The Tor Browser Bundle is a pre-configured web browser that you can use to surf privately online. There is no setup or configuration required. You just need to launch the application and you are instantly connected to the Tor network. It works on Mac, Windows and Linux and is based on Firefox browser. To get started, simply head over to the Tor Browser Bundle, select your preferred language and download the application for your OS (as of this post, only the Mac and Linux version come with 64-bit version). To run the Tor Browser, extract the downloaded zip file, open the folder and run the “start_tor_browser” script/executable/app. The Vidalia Control Panel will now launch and auto-configure itself to connect to the Tor network.
And once it is done, it will launch the TorBrowser (a modified version of Firefox). Note: If you are using Firefox as your default browser, you don’t have to worry about running Tor Browser as it doesn’t conflict with your Firefox browser or modify any of your data in it. It is totally enclosed within itself.
By comparing the detected IP address on the default browser and the Tor Browser, you can see that your IP address is completely masked in the Tor Browser.
If you looked into its Addon page (Tools -> Add-ons), you can see that there are three extensions that are pre-installed: HTTPS-Everywhere, NoScript and Torbutton. They are quite self-explanatory, each plays a part in making your browsing session more secure.
While surfing on Tor Browser, be prepared that the connection speed will be much slower than on the normal browser. The connection have to bounce across various relays before it reaches the destination, so it is expected to have a slower speed, even if you are on a broadband connection. To disable Tor, simply close the Tor Browser and click the “Stop TOR” button in the Vidalia Control Panel.
Conclusion
Tor Browser is not the only way you can safeguard your privacy in the Internet, but it can surely make the process easier. To configure TOR in the past, you will have to install the TOR client, configure the proxy setting and install a browser’s extension. With Tor Browser, you can connect to the TOR network without any installation and configuration. It just works. Try this out and let us know if this useful for you. Tor Browser Bundle
