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| author | Your Name <you@example.com> | 2025-04-24 02:31:04 -0600 |
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| committer | Your Name <you@example.com> | 2025-04-24 02:31:04 -0600 |
| commit | f8e352bfe5b485bc9fdfa293a7c1fd22242dc829 (patch) | |
| tree | 0bcf378b622f553de7f3c13ec67e6d9972d557a0 | |
| parent | 6df7b8d6509939057ef095a14d6eb27c02c322e4 (diff) | |
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| -rw-r--r-- | posts/tor-browser.html | 64 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | posts/torrenting.html | 68 |
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diff --git a/posts/tor-browser.html b/posts/tor-browser.html index 1ed3b22..67930ce 100644 --- a/posts/tor-browser.html +++ b/posts/tor-browser.html @@ -17,64 +17,64 @@ <p>When you can't trust your network, your ISP, the sites you're visiting, or your government with your internet activity, the value of anonymity becomes clear. The Tor Browser is a web browser that mitigates many of these threats by making your browsing anonymous. Using it, you can create and maintain accounts on various websites, participate in conversation, publish your writing, and get access to information without being surveilled.</p> </div> - </center> - <div> + <div> - <h2>Hiding your web traffic with the Tor Network</h2> + <h2>Hiding your web traffic with the Tor Network</h2> - <p>The first job of the Tor Browser to hide your traffic from your network, your ISP, and to keep your IP address hidden from the websites you visit, and it solves this problem in a very cool way. When you visit a website through the Tor Browser, your traffic is sent through the Tor Network, which is a network of thousands of servers run by volunteers. Your traffic is encrypted three-fold and sent through a randomly-picked three servers in the network, in such a way where no single node can see both your IP address the IP address you're visiting.</p> + <p>The first job of the Tor Browser to hide your traffic from your network, your ISP, and to keep your IP address hidden from the websites you visit, and it solves this problem in a very cool way. When you visit a website through the Tor Browser, your traffic is sent through the Tor Network, which is a network of thousands of servers run by volunteers. Your traffic is encrypted three-fold and sent through a randomly-picked three servers in the network, in such a way where no single node can see both your IP address the IP address you're visiting.</p> - <p>This means that your network and ISP can't know what website you're visiting; it'll just be a bunch of encrypted traffic into the Tor Network. The website you're visiting also won't know where your connection came from, just the IP address of the exit node. And even the tor nodes your traffic was routed through can't simultaneously know your IP address and the address of the website you were visiting. Your three-node "circuit" will automatically rotate periodically as well. Basically it's a proxy/VPN on steroids.</p> + <p>This means that your network and ISP can't know what website you're visiting; it'll just be a bunch of encrypted traffic into the Tor Network. The website you're visiting also won't know where your connection came from, just the IP address of the exit node. And even the tor nodes your traffic was routed through can't simultaneously know your IP address and the address of the website you were visiting. Your three-node "circuit" will automatically rotate periodically as well. Basically it's a proxy/VPN on steroids.</p> - <p>Now, as mentioned above, it's important to stress that though your traffic is truly hidden, by default your network and ISP *will* know that you're using Tor for /something/. Using Tor is not illegal anywhere in the US (as far as I know?), but it may be suspicious to your network administrator or possibly blocked on your network. If you're worried about your network and ISP knowing you're using Tor, you can use "bridges", which are a fourth optional random proxy your traffic will go through before entering the Tor Network to further obscure the nature of your connection. You can easily enable this in your "connection settings", which will be available right after starting the browser for the first time.</p> + <p>Now, as mentioned above, it's important to stress that though your traffic is truly hidden, by default your network and ISP *will* know that you're using Tor for /something/. Using Tor is not illegal anywhere in the US (as far as I know?), but it may be suspicious to your network administrator or possibly blocked on your network. If you're worried about your network and ISP knowing you're using Tor, you can use "bridges", which are a fourth optional random proxy your traffic will go through before entering the Tor Network to further obscure the nature of your connection. You can easily enable this in your "connection settings", which will be available right after starting the browser for the first time.</p> - <p>Also, because your traffic is being passed through so many servers on the way to its destination, keep in mind that browsing will be significantly slower than you're probably used to. It's comfortable enough on a fast home connection, but trying to stream HD video, or using Tor over a mobile connection or with slower home internet can get painful.