Hardcoded seeds, DNS seeds and Darknet nodes

The discussion revolves around the bit-length of various internet address types and the potential for encoding additional information within DNS records, specifically AAAA records. Onion v3 and i2p addresses have a larger bit-size of 256 bits compared to IPv6 addresses, which are 128 bits. This difference in bit size raises questions about the effectiveness of encoding techniques for these address types. The conversation suggests that while encoding might not be directly beneficial for simplifying the representation of Onion v3 or i2p addresses due to their larger size, it could hold value for sharing IPv6 addresses that are associated with non-default port numbers.

Further exploration into the use of AAAA records unveils a creative approach to data transmission. By leveraging AAAA records beyond their conventional purpose, one can encode arbitrary data across successive records. This method presents an innovative, albeit unconventional, way to utilize DNS records to convey additional information. This technique highlights the flexibility and potential for misappropriation of DNS records to achieve goals outside their original design parameters, suggesting a broader landscape for technical exploration and application within network protocols.