As a rule, some Internet users various reasons They are trying to ensure their privacy, so they regularly review the main methods for anonymizing traffic from the Internet, which are available for use by the average user. Basically, everyday use A VPN can help solve this problem, but this method Not everyone will find it convenient. Therefore in this article we'll talk about TOR - an anonymous distributed network.

So, what is the Tor network?

Nowadays in RuNet, with the advent of government control and a toughening of the position towards ordinary users, we are talking about the future fate of TOR and similar anonymizers. They have long been trying to ban the Tor network, reviews of which are extremely positive. Information is already appearing in the media about the “TOR ban” at the suggestion of Russian security forces. Thus, the Izvestia newspaper contains a direct indication that today there is a proposal from the security forces to ban programs that are hidden on the user’s network.

The Public Council under the FSB of the Russian Federation considers it necessary legal regulation activities of legal and individuals in the Internet. Therefore, he formed proposals on the need to ban anonymizers - programs that mask data and IP addresses.

If according to court decision User access to a specific site will be denied; users using an anonymizer will still be able to access the site (for example, using a search on the Tor network). For example, users from China and Belarus easily visit sites that are blocked by local authorities.

The security forces' proposal involves banning software or browsers that have built-in anonymizers (the Tor Internet network, for example). In addition, web servers are also classified as camouflage tools. These are autonomous sites through which users can switch with a different IP address to There is also an indication that similar amendments will be made to federal law.

To date, the state’s position on this matter has not yet been fully determined.

Why is this network needed?

Why is the Tor network needed for the average and average user?
Logically, every citizen who does not break the law should think: “Why should I hide myself on the Internet using an anonymizer? I don’t plan any illegal actions - website hacking, distribution malware, password hacking, etc.?” IN in a general sense this question can be answered this way: some sites containing content for free download, are blocked very quickly and thereby become inaccessible to most users. In addition, some employers restrict access to social networks and entertainment sites, and the resources of the Tor network make it easy to bypass these prohibitions.

At the same time, we can cite the original opinion of one free developer software TOR, which he announced in an interview.

Expert opinion

Why is anonymity required for ordinary Internet users who, by definition, have nothing to hide?

The whole point is that “there is nothing to hide” - this is not a reason for complete control of all user actions on the Internet by government agencies. These structures employ the most ordinary citizens, guided in their work by laws illiterately written by other incompetent citizens. If such people don’t like something, they will have to spend money, time and health to prove their innocence with unpredictable results. Why take such a risk if there is a simple technical means, which is supported by other, smarter people.

Among other things, along with anonymity, the user receives protection from online censorship at the state level. Should an ordinary citizen think about which site could be banned today on the initiative of Deputy Ivanov? This is not the business of this deputy, especially if he will never be informed which sites the citizen visited today at his own request.

Tor network: how to use

TOR is a network consisting of virtual tunnels that will allow the user the best way protect privacy and

Principle TOR actions: the program connects the user’s computer to the network not directly, but through a chain of several randomly selected computers (relays), which also belong to the TOR network.

All data sent to the Internet using TOR becomes anonymous (the source is hidden) and remains encrypted throughout the entire distance between the user’s computer and the last relay. After the data is sent from the last relay and sent to the final destination site, this data is already in the clear, normal form.

When transferring important data, such as a Username or password to log into a website, you need to make sure that the HTTPS protocol is running.

It is worth noting that we owe the emergence of this anonymous network to the American intelligence services. Once upon a time, a spy project took place, which later became notorious. It was called "Open Skies" and for an inexplicable reason was canceled in a short period of time. After this, all the data of the closed network, in particular the source codes, ended up in open access. Based on the information received, an initiative group whose members were Internet experts and began creating their own completely free of charge own network, not controlled from outside. This private network is called The Onion Router, which means “Onion Router” when translated into Russian. That is why the symbol of the Tor network has an image of an onion on its logo. This name explains the principle of operation of the anonymizer - a chain of nodes and connections leading to complete privacy can be associated with the layers of an onion. The network works in such a way that connection endpoints cannot be established.

