4 >Privoxy Frequently Asked Questions</TITLE
7 CONTENT="Modular DocBook HTML Stylesheet Version 1.76b+
10 TITLE="General Information"
11 HREF="general.html"><LINK
14 HREF="../p_doc.css"></HEAD
31 >Privoxy Frequently Asked Questions</H1
40 HREF="http://www.privoxy.org"
42 >Privoxy Developers</A
48 >$Id: faq.sgml,v 2.18 2006/09/22 01:27:55 hal9 Exp $<BR></P
58 > This FAQ gives quick answers to frequently asked questions about
60 HREF="http://www.privoxy.org/"
64 It is not a substitute for the
66 HREF="../user-manual/index.html"
70 >Privoxy User Manual</I
80 HREF="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Proxy_server"
84 with advanced filtering capabilities for protecting
85 privacy, modifying web page data, managing
87 HREF="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Browser_cookie"
91 controlling access, and removing ads, banners, pop-ups and other obnoxious
92 Internet junk. Privoxy has a very flexible configuration and can be
93 customized to suit individual needs and tastes. Privoxy has application for
94 both stand-alone systems and multi-user networks.</P
96 > Privoxy is based on Internet Junkbuster (tm).</P
98 > Please note that this document is a work in progress. This copy represents
99 the state at the release of version 3.0.5.
100 You can find the latest version of the document at <A
101 HREF="http://www.privoxy.org/faq/"
103 >http://www.privoxy.org/faq/</A
109 contact the developers.
121 >Table of Contents</B
126 >General Information</A
132 HREF="general.html#WHO_USES"
133 >Who should use Privoxy?</A
137 HREF="general.html#BESTCHOICE"
138 >Is Privoxy the best choice for
143 HREF="general.html#PROXYMORON"
152 HREF="general.html#NEWJB"
153 >What is this new version of
161 HREF="general.html#AEN74"
165 >? Why change the name from
166 Junkbuster at all?</A
170 HREF="general.html#DIFFERS"
171 >How does Privoxy differ
172 from the old Junkbuster?</A
176 HREF="general.html#WHATSANAD"
177 >How does Privoxy know what is
178 an ad, and what is not?</A
182 HREF="general.html#AEN155"
183 >Can Privoxy make mistakes?
184 This does not sound very scientific.</A
188 HREF="general.html#AEN161"
189 >Will I have to configure Privoxy
190 before I can use it?</A
194 HREF="general.html#BROWSERS2"
195 >My browser does the same things as
196 Privoxy. Why should I use
201 HREF="general.html#WHYTRUST"
202 >Why should I trust Privoxy?</A
206 HREF="general.html#LICENSE"
207 >Is there is a license or fee? What about a
208 warranty? Registration?</A
212 HREF="general.html#SPYWARE"
213 >Can Privoxy remove spyware? Adware? Viruses?</A
217 HREF="general.html#OTHERADS"
218 >Can I use Privoxy with other ad-blocking software?</A
222 HREF="general.html#JOINTEAM"
223 >I would like to help you, what can I do?</A
229 HREF="general.html#JOINTEAM-WORK"
230 >Would you like to participate?</A
234 HREF="general.html#JOINTEAM-MONEY"
239 HREF="general.html#JOINTEAM-SOFTWARE"
248 HREF="installation.html"
255 HREF="installation.html#WHICHBROWSERS"
256 >Which browsers are supported by Privoxy?</A
260 HREF="installation.html#WHICHOS"
261 >Which operating systems are supported?</A
265 HREF="installation.html#EMAIL-CLIENT"
266 >Can I use Privoxy with my email client?</A
270 HREF="installation.html#NEWINSTALL"
272 Privoxy over Junkbuster?</A
276 HREF="installation.html#AEN263"
277 >I just installed Privoxy. Is there anything
278 special I have to do now?</A
282 HREF="installation.html#LOCALHOST"
283 >What is the proxy address of Privoxy?</A
287 HREF="installation.html#NOTHING"
288 >I just installed Privoxy, and nothing is happening.
