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56 <h1 class="SECT1"><a name="STARTUP" id="STARTUP">5. Starting
59 <p>Before launching <span class="APPLICATION">Privoxy</span> for the
60 first time, you will want to configure your browser(s) to use
61 <span class="APPLICATION">Privoxy</span> as a HTTP and HTTPS (SSL)
62 <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Proxy_server" target=
63 "_top">proxy</a>. The default is 127.0.0.1 (or localhost) for the proxy
64 address, and port 8118 (earlier versions used port 8000). This is the one
65 configuration step <span class="emphasis EMPHASIS c2">that must be
68 <p>Please note that <span class="APPLICATION">Privoxy</span> can only
69 proxy HTTP and HTTPS traffic. It will not work with FTP or other
73 <a name="AEN883" id="AEN883"></a>
75 <p class="c3">Figure 2. Proxy Configuration Showing Mozilla/Netscape
76 HTTP and HTTPS (SSL) Settings</p>
78 <div class="MEDIAOBJECT">
79 <p><img src="proxy_setup.jpg"></p>
83 <p>With <span class="APPLICATION">Firefox</span>, this is typically set
86 <p class="LITERALLAYOUT"> <span class=
87 "GUIBUTTON">Tools</span> -> <span class=
88 "GUIBUTTON">Options</span> -> <span class=
89 "GUIBUTTON">Advanced</span> -> <span class=
90 "GUIBUTTON">Network</span> -><span class=
91 "GUIBUTTON">Connection</span> -> <span class=
92 "GUIBUTTON">Settings</span><br></p>
94 <p>Or optionally on some platforms:</p>
96 <p class="LITERALLAYOUT"> <span class=
97 "GUIBUTTON">Edit</span> -> <span class=
98 "GUIBUTTON">Preferences</span> -> <span class=
99 "GUIBUTTON">General</span> -> <span class=
100 "GUIBUTTON">Connection Settings</span> -> <span class=
101 "GUIBUTTON">Manual Proxy Configuration</span><br></p>
103 <p>With <span class="APPLICATION">Netscape</span> (and <span class=
104 "APPLICATION">Mozilla</span>), this can be set under:</p>
106 <p class="LITERALLAYOUT"> <span class=
107 "GUIBUTTON">Edit</span> -> <span class=
108 "GUIBUTTON">Preferences</span> -> <span class=
109 "GUIBUTTON">Advanced</span> -> <span class=
110 "GUIBUTTON">Proxies</span> -> <span class="GUIBUTTON">HTTP
113 <p>For <span class="APPLICATION">Internet Explorer v.5-7</span>:</p>
115 <p class="LITERALLAYOUT"> <span class=
116 "GUIBUTTON">Tools</span> -> <span class="GUIBUTTON">Internet
117 Options</span> -> <span class=
118 "GUIBUTTON">Connections</span> -> <span class=
119 "GUIBUTTON">LAN Settings</span></p>
121 <p>Then, check <span class="QUOTE">"Use Proxy"</span> and fill in the
122 appropriate info (Address: 127.0.0.1, Port: 8118). Include HTTPS (SSL),
123 if you want HTTPS proxy support too (sometimes labeled <span class=
124 "QUOTE">"Secure"</span>). Make sure any checkboxes like <span class=
125 "QUOTE">"Use the same proxy server for all protocols"</span> is
126 <span class="emphasis EMPHASIS c2">UNCHECKED</span>. You want only HTTP
130 <a name="AEN928" id="AEN928"></a>
132 <p class="c3">Figure 3. Proxy Configuration Showing Internet Explorer
133 HTTP and HTTPS (Secure) Settings</p>
135 <div class="MEDIAOBJECT">
136 <p><img src="proxy2.jpg"></p>
140 <p>After doing this, flush your browser's disk and memory caches to force
141 a re-reading of all pages and to get rid of any ads that may be cached.
142 Remove any <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Browser_cookie" target=
143 "_top">cookies</a>, if you want <span class="APPLICATION">Privoxy</span>
144 to manage that. You are now ready to start enjoying the benefits of using
145 <span class="APPLICATION">Privoxy</span>!</p>
147 <p><span class="APPLICATION">Privoxy</span> itself is typically started
148 by specifying the main configuration file to be used on the command line.