</p> + <p>Also, because your traffic is being passed through so many servers on the way to its destination, keep in mind that browsing will be significantly slower than you're probably used to. It's comfortable enough on a fast home connection, but trying to stream HD video, or using Tor over a mobile connection or with slower home internet can get painful.</p> - <h2>Anti-fingerprinting</h2> + <h2>Anti-fingerprinting</h2> - <p>Aside from the network, online surveillance is often done through "fingerprinting", where a website can see/query your browser for all sorts of information to build a profile on your connection. The fonts installed on your computer, browser cookies, browser extensions, your screen size and many more variables can be used to build a unique fingerprint and expose you to tracking.</p> + <p>Aside from the network, online surveillance is often done through "fingerprinting", where a website can see/query your browser for all sorts of information to build a profile on your connection. The fonts installed on your computer, browser cookies, browser extensions, your screen size and many more variables can be used to build a unique fingerprint and expose you to tracking.</p> - <p>To stop these kinds of attacks, the Tor Browser has many anti-fingerprinting protections build-in, that attempt to make your connection look like every other Tor users, so no-one seems unique.</p> + <p>To stop these kinds of attacks, the Tor Browser has many anti-fingerprinting protections build-in, that attempt to make your connection look like every other Tor users, so no-one seems unique.</p> - <h3>Letterboxing</h3> + <h3>Letterboxing</h3> - <p>The Browser uses letterboxing, which is a curious little feature that disguises your screen size by having a certain number of pre-chosen website sizes that the window will snap to. This is hard to describe in words but you'll notice it quickly when you use the Browser. You can resize the window as granularly as you wish, but the website will only grow and shrink in certain particular sizes.</p> + <p>The Browser uses letterboxing, which is a curious little feature that disguises your screen size by having a certain number of pre-chosen website sizes that the window will snap to. This is hard to describe in words but you'll notice it quickly when you use the Browser. You can resize the window as granularly as you wish, but the website will only grow and shrink in certain particular sizes.</p> - <h3>No history</h3> + <h3>No history</h3> - <p>Every time you close the Tor Browser, all cookies and history is removed, so you'll get a clean start every launch.</p> + <p>Every time you close the Tor Browser, all cookies and history is removed, so you'll get a clean start every launch.</p> - <h3>Hide everything!</h3> + <h3>Hide everything!</h3> - <p>When information about your browser and operating system are typically sent to website, the Tor Browser will lie and claim every user is using the same devices. It will hide your time zone, your installed fonts, and refuse to use many risky APIs that can be privacy-intrusive.</p> + <p>When information about your browser and operating system are typically sent to website, the Tor Browser will lie and claim every user is using the same devices. It will hide your time zone, your installed fonts, and refuse to use many risky APIs that can be privacy-intrusive.</p> - <h2>Don't make yourself unique</h2> + <h2>Don't make yourself unique</h2> - <p>By default, the Tor Browser will use these network and anti-fingerprinting features to make your browser and your connection look as similar as possible to every Tor user, so everyone's traffic is all mingled and indecipherable and difficult to track, but you can definitely break your anonymity by making mistakes when using it. Here are some things to avoid:</p> + <p>By default, the Tor Browser will use these network and anti-fingerprinting features to make your browser and your connection look as similar as possible to every Tor user, so everyone's traffic is all mingled and indecipherable and difficult to track, but you can definitely break your anonymity by making mistakes when using it. Here are some things to avoid:</p> - <h3>Don't mix Tor and non-Tor traffic/accounts/identities !!!</h3> + <h3>Don't mix Tor and non-Tor traffic/accounts/identities !!!</h3> - <li>If you create an anonymous online account using Tor, and then access that account on another device without using Tor, you've deanonymized yourself.</li> - <li>If you use Tor to commit a crime, and in another tab you access a personal social media service using the same Tor connection, you've deanonymized yourself.</li> - <li>If you start a blog using Tor, and publish a post with your name, you've deanonymized yourself.</li> - <li>If you're talking to someone on Tor, and you give them your personal email to talk further, you've deanonymized yourself.</li> + <li>If you create an anonymous online account using Tor, and then access that account on another device without using Tor, you've deanonymized yourself.</li> + <li>If you use Tor to commit a crime, and in another tab you access a personal social media service using the same Tor connection, you've deanonymized yourself.</li> + <li>If you start a blog using Tor, and publish a post with your name, you've deanonymized yourself.</li> + <li>If you're talking to someone on Tor, and you give them your personal email to talk further, you've deanonymized yourself.</li> - <p>This is the most common class of mistake Tor users make that leads to arrests. Always understand what information you may be accidentally linking together that could connect your anonymous activities to your personal identity.