289 All the ads are there. What's wrong?</A
293 HREF="installation.html#NOTUSED"
296 >"Privoxy is not being used"</SPAN
297 > dummy page although
298 Privoxy is running and being used.</A
304 HREF="configuration.html"
311 HREF="configuration.html#GETUPDATES"
312 >Where can I get updated Actions Files?</A
316 HREF="configuration.html#NEWCONFIG"
317 >Can I use my old config files?</A
321 HREF="configuration.html#AEN361"
322 >What exactly is an <SPAN
329 HREF="configuration.html#ACTIONSS"
333 > concept confuses me. Please list
341 HREF="configuration.html#AEN381"
342 >How are actions files configured? What is the easiest
347 HREF="configuration.html#AEN389"
348 >There are several different <SPAN
356 HREF="configuration.html#YAHOO"
357 >How can I make my Yahoo/Hotmail/Gmail account work?</A
361 HREF="configuration.html#CONFIGFILES"
362 >What's the difference between the
376 HREF="configuration.html#BROWSECONFIG"
377 >Why can I change the configuration
378 with a browser? Does that not raise security issues?</A
382 HREF="configuration.html#AEN467"
386 > file? What is a <SPAN
393 HREF="configuration.html#AEN485"
394 >How can I set up Privoxy to act as a proxy for my
399 HREF="configuration.html#AEN510"
400 >Instead of ads, now I get a checkerboard pattern. I don't want to see anything.</A
404 HREF="configuration.html#AEN527"
405 >Why would anybody want to see a checkerboard pattern?</A
409 HREF="configuration.html#AEN532"
410 >I see some images being replaced by a text
411 instead of the checkerboard image. Why and how do I get rid of this?</A
415 HREF="configuration.html#SRVANY"
416 >Can Privoxy run as a service
421 HREF="configuration.html#OTHERPROXY"
422 >How can I make Privoxy work with other
423 proxies like Squid or Tor?</A
427 HREF="configuration.html#PORT-80"
428 >Can I just set Privoxy to use port 80
429 and thus avoid individual browser configuration?</A
433 HREF="configuration.html#TRANSPARENT"
434 >Can Privoxy run as a <SPAN
441 HREF="configuration.html#OUTLOOK"
442 >How can I configure Privoxy for use with Outlook
447 HREF="configuration.html#OUTLOOK-MORE"
448 >How can I have separate rules just for HTML mail?</A
452 HREF="configuration.html#SNEAKY-COOKIES"
453 >I sometimes notice cookies sneaking through. How?</A
457 HREF="configuration.html#EVIL-COOKIES"
458 >Are all cookies bad? Why?</A
462 HREF="configuration.html#ALLOW-COOKIES"
463 >How can I allow permanent cookies for my trusted sites?</A
467 HREF="configuration.html#MULTIPLES"
468 >Can I have separate configurations for different users?</A
472 HREF="configuration.html#WHITELISTS"
473 >Can I set-up Privoxy as a whitelist of
490 HREF="misc.html#AEN640"
491 >How much does Privoxy slow my browsing down? This
492 has to add extra time to browsing.</A
496 HREF="misc.html#LOADINGTIMES"
497 >I notice considerable
498 delays in page requests compared to the old Junkbuster. What's wrong?</A
502 HREF="misc.html#CONFIGURL"
503 >What are "http://config.privoxy.org/" and
508 HREF="misc.html#NEWADS"
509 >How can I submit new ads, or report
514 HREF="misc.html#NOONECARES"
515 >Why doesn't anyone answer my support
521 >How can I hide my IP address?</A
525 HREF="misc.html#AEN702"
526 >Can Privoxy guarantee I am anonymous?</A
530 HREF="misc.html#AEN720"
531 >A test site says I am not using a Proxy.</A
536 >How do I use Privoxy
537 together with Tor?</A
541 HREF="misc.html#AEN774"
542 >Might some things break because header information or
543 content is being altered?</A
547 HREF="misc.html#AEN785"
548 >Can Privoxy act as a <SPAN
552 speed up web browsing?</A
556 HREF="misc.html#AEN794"
557 >What about as a firewall? Can Privoxy protect me?</A
561 HREF="misc.html#AEN799"
