| - Privoxy Frequently Asked Questions - | -||
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Any browser that can be configured to use a proxy, which should be virtually all browsers, including + Firefox, Internet Explorer, Opera, and Safari among others. Direct browser support is + not an absolute requirement since Privoxy runs as a separate application and + talks to the browser in the standardized HTTP protocol, just like a web server does.
- Any browser that can be configured to use a proxy, which should be - virtually all browsers, including Firefox, Internet - Explorer, Opera, and Safari among others. Direct browser - support is not an absolute requirement since Privoxy runs as a separate application and - talks to the browser in the standardized HTTP protocol, just like a - web server does. -
-- At present, Privoxy is known to - run on Windows(95, 98, ME, 2000, XP, Vista), GNU/Linux (RedHat, - SuSE, Debian, Fedora, Gentoo, Slackware and others), Mac OSX, OS/2, - AmigaOS, FreeBSD, NetBSD, OpenBSD, Solaris, and various other - flavors of Unix. -
-- But any operating system that runs TCP/IP, can conceivably take - advantage of Privoxy in a - networked situation where Privoxy - would run as a server on a LAN gateway. Then only the "gateway" needs to be running one of the above - operating systems. -
-- Source code is freely available, so porting to other operating - systems is always a possibility. -
-- As long as there is some way to set a HTTP proxy for the client, - then yes, any application can be used, whether it is strictly - speaking a "browser" or not. Though this - may not be the best approach for dealing with some of the common - abuses of HTML in email. See How can I configure Privoxy with Outlook? below for more on this. -
-- Be aware that HTML email presents a number of unique security and - privacy related issues, that can require advanced skills to - overcome. The developers recommend using email clients that can be - configured to convert HTML to plain text for these reasons. -
-- All browsers should be told to use Privoxy as a proxy by specifying the correct - proxy address and port number in the appropriate configuration area - for the browser. It's possible to combine Privoxy with a packet filter to intercept HTTP - requests even if the client isn't explicitly configured to use - Privoxy, but where possible, - configuring the client is recommended. See the User Manual for - more details. You should also flush your browser's memory and - disk cache to get rid of any cached junk items, and remove any - stored cookies. -
-- If you set up the Privoxy to run - on the computer you browse from (rather than your ISP's server or - some networked computer on a LAN), the proxy will be on 127.0.0.1 (sometimes referred to as "localhost", which is the special name used by every - computer on the Internet to refer to itself) and the port will be - 8118 (unless you used the listen-address config option to tell Privoxy to run on a different port). -
-- When configuring your browser's proxy settings you typically enter - the word "localhost" or the IP address - "127.0.0.1" in the boxes next to "HTTP" and "Secure" - (HTTPS) and then the number "8118" for - "port". This tells your browser to send - all web requests to Privoxy - instead of directly to the Internet. -
-- Privoxy can also be used to proxy - for a Local Area Network. In this case, your would enter either the - IP address of the LAN host where Privoxy is running, or the equivalent - hostname, e.g. 192.168.1.1. Port - assignment would be same as above. Note that Privoxy doesn't listen on any LAN interfaces - by default. -
-- Privoxy does not currently handle - any other protocols such as FTP, SMTP, IM, IRC, ICQ, etc. -
-- Did you configure your browser to use Privoxy as a proxy? It does not sound like it. - See above. You might also try flushing the browser's caches to - force a full re-reading of pages. You can verify that Privoxy is running, and your browser is - correctly configured by entering the special URL: http://p.p/. This should take you - to a page titled "This is Privoxy.." - with access to Privoxy's internal - configuration. If you see this, then you are good to go. If you - receive a page saying "Privoxy is not - running", then the browser is not set up to use your Privoxy installation. If you receive - anything else (probably nothing at all), it could either be that - the browser is not set up correctly, or that Privoxy is not running at all. Check the log - file. For instructions on starting Privoxy and browser configuration, see the chapter on starting Privoxy in the User - Manual. -
-- First, make sure that Privoxy is really running and being used by visiting http://p.p/. You should see - the Privoxy main page. If not, see - the chapter on starting Privoxy in the User - Manual. -
-- Now if http://p.p/ works - for you, but other parts of Privoxy's web interface show the dummy page, - your browser has cached a redirection it encountered before Privoxy was being used. You need to - clear your browser's cache. Note that shift-reloading the dummy - page won't help, since that'll only refresh the dummy page, not the - redirection that lead you there. -
-- The procedure for clearing the cache varies from browser to - browser. For example, Mozilla/Netscape users would click Edit --> Preferences --> Advanced --> Cache and then click both "Clear Memory Cache" - and "Clear Disk - Cache". In some Firefox versions it's Tools --> Options --> Privacy --> Cache and then click "Clear Cache Now". -
-At present, Privoxy is known to run on Windows 95 and later versions (98, ME, + 2000, XP, Vista, Windows 7 etc.), GNU/Linux (RedHat, SuSE, Debian, Fedora, Gentoo, Slackware and others), Mac OS + X (10.4 and upwards on PPC and Intel processors), Haiku, DragonFly, ElectroBSD, FreeBSD, NetBSD, OpenBSD, + Solaris, and various other flavors of Unix.
