5. Starting + Privoxy
+ +Before launching Privoxy for the + first time, you will want to configure your browser(s) to use + Privoxy as a HTTP and HTTPS (SSL) + proxy. The default is 127.0.0.1 (or localhost) for the proxy + address, and port 8118 (earlier versions used port 8000). This is the one + configuration step that must + be done!
+ +Please note that Privoxy can only + proxy HTTP and HTTPS traffic. It will not work with FTP or other + protocols.
+ +Figure 2. Proxy Configuration Showing Mozilla/Netscape HTTP and + HTTPS (SSL) Settings
+ +
With Firefox, this is typically set + under:
+ + Tools -> Options -> Advanced -> Network ->Connection -> Settings
Or optionally on some platforms:
+ + Edit -> Preferences -> General -> Connection Settings -> Manual Proxy Configuration
With Netscape (and Mozilla), this can be set under:
+ + Edit -> Preferences -> Advanced -> Proxies -> HTTP
+ Proxy
For Internet Explorer v.5-7:
+ +Tools -> Internet + Options -> Connections -> LAN Settings
+ +Then, check "Use Proxy" and fill in the + appropriate info (Address: 127.0.0.1, Port: 8118). Include HTTPS (SSL), + if you want HTTPS proxy support too (sometimes labeled "Secure"). Make sure any checkboxes like "Use the same proxy server for all protocols" is + UNCHECKED. You want + only HTTP and HTTPS (SSL)!
+ +Figure 3. Proxy Configuration Showing Internet Explorer HTTP and + HTTPS (Secure) Settings
+ +
After doing this, flush your browser's disk and memory caches to force + a re-reading of all pages and to get rid of any ads that may be cached. + Remove any cookies, if you want Privoxy + to manage that. You are now ready to start enjoying the benefits of using + Privoxy!
+ +Privoxy itself is typically started + by specifying the main configuration file to be used on the command line. + If no configuration file is specified on the command line, Privoxy will look for a file named config in the current directory. Except on Win32 where it + will try config.txt.
+ +5.1. + Debian
+ +We use a script. Note that Debian typically starts Privoxy upon booting per default. It will use the + file /etc/privoxy/config as its main + configuration file.
+ +
+ + # /etc/init.d/privoxy start ++ |
+
5.2. + FreeBSD and ElectroBSD
+ +To start Privoxy upon booting, add + "privoxy_enable='YES'" to /etc/rc.conf. + Privoxy will use /usr/local/etc/privoxy/config as its main configuration + file.
+ +If you installed Privoxy into a + jail, the paths above are relative to the jail root.
+ +To start Privoxy manually, run:
+ +
+ + # service privoxy onestart ++ |
+
5.3. + Windows
+ +Click on the Privoxy Icon to start + Privoxy. If no configuration file is + specified on the command line, Privoxy + will look for a file named config.txt. Note + that Windows will automatically start Privoxy when the system starts if you chose that + option when installing.
+ +Privoxy can run with full Windows + service functionality. On Windows only, the Privoxy program has two new command line arguments + to install and uninstall Privoxy as a + service. See the Windows Installation + instructions for details.
+5.4. Generic + instructions for Unix derivates (Solaris, NetBSD, HP-UX etc.)
+ +Example Unix startup command:
+ +
+ + # /usr/sbin/privoxy --user privoxy /etc/privoxy/config ++ |
+
Note that if you installed Privoxy + through a package manager, the package will probably contain a + platform-specific script or configuration file to start Privoxy upon boot.
+5.5. OS/2
+ +During installation, Privoxy is + configured to start automatically when the system restarts. You can + start it manually by double-clicking on the Privoxy icon in the Privoxy folder.
+5.6. Mac OS + X
+ +The privoxy service will automatically start after a successful + installation (and thereafter every time your computer starts up) + however you will need to configure your web browser(s) to use it. To do + so, configure them to use a proxy for HTTP and HTTPS at the address + 127.0.0.1:8118.
+ +To prevent the privoxy service from automatically starting when your + computer starts up, remove or rename the file /Library/LaunchDaemons/org.ijbswa.privoxy.plist (on OS X + 10.5 and higher) or the folder named /Library/StartupItems/Privoxy (on OS X 10.4 + 'Tiger').
+ +To manually start or stop the privoxy service, use the scripts + startPrivoxy.sh and stopPrivoxy.sh supplied in /Applications/Privoxy. + They must be run from an administrator account, using sudo.
+5.7. Command + Line Options
+ +Privoxy may be invoked with the + following command-line options:
+ +-
+
-
+
--config-test
+ +Exit after loading the configuration files before binding to the + listen address. The exit code signals whether or not the + configuration files have been successfully loaded.
+ +If the exit code is 1, at least one of the configuration files + is invalid, if it is 0, all the configuration files have been + successfully loaded (but may still contain errors that can + currently only be detected at run time).
+ +This option doesn't affect the log setting, combination with + --no-daemon + is recommended if a configured log file shouldn't be used.
+
+
+ -
+
--version
+ +Print version info and exit. Unix only.
+
+
+ -
+
--help
+ +Print short usage info and exit. Unix only.
+
+
+ -
+
--no-daemon
+ +Don't become a daemon, i.e. don't fork and become process group + leader, and don't detach from controlling tty. Unix only.
+
+
+ -
+
--pidfile + FILE
+ +On startup, write the process ID to FILE. Delete the + FILE on exit. + Failure to create or delete the FILE is non-fatal. If no FILE option is given, no + PID file will be used. Unix only.
+
+
+ -
+
--user + USER[.GROUP]
+ +After (optionally) writing the PID file, assume the user ID of + USER, and if + included the GID of GROUP. Exit if the privileges are not + sufficient to do so. Unix only.
+
+
+ -
+
--chroot
+ +Before changing to the user ID given in the --user option, chroot to + that user's home directory, i.e. make the kernel pretend to the + Privoxy process that the directory + tree starts there. If set up carefully, this can limit the impact + of possible vulnerabilities in Privoxy to the files contained in that + hierarchy. Unix only.
+
+
+ -
+
--pre-chroot-nslookup + hostname
+ +Specifies a hostname (for example www.privoxy.org) to look up + before doing a chroot. On some systems, initializing the resolver + library involves reading config files from /etc and/or loading + additional shared libraries from /lib. On these systems, doing a + hostname lookup before the chroot reduces the number of files that + must be copied into the chroot tree.
+ +For fastest startup speed, a good value is a hostname that is + not in /etc/hosts but that your local name server (listed in + /etc/resolv.conf) can resolve without recursion (that is, without + having to ask any other name servers). The hostname need not exist, + but if it doesn't, an error message (which can be ignored) will be + output.
+
+
+ -
+
configfile
+ +If no configfile is included on the command line, + Privoxy will look for a file named + "config" in the current directory + (except on Win32 where it will look for "config.txt" instead). Specify full path to avoid + confusion. If no config file is found, Privoxy will fail to start.
+
+
On MS Windows only there are two + additional command-line options to allow Privoxy to install and run as a service. See the Window Installation + section for details.
+