Tor hates me.

Before I begin I must admit that I am more or less a Tor n00b. I've been using the Tor/Vidalia package for a few days and haven't had many problems: the program configured itself automatically, and virtually everything else was working properly. One thing I noticed in the beginning that I couldn't figure out was that after downloading and re-downloading the package several times from different sources, I could never stumble upon what the package is claimed to consist of. I installed Tor/Vidalia but couldn't find Privoxy anywhere. I guess that is my first question: where can I find the proper package or, better yet, why doesn't it install correctly?

My second problem happened this morning. After coinciding with Firefox via Torbutton flawlessly for a couple days, I enabled the button, it showed me it was connected to a network, yet when I went to verify my anonymity it traced my real IP. I connected to multiple circuits to no avail. Is this a bug or am I just missing something simple here?

Finally, after the frustration of troubleshooting on my own unsuccessfully grew tedious, I reinstalled the package only to be confronted by a new error. When clicking 'Start Tor' I receive the following:

"Vidalia was unable to start Tor. Check your settings to ensure the correct name and location of your Tor executable is specified."

I realize that I must locate Tor.exe somewhere on my HD but it's nowhere to be found.

Heeeeelp!

 

Perhaps your problem relates to

https://www.wilderssecurity.com/showthread.php?t=263501

 

Their was a security breach release they came out with on Jan. 20th. Now everyone needs to upgrade to the "Tor 0.2.1.22" version. However, it's also possible that you downloaded the wrong windows version since they offer two windows options on their website, or at least they did not to long ago.

 

I downloaded the update and the problem still persists. I was, however, able to fix the error message I was getting when trying to configure but it's still completely see through, even though my logs tell me I'm successfully connected to a circuit.

 

If you have a hardware router, it is likely you also have hard DNS IP addresses for DNS servers that may be overriding your Tor network connection by default. What you need to do in your browser is to allow the exit node to gather DNS information to help maintain your anonymity. If you use Firefox there is a setting in about:config that needs to be toggled to true. Search for DNS to find it in the about:config page of Firefox. This will then allow the Tor software to use the exit node's DNS server(s) rather than your default hardware router's (likely your ISP). I think there are one or two items:
extensions.torbutton.saved.socks_remote_dns;false
network.proxy.socks_remote_dns;false
which need to be changed to true when using Tor. For sure the second one, and probably the first one as well.

Also, it is best to setup a different new profile when using Tor.

The Tor.exe existence on your computer means that likely you are connecting to Tor from a Windows computer - is that true? You should still use Firefox w/Tor/Torbutton.

How do you know your IP address? Is it static? If so, you need to contact your ISP to setup a DHCP connection which will connect you via a new IP address from a pool every time you connect to the Internet.

For Firefox, there is an add-on (Show MyIP) that can determin your IP address before you turn Torbutton on. When you subsequently use Tor (w/Torbutton turned on - green), check your IP address by visiting https://grc.com/x/ne.dll?bh0bkyd2 to determine if they are the same or not.

Note: Get the NoScript Firefox add-on which mitigates JavaScript when visiting websites - I use it whether or not I am using Tor. You can then temporarily approve specific or all scripts to get the full content of the website - but understand, that JavaScript is considered a risk (Java is greater) for revealing your true IP address.

-- Tom

 

Thanks for the response! I'm using OSX and honestly have no idea what the exe location problem was about. Fortunately for me, it seems to have resolved itself.

I followed your configuration directions, seen here:

http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p44/gabriel132_2006/configpanel-1.png


I'm still getting the same problem though


At the moment I'm using Hotspot Shield and will be until I am able to revive Tor . It doesn't make a very good substitute. Anyway, I normally use www.whatismyipaddress.com to check my IP. I use Comcast, and am assuming that I've been assigned a dynamic IP address because Tor did work for me at first. Is it possible that I was, for lack of a better term, demoted from my dynamic privileges to a static IP address because I couldn't in some way handle Tor? Please excuse my ignorance, haha, I'm still learning.


I do use NoScript and ShowMyIp, they are both awesome and tremendously helpful. I've noticed something odd about my IP, though. When I disable my VPN, turn Torbutton off, and I haven't configured any proxy whatsoever, the IP listed via ShowMyIP is always different from my IP that is detected for me at www.whatismyipaddress.com, which is my real geolocated IP. Hmmmm.

Thanks for the help, it is truly appreciated.

 

Hello again


Still no luck here. I noticed something strange about my proxy configuration settings, though. When I enable Torbutton while looking in about:config, my network.proxy settings switch to localhost. Here are some pictures to illustrate:


Before, Tor disabled:

http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p44/gabriel132_2006/before.png

After, Tor enabled:

http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p44/gabriel132_2006/after.png


That can't be right....right?

 

Hi Liquid_Swords,

In comparing your before (Torbutton disabled) vs after (Torbutton enabled), the difference I find is that before, I have network.proxy.type set to 5, whereas your setting is 0, otherwise I have no differences between your before and after for:
network.proxy.no_proxies_on and
network.proxy.type.

What you left out is to check between before and after the state of your browser Connection Settings in Advanced of Edit>Preferences>Advanced>Connection>Settings.

When Torbutton is not enabled Connection Settings - Use system proxy settings
whereas when Torbutton is enabled Connection Settings - Use manual proxy configuration.

-- Tom

 

Isn't it best to use a different browser entirely? With Portable Firefox, this is easy.

What about https://check.torproject.org ?

Of the many basic I.P. check sites, http://ipid.shat.net appears to be one of the best to me.

From Which Firefox extensions do you recommend? at The TorButton FAQ

*Emphasis mine.

Is the key word here 'known'?

What about testing via sites like http://decloak.net ?

Have you had a look at The Tor Blog any time lately?

Recent posts that may be relevant to you include,

Apple workaround for openssl issues on OS X 10.5 and 10.6

and
Apple broke OpenSSL which breaks Tor on OS X

Also, do you subscribe to the or-talk mailing list?

 

Hi all,

I just started with ComCast a day or two ago; Tor does not work for me either, and I'm still researching why, but so far it appears to be because of ComCast's network management policies, which include the fact that they are running a proxy and will not allow any outbound traffic which does not flow through that proxy. I don't know if there is more to it than this--it seems that there should be, based on what I know of networking and how Tor works, but this is a start. Figured I'd share it for what it's worth.

 

No. I am on Comcast as well and use Tor all the time.

 

Are you in San Francisco? Perhaps the local Comcast is doing something wonky? I'm basing this belief on what the service tech told me...he wasn't the most knowledgeable guy, so he may have just gotten it wrong, but I haven't been able to make it work since then. If you are around here and have it working and can suggest what to do to make it happen, I'd appreciate any pointers.

 

Nope, not in San Fran. Way away from there actually.

I would doubt Comcast blocks Tor. Actually, it would be impossible to do because Tor has something called bridges which are not listed in any public directory. This is how people in China, Iran etc. get around their national Tor black lists. Plus the regular Tor nodes are changing constantly, thus it would be more trouble than it is worth for any ISP to contend with.

Now what Comcast can, and probably does, stop is people running their own exit nodes.