Tor browser still doesn't work. Common mistakes when installing Tor Browser

Nowadays, when censorship forces providers to block access to servers containing prohibited content, the question often arises of how to visit blocked Internet pages. Also, not only the Internet service provider, but also the administrator of the corporate network can block access to sites, so that employees do not spend their working day online on social networks.

On the other hand, large corporations like Google monitor users all the time. According to their representatives, the information obtained in this way is used for marketing purposes. Based on the user's interests, relevant advertising will be displayed that can interest him. Few people know about the true goals of total surveillance and why this project is needed.

Based on this, anonymity on the Internet exists only for naive users, and not everyone wants to put up with it. Many hope that the incognito mode, supported by the majority of Internet browsers, will save the situation, but, alas. After reviewing the information provided in the private window, you can find out that in this mode the browser does not save search and navigation history, cookies and temporary files to disk, and the tracker blocking function is not supported by all programs, and its effectiveness is low.

Anonymizers can help only in rare cases when it is necessary to visit a social network or a large portal, access to which has been closed. Applications that hide your real IP and use a network of virtual servers are quite effective in providing anonymity and bypassing blocks, but you have to pay for such programs or be content with their limited versions. You can’t install the program on every computer (it’s unlikely to be possible on a work computer or in an Internet cafe). And the Tor browser will come to the rescue here.

Tor browser is freely distributed software along with source code for repeatedly encrypting data packets and redirecting them through a network of virtual servers - onion routers or routers.

The software works as follows. When the Tor application is launched, the client receives a list of active servers.

A data packet from the source (prohibited sites) is transmitted to the user through a virtual network. It arrives at the first node along with a key to decrypt the address of the next node.

As a result of decryption, the address of the second center appears, where the packet will be sent along with the encrypted address of the third node and the key for decoding it.

The name of the technology - onion routing - comes from the analogy of layer-by-layer removal of the husk from an onion.

Already from the third server, information is sent to the client, that is, the user. In total, the site from which certain data was sent to the user will receive information that it was not the user who visited it, but was visited from a computer that is the first link in the Tor virtual network. Node addresses are selected randomly, chains change every few minutes, and information about redirects is not stored anywhere.

Only the paths through which data packets are transmitted are encrypted in this way, but not the information itself. If such a packet is intercepted by a provider or an attacker, for example, through a sniffer, then useful information can be extracted from it, but it will not be possible to find out where it came from and where it is going. Numerous user reviews confirm this information.

Origin of technology and its purpose

Onion routing began its history in one of the US naval laboratories and by some miracle its source code appeared on the global network, becoming public knowledge. And later, several US federal departments supported the project financially. Only experts can judge how free and reliable Tor is, but the facts of the system being hacked by major intelligence agencies and the history of the appearance of the browser should be alarming. Only because the source code is open, the development is alive, otherwise no one would use such a dubious service for anonymity.

Onion routing capabilities are provided completely free of charge, which is nice, but again can be alarming. Without disclosing information about your physical IP address and, accordingly, location, you can view sites blocked at any level. The program is popular not only among people who want to secretly visit a social network or video hosting during working hours, or hide something from those working on the same PC, but is also widely used by journalists, people on business trips, and using public access points to the global network. Yes, and contextual advertising will not be able to stick, and after viewing a product, advertising banners will not appear with an offer to purchase something similar.

Yes, the provider or anyone else analyzing the traffic will understand that the user is using Tor, but no one will be able to find out what he is hiding and what resources he is visiting.

Software composition

For a general idea of ​​the program, you should know at least what it consists of. The official build includes:

• FireFox portable browser, specially assembled and configured;
• Vidalia – cross-platform user interface for management and configuration;
• proxy and tunneling systems, for example, Advanced Onion Router is used in Windows 32/64 bit;
• scripts for blocking all connections except those created by the network itself;
• plugins for FireFox (NoScript prohibits the execution of Java scripts, applets and Flash content, HTTPS Everywhere – forces sites to use an encrypted connection when possible;
• Torbutton is an icon for instantly clearing browsing history).

Download the official version of the program

Any program should be downloaded from official resources. You can download a malicious/virus application along with your browser from a third-party site. The official website of the project is located at www.torproject.org. In the Download section or via the link https://www.torproject.org/download/download-easy.html.en you can get an installer for the application package for Windows operating systems: from XP to Windows 10.

Before clicking on the “Download Tor Browser” icon, you should select a language from the drop-down list. The Russian version is also present, although the resource is not localized. If this is not done, you can change the interface language during the installation process of the program.

Supported Platforms

As mentioned, TOP is a cross-platform software product, and therefore, in addition to the “windowed” OS, it also works on other platforms. If you click “View All Downloads”, a list of them will appear:

• Apple OS versions of recent years for Mac;
• Linux, BSD and Unix of any capacity;
• android.