562 >I have large empty spaces / a checkerboard pattern now where
563 ads used to be. Why?</A
567 HREF="misc.html#AEN804"
568 >How can Privoxy filter Secure (HTTPS) URLs?</A
572 HREF="misc.html#AEN818"
573 >Privoxy runs as a <SPAN
577 secure is it? Do I need to take any special precautions?</A
581 HREF="misc.html#TURNOFF"
582 >How can I temporarily disable Privoxy?</A
586 HREF="misc.html#REALLYOFF"
591 out of the picture?</A
595 HREF="misc.html#CRUNCH"
596 >My logs show Privoxy <SPAN
600 ads, but also its own internal CGI pages. What is a <SPAN
607 HREF="misc.html#DOWNLOADS"
608 >Can Privoxy effect files that I download
609 from a webserver? FTP server?</A
613 HREF="misc.html#DOWNLOADS2"
614 >I just downloaded a Perl script, and Privoxy
615 altered it! Yikes, what is wrong!</A
619 HREF="misc.html#HOSTSFILE"
620 >Should I continue to use a <SPAN
623 > file for ad-blocking?</A
627 HREF="misc.html#SEEALSO"
628 >Where can I find more information about Privoxy
629 and related issues?</A
633 HREF="misc.html#MICROSUCK"
634 >I've noticed that Privoxy changes <SPAN
641 >! Why are you manipulating my browsing?</A
654 HREF="trouble.html#AEN967"
657 >"connection refused"</SPAN
659 with every web page?</A
663 HREF="trouble.html#AEN979"
664 >I just added a new rule, but the steenkin ad is
665 still getting through. How?</A
669 HREF="trouble.html#BADSITE"
670 >One of my favorite sites does not work with Privoxy.
675 HREF="trouble.html#DUN"
676 >After installing Privoxy, I have to log in
677 every time I start IE. What gives?</A
681 HREF="trouble.html#FTP"
682 >I cannot connect to any FTP sites. Privoxy
687 HREF="trouble.html#OSXIE"
688 >In Mac OSX, I can't configure Microsoft Internet Explorer to use
689 Privoxy as the HTTP proxy.</A
693 HREF="trouble.html#OSXUNINSTALL"
694 >In Mac OSX, I dragged the Privoxy folder to the trash in order to
695 uninstall it. Now the finder tells me I don't have sufficient privileges to
700 HREF="trouble.html#OSXIMAGES"
701 >In Mac OSX Panther (10.3), images often fail to load and/or I
702 experience random delays in page loading. I'm using
706 > as my browser's proxy setting.</A
710 HREF="trouble.html#BLANKPAGE"
711 >I get a completely blank page at one site. <SPAN
717 ><html><body></body></html></SPAN
719 Privoxy the page loads fine.</A
723 HREF="trouble.html#ERROR503"
724 >Why am I getting a 503 Error (WSAECONNREFUSED) on every page?</A
728 HREF="trouble.html#NOHOSTNAME"
729 >My logs show many <SPAN
731 >"Unable to get my own hostname"</SPAN
737 HREF="trouble.html#INUSE"
738 >When I try to launch Privoxy, I get an
741 >"port 8118 is already in use"</SPAN
742 > (or similar wording).
747 HREF="trouble.html#DEMORONIZER"
748 >Pages with UTF-8 fonts are garbled.</A
752 HREF="trouble.html#DEMORONIZER2"
753 >Why are binary files (such as images) corrupted when Privoxy
758 HREF="trouble.html#DEMORONIZER3"
762 > and why is it there?</A
766 HREF="trouble.html#WINDOWOPEN"
767 >Why do I keep seeing <SPAN
769 >"PrivoxyWindowOpen()"</SPAN
770 > in raw source code?</A
774 HREF="trouble.html#DNSERRORS"
775 >I am getting too many DNS errors like <SPAN
777 >"404 No Such Domain"</SPAN
779 can't Privoxy do this better?</A
783 HREF="trouble.html#ALLCPU"
784 >At one site Privoxy just hangs, and starts taking
785 all CPU. Why is this?</A
789 HREF="trouble.html#SLOWCRAWL"
790 >I just installed Privoxy, and all my
791 browsing has slowed to a crawl. What gives?</A
798 >Contacting the developers, Bug Reporting and Feature Requests</A
804 HREF="contact.html#CONTACT-SUPPORT"
809 HREF="contact.html#REPORTING"
810 >Reporting Problems</A
816 HREF="contact.html#CONTACT-ADS"
817 >Reporting Ads or Other Configuration Problems</A
821 HREF="contact.html#CONTACT-BUGS"
828 HREF="contact.html#CONