Tor protects you with onion routing, a proxy server system that allows you to establish an anonymous network connection. This prevents unauthorized persons from tracking your traffic and prevents the websites you visit from recognizing your real location. Tor works with many programs, including web browsers, instant messaging systems, and other TCP-based applications. Here's how to use Tor with Firefox.
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Configuring Tor with Blackbelt
Step 1. Download Blackbelt Privacy for Windows (about 10 kb total)
This method is only available on Windows XP, Vista, Windows 7 and Windows 8.
If you are using a different operating system, go to the next section
Step 2. Open the downloaded Blackbelt
In the window that opens, select one of the three options for using Tor.
- Select "Bridge Relay Operator" to use Tor and let other people use Tor through your computer.
- Select "Tor Client Only Operator" to just use Tor.
- Select "Censored User" if you live in a country where internet traffic is censored.
Step 3. Check the box next to "Tune Firefox" and click "Install"
If Firefox is running, it will be closed and configured accordingly.
Step 4. The Blackbelt installation will be complete in a minute or two
Then open Firefox. Agree to the terms of use for the TorButton add-on. You can now surf the web through Tor.
The Tor on / off button may appear in the Firefox toolbar, Windows toolbar, or elsewhere in the settings. If you cannot find this button or if you are having problems, please contact the Blackbelt administrator for more information
Step 5. When browsing the Internet through Tor, other users will not be able to access your data
However, using Tor with Firefox is not the safest way to surf the web. For more safety, read the following sections.
Method 2 of 3: Configuring Tor Manually
Step 1. Download the downloads Tor Browser Bundle
This program supports almost all operating systems and many languages.
Step 2. Unzip the downloaded file by opening it or dragging it into the Applications folder
Open Tor Browser and don't close it.
Tor Browser is a purely Tor browser that is the safest way to browse the Internet. You must first launch Tor Browser and then another browser if you want to browse the web, for example via Firefox
Step 3. Open proxy settings in Firefox
In the Tor network, your requests are encrypted and sent through the network of other users' computers. To connect to this network through Firefox, you need to change the proxy settings in Firefox. This process may vary depending on your Firefox version and operating system, but the instructions below should work on most computers.
- On Windows: Open Firefox and click Menu - Options - Advanced - Network - Configure (or configure Tor using Blackbelt as described in the previous section).
- Mac OS X: Open Firefox and click Menu - Preferences - Advanced - Network - Configure.
- On Linux: Open Firefox and click Tools - Options - Advanced - Network - Configure.
Step 4. By default, the "No proxy" option is selected
Check the box next to "Manual proxy settings". Enter the following information:
- In the line "SOCKS Host" enter: 127.0.0.1
- In the line "Port" enter: 9050
- Check the box next to "SOCKS 5".
- In the line "Do not use proxy for" enter: 127.0.0.1
Step 5. Check if the settings are correct by trying to open any site
If the site doesn't open, double check the information you entered and make sure Tor Browser is running. If the site opens, go to check.torproject.org to confirm that you are using Tor.
If you are unable to configure Tor, check the No Proxy box and use Firefox normally until troubleshooting
Step 6. For troubleshooting, search the Tor FAQ for a description of your problem
If your problem isn't there, contact the Tor developers by email or phone.
Developers provide assistance in Arabic, English, Spanish, Farsi, French and Chinese
Step 7. To use Tor, launch Tor Browser and then in Firefox's proxy settings check "Manually configure proxy server"
In this case, your data will only be partially protected, but you can increase the level of security by following the steps in the next section.
Method 3 of 3: Provide Enhanced Security and Privacy
Step 1. Check your Firefox version
Firefox version 17 has a vulnerability that allows the collection of data transmitted over the Tor network. In this case, update your browser to fix this vulnerability.
Step 2. Some browser plugins (eg Flash, RealPlayer and Quicktime) can be used to determine your true IP address
So use the experimental HTML5 YouTube video player (but most other sites don't have this option).
For maximum security, disable these plugins in Firefox
Step 3. Do not use torrent clients or open downloaded files while connected to the Internet
Torrent clients often change privacy settings. Do not open downloaded files while connected to the Internet to prevent the file from transferring data over the network.
This is especially true for.doc and.pdf files
Step 4. Use https instead of http (if possible)
You can manually enter https at the beginning of any website URL to add an optional encrypted protocol, or install this Firefox add-on to automatically enter
Step 5. Use Tor Browser
The described actions will increase the security of your Firefox, but, nevertheless, your data can be intercepted. Firefox is updated much more frequently than Tor, so there is a possibility that the flaws in Firefox's interaction with Tor will not be promptly fixed (resulting in reduced security). Unlike Firefox, Tor Browser automatically adjusts itself to the maximum privacy level.