For Android there are step-by-step instructions for installing and configuring the software. The application is not provided for iOS, Windows Phone and other mobile operating systems; you need to look for analogues in the application store. Many unpopular Linux distributions are also not supported.

Browser installation process

After receiving the installer, the anonymous browser can be installed on a computer (let’s look at its example) or on a phone.

1. Run the resulting file.
2. In the first window, select the application language if the default localization is not satisfactory.

1. In the next window, set the path to the application files and click “Install”.

This can be any directory that can be accessed, including a removable drive.

1. If there is already an application in the specified directory, we confirm its update.
2. If necessary, you can immediately launch the browser and create a shortcut to call it.

Configuration process

Any user can correctly configure and prepare the software for use. In most cases, just click “Connect” and wait a little.

If the computer connects to the network through a proxy, then click “Configure” and answer the questions using the information provided in the recommendations.

After successful configuration, the connection will be established.

How to use?

FireFox works like a regular browser with several features. The secure DuckDuckGo is used as a search engine, but you can change it in the settings. If necessary, you can install other plugins (but not recommended) and themes for the browser.

You can make sure that everything works on the 2ip website or similar.

After clicking on the green icon to the left of the address bar, a chain of nodes for the current site will appear.

Here you can change the security level and set the parameters of the Tor network.

In fact, in all other respects this is the usual “Fire Fox” with its advantages and features.

Removing Tor Browser

Due to the fact that the application is portable, it cannot be found in the list of installed ones. It is incredibly simple to completely remove Tor Browser from your computer: shut down the program and delete the directory with it from your hard drive along with the desktop shortcut, if you created one.

If you can’t remove it right away, wait a couple of minutes after the program ends and try again.

FAQ

Changing the interface language

After unpacking the program, changing the language in Vidalia (preferences window) or FireFox is not possible. There is only one way out in this situation - reinstalling the program and replacing its distribution, or uninstalling and unpacking Tor again.

The application refuses to start

There are many sources of the problem, although situations where Tor does not start are quite rare. If you downloaded the latest version of the installer from the official website, check whether the “tor.exe” process is “hanging” in the absence of a graphical interface. If present, terminate it along with the firefox.exe process and restart the application.

Some of these problems are caused by incorrect time (time zone) and date on the computer. They need to be changed or synchronized.

Another solution if Tor Browser does not work is to re-unpack the archive with its distribution, but into a different directory.

Tor browser does not connect to the network

Long network connection times may be caused by using a very slow network connection. During connection establishment, the system informs nearby nodes that a new client has appeared on the network. If there are no problems with speed, it makes sense to configure the application manually: at the moment of its launch, click “Open settings”.

In the next window, select “Customize” and answer the questions asked.

For reliability, we go through all possible variations of settings.

Perhaps some of the files were damaged during operation, so it is worth reinstalling the application after checking the disk where it is located using the chkdsk utility, for example, through the “Properties” of the volume in the “Service” tab.

By and large, this is all the information that an ordinary user should know without plunging into the jungle of technical terms and control via the console. After the initial and simple setup, a browser will launch, not much different from regular FireFox, with support for all themes and extensions.

Conclusion

In addition to providing anonymity and the ability to visit blocked sites with impunity, Tor is characterized by reduced page loading speed, Flash blocking, and the inability to use the full functionality of some sites.

Tor Browser is completely unhackable. This is according to an internal NSA report from 2012, but although the company had the ability in some cases to disclose certain nodes, in general they were unable to disclose every node as requested. Yes, the declassification data was carried out due to an error that occurred in the FireFox browser, which is included in the torbundle and so on. If you use the Tor browser correctly, then the possibility of exposure is small.

BrowserTorIt's not just criminals who use it

Despite public opinion, the Tor browser is not only used by scammers, thieves, rapists and other dangerous individuals. This is absolutely not true. Active people from all sorts of fields, journalists, people who prefer privacy are active users of the Tor browser.

Personally, I really like the position of the creators of the Tor browser, who answer the question “Do you have something to hide?” with the phrase: “No, that’s not true - it’s just none of your business.”

Attackers have a fairly large arsenal of tools, from the ability to transform into another person to stolen devices and network access, from botnets to Trojan viruses. By using the Tor browser, you are helping criminals no more than when using the Internet.

At the browserTorthere are no hidden loopholes or backdoors

There is an opinion that the Tor browser was organized by the military, who deliberately created hidden loopholes in it. Despite the fact that the Tor browser was initially funded by the US Navy, it has since been completely open source, and many cryptography specialists have been studying its source code. Anyone can learn them if they wish. And now a team of enthusiasts, champions of privacy and confidentiality on the Internet, is working on the system.

There is also an opinion that US intelligence agencies own about 60% of all nodes - however, this is most likely a distorted data that about 60% of funding is allocated to America in the form of grants.

