Tor protects you by forwarding communications through a distributed network of relays staffed by volunteers around the world. Tor prevents those monitoring your Internet connection from knowing what websites you visit and also prevents the websites you visit from knowing your physical location. Tor can work in conjunction with many application programs, including Firefox, although it is highly recommended to use the Tor Browser for maximum privacy.
Step
Method 1 of 3: Setting Up Tor Using BlackBelt
Step 1. Download BlackBelt Privacy for Windows
This method only works for Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7, and Windows 8. If you're using one of these operating systems, start a fairly easy Tor installation by downloading BlackBelt Privacy via this link. The download size is only about 20 megabytes, so the download process will be completed in just a few minutes for most internet connections today. It's also a good idea to make sure that Firefox is installed as the installation program from BlackBelt Privacy will find and use it to set up browsing profiles via Tor.
If you are using a different operating system, use the instructions to set up Tor manually
Step 2. Open the BlackBelt file and select an option
Open the file you just downloaded. A program window should appear asking you to choose how you will use Tor. If you don't know which option to choose, one of the following three options might be what you're looking for:
- Select "Bridge Relay Operator" if you want to use Tor and at the same time help other users stay protected by relaying through your computer.
- Select "Tor Client Only Operator" if you want to use the Tor network without joining the network.
- Select "Censored User" if you live in a country that censors internet traffic.
Step 3. Complete the BlackBelt installation process
The software will automatically exit Firefox when you have it open, and change its settings to place the Tor Firefox Profile icon on the desktop screen. Use this icon to switch to the Tor variant for Firefox.
Step 4. Wait for the BlackBelt installation process which should finish in a minute or two
Once done, open Firefox. You should now be able to browse using the Tor network.
If you have problems with the installation process, try contacting the BlackBelt administrator for more information
Step 5. Browse the internet
As long as you are connected to Tor, it will be much more difficult for others to access your personal data. However, using Tor with Firefox is not the safest way to browse the internet, especially if you don't change your browsing habits. For better security, follow the suggestions in the section below to be more secure.
Method 2 of 3: Setting Tor for Firefox Manually
Step 1. Download the Tor Browser Bundle
This software is available for all common operating systems and for many languages. Choose downloads from the Tor Project website. For most Internet connections, this will only take a few minutes to download.
Step 2. Open the downloaded file
Extract the downloaded file by opening it or dragging it to the Applications folder. Open the Tor Browser application program, and leave it open as long as it is used for this method.
While the Tor Browser is the safest way to browse the internet, it can also be used if you only want to connect to the Tor network. You must leave the Tor Browser open if you want to use Tor via another browser, such as Firefox
Step 3. Change the Firefox proxy (intermediary) settings
The Tor network encrypts web page requests and sends them over a protected network of computers. In order to connect to this network using Firefox, you must change the proxy settings of Firefox. This may vary depending on the operating system and Firefox version you are using, but these instructions should work for most users:
- In Firefox for Windows, go to Menu→Options→Advance→Network→Settings, or just skip this section using BlackBelt as described in the previous section.
- In Firefox for Mac OS X, go to Firefox→Preferences→Advanced→Network→Settings.
- In Firefox for Linux, go to Edit→Preferences→Advanced→Proxies.
Step 4. Set the proxy configuration manually
The default setting is "No proxy". Check the button next to "Manual proxy configuration". Fill in the following information exactly in the list of other options:
- On the box SOCKS Host, enter: 127.0.0.1
- On the box Port which is near the numbers you have entered, type 9150.
- Choose SOCKS v5 if this option is available.
- Place a check mark in the "Remote DNS" box, if it's not already checked.
- On the box No Proxy for, enter: 127.0.0.1
Step 5. Check if the setting is successful
Most likely, if those settings don't work, you won't be able to load any web pages. If this happens, double-check the information you have entered, and also check if the Tor Browser is open. If you manage to load the web page, visit check.torproject.org to make sure you're using Tor.
If you can't get Tor to work as intended, switch back to the "No Proxy" option to continue using Firefox as usual while trying to troubleshoot the problem
Step 6. Find and solve the problem
If you can't get Tor to work the way it should after following these instructions, look for a discussion of the problem in the Tor FAQ. If your problem can't be solved there, contact the developers of the Tor Project program via email, phone or mail.
Developers can provide assistance in English, Arabic, Spanish, French, Persian, or Chinese
Step 7. Browse the internet
Every time you want to use Tor, you'll need to open the Tor Browser, wait for it to connect, then set Firefox to the "manual proxy configuration" you've set. You will only be partially protected, but you can increase your security by following the instructions below.
Method 3 of 3: Becoming More Safe and Protected
Step 1. Check the Firefox version number
In 2013, the National Security Agency in America exploited a security vulnerability in Firefox version 17 to collect data sent over the Tor network. Check the change log for Firefox updates to see if they fix important security holes. If not, consider waiting a week or two before updating, and checking online to see if the update has any new vulnerabilities.
Step 2. Don't think the video is safe
Browser add-ons (plugins) such as Flash, RealPlayer, and Quicktime can be used by others to reveal the IP address, which identifies your computer. To solve this problem, you can try the experimental HTML5 video player from YouTube, but most other sites don't have this option.
Many websites run these additional programs automatically to display the content of the site. You need to disable these additional programs completely in the Firefox plugin options for maximum privacy
Step 3. Avoid using torrents, and don't open downloaded files while connected to the internet
Be aware that file-sharing apps like Torrent often override your privacy settings, which makes it easy to track downloads on your computer. You can download other files normally, but turn off your internet connection before opening the file so that the app can't send data.
.doc and.pdf files are likely to have internet-connected components
Step 4. Use https if possible
Writing http what you see at the beginning of the web address indicates the protocol used to exchange requests for information between your computer and the web server. You can fill in https manually instead of using an additional encrypted protocol, but installing the HTTPS Everywhere add-on for Firefox is much easier for this purpose, which automatically enforces the use of https on all websites that support the functionality.
Step 5. Consider using Tor Browser
While the above steps can make your Firefox quite secure, it's easy for errors to occur and can reveal your information. Firefox also has a much faster development time than Tor, so there's a pretty good chance that there are security loopholes related to the interaction between Firefox and Tor that haven't been discovered and haven't been fixed. The Tor Browser, which you may have downloaded while setting up Firefox Tor, automatically uses maximum privacy settings, and is best used when there is a high risk, such as the threat of punishment from a repressive government.
