Tor will not connect to the addresses used. Tor browser - what it is and how Tor allows you to hide your online activities. Configuring hidden browser options

A lot of time has passed. And the situation in RuNet with government regulation has only worsened. Many sites are blocked en masse for a variety of reasons and even simply “by mistake” (because they were on the same IP with “suspicious sites”). Therefore, various types have become more in demand than ever. Interest in . After our last article, readers began to receive questions about help in setting up Tor.

Questions of this nature:

1) How to work through Tor using any Internet browsers (not just a special Tor browser)?

2) How to torify any applications (for example, Skype, ICQ, etc.)

3) What should I do if my Internet Service Provider (ISP) blocks access to Tor?

We will try to answer all these questions using clear examples. To torify all (or almost all of our Internet traffic) a standard package is not suitable for us Tor Brouser Bundle which is unpacked onto your desktop or flash drive and includes already configured Tor and a special browser.

We need to install the "stationary version" on the operating system, this is the package Vidalia-bundle(it includes: Vidalia, Tor).

We install it on the system (see our article), then upon first launch we will immediately set the settings for work:

Fig.1. Tor settings - "Exchange2

Fig.2. Tor Settings - "Network"

1) Now we begin to configure our working browsers for anonymous work viaTor.

Setting it upInternetExplorer:

In Windows 7, to do this, go to the options “Control Panel – Network and Internet – Internet Options – Connections – Network settings – Configure local network settings”, check the box "Proxy server" open a tab "Additionally", we'll put it there clause 4. Socks: 127.0.0.1:9050

See screenshots (3,4,5).

Rice. 4. Proxy server

Fig.5. Socks5

That's it, our IE works through Tor.

Setting it upGoogle Chrome:

Google Chrome should be the "default browser" on your operating system. Then see fig. 6:

Rice. 6. Proxy server settings

After you click on the button “Change proxy server settings” You will see the already familiar Internet browser settings tabs. See screenshots (3,4,5). If you completed the previous step correctly ( Setting up Internet Explorer), then Google Chrome also works for you through the Tor network.

Setting up the browserOpera:

To do this, go to the point “Settings – Advanced – Network – Proxy servers.”

Check the box Socks: (and enter the following data there) 127.0.0.1:9050

See screenshots 7 and 8.

Setting up the Mozilla Firefox browser:

For this we need Foxy Proxy Basic plugin, which we will install in the section "Extensions", see fig. 9:

Then, when the plugin is installed, select the mode "Tor proxy for all addresses"(see Fig. 10)

Rice. 10. Select Tor for all addresses

and set up the settings as in Fig. 11

That’s it, now there will be no more “forbidden sites” left for you...

You can check your “new” IP address through the website http://2ip.ru

When you work through the Tor network, your address will be different from the one you received from your ISP.

2) Let's torifySkype,ICQ,µTorrent:

To toriff Skype, go to “Settings – Connections”, select the SOCKS5 tab, enter 127.0.0.1:9050

See fig. 12:

The same settings must be made for ICQ.

For torrent client µTorrent:

Let's go to "Settings - Connections" and set the settings as in screenshot 13:

That's it, you can safely work with torrents.

3) Well, the most difficult question. What to do if your Internet provider (ISP) blocks access toTor?

But for this case we downloaded the distribution kit Vidalia Bridge Bundle (for Windows 8, 7, Vista, and XP), This is a package for accessing the Tor network through a so-called "bridge".

See screenshot 14:

Let's briefly explain how it all works.

What does the term “bridge repeaters” mean?

Some internet service providers attempt to prevent users from accessing the Tor network by blocking connections to known Tor relays. Bridge relays (or bridges for short) help such blocked users gain access to the Tor network. Unlike other Tor relays, bridges are not listed in public directories as regular relays. Since there is no complete public list, even if your ISP filters connections to all known Tor relays, it is unlikely that it will be able to block all bridges.

How to find bridge type repeaters?

There are two main ways to find out the address of bridges:

A) Ask friends to organize private bridges for you;

B) Use public bridges.