149 If no configuration file is specified on the command line, <span class=
150 "APPLICATION">Privoxy</span> will look for a file named <tt class=
151 "FILENAME">config</tt> in the current directory. Except on Win32 where it
152 will try <tt class="FILENAME">config.txt</tt>.</p>
155 <h2 class="SECT2"><a name="START-REDHAT" id="START-REDHAT">5.1. Red Hat
158 <p>A default Red Hat installation may not start <span class=
159 "APPLICATION">Privoxy</span> upon boot. It will use the file <tt class=
160 "FILENAME">/etc/privoxy/config</tt> as its main configuration file.</p>
162 <table class="c4" border="0" width="100%">
166 # /etc/rc.d/init.d/privoxy start
174 <table class="c4" border="0" width="100%">
178 # service privoxy start
186 <h2 class="SECT2"><a name="START-DEBIAN" id="START-DEBIAN">5.2.
189 <p>We use a script. Note that Debian typically starts <span class=
190 "APPLICATION">Privoxy</span> upon booting per default. It will use the
191 file <tt class="FILENAME">/etc/privoxy/config</tt> as its main
192 configuration file.</p>
194 <table class="c4" border="0" width="100%">
198 # /etc/init.d/privoxy start
206 <h2 class="SECT2"><a name="START-WINDOWS" id="START-WINDOWS">5.3.
209 <p>Click on the <span class="APPLICATION">Privoxy</span> Icon to start
210 <span class="APPLICATION">Privoxy</span>. If no configuration file is
211 specified on the command line, <span class="APPLICATION">Privoxy</span>
212 will look for a file named <tt class="FILENAME">config.txt</tt>. Note
213 that Windows will automatically start <span class=
214 "APPLICATION">Privoxy</span> when the system starts if you chose that
215 option when installing.</p>
217 <p><span class="APPLICATION">Privoxy</span> can run with full Windows
218 service functionality. On Windows only, the <span class=
219 "APPLICATION">Privoxy</span> program has two new command line arguments
220 to install and uninstall <span class="APPLICATION">Privoxy</span> as a
221 service. See the <a href=
222 "installation.html#INSTALLATION-PACK-WIN">Windows Installation
223 instructions</a> for details.</p>
227 <h2 class="SECT2"><a name="START-UNICES" id="START-UNICES">5.4.
228 Solaris, NetBSD, FreeBSD, HP-UX and others</a></h2>
230 <p>Example Unix startup command:</p>
232 <table class="c4" border="0" width="100%">
236 # /usr/sbin/privoxy /etc/privoxy/config
244 <h2 class="SECT2"><a name="START-OS2" id="START-OS2">5.5. OS/2</a></h2>
246 <p>During installation, <span class="APPLICATION">Privoxy</span> is
247 configured to start automatically when the system restarts. You can
248 start it manually by double-clicking on the <span class=
249 "APPLICATION">Privoxy</span> icon in the <span class=
250 "APPLICATION">Privoxy</span> folder.</p>
254 <h2 class="SECT2"><a name="START-MACOSX" id="START-MACOSX">5.6. Mac OS
257 <p>After downloading the privoxy software, unzip the downloaded file by
258 double-clicking on the zip file icon. Then, double-click on the
259 installer package icon and follow the installation process.</p>
261 <p>The privoxy service will automatically start after a successful
262 installation. In addition, the privoxy service will automatically start
263 every time your computer starts up.</p>
265 <p>To prevent the privoxy service from automatically starting when your
266 computer starts up, remove or rename the folder named
267 /Library/StartupItems/Privoxy.</p>
269 <p>A simple application named Privoxy Utility has been created which
270 enables administrators to easily start and stop the privoxy
273 <p>In addition, the Privoxy Utility presents a simple way for
274 administrators to edit the various privoxy config files. A method to
275 uninstall the software is also available.</p>
277 <p>An administrator username and password must be supplied in order for
278 the Privoxy Utility to perform any of the tasks.</p>
282 <h2 class="SECT2"><a name="START-AMIGAOS" id="START-AMIGAOS">5.7.
285 <p>Start <span class="APPLICATION">Privoxy</span> (with RUN
286 <>NIL:) in your <tt class="FILENAME">startnet</tt> script
287 (AmiTCP), in <tt class="FILENAME">s:user-startup</tt> (RoadShow), as
288 startup program in your startup script (Genesis), or as startup action
289 (Miami and MiamiDx). <span class="APPLICATION">Privoxy</span> will
290 automatically quit when you quit your TCP/IP stack (just ignore the
291 harmless warning your TCP/IP stack may display that <span class=
292 "APPLICATION">Privoxy</span> is still running).</p>
296 <h2 class="SECT2"><a name="START-GENTOO" id="START-GENTOO">5.8.