Downloading and installing TOR

Various programs from the TOR package are available for download from the official website of the project. Speaking about the Tor network and how to use it, it should be noted that there is software package TOR browser. It does not require installation and contains a browser. Most often this Mozilla Firefox. The browser is pre-configured for safe exit using TOR to the Internet. You just need to download the package, unpack the archive and run the TOR program.

Using TOR Brouser Bundle

After downloading software assembly TOR Brouser Bundle you need to save the package to your desktop or USB. Typically, this option is convenient for compact solutions when loading TOR from a flash drive is required.

Speaking about how to get into the Tor network, it should be noted that the user must have a directory that contains several files. One of them is the file start TOR Browser or “Starting the TOR Browser”. This depends on what operating system you are using.

After launching the TOR Brouser Bundle program, the user will first see Vidalia launching and connecting to the TOR network. After this, the browser will launch, which will confirm the use of TOR in this moment. The TOR network is ready to use.

An important point: it is necessary to use the browser that was included in the package with TOR, and not the user’s own browser.

The TOR browser (Mozilla and Torbutton plugin) is already configured to completely disable JavaScript, settings for https and other settings for a secure Internet connection.

For regular user this software package is the best option for working with TOR.

There is also a stationary option for installing TOR. This is a connection to the Tor network using the Vidalia Polipo TOR assembly.

Here is an example installation for Windows 7

You need to download the program from the TOR project website and install it on your computer.

Safe work on the Internet is carried out only with the Mozilla browser with the Torbutton plugin. If this plugin turns out to be incompatible with the version Mozilla browser, then you need to use the universal FOxyProxy Basic.

Today, TOR developers can offer -bundle packages for download (Vidalia Bridge Bundle or Vidalia Relay Bundle). They already have the “bridges” or “relays” settings.

The need for such additional settings may occur for users whose providers block the TOR network. These are BRIDGE settings that can help if Tor doesn't connect to the network by default.

Correct setup of TOR

If the user himself wants to become a participant in the TOR project, then it is worth familiarizing himself with the RELAY settings.

If your provider or system administrator blocks access to the TOR site, then the program itself can be requested at email. In this case, the request is made from the postal address gMail mailbox, you do not need to use email located on Russian free domains.

To receive the English package of the TOR browser for Windows OS, you need to send an email to: [email protected]. In the message itself you only need to write the word windows. The "subject" field may be empty.

A similar method can be used to request the TOR browser for MAC OS. To do this you need to write “macos-i386”. If you have Linux, then you need to write “linux-i386” in the case of a 32-bit system or “linux-x86 64" for a 64-bit system. If you need a translated version of the TOR program, then you need to write “help”. In the response letter You will receive instructions and a list of available languages.

If TOR is already installed, but does not work, then this could happen for the following reasons.

At normal operation connections, if you can’t connect to the Tor network, you can try the following: open the “VIdala Control Panel”, click on “Message Log” and select the “Advanced Settings” tab. Problems with TOR connection may occur for the following reasons:

1. System clock is disabled. You need to make sure correct installation date and time on your computer and restart TOR. You may need to synchronize your system clock with the server.

2. The user is behind a firewall. In order for TOR to use 443, you need to open the VIdala Control Panel, click Settings and Networks and check the box next to “My firewall only allows me to connect to certain ports.” This will help set up the Tor network and let it work fully.

3. Blocking TOR from the outside antivirus database. You need to make sure that your antivirus program does not prevent TOR from connecting to the network.

4. If the computer still does not connect to the Tor network, then it is very possible that the anonymizer is blocked by the ISP. This can often be bypassed using TOR bridges, which are hidden relays that are difficult to block.

If you need an exact reason for the inability to connect to TOR, you should send an email to the developers [email protected] and attach information from the log log.

What is a bridge and how to find it

To use a bridge, you must first discover it. This is possible at bridges.torproject.org. You can also send a letter to [email protected]. After sending the letter, you should make sure that the letter itself says “Get bridges”. Without this, the response letter will not arrive. It is also important that the sending must be from gmail.com or yahoo.com.

After setting up several bridges, the Tor network will become more stable if some bridges become unavailable. There is no certainty that the bridge used today will also work tomorrow. For this reason, the list of bridges needs to be constantly updated.

How is the bridge used?