+But any operating system that runs TCP/IP, can conceivably take advantage of Privoxy in a networked situation where Privoxy would run as + a server on a LAN gateway. Then only the "gateway" needs to be running one of the + above operating systems.
+Source code is freely available, so porting to other operating systems is always a possibility.
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| - General Information - | -- - | -- Configuration - | -
As long as there is some way to set a HTTP proxy for the client, then yes, any application can be used, + whether it is strictly speaking a "browser" or not. Though this may not be the best + approach for dealing with some of the common abuses of HTML in email. See How can I configure Privoxy with Outlook? below for more on this.
+Be aware that HTML email presents a number of unique security and privacy related issues, that can require + advanced skills to overcome. The developers recommend using email clients that can be configured to convert HTML + to plain text for these reasons.
All browsers should be told to use Privoxy as a proxy by specifying the + correct proxy address and port number in the appropriate configuration area for the browser. It's possible to + combine Privoxy with a packet filter to intercept HTTP requests even if the + client isn't explicitly configured to use Privoxy, but where possible, + configuring the client is recommended. See the User Manual + for more details. You should also flush your browser's memory and disk cache to get rid of any cached junk + items, and remove any stored cookies.
+If you set up the Privoxy to run on the computer you browse from (rather than + your ISP's server or some networked computer on a LAN), the proxy will be on 127.0.0.1 + (sometimes referred to as "localhost", which is the special name used by every + computer on the Internet to refer to itself) and the port will be 8118 (unless you used the listen-address config option to tell Privoxy to run on a different port).
+When configuring your browser's proxy settings you typically enter the word "localhost" or the IP address "127.0.0.1" in the boxes next to + "HTTP" and "Secure" (HTTPS) and then the number + "8118" for "port". This tells your browser to send all web + requests to Privoxy instead of directly to the Internet.
+Privoxy can also be used to proxy for a Local Area Network. In this case, + your would enter either the IP address of the LAN host where Privoxy is running, + or the equivalent hostname, e.g. 192.168.1.1. Port assignment would be same as above. + Note that Privoxy doesn't listen on any LAN interfaces by default.
+Privoxy does not currently handle any other protocols such as FTP, SMTP, IM, + IRC, ICQ, etc.
+Did you configure your browser to use Privoxy as a proxy? It does not sound + like it. See above. You might also try flushing the browser's caches to force a full re-reading of pages. You can + verify that Privoxy is running, and your browser is correctly configured by + entering the special URL: http://p.p/. This should take you to a page + titled "This is Privoxy.." with access to Privoxy's + internal configuration. If you see this, then you are good to go. If you receive a page saying "Privoxy is not running", then the browser is not set up to use your Privoxy installation. If you receive anything else (probably nothing at all), it could + either be that the browser is not set up correctly, or that Privoxy is not + running at all. Check the log file. For + instructions on starting Privoxy and browser configuration, see the chapter on starting Privoxy in the User + Manual.
+First, make sure that Privoxy is really running and + being used by visiting http://p.p/. You should see the Privoxy main page. If not, see the chapter on starting Privoxy in the User + Manual.
+Now if http://p.p/ works for you, but other parts of Privoxy's web interface show the dummy page, your browser has cached a redirection it + encountered before Privoxy was being used. You need to clear your browser's + cache. Note that shift-reloading the dummy page won't help, since that'll only refresh the dummy page, not the + redirection that lead you there.
+The procedure for clearing the cache varies from browser to browser. For example, Mozilla/Netscape users would click Edit --> Preferences --> Advanced --> Cache and then click both "Clear Memory + Cache" and "Clear Disk Cache". In some + Firefox versions it's Tools --> Options --> Privacy --> Cache and then click "Clear Cache + Now".
+