</p> + <p>This is the most common class of mistake Tor users make that leads to arrests. Always understand what information you may be accidentally linking together that could connect your anonymous activities to your personal identity.</p> - <h3>Mostly, don't configure the browser</h3> + <h3>Mostly, don't configure the browser</h3> - <p>Because the Tor Browser is designed to make everyone's connection look similar, if you start changing settings or installing extensions, your browser will become more unique and track-able. Almost always try to just stick to the defaults!</p> + <p>Because the Tor Browser is designed to make everyone's connection look similar, if you start changing settings or installing extensions, your browser will become more unique and track-able. Almost always try to just stick to the defaults!</p> - <p>There are a couple notable exceptions to this rule; options that are meant to be played with if you so desire:</p> + <p>There are a couple notable exceptions to this rule; options that are meant to be played with if you so desire:</p> - <h4>Security settings</h4> + <h4>Security settings</h4> - <p>In the browser settings, there are three "security levels" you can choose from. Choosing the "safer" options will restrict websites from more potentially-risky activity, at the cost of many more websites not being able to function. I'd recommend defaulting to the most secure option and lowering it if a particular site demands it.</p> + <p>In the browser settings, there are three "security levels" you can choose from. Choosing the "safer" options will restrict websites from more potentially-risky activity, at the cost of many more websites not being able to function. I'd recommend defaulting to the most secure option and lowering it if a particular site demands it.</p> - <h4>Connection settings</h4> + <h4>Connection settings</h4> - <p>As mentioned earlier, you can optionally use a bridge to hide the fact that you're using Tor from your network and ISP.</p> - </div> + <p>As mentioned earlier, you can optionally use a bridge to hide the fact that you're using Tor from your network and ISP.</p> + </div> + </center> </body> </html> diff --git a/posts/torrenting.html b/posts/torrenting.html index f8bbeae..3a37f6b 100644 --- a/posts/torrenting.html +++ b/posts/torrenting.html @@ -9,59 +9,59 @@ <body> <center> <div> - <h1>Convenient torrenting with qBittorrent</h1> - <p>Torrenting is an easy way to participate in a community of computer-users, making information freely available to eachother. I hope to demonstrate with this guide that torrenting is more easy and more convenient than it's ever been, and that you can make most or all of your media subscriptions obselete with Free Software. Access to media should not be gatekept by money nor by forced interaction with vampiric capitalistic platforms.</p> + <h1>Convenient torrenting with qBittorrent</h1> + <p>Torrenting is an easy way to participate in a community of computer-users, making information freely available to eachother. I hope to demonstrate with this guide that torrenting is more easy and more convenient than it's ever been, and that you can make most or all of your media subscriptions obselete with Free Software. Access to media should not be gatekept by money nor by forced interaction with vampiric capitalistic platforms.</p> </div> - </center> - <div> + <div> - <h2>Install qBittorrent</h2> + <h2>Install qBittorrent</h2> - <p>qBittorrent is a Free software BitTorrent client that supports tons of features, but you don't need to know much at all to get started. To install it, go to their downloads page at <a href="https://www.qbittorrent.org/download">https://www.qbittorrent.org/download</a> and select the right option for your computer. It supports Windows, MacOS, and it's in many Linux distribution's repositories.</p> + <p>qBittorrent is a Free software BitTorrent client that supports tons of features, but you don't need to know much at all to get started. To install it, go to their downloads page at <a href="https://www.qbittorrent.org/download">https://www.qbittorrent.org/download</a> and select the right option for your computer. It supports Windows, MacOS, and it's in many Linux distribution's repositories.</p> - <p>After it's downloaded, install it like you would with any other program.</p> + <p>After it's downloaded, install it like you would with any other program.</p> - <h2>Enable the search engine</h2> + <h2>Enable the search engine</h2> - <p>To let us search for media, we need to turn on qBittorrent's search engine.</p> - <li>Click the "View" button in the toolbar</li> - <li>Check the "Search Engine" box</li> - <li>There should now be a "Search" tab next to "Transfers" under the toolbar</li> - <li>Click the "Search" tab</li> - <li>Click "Search Plugins" at the bottom right</li> - <li>Click "Check for updates"</li> - <li>Click "Ok" and "Close" to exit the search plugins menu</li> + <p>To let us search for media, we need to turn on qBittorrent's search engine.</p> + <li>Click the "View" button in the toolbar</li> + <li>Check the "Search Engine" box</li> + <li>There should now be a "Search" tab next to "Transfers" under the toolbar</li> + <li>Click the "Search" tab</li> + <li>Click "Search Plugins" at the bottom right</li> + <li>Click "Check for updates"</li> + <li>Click "Ok" and "Close" to exit the search plugins menu</li> - <h2>Search for and download some media</h2> + <h2>Search for and download some media</h2> - <p>In the "Search" tab, click on the search bar, enter the name of some TV Show, and press Return. Very quickly, you should see many results, with slightly different titles, sizes, and numbers of "Seeders", among other things.