There were no cases of anyone being convicted for supporting a relay node

However, for example, in Europe, in this beacon of individual rights and legal paradise, and more specifically, in Austria quite recently, one citizen who held an output node was accused of complicity, due to the fact that illegal traffic passed through this node. content. So the risk of maintaining an output node is obvious. Well, relay nodes must be out of danger, since, according to the network operation system, they do not have data about the origin of the request and its direction, as well as about the transmission of its traffic. It is almost impossible to prove the receipt of traffic through relay.

BrowserToreasy to use

Many people think that the Tor browser is something difficult for experienced hackers and computer geniuses. However, in fact, the creators have already simplified its use as much as possible - just download Tor Browser and when you launch it, you will automatically be able to use the Tor network. There are no settings, commands on the command line, etc.

Torworks much faster than you think

Until recently, the network worked quite slowly. Now access to Internet portals is carried out at a completely acceptable speed. Yes, it is unfortunately impossible to download torrents using the Tor browser - it is both slow and harmful to the network. However, it is possible to carry out any other usual activities without problems.

Tor - this is not a panacea

When using the Tor browser, you still need to adhere to certain rules and understand a little about how it functions, what it can do and what it cannot do, so that all your efforts are not in vain. If you use TorBrowser and log into Facebook at the same time, this makes little sense. You must understand how it functions and use it wisely.

I am against maintaining privacy on the Internet. I promote the Tor project and urge everyone to support it as necessary and important. In particular, based on recent events with the new laws “against the Internet”, Support the Tor browser. Install a relay browser - if you want to allocate at least 50 kb/s for the Tor browser, this will be quite enough.

Why am I for confidentiality and privacy? Because I'm a law-abiding citizen and I have nothing to hide, right?
Well, I personally can answer this as follows:

• Perhaps I have nothing to hide, but I use it and this is everyone’s personal business;
• As you know, everything changes, times, laws. Today you wrote something in the comments, and after several years after the next adoption of the law, it will suddenly become classified as extremist opinions;
• I would like to believe that all the users who trace all my actions are crystal clear and devoted servants of Themis who will never use the information received in their dirty selfish plans.

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 Websites You Visit 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. Introduction to 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 [Further] 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. In accordance with 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 by 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.

If the Tor browser does not connect to the network, it means that it is not working correctly or some kind of error has occurred. Now we will consider in detail what to do in this case, all the popular methods of solving the problem.

Bar stuck during startup

When a user launches the Tor Anonymous Browser, a loading bar first appears on the screen, it displays the connection to the network, as well as checking the security settings. If it stops and doesn’t move, it means something went wrong, an error occurred during connection, let’s look at all the methods on how to fix it.

Method 1. Setting the time

One of the common causes of the error in Tor Browser: “Loading network state failed” is the wrong time on the computer. Perhaps it is behind or in a hurry, or your date is completely wrong. The solution to the problem is very simple.

For Windows 10

In the bottom right corner of the taskbar, use the right mouse button to click on the date and time icon.

Click on the button"Change".

Set the correct date and time, then press"Change".

You can synchronize time with the Internet, to do this, activate the function"Set time automatically".

For Windows 7

In the lower right corner, in the system tray, left-click on the date and time icon.

Select "Change date and time".

Set the date and time, then click the button"OK".

Method 2. Restart the browser

If the error “Tor failed to establish a tor network connection” does not disappear, what to do is what some users wonder. A simple method will solve the problem - restart Tor, in 50% of cases the error goes away on its own, the connection is established successfully.

Method 3. Setting up an antivirus

An antivirus may block the Tor browser or its connection to the Internet. In this case, the easiest way is to pause the antivirus program while working with Tor. Let's look at the example of the popular anti-virus program Kaspersky Antivirus:

This should be enough for the antivirus to stop blocking the actions of the torus. If this doesn't help, simply pause the application.

Attention!Don't forget to turn the protection back on.

Method 4. Update the Tor browser

Your browser version may be outdated; you need to download a new one from the official website. To do this, you do not need to download Tor again; the browser has a special function:

Method 5. Reconnecting bridges

If all else fails, Tor Browser does not connect, you need to reconfigure the bridges, this often solves the problem. Follow these steps:

1. Open Tor.
2. Paste the link bridges.torproject.org into the address bar and press the keyEnter.
   
3. Click on the link"Get Bridges".
   
4. Click on the green button"Just give me the addresses of the bridges".
   
5. Enter the verification code.
   
6. Copy the addresses.
   
7. In the browser, in the upper left corner, click on the onion icon.
   
8. Select an item "Setting up the Tor network".
   
9. Check the box"Tor is banned in my country" then “Indicate a bridge that I know”.
   
10. Paste the copied addresses.
    
11. Click the button "OK"and restart your web browser.

Read more in the article.