HOWTO: Surf the Web Anonymously (and browse blocked sites if you’re in the UAE)
A new browser called Torpark was just released and is based on our trusty old Firefox but it also automatically incorporates the Tor Anonymity Network. It’s the same network that I used in my earlier post: “HOWTO: 5 Simple Steps to get Skype Working in the UAE”.
What this means is that any data you send using this new browser gets wrapped in an anonymous package that no one can open. Then before going out to the web address you want it to go, it first goes into the Tor network, where it hops between a few computers. At the point of exit, the package gets taken off and the data that you would have sent directly to the web if you were using regular firefox or internet explorer, now gets sent, but from that other Tor computer and not yours. So it looks like it’s coming from the Tor computer and not from yours, but on the way to that Tor computer it’s unknown to anyone (e.g. Etisalat if u’re in the UAE).
If you didn’t get any of that, never mind. This is a howto right, and now you’re all wondering how do we do it? It’s really easy, but first a word of caution: IT’S SLOW! Yup, real slow. Remember the days when we used to surf the web on dial-up? THAT slow. Which means that it’s painful, but usable. If it gets unbearable, then you can try your luck by clicking on the “Flush Circuit” button in the menu bar. That will attempt to get you a new path through the Tor Network and so may speed things up.
Now, here’s the link.
After you download it double click on the .exe file and it will let u choose a directory to unpack the program. Choose any directory on your computer and then click OK. Once it’s finished, go to that directory and double click on the Torpark.exe file. This should then open the browser. Here’s a couple of screenshots for you to enjoy before taking the plunge:
This one shows that when I open up google.com, it takes me automatically to google.de (deutschland) because thanks to Tor, Google thinks I am in Germany, even though I’m not.
This one shows YouTube being brought up from a computer in the UAE even though it is banned. For those of you not living in the UAE and asking the obvious question: why the heck is youtube banned - just don’t ask!
Filed under: Dubai, Etisalat, Technology, UAE, Web
please help me to browse this web site i needed it urgent.
Thanks
Do you know how to get Torpark working with the right settings for the UAE? Because when i run Torpark it looks for a ‘Circuit’ but it never seems to connect and says there is a problem with my proxy settings.
Wow! just managed to get Torpark to work! Its Amasing!
i downloaded the tor but still not wroking what shall i do
sam how did u manage that plz tell me send me email on aeronautics-201@hotmail.com
They have started to block the whole TOR system, you get fewer available people each time and now my list is completly empty, they killed tor and torpack
Is there a Macintosh version yet?
Tor seems to be completely blocked now from the UAE. Anyone has it working?
You could always use http://www.ilistblogs.com/ to browse blocked sites. It is a web based PHP Proxy.
@ zo0m: http://www.ilistblogs.com/ is also blocked in the UAE.
Yep, it’s ALL blocked in the UAE. They’ve obviously won because you cannot get Skype, Torpark, nadda!
With Skype you can dial out but it won’t connect but the clock is ticking and you’re paying for a connection that does not connect!!!!
Nice one, Etisalad or whatever you call yourselves…………….
A public Proxy might work. But as of now I couldn’t find any unblocked site that gives Proxy list perhaps those who can browse the site such as NNtime can share and post the Proxy here
i just want to say that Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and all the UAE; is nothing but a fake-freedom and anti-civilized places…towers won’t make u civilized, UAE!!! these are bothing but balloons…I am here to work, and since i am lebanese,i find ir rather hard to accomodate here in all means….
UAE, U lost lots of freedom lovers…go ahead stck to the morons to love u
can u send to me some progs for prox in uae
Hello Mohammad,
After travelling in Dubai (UAE) and in China, I found a software that unblock Skype and censored contents in some countries.
I know Skype is blocked or there is censor in the following countries : Belize, China, Columbia, Cuba, Jordan, UAE …
After searching internet, I found a way to make calls and to access censored content in those countries using a VPN (Virtual Private Network).
How does it works ?
A VPN encrypte the data you send on internet to a US IP adress (tunnel). This way your Internet Services Provider can’t detect you are using Skype or another VoIP software ! It allow you access to censored content and geographical locked contents (i.e: listening radio on pandora.com , watching TV streams for US residents, …).
There is a lot of VPN softwares, the first I tried was VPNaccounts. I didn’t like it because it took a lot of time for activation, it was expensive and helpdesk support was very slow.
A friend of mine who lives in Belize told me about another VPN software called Witopia personnalVPN.
Now I am using Witopia personnalVPN. It is easier to use (you just have to launch the software before launching Skype), faster and cheaper than all other VPN softwares I tried.
It costs 39.99$ and works perfectly.
You can download it from the editor’s website :
http://www.witopia.personnalvpn.helpnote.net/
Works on Windows and Mac.
I hope this post will help people who are in those countries and reducing censorship !
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