299 <p>A script is again used. It will use the file <tt class=
300 "FILENAME">/etc/privoxy/config</tt> as its main configuration file.</p>
302 <table class="c4" border="0" width="100%">
306 /etc/init.d/privoxy start
313 <p>Note that <span class="APPLICATION">Privoxy</span> is not
314 automatically started at boot time by default. You can change this with
315 the <tt class="LITERAL">rc-update</tt> command.</p>
317 <table class="c4" border="0" width="100%">
321 rc-update add privoxy default
330 <h2 class="SECT2"><a name="CMDOPTIONS" id="CMDOPTIONS">5.9. Command
331 Line Options</a></h2>
333 <p><span class="APPLICATION">Privoxy</span> may be invoked with the
334 following command-line options:</p>
338 <p><span class="emphasis EMPHASIS c2">--version</span></p>
340 <p>Print version info and exit. Unix only.</p>
344 <p><span class="emphasis EMPHASIS c2">--help</span></p>
346 <p>Print short usage info and exit. Unix only.</p>
350 <p><span class="emphasis EMPHASIS c2">--no-daemon</span></p>
352 <p>Don't become a daemon, i.e. don't fork and become process group
353 leader, and don't detach from controlling tty. Unix only.</p>
357 <p><span class="emphasis EMPHASIS c2">--pidfile FILE</span></p>
359 <p>On startup, write the process ID to <span class=
360 "emphasis EMPHASIS c2">FILE</span>. Delete the <span class=
361 "emphasis EMPHASIS c2">FILE</span> on exit. Failure to create or
362 delete the <span class="emphasis EMPHASIS c2">FILE</span> is
363 non-fatal. If no <span class="emphasis EMPHASIS c2">FILE</span>
364 option is given, no PID file will be used. Unix only.</p>
368 <p><span class="emphasis EMPHASIS c2">--user
369 USER[.GROUP]</span></p>
371 <p>After (optionally) writing the PID file, assume the user ID of
372 <span class="emphasis EMPHASIS c2">USER</span>, and if included the
373 GID of GROUP. Exit if the privileges are not sufficient to do so.
378 <p><span class="emphasis EMPHASIS c2">--chroot</span></p>
380 <p>Before changing to the user ID given in the <span class=
381 "emphasis EMPHASIS c2">--user</span> option, chroot to that user's
382 home directory, i.e. make the kernel pretend to the <span class=
383 "APPLICATION">Privoxy</span> process that the directory tree starts
384 there. If set up carefully, this can limit the impact of possible
385 vulnerabilities in <span class="APPLICATION">Privoxy</span> to the
386 files contained in that hierarchy. Unix only.</p>
390 <p><span class="emphasis EMPHASIS c2">--pre-chroot-nslookup
393 <p>Specifies a hostname to look up before doing a chroot. On some
394 systems, initializing the resolver library involves reading config
395 files from /etc and/or loading additional shared libraries from
396 /lib. On these systems, doing a hostname lookup before the chroot
397 reduces the number of files that must be copied into the chroot
400 <p>For fastest startup speed, a good value is a hostname that is
401 not in /etc/hosts but that your local name server (listed in
402 /etc/resolv.conf) can resolve without recursion (that is, without
403 having to ask any other name servers). The hostname need not exist,
404 but if it doesn't, an error message (which can be ignored) will be
409 <p><span class="emphasis EMPHASIS c2">configfile</span></p>
411 <p>If no <span class="emphasis EMPHASIS c2">configfile</span> is
412 included on the command line, <span class=
413 "APPLICATION">Privoxy</span> will look for a file named
414 <span class="QUOTE">"config"</span> in the current directory
415 (except on Win32 where it will look for <span class=
416 "QUOTE">"config.txt"</span> instead). Specify full path to avoid
417 confusion. If no config file is found, <span class=
418 "APPLICATION">Privoxy</span> will fail to start.</p>
422 <p>On <span class="APPLICATION">MS Windows</span> only there are two
423 additional command-line options to allow <span class=
424 "APPLICATION">Privoxy</span> to install and run as a <span class=
425 "emphasis EMPHASIS c2">service</span>. See the <a href=
426 "installation.html#INSTALLATION-PACK-WIN">Window Installation
427 section</a> for details.</p>
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