Anonymizer
From PokerAI
Anonymous browsing allows users to browse Web sites without letting anyone gather information about which sites the user visited. Services that provide anonymity counterfeit the visitor's IP address and disable pop-up windows and cookies. Such services typically act as a proxy server for the HTTP request processing. There are two main applications of anonymous browsing: to protect the user's privacy and/or to use site that banned the user by IP address. An anonymizing service often restricts the personalization capabilities of the sites.
Why using anonymizer?
How one can find out your IP address? Say, you want to safely browse pokerai forums (same is valid for any other forums out there). In this case, using anonymizer is for protecting your IP address NOT against Indiana (administrator of pokerai), but is a protection against ANYONE being able to find out your IP. How anyone can find out your IP? Consider these simple ways:
- Uploading avatar, hosted on personal website. The http requests to this avatar will reveal your IP
- Inline-ing image (same as above);
- Posting a link to any (owned by the person) third party web site;
- etc.
Short HowTo
So, how to surf anonymously?
First, you can check what your IP is here (or similar service). Then, the easiest, most straightforward option for achieving anonymous browsing is using a CGI anonymizer, e.g. anonymouse.org. Just enter the URL you want over there. Try out to see what is your IP address once again then, to find out that your real IP address is no longer revealed.
The more advanced option to browse anonymously (and also to chat, etc.) is using software like Tor. Consider what Tor is by reading the corresponding Wikipedia article, or Tor's Overivew.
Download Tor and install it from here. For brief and comprehensive installation and configuration instructions look here OR follow these steps:
- Install the software from the download link given previously.
- After installation, configure your browser to use HTTP proxy at localhost:8118
- For Internet Explorer, the above step is: Tools->Internet Options->Connections->Lan Settings->click use proxy, and enter host localhost and port 8118.
- Start enjoy anonymous browsing!
- Start to enjoy anonymous MSN Messenger (MSN automatically reads your browser proxy settings and connects with them).
