Tor Anonymous Browsing

The Pimeleon router provides Tor network access for anonymous browsing when you need maximum privacy. Tor hides your identity and location, making your internet activity virtually untraceable.

What is Tor?

Tor (The Onion Router) is a network that anonymizes your internet traffic by routing it through multiple encrypted relays around the world, making it nearly impossible to trace back to you.

How Tor Works

Normal browsing:

You → ISP → Website
(Website sees your real IP address)

Tor browsing:

You → Tor Relay 1 → Tor Relay 2 → Tor Relay 3 → Website
(Website sees Tor exit node IP, not yours)

Each relay only knows the previous and next hop - nobody knows the full path.

When to Use Tor

Good Use Cases

Privacy-sensitive activities:

• Whistleblowing or anonymous tips
• Researching sensitive topics
• Avoiding surveillance
• Accessing blocked content
• Protecting your identity

Bypassing censorship:

• Geographic content restrictions
• Government censorship
• Network filtering
• ISP blocking

Accessing .onion sites:

• Tor hidden services
• Dark web content (legal uses)
• Privacy-focused services
• Censorship-resistant sites

When NOT to Use Tor

Don't use Tor for:

• Banking or financial transactions
• Shopping (most sites will block Tor)
• Streaming video (too slow)
• Large downloads (very slow)
• Regular browsing (unnecessarily slow)

Why? Tor is slow, and many websites block Tor exit nodes.

How to Use Tor on Your Network

SOCKS5 Proxy (Recommended)

Configure your browser or application:

• Proxy Type: SOCKS5
• Proxy Address: Your router's address
• Proxy Port: 9100

HTTP Tunnel Proxy (Alternative)

For applications that only support HTTP proxy:

• Proxy Type: HTTP
• Proxy Address: Your router's address
• Proxy Port: 9111

SOCKS5 vs HTTP Tunnel

Recommendation: Use SOCKS5 unless your application doesn't support it.

Step-by-Step: Firefox Setup

1. Open Firefox Settings
2. Scroll to "Network Settings"
3. Click "Settings"
4. Select "Manual proxy configuration"
5. Enter:
   • SOCKS Host: Your router address
   • Port: 9100
   • SOCKS v5: Checked
   • Proxy DNS: Checked
6. Click "OK"

Now all Firefox traffic goes through Tor!

What to Expect

Speed and Performance

Tor is significantly slower than normal browsing:

• Normal browsing: 50-100+ Mbps
• Tor browsing: 1-5 Mbps
• Latency: +500-2000ms additional delay

Why so slow?

• Traffic goes through 3 relays worldwide
• Each relay adds latency
• Encryption/decryption at each hop
• Tor network capacity limitations

Is it worth it? For privacy-critical activities, yes!

Websites May Behave Differently

Common issues with Tor:

• CAPTCHAs: You'll see more of these
• Access blocked: Some sites block Tor exit nodes
• Location confusion: Sites think you're in a different country
• Login problems: Security systems flag unusual locations

This is normal - websites can't tell who you are, so they're more cautious.

Privacy and Security

What Tor Protects

Your identity:

• Websites can't see your real IP address
• ISP can't see which websites you visit
• Network operators can't track your browsing
• Surveillance is much harder

Your location:

• Websites see exit node location, not yours
• Could appear to be in any country
• Geographic blocking can be bypassed
• Location-based tracking prevented

What Tor Doesn't Protect

Important limitations:

• Doesn't encrypt website traffic: Use HTTPS for that
• Doesn't protect against malware: Use antivirus
• Doesn't prevent tracking cookies: Clear cookies regularly
• Doesn't make you invisible: Can still be identified if you login

Best practice: Use Tor + HTTPS for maximum protection.

Tor Circuit Isolation

Your Pimeleon router provides advanced privacy:

• Separate circuits per destination: Each website gets a different route
• Client isolation: Your traffic separated from other users
• Port isolation: Different applications use different circuits

This prevents correlation attacks that could link your activities.