To use private bridges, ask friends to launch Vidalia and Tor from an unblocked area of the Internet and click "Help Blocked Users" in the Vidalia "Relay Setup Page". They should then send you the “Bridge Address” (the line at the bottom of their relay page).

Unlike the operation of a regular relay, a relay in bridge mode simply transmits and receives data from the Tor network, so you should not complain about any violations to the operator.

You can find public addresses for bridges by visiting https://bridges.torproject.org. The answers on this page change every few days, so check back periodically if you need more bridge addresses. Another way to find public bridge addresses is to send an email to [email protected]

Browser Tor(further Tor Browser) ensures the anonymity of your actions on the Internet. It hides your identity and protects your web connections from many types of online surveillance. Tor can also be used to bypass Internet blocks.

How to remain anonymous and bypass censorship on the Internet

What will you learn from this chapter?

How to Hide Your Digital Identity from the Websites You Visit
How to hide visited websites from ISPs and spyware
How to bypass Internet censorship and filters
How to protect yourself from unsafe and potentially malicious websites with an add-on NoScript

1. Introducing Tor Browser

2.1 Downloading Tor Browser

Image 2. Tor Browser bridge settings

Step 2. Select Yes.

Image 3: Setting up bridges

Step 4. Select option Connect to predefined bridges.

Step 5. Click button [Next] to configure proxy.

Tor Browser will ask if you need it to access the Internet. local proxy. In this example we're assuming you don't need it. If need to, look at the settings of your usual browser and copy the proxy settings from there. (In Firefox, you can find this in the menu Settings > Advanced > Network > Configure. In other browsers, you may find the same settings in the Internet access settings. You can contact support system browser for help.

Image 4. Proxy settings

Step 6. Select option [No].

Step 7 Click button [Connect] to launch launch Tor Browser.

Image 5. Connecting to the Tor network

After a couple of moments, Tor Browser will open.

3.2.2. Connecting to the Tor network with other bridges

You can also connect to the Tor network by specifying bridges on one's own. This is rarely used (mostly they prefer predefined bridges), and therefore there is less chance that this method will be blocked. If you are unable to access the Tor Project website, you can ask for addresses of bridge sites by sending an email to [email protected] , provided that you are using an account Riseup, Gmail or Yahoo. Insert words get bridges in the body of the letter.

If you have There is to gain access to the Tor Project, you can find out the addresses of such bridges, Go to the page https://bridges.torproject.org/options and follow the steps.

Step 1. Click button Just give me the addresses of the bridges!.

Image 1: Obtaining Tor Bridge Addresses

Step 2. Type the characters from the picture ( captcha) and press Enter.

Image 2. Captcha

You will see three bridge addresses.

Image 3. Bridge addresses

Step 3. Now that you have the bridge addresses, you can dial them in Tor bridge settings as shown below.

Note. If this is your first time launching Tor Browser, you may see a screen Tor bridge settings, just following the steps from . If Tor Browser is already configured, refer to .

Image 4. Tor bridge settings

3.3. Changing Tor Network Access Settings

You can change Tor settings when the program is already configured. Let's say you're traveling to a country where Tor is blocked. How to change settings? Follow the steps:

Step 1: Click button to see the Tor Browser menu.

Image 1. Tor Browser settings menu

Step 2. Select Tor network settings to determine how Tor Browser connects to the Internet.

Image 2. Tor network settings

In the settings you can enable or disable bridges and select other options.

When you're done, click button And restart Tor Browser.

4. Anonymous Internet access via Tor Browser

It's important to remember that Tor Browser provides anonymity only for those actions that occur in the Tor Browser window. Tor itself does not protect all other online activities.

Note. According to privacy policy , Tor Browser configured to not save browser history to your hard drive. Whenever you exit Tor Browser, your history is deleted.

4.1. How to check if Tor Browser is working

Tor Browser hides your IP address from the sites you visit. If the program is configured correctly, it should appear as if you are accessing a site on the Internet from an IP address that is different from your normal IP address, and your physical location cannot be calculated from the IP address.

