How do I run monerod exclusively over ip2 with i2pd (unreachable over clearnet)?

Question

Following this tip, I launched my node with monerod --detach --prune-blockchain --tx-proxy i2p,127.0.0.1:8060 --add-peer core5hzivg4v5ttxbor4a3haja6dssksqsmiootlptnsrfsgwqqa.b32.i2p --add-peer dsc7fyzzultm7y6pmx2avu6tze3usc7d27nkbzs5qwuujplxcmzq.b32.i2p --add-peer sel36x6fibfzujwvt4hf5gxolz6kd3jpvbjqg6o3ud2xtionyl2q.b32.i2p --add-peer yht4tm2slhyue42zy5p2dn3sft2ffjjrpuy7oc2lpbhifcidml4q.b32.i2p

but when I run monerod prin_cn I get:

Remote Host                  Type    SSL   Peer id             Support Flags       Recv/Sent (inactive,sec)      State                    Livetime(sec)       Down (kB/s) Down(now)     Up (kB/s) Up(now)      

OUT *********:18080      IPv4    no    95247ab9495b5640    1                   1868516(1)/2970(1)            synchronizing            40                  45          57            0         0            
OUT *********:18080      IPv4    no    4c2ad555ef919508    1                   28206(33)/13779(33)           normal                   56                  0           1             0         1            
OUT ***********:18180    IPv4    no    62dcb5c83d059f8f    1                   41653266(0)/36010(8)          synchronizing            135                 301         66            0         0            
OUT *********:18080      IPv4    no    0e160b499f8e310e    1                   3295461(0)/3440(3)            synchronizing            20                  160         51            0         0            
OUT *******:18080        IPv4    no    3fbd5c6bc892b27b    1                   34597012(0)/34624(1)          synchronizing            135                 250         89            0         0            
OUT ***********:18080    IPv4    no    8259a88860324487    1                   36849(26)/15220(36)           normal                   142                 0           0             0         0            
OUT *********:18080      IPv4    no    3ab7a87f2c537075    1                   14040225(0)/22843(8)          synchronizing            149                 92          62            0         0            
OUT *********:18180      IPv4    no    0000000000000000    0                   0(5)/313(5)                   before_handshake         5                   0           0             0         0            
OUT *********:18080      IPv4    no    85fff596e9ae8970    1                   93745497(1)/63037(1)          synchronizing            143                 640         1531          0         0            
OUT *****:18080          IPv4    no    65deb3f2779dd9bd    1                   7966700(0)/19678(4)           synchronizing            38                  204         129           0         1            
OUT ******:18080         IPv4    no    b2c92a1ab0bdda45    1                   124291777(0)/78200(1)         synchronizing            118                 1028        1966          0         0            
Status: active

I obscured IPV4 addreses with *. All my connections are of the type IPV4. Although I have i2pdrunning and its web console at localhost:7070 informs me that services SOCKS PROXY, SAM, and I2CP are enabled. I am aware of i2pzero but let this question be about running monerod with i2pd

Answer 1

When adding a node via --add-peer, it is added to the peer list to be used from a selection of a multitude of other peers. If you want to add nodes to which Monero will only connect, you must use --add-exclusive-node instead. You can use --add-exclusive-node multiple times. (see https://getmonero.dev/interacting/monerod.html#p2p-network)

However, syncing the blockchain via hidden network peers is not possible. See the docs on github, stating:

Only handshakes, peer timed syncs and transaction broadcast messages are supported over anonymity networks. If one --add-exclusive-node P2P address is specified, then no syncing will take place and only transaction broadcasting can occur. It is therefore recommended that --add-exclusive-node be combined with additional exclusive IPv4 address(es).