</p> - <p>"Seeders" refers to the computers that are hosting the media you want. In general, you want to download files being seeded by lots of computers to get the fastest download speeds possible.</p> - <p>Pick a result with a name indicating the media, resolution, and episodes/seasons you want. Double-click it.</p> - <p>A download prompt will appear. It has lots of settings, but you can simply click "Ok" to download it normally.<p> + <p>In the "Search" tab, click on the search bar, enter the name of some TV Show, and press Return. Very quickly, you should see many results, with slightly different titles, sizes, and numbers of "Seeders", among other things.</p> + <p>"Seeders" refers to the computers that are hosting the media you want. In general, you want to download files being seeded by lots of computers to get the fastest download speeds possible.</p> + <p>Pick a result with a name indicating the media, resolution, and episodes/seasons you want. Double-click it.</p> + <p>A download prompt will appear. It has lots of settings, but you can simply click "Ok" to download it normally.<p> - <h2>Now just wait</h2> + <h2>Now just wait</h2> - <p>You can track the progress of torrents being downloaded in the "Transfers" tab. When it's 100% complete, you can right-click the file, and click "Preview file" to have it play in your default media player.</p> + <p>You can track the progress of torrents being downloaded in the "Transfers" tab. When it's 100% complete, you can right-click the file, and click "Preview file" to have it play in your default media player.</p> - <p>If you're feeling charitable, you can leave qBittorrent running in the background to seed the files for other users. It'll help keep the media accessible for everyone, and improve download speeds for others. Using a VPN is recommended if you plan on leaving the client running for long periods of time.</p> + <p>If you're feeling charitable, you can leave qBittorrent running in the background to seed the files for other users. It'll help keep the media accessible for everyone, and improve download speeds for others. Using a VPN is recommended if you plan on leaving the client running for long periods of time.</p> - <h2>Extra tips</h2> + <h2>Extra tips</h2> - <h3>Consider using a VPN</h3> + <h3>Consider using a VPN</h3> - <p>Some copyright holders use bots to detects users downloading their media. If you're not using a VPN, these companies can see your IP and potentially send complaints to your ISP. If you download many things and want to keep your ISP happy, using a VPN will ensure your torrenting can't be traced to your IP address. I personally use and recommend Mullvad ($5/month for 5 devices), but there are other reputable ones like Proton and IVPN.</p> + <p>Some copyright holders use bots to detects users downloading their media. If you're not using a VPN, these companies can see your IP and potentially send complaints to your ISP. If you download many things and want to keep your ISP happy, using a VPN will ensure your torrenting can't be traced to your IP address. I personally use and recommend Mullvad ($5/month for 5 devices), but there are other reputable ones like Proton and IVPN.</p> - <h3>Stream media</h3> - <p>When you go to download a torrent and the download prompt pops up, you can optionally select "Download first and last pieces first" and "Download in sequential order".</p> + <h3>Stream media</h3> + <p>When you go to download a torrent and the download prompt pops up, you can optionally select "Download first and last pieces first" and "Download in sequential order".</p> - <p>This will likely make the total download take longer, but by downloading it in order, you can stream it in real time. Wait until about 5% of the download is complete, then you can watch it while the rest downloads live in the background.</p> + <p>This will likely make the total download take longer, but by downloading it in order, you can stream it in real time. Wait until about 5% of the download is complete, then you can watch it while the rest downloads live in the background.</p> - <h3>Host a media server with Jellyfin</h3> + <h3>Host a media server with Jellyfin</h3> - <p><a href="https://jellyfin.org">Jellyfin</a> is a Free and open-source media-hosting server you can run on your computer. It'll let you sign in to your library on a smart TV, other devices on your local network, or in a browser.</p> + <p><a href="https://jellyfin.org">Jellyfin</a> is a Free and open-source media-hosting server you can run on your computer. It'll let you sign in to your library on a smart TV, other devices on your local network, or in a browser.</p> - <p>Setting it up is outside the scope of this post, but I highly recommend it. It basically just consists of downloading the server, configuring your libraries, installing the clients on your other devices, and logging in to your server.</p> + <p>Setting it up is outside the scope of this post, but I highly recommend it. It basically just consists of downloading the server, configuring your libraries, installing the clients on your other devices, and logging in to your server.</p> - </div> + </div> + </center> </body> </html> |