The easiest way to make sure that the program works is to check on the developer’s website https://check.torproject.org/ .

If you don't use Tor, you will see:

Image 1: Check shows that Tor is not working properly

If you are using Tor, the image will look like this:

Image 2. Test shows that Tor is working as expected

Do you want to know the IP address under which you connect to the Internet via the network? Tor? There are many ways to do this on the Internet, including websites that support encryption. https(which will make life difficult non-providers who want to “fake” the result):

If you go to this site Not Through Tor Browser, you can see your real IP address associated with your real location. If you access via Tor Browser, a different IP address will be displayed.

4.2. Creating a New Identity

You can create a "new identity" in Tor Browser. In this case, Tor Browser will randomly select a new set of retranslators. From the outside it will look like you are logging in from a new IP address when you visit a particular website. To create a new identity:

Step 1. Click button to open the Tor Browser settings menu.

Image 1: Creating a new identity in Tor Browser

Step 2. Select paragraph New identity.

Tor Browser will clear your browsing history and cookies, then restart and you will continue using a different IP address.

4.3. NoScript Add-on

4.4. Tor Browser Update

You will receive notifications about new Tor Browser updates.

Step 1. Click button to display the Tor Browser menu.

Image 1. Tor Browser Settings

Step 2. Select Check for Tor Browser updates.

Image 2. Checking for Tor Browser updates

The program will tell you if there is a new version of Tor Browser and if an update is required.

Image 3. Program updates

FAQ

Question. Why should I Tor Browser?

Answer. Tor Browser is a useful program if you need to bypass censorship and gain access to certain sites. Tor Browser is useful if you don't want your ISP to know what sites you visit. The program also hides your location on the Internet from websites.

Question. I'm launching Tor Browser; Now all programs that go online work through the Tor network?

Answer. No, by default only what you are working with is sent through the Tor network. Tor Browser. Other programs work as usual - directly through your Internet access provider. You can find out if the Tor network is working by going to Tor test page at the address https://check.torproject.org. Tor's developers also expect people to be careful, use common sense, and use common sense when accessing new and unfamiliar websites.

Question. Is what I'm doing encrypted? Tor Browser?

Answer. Tor encrypts all communications inside Tor networks. Keep in mind that Tor cannot encrypt data that leaves the Tor network. To protect data between Tor exit node and the site you are linking to, it's still better to use HTTPS.

Download Tor Browser only from the official website torproject.org.

Be careful! There are sites that imitate the Tor project site. For example, the website torprojectS.org (with an S added at the end) is trying to install a Trojan on your computer. DO NOT download Tor Browser from third party sites.

By the way, Tor Browser is based on the Mozilla Firefox browser, since it is the only browser that can independently work with a Socks connection without the participation of the operating system.

After installation, Tor Browser is completely ready to use. Below is a screenshot from the official website.

do not install additional plugins, as there is a possibility of installing a plugin that will give out your real location. All necessary plugins for anonymity are already installed.
Do not open documents (such as PDF and DOC) downloaded in the Tor Browser while you are online. Such files may have macros embedded that will request Internet access directly through the program, bypassing the Tor network. This will compromise your real IP address.
Do not download torrents on the Tor network, as this will increase the load on the network. Torrent programs are designed in such a way that they always access the Internet directly and do not take into account proxy settings. This may compromise your real IP address.
always use https connection. This connection will ensure the security of data transfer.

For security settings, click Security Settings.

Set the security level:

Low (default) – standard security level.

Suitable for most users. Websites open correctly and nothing is blocked.

Medium – Javascript is blocked on sites that do not support https. HTML5 video and audio launched with a click via the NoScript plugin
High – Javascript is blocked on all websites. HTML5 video and audio are launched with a click through the NoScript plugin. Some types of pictures, fonts and icons are prohibited from downloading

Since most of the websites use Javascript, therefore browsing websites in High mode is problematic as some of the content is hidden. We recommend this mode when you need to read an article on a website, but you do not need to log in to the site.

