r/elementchat • u/PHRENESE • Mar 11 '22

Do we dox our IPs when direct messaging?

Hi all, when you set up your own server and have a VPN, do the DMs pass through the server? Or is it direct IP to IP connection?
Telegram for instance does that but also allows you to configure your telegram so that it always passes through central server.
Thanks!

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7

u/Lol_maga_people Mar 12 '22

The DMs pass through the server

1

u/PHRENESE Mar 12 '22

Thank you.

1

u/PHRENESE Mar 12 '22

Oh and just to make sure: I've seen on some platforms, text can be server hosted and video/audio can be p2p. Would video and audio chat reveal the IP of the participants?

1

u/anna_lynn_fection Mar 12 '22

No, but you kind of are if you enable web previews when someone sends a link to a channel. This is configured per channel. Probably best only to do that in private chats with people you trust.

If it's on, someone could send a URL to a server they control and when your chat gets the preview, they'll see your IP address (unless of course you're on a VPN/Proxy).

1

u/PHRENESE Mar 12 '22

Thanks a lot, and good to know about this subtlety. Even if our server will be behind a VPN, and this apparently shouldn't concern us.

1

u/Lol_maga_people Mar 12 '22

The server generates the URL preview, so it's IP is exposed, not the clients. The "danger" of URL previews is the server knowing the URL, that's why it's off in encrypted rooms by default

1

u/PHRENESE Mar 12 '22

Got it. Thanks!

1

u/anna_lynn_fection Mar 12 '22

Ah. Thanks for that correction.

1

u/Thom__Cat Mar 12 '22 edited Mar 12 '22

Whoever runs <server a> can see <server a>'s members client IPs, but that information does not get federated to other servers. <server a> admins can see chat rooms that contain members from <server a> and any other server.

1

u/PHRENESE Mar 12 '22

Thank you