, prefix="/my-feature")

Q: How do I access the database from my code?

A: Use the global storage managers: 

from stores.storage import get_storage_manager

storage = get_storage_manager()
data = await storage.get("my-key")
await storage.set("my-key", "my-value")

Performance and Scaling

Performance Optimization

Q: How can I improve node performance?

A: Several optimization strategies: - Hardware: Use SSD storage, more RAM, faster CPU - Configuration: Tune connection limits, timeouts, and caching - Network: Use wired connection, configure QoS - Applications: Optimize deployed applications for efficiency

Q: What are the performance benchmarks?

A: Performance varies by configuration and hardware: - API throughput: 1000+ requests/second on modern hardware - P2P connections: 50-200 concurrent connections - Application capacity: 10-50 apps per node depending on resources - Storage: Limited by disk I/O and available space

Q: How do I monitor performance?

A: Built-in monitoring endpoints: 

# System status
curl http://localhost:9999/status/system

# Performance statistics  
curl http://localhost:9999/info/program_stats

# Application metrics
curl http://localhost:9999/apps/list_apps/

Scaling Considerations

Q: How many nodes can the network support?

A: The network is designed to scale horizontally: - Current testing: Up to 100 nodes tested - Theoretical limit: Thousands of nodes possible - Practical considerations: Network topology, discovery efficiency - Future improvements: Enhanced routing algorithms

Q: Can I run VoxaCommunications in the cloud?

A: Yes, cloud deployment is supported: - AWS, GCP, Azure: All major cloud providers - Container services: ECS, GKE, AKS compatible - Load balancing: Works with cloud load balancers - Auto-scaling: Integrates with cloud auto-scaling

Troubleshooting

Common Issues

Q: My node can't connect to other peers. What's wrong?

A: Check these common issues: 1. Firewall: Ensure ports 9000-9002 are open 2. NAT: Enable UPnP or configure port forwarding 3. Network: Check internet connectivity 4. Registry: Verify registry configuration if using mainnet 5. Logs: Check logs for specific error messages

Q: Applications fail to deploy. How do I debug?

A: Debug deployment issues: 

# Check Docker status
docker ps
docker images

# Check application logs
python src/cli.py app status --app-id <app-id>

# Check node logs
tail -f logs/*.log

# Test Docker manually
docker run --rm -p 8080:80 nginx:latest

Q: The web interface shows errors. How do I fix it?

A: Common web interface issues: 1. CORS errors: Enable CORS in development mode 2. SSL errors: Configure proper certificates 3. Port conflicts: Check if port 9999 is available 4. Service status: Verify the node is running correctly

Getting Help

Q: Where can I get help if I'm stuck?

A: Multiple support channels: - Documentation: Comprehensive guides in the docs/ directory - GitHub Issues: Report bugs and ask questions - Discord: Real-time community chat - Telegram: Developer discussions - Email: Contact team@voxacommunications.com

Q: How do I report bugs?

A: Use GitHub Issues with this information: - VoxaCommunications version: python src/cli.py --version - Operating system: OS version and architecture - Python version: python --version - Error logs: Relevant log entries - Reproduction steps: How to reproduce the issue - Expected behavior: What you expected to happen

Future Development

Roadmap Questions

Q: What features are planned for future releases?

A: Key upcoming features: - Registry decentralization: Move from centralized to distributed registry - Enhanced crypto chain: Advanced blockchain features - Mobile clients: Lightweight mobile applications - WebAssembly support: Run WASM applications - Advanced routing: ML-based optimal path selection

Q: When will VoxaCommunications be production-ready?

A: Production readiness depends on several factors: - Security audits: Comprehensive security review - Performance testing: Large-scale network testing
- Feature completion: Core functionality finalization - Community feedback: Extensive real-world testing

Current estimate: 12-18 months for mainnet production release.

Q: How can I stay updated on development progress?

A: Follow development updates: - GitHub: Watch the repository for updates - Discord: Join community discussions - Blog: Technical blog posts and announcements - Twitter: @VoxaCommunications for news - Newsletter: Subscribe for monthly updates

Q: What license is VoxaCommunications released under?

A: VoxaCommunications is released under the Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International license. This means: - Attribution: Credit must be given to the original authors - NonCommercial: Commercial use requires separate licensing - ShareAlike: Derivative works must use the same license

Q: Can I use VoxaCommunications for commercial purposes?

A: Commercial use requires a separate commercial license. Contact licensing@voxacommunications.com for commercial licensing options.

Q: Is there a contributor license agreement (CLA)?

A: Yes, contributors must agree to the CLA before code can be merged. The CLA ensures that contributions can be used in both open source and commercial versions of the software.

Don't see your question here? Check the documentation or ask in our community Discord server.

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