Tor Browser is ready to use and you can immediately start surfing anonymously.

Remember that with this setup, only the Tor Browser uses the Tor network. All other programs use a direct connection to the Internet and transmit your real IP address.

What to do with programs that cannot work directly with the Socks protocol? For example, email clients, other browsers, instant messaging programs, etc. We recommend using Proxifier to redirect traffic from such programs to the Tor network.

Setting up Proxifier over the Tor network

The Proxifier program can:

redirect traffic from all operating system programs through a proxy (including email clients, all browsers, instant messaging programs)
create proxy chains
use a DNS server from a proxy, hiding the real DNS of the ISP
supports http and socks proxy

Home page of the official Proxifier website.

Install the Proxifier program. This program can collect all operating system traffic and pass it through a specific proxy server.

To configure Proxifier, you need to know the Tor network port being used. Go to the Preferences section of the Tor Browser.

Select the Network Settings section.

Look at the used local IP address and connection port of the Tor network. This data must be inserted into the Proxifier program so that all operating system traffic passes through the Tor network. In our example, 127.0.0.1 and port 9150.

Launch the Proxifier program.

ATTENTION! It is important to first launch Tor Browser and wait until the main window appears. And only after that launch the Proxifier program.

Click on the Proxies button.

Click the Add button.

Enter the IP address and port. In our example: 127.0.0.1 and port 9150.

Select Yes - you agree to use this proxy by default.

Open any browser or email program. In Proxifier you will see a list of connections via the Tor network. In any browser, you can check your IP address and make sure that the IP address from the Tor network will be displayed, and not your real IP address.

If something does not work, then close Tor Browser and Proxifier. And then launch Tor Browser and wait for the main window to appear. Only then run Proxifier. There is no need to make any additional settings. All traffic will automatically go through the Tor network. Close Proxifier to get your real IP address back.

Hello, dear readers of the blog site. You probably know that any of your actions on the network (website pages viewed, files downloaded, videos watched) can be tracked, and from completely different places (by contacting your Internet provider, rummaging through your computer, or searching in the logs of the sites you visited ). Anonymity on the Internet exists only if you don’t start “digging deep.”

There are some solutions to the “leaving trace problem” that we have already covered. For example, you can and then no traces of your visits will be saved on your computer. Or, for example, when blocking access to some sites (for example, to log into Contact or Odnoklassniki from a work computer).

But there is a much more comprehensive solution - this is the so-called TOR. Essentially, this is software that, with a very high degree of probability, allows you to hide from prying eyes everything that you do and have done on the Internet. This is exactly the technology that works Tor Browser, which will be discussed today. In essence, it puts complex technology into the shell of a normal-looking browser, accessible to any Internet user, which everyone can use. But its filling is unusual...

What is TOR?

I don’t want to overload you with technical terms and concepts that, by and large, will be superfluous. I’ll just literally outline in a nutshell (on my fingers) the principle of operation of the Tor technology and the Tor Browser built on its basis. This knowledge will allow you to understand what to expect from this software, what strengths and weaknesses it has, so that you can consciously use it for your needs.

So, initially all this was brewed in one of the US military departments. History is silent about why they needed this, but at the beginning of the 2000s, the beginnings of Thor technology were completely unexpectedly made available to the public. Moreover, the source codes were open and this software became freely distributed. What does it mean? And how much can you trust such a “gift”?

The question is fair, but you can trust it precisely because the code of this technology is open. The fact is that since then (over a decade and a half) these program codes have been studied (and made changes) by hundreds, if not thousands of people who understand this, and no “bookmarks” or “secret doors” have been found. Where it's about safety(in our case, transfer and storage of information), it is better to work with open source software (software).

By the way, this is why when choosing n, but for . They simply belong to the category of free software and their code has been checked by thousands of competent specialists. It’s somehow calmer, because I store a lot of passwords for services tied to money and losing them would be very expensive.