If it is possible to use several bridges, then you should open the “VIdala Control Panel”, click “Settings”, and then “Networks” and check the box next to “My provider is blocking the connection to the TOR network”. Next, enter a list of bridges in the field. Then click “OK” and restart TOR.

Using open proxy

If using the bridge does not lead to anything, you need to try setting up TOR using an HTTPS or SOCKS proxy to gain access to the TOR network. This means that even if TOR is blocked in local network user, that is, the opportunity safe use open proxy server for connection.

For further work there must be TOR/Vidalia configurations and a list of https, socks4, or socks5 proxies.

You need to open the “VIdala Control Panel” and click “Settings”.
Next, click on the “Networks” tab, select “I use a proxy to access the Internet.”

In the “Address” field, enter the Open Proxy address. This is the IP address or name of the proxy, then enter the proxy port.

Typically you do not need to enter a username and password. If this is still needed, then they should be entered in the appropriate fields. Select “Type for proxy” as http/https or socks4, or socks 5. Click “OK”. Vidalia and TOR now have the option to use a proxy to access the rest of the network.

On the TOR website today it is possible to find many other different products for others operating systems(Mac OS, Linux, Windows). Thus, the search engine on the Tor network can be used regardless of what device you use to access the Internet. Differences can only be in individual settings regarding the features of the customized OS.

There is already an implemented solution for using TOR For mobile phones, for example for Android. This option has already been tested and, as it turns out, is quite functional, which is good news. Especially considering that most users have moved from computers to convenient, lightweight tablets.

TOR system for use in smartphones

As mentioned above, it is possible to configure TOR on a device with Android platform. To do this, install a package called Orbot. A description of how to download it is on the TOR website.

There are also still experimental packages for Nokia and Apple iOS. However, after a series of tests and modifications, the output great tool, allowing you to achieve uniqueness on the network, is guaranteed.

In addition, TOR developers have launched several more anonymizers, such as Tails. This is a Linux-based OS that provides anonymous and secure network surfing. There are a number of other products on the Tor website that will be of interest to the user.

TOR also makes it possible to use hidden services for users. Without revealing your IP address, you can provide
It is clear that such a service is not in great demand among users, although this information is located on the TOR website along with instructions on how to search the Tor network.

This was the basic information regarding this most famous and well-functioning anonymizer. Today there is hope that users will be able to launch the TOR network on their computer and continue to use secure and anonymous internet at your own discretion.

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 can block access to sites corporate network so that employees do not spend their working day online on social networks.

On the other side, 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. Having read the information given in private window information 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 social network or a large portal, access to which has been closed. Applications that hide the real IP and use the network virtual servers, are quite effective in ensuring 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 virtual Tor networks. Node addresses are selected randomly, chains change every few minutes, and information about forwardings 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 it will be possible to extract useful information, but it’s impossible to find out where she came from and where she’s 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 in 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 of openness source code 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 in work time, to hide something from those working at 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 cling, and after viewing any product will not appear advertising banners 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 general idea You should know about the program, 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 stated, TOR is 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 recent years for Mac;
• Linux, BSD and Unix of any capacity;
• android.

Available for Android step-by-step instruction on installation and configuration of software. For iOS, Windows Phone and other mobile operating systems, the application is not provided; 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 anonymous browser can be installed on a computer (let’s look at it as an 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. As search engine The secure DuckDuckGo is used, 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 have downloaded latest version installer from the official website, check whether the “tor.exe” process is “hanging” in the absence GUI. 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

A long connection to the network may be due to the use of 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, having first checked the disk where it is located, 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, Tor browser used not only by scammers, thieves, rapists and other dangerous individuals. This is absolutely not true. Active people from all sorts of fields of activity, journalists, people who prefer confidentiality are active users 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 matter;
• 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. 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 [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 browser you can find it 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] For 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 the method Tor connections Browser 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 access to the Internet 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 so as not to save browser history on HDD. 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 via 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 new set 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. Creation new personality 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 Settings Browser

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 Tor Browser and whether 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 common reasons an error occurs in Tor Browser: “Loading network state failed” - incorrect 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, using right button mouse click on the date and time icon.

Click on the button"Change".

Install 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 work antivirus program while working with the torus. Let's look at the example of a popular virus protector Kaspersky programs 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 your 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.