<p>According to the Bitcoin wiki <a href="https://en.bitcoin.it/wiki/Satoshi_Client_Node_Discovery" rel="nofollow">https://en.bitcoin.it/wiki/Satoshi_Client_Node_Discovery</a></p>

<blockquote>
  <ol>
  <li>Nodes discover their own external address by various methods.</li>
  <li>Nodes discover their own external address by various methods.</li>
  <li>Nodes makes DNS request to receive IP addresses.</li>
  <li>Nodes can use addresses hard coded into the software.</li>
  <li>Nodes exchange addresses with other nodes.</li>
  <li>Nodes store addresses in a database and read that database on startup.</li>
  <li>Nodes can be provided addresses as command line arguments</li>
  <li>Nodes read addresses from a user provided text file on startup</li>
  </ol>
</blockquote>

<p>Because this is peer-to-peer technology the client is usually connected to more than one node at a time. The reference client validates every bit of information it receives. If a financial company was to go rouge and send false or incomplete data the software would realise the data is invalid and rely on the other connected nodes to operate.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-05-12T06:35:17.263Z
2014-05-12T06:35:17.263Z
UndergroundVault
<p>I'm currently doing a research project about Bitcoin and I've particularily been investigating the seed nodes and I have two questions about them :</p>

<ul>
<li>How are they chosen ? Well, they have to be nodes with high disponibility (bandwith maybe?) but is there any other criterion ?</li>
<li>Why are some of the nodes located in the network of big companies ? Isn't it a bit contradictory to Bitcoin's spirit to have the ip address of some major financial companies hardcoded in its client ?</li>
</ul>

<p>Thanks for your answers :)</p>

<p>Ayla</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-04-16T22:14:25.273Z
Specifically, you are asking why were the IP addresses that are served by the hosts in the DNSSeed list chosen over other IP addresses: http://en.bitcoin.it/wiki/Satoshi_Client_Node_Discovery.
Stephen Gornick
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-04-17T08:40:25.270Z
I wasn't talking about the one from the DNSSeed list, but about the hardcoded one. Such as : 0xe473042e, 0xb177f2ad, 0xd63f3fb2... (net.cpp)
Ayla
<architecture><ip-address>
How are the seed nodes chosen?
Ayla
# How are the seed nodes chosen?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2013-04-16)

I'm currently doing a research project about Bitcoin and I've particularily been investigating the seed nodes and I have two questions about them :

* How are they chosen ? Well, they have to be nodes with high disponibility (bandwith maybe?) but is there any other criterion ?
* Why are some of the nodes located in the network of big companies ? Isn't it a bit contradictory to Bitcoin's spirit to have the ip address of some major financial companies hardcoded in its client ?

Thanks for your answers :)

username_0

**Tags:** architecture, ip-address

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Specifically, you are asking why were the IP addresses that are served by the hosts in the DNSSeed list chosen over other IP addresses: http://en.bitcoin.it/wiki/Satoshi_Client_Node_Discovery.  
> **username_0**: I wasn't talking about the one from the DNSSeed list, but about the hardcoded one. Such as : 0xe473042e, 0xb177f2ad, 0xd63f3fb2... (net.cpp)  

---

## 1 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2014-05-12. Score: 1

According to the Bitcoin wiki <https://en.bitcoin.it/wiki/Satoshi_Client_Node_Discovery>

> 1. Nodes discover their own external address by various methods.
> 2. Nodes discover their own external address by various methods.
> 3. Nodes makes DNS request to receive IP addresses.
> 4. Nodes can use addresses hard coded into the software.
> 5. Nodes exchange addresses with other nodes.
> 6. Nodes store addresses in a database and read that database on startup.
> 7. Nodes can be provided addresses as command line arguments
> 8. Nodes read addresses from a user provided text file on startup

Because this is peer-to-peer technology the client is usually connected to more than one node at a time. The reference client validates every bit of information it receives. If a financial company was to go rouge and send false or incomplete data the software would realise the data is invalid and rely on the other connected nodes to operate.


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