So, TOP technology allows you to access websites and download something from the network without leaving any traces behind. That is, when you open, for example, a website through Tor Browser, it will be impossible to track your computer’s IP address on this website (and therefore to identify you). Even your Internet provider will not understand (even if you want) that you visited this site (and it will be impossible to prove it). Well, the browser itself will not store all traces of your wanderings on the Internet.

Wonderful, isn't it? I understand that in this way people can cover up their dark affairs. Not without this, of course. But the general idea of Thor is still bright - to provide the Internet user with real freedom in the form of complete anonymity. For example, in some countries access to certain resources may be blocked without justification, but Tor Browser will allow you to bypass these obstacles and not be punished for this violation, because they will not know that you did it (or will not prove it). But that's not the point...

How TOR works? This is called onion routing. Look. There is a network of nodes owned by adherents of this technology. Three arbitrary nodes are used to transmit data. But which ones? And this is precisely what no one knows.

The Tor browser sends a packet to the first node, and it contains the encrypted address of the second node. The first node knows the key for the encryption and, having learned the address of the second, forwards the packet there (it’s like removing the first layer of an onion). The second node, having received the packet, has a key to decrypt the address of the third node (another layer has been removed from the onion). Thus, from the outside it is not possible to understand which site you ended up opening in your Tor Browser window.

But please note that only the path is encrypted(routing), and the contents of the packets themselves are not encrypted. Therefore, to transmit secret data, it would be better to first encrypt it (at least in the TruCrypt mentioned above), since the possibility of intercepting it (for example, using sniffers) exists.

In addition, this technology there are a few more disadvantages(or features):

Your ISP (or anyone else who monitors your traffic) may realize that you are using Tor. He won't know what you're watching or doing online, but sometimes the mere fact of knowing you're hiding something can have consequences. Take this into account and, if possible, study ways to enhance camouflage (and they exist), if this is critical for you.
The TOR network does not use special high-speed equipment, but, in fact, ordinary computers. This brings up another drawback - speed the transmission of information in this secret network can vary significantly and sometimes it is clearly not enough for, for example, viewing media content.

Where can I download the official Russian version of Tor Browser?

On this blog I have already published an article on that. There was also mention of the Torah. Naturally, it is better and safer to download any product from the developers’ website, i.e. the official one (I think you know). The Tor Browser download page is located at this address (I repeat once again that for security reasons it is better to download from the official website):

Please note that before clicking on the download button, you must select a language. The default is English, but you can select a dozen more options from the drop-down list, including fully localized Russian version. This is how it will work more pleasantly when the interface language is native.

Although, during installation you will again be asked about your preferred interface language and you can also select Russian there. Otherwise, the installation process is no different from installing any other browser.

However, when you first launch you will be asked if you need to make additional settings to connect to the TOR network. In the vast majority of cases, it will be enough to simply click on the “Connect” button:

It will take some time for the browser to successfully connect to the Tor network:

After this, a window will open in a browser that looks normal at first glance, but works with the Internet by creating encrypted tunnels (analogues).

However, the developers themselves emphasize that Thor is not a panacea(at least with default settings). Therefore, those who are paranoid about absolute anonymity are advised to follow the link for clarification on this matter.

How to use the Tor browser?

When you first load the browser, you are immediately prompted use anonymizer to search at disconnect.me. Actually, it is this service that will be used as “ ” in this browser (you can change this in the settings), i.e. when entering a request in newly opened browser tabs or when entering it through the address bar in any tab, the disconnect.me anonymizer will open with search results.

The search is actually conducted by Google (you can select from the settings in the top panel of the service - see the screenshot below), but no traces of who exactly conducted the search remain (remember, I wrote about the fact that, but in fact, nothing can be permanently deleted , so those who are concerned about anonymity need to remember this).

Don't forget also select search language(in the top panel of the disconnect.me window on the right), because thanks to the anonymizer, Google will not be able to recognize your preferred language automatically. Although, by choosing, for example, Russian, you to some extent lift the veil of secrecy about your incognito for this search engine. But here you need to make a compromise - either convenience, .