.onion Hidden Services

What are .onion Sites?

Special websites only accessible through Tor:

• Hosted anonymously on Tor network
• Both server and client are anonymous
• Extra privacy protection
• Censorship-resistant

Accessing .onion Sites

On your Pimeleon: Just visit the .onion address!

Your router automatically:

• Detects .onion domain
• Routes through Tor network
• Handles DNS resolution
• Maintains anonymity

Example: http://example.onion

troubleshooting

Tor Connection Not Working

Symptoms: Can't connect through Tor proxy

Solutions:

1. Check proxy settings: Verify address and port
2. Test with HTTP tunnel: Try port 9111 instead of 9100
3. Wait for bootstrap: Tor needs time to connect (30-60 seconds)
4. Contact admin: Tor service might be down

Very Slow or Timing Out

Expected behavior: Tor is slow, but if it's extremely slow:

troubleshooting:

1. Check internet connection: Run normal speed test
2. Try later: Tor network might be congested
3. Use different circuit: Close and reopen connection
4. Report to admin: Persistent issues might indicate problem

Website Blocks Tor

Symptoms: "Access denied" or similar error

This is normal: Many websites block Tor exit nodes

Solutions:

• Use a different website
• Access without Tor (if privacy isn't critical)
• Contact website to request Tor access
• Use a VPN instead of Tor (if available)

Too Many CAPTCHAs

Symptoms: Constant CAPTCHA challenges

Why: Websites can't identify Tor users, so they verify you're human

Solutions:

• Complete the CAPTCHAs (annoying but necessary)
• Use sites that don't block Tor
• Consider if you really need Tor for this activity

Best Practices

When You Really Need Privacy

Do:

• Use Tor for anonymous access
• Use HTTPS websites (https://)
• Clear cookies and browsing history
• Don't login to personal accounts
• Use privacy-focused search engines

Don't:

• Login to Facebook, Google, etc. (defeats anonymity)
• Download files (slow and potentially risky)
• Use browser plugins (can leak identity)
• Share personal information

For Regular Browsing

Use normal internet connection:

• Much faster
• Fewer CAPTCHAs
• Better website compatibility
• Tor isn't necessary for most activities

Save Tor for when you need it - privacy-critical activities only.

Understanding Tor's Purpose

Tor is a powerful privacy tool, but:

• Not a magic "make me invisible" button
• Requires careful use to maintain anonymity
• Can't protect against all threats
• Best combined with other privacy practices

HTTP Tunnel vs SOCKS5 Usage

Use SOCKS5 (Port 9100) When

• Your application supports it
• You want best performance
• Modern software (browsers, clients)

Use HTTP Tunnel (Port 9111) When

• Application only supports HTTP proxy
• Corporate firewall blocks SOCKS
• Legacy software requirements
• Debugging connection issues

Testing Your Connection

SOCKS5 test:

curl --socks5 [router-address]:9100 https://check.torproject.org

HTTP tunnel test:

curl --proxy [router-address]:9111 https://check.torproject.org

Both should confirm Tor is working.

Contributing to Tor Network

Your Pimeleon router also acts as a Tor bridge relay:

• What it does: Helps censored users access Tor
• Your contribution: Supports internet freedom globally
• Your benefit: Helps Tor network stay robust
• Privacy: You don't handle exit traffic (safe)

Bridge vs Exit Relay:

• Bridge: Helps users connect to Tor (what you're running)
• Exit: Where traffic leaves Tor network (NOT running - legal risks)

Related Documentation

• DNSCrypt Privacy - DNS encryption
• Network Overview - Overall architecture
• DNS Filtering - Ad blocking

Bottom Line: Tor provides powerful anonymity for privacy-critical activities. It's slower than regular browsing but protects your identity and location. Use it when you need real privacy, but use normal internet for everyday activities. Both SOCKS5 and HTTP tunnel options available for maximum compatibility.