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How to use Tor to privately browse the web – it's easier than you think
A while ago, I wrote a piece on the best way to ensure your privacy with a web browser. Part of that advice was to use the Tor browser. In simplest terms, you cannot get more privacy and security from a web browser than when using Tor. And given how important privacy and security are now, Tor should be on your radar.
Also: How to turn on Private DNS Mode on Android – and why it’s a must for security
The Tor browser uses the Onion network to ensure privacy and security. What is the Onion network? First off, Tor is short for “The Onion Router.” When using the Onion network, all traffic is encapsulated in layers of encryption, which are transmitted through a series of nodes called “onion routers.” As the traffic passes through a node, it peels away a single layer that reveals the next destination for the data. This makes it very difficult for a third party to trace your internet activity (more so than any other browser).
Now that you know what Tor is, let me show you how easy it is to use.
How to connect Tor to the Onion network
What you’ll need: The only thing you’ll need is Tor Browser installed on your desktop or mobile device. I’ll demonstrate Tor Browser on Linux, but the platform you use won’t matter. You can download the Tor Browser for your desktop from the official download page. The link for the Android version will take you to a page with downloads for .apk files. On that same page, you’ll find a link to the Google Play Store Tor entry. I suggest installing Tor on Android from the Google Play Store because sideloading .apk files can lead to security issues.
Also: For anonymous browsing, these extensions are the next best thing to Tor
When using Linux, you can also install Tor from the standard repositories, which means it should be available to install from your desktop app store. For example, installing on an Ubuntu-based distribution is as simple as running the following command:
sudo apt-get install torbrowser-launcher -y
Once you have Tor installed, proceed to step one.
The first thing to do is open Tor Browser, which you can do from your desktop menu.
When you first launch Tor, it should automatically connect to the Onion Network. This will depend on how you install it. For example, if you install it with the command above, it will also install the Tor Browser Launcher tool, which allows you to configure Tor. You can accept the default settings and just click Save. By doing this, every time you open Tor Browser, it should automatically connect to the Onion Network.
You can configure Tor from the Tor Browser Launcher.
Jack Wallen/ZDNET
If you downloaded Tor directly from the site and run it with the start-tor-browser script, you’ll see a button labeled Connect. Until you connect to the Onion network, the Tor browser cannot be used. If you open Tor and a pop-up appears, instructing you to connect, I suggest enabling the connection automatically by clicking the checkbox labeled “Always connect automatically.” Once you’ve done that, click Connect, and Tor will work its magic.
Also: 5 great Chrome browser alternatives that put your privacy first
The connection won’t happen immediately, so give the browser time to complete the process. If you find Tor cannot make the connection, close the browser and try again. I’ve had to do this almost every first time I’ve launched Tor. The next time you open Tor, it shouldn’t have any problem connecting.
Once Tor is connected, you can start using it as you would any browser.
Enable automatic connection after you’re certain Tor works as expected.
Screenshot by Jack Wallen/ZDNET
I have discovered, however, that some sites cannot be viewed with Tor Browser. For example, when attempting to view ZDNET.com, Tor displays a 403 Error: Forbidden. Your client does not have permission to get a URL from this server.
Should that occur, click the padlock icon to the left of the URL in question and, from the pop-up, click New Circuit for this Site. Once the new circuit is created, the site should load as expected.
And that is the why and how of using the Tor Browser. Even though you’ll find it slower than your average browser, the added privacy and security you get from Tor are very much worth the reduction in speed.
I use Tor when I require heightened security for a particular site or service (otherwise, I just use Firefox). Give this browser a try and see if you don’t find the added privacy and security worth the effort.