Yes, the Tor browser will also warn you when you first click on the link that it is better to load pages in English, to avoid, so to speak.

Personally, I chose the “No” option, because convenience is more important to me, and I don’t speak any other languages besides Russian. Alas and ah.

By the way, you can check it yourself that you have indeed been “encrypted”. To do this, it will be enough to go to the site from any other browser, and then do the same from under Thor. As you can see, TOR replaces (I became a sultry Norwegian) and this is only a small part of protecting your anonymity.

By the way, if you click on the onion to the left of the address bar, you will be able to see the same chain of three nodes (proxy) that separates your computer from the site you are visiting (I wrote about onion routing just above):

If desired, this chain of nodes can be changed. You can also change your “browser-created personality” if you don’t like the current one. However, this will close all open tabs in Tor and it will be automatically reloaded.

Here you can also access security settings:

By default, all privacy settings (anonymity are enabled), but the security level is at the lowest level due to the fact that only in this case you all functions of this browser will be available. If you set the security settings of the Tor browser to “high”, a whole bunch of browser functions will be available only after you force them to be activated (i.e., everything is disabled by default). For me this is overkill, so I left everything as it was, but you can choose something in the middle (compromise).

Otherwise Tor Browser is similar to Mozilla Firefox, because it is essentially assembled on its basis. This will be clearly visible when you go to settings (by clicking on the button with three horizontal lines in the upper right corner):

Good luck to you! See you soon on the pages of the blog site

Why TOP technologies can be useful

There are several reasons why anonymity may be necessary:

the ability to gain access to sites,
blocked by regional providers;
reluctance to disclose information about the computer and its location;
hiding personal data and ensuring the security of information on a PC.

Basic principles of operation of the TOP network

To understand what TOR is, you need to understand how the system works. It consists of several main components:

Entrance or sentry – this node is used to directly enter the network. As a rule, input nodes are stable and high-speed servers.
Intermediate – designed to transmit information from the input node to the output node, making it almost impossible to track all movements of information. The number of intermediate nodes is constantly changing and in some situations can reach several hundred.
Output – The point used to send traffic to the user.

The anonymous TOP network allows the use of numerous virtual servers of DigitalOcean or EC2 standards, thanks to which only traffic that has been repeatedly encrypted will be displayed when monitoring data.

How to install the TOR browser

Initially, to use TOR it was necessary to have a lot of specialized knowledge and skills to connect to the network, but now the procedure is extremely simple - you need to download (the distribution can be found on the website http://tor-browser.ru/ - it is publicly available) and install application on your computer.

You can download the TOP browser on many other resources, but it is important to remember that many not entirely honest developers hide viruses or spyware under the installation file. Therefore, it is important to download the file for installation only from trusted resources, and after downloading the file, it is advisable to check it with an antivirus.

In order to install the TOP network, just open the downloaded file, select the installation language and click “install”.

The installation procedure is standard and rarely causes difficulties, but launching the program has certain features - every time you start the program you must connect to the TOP network, otherwise you can forget about anonymity.

While working with the TOP network, the user can change the chain of servers for a particular site so that it is almost impossible to track it.

An important feature of the browser and the network is that after closing the window, data about sites and resources visited by the user are automatically deleted. Therefore, the next time you log in to certain sites and resources, you will have to enter your login/password again.

Risks when using TOP

To install the TOP network, you do not need to put in a lot of effort. However, there are several points that can cause a lot of trouble for users.

An important aspect is the use of plugins and add-ons that send user data to their developers - anonymity in such a situation will be zero.
Despite anonymous visits to sites, the user’s computer with TOP installed is completely unprotected from viruses, Trojans and hacker attacks. Therefore, it is important to use high-quality antiviruses and firewalls, which must be configured correctly.
You should be prepared for the fact that the page loading speed will drop catastrophically, since the page requested by the user is transmitted for a long time by hundreds of servers located around the world. But this problem does not frighten users, since they can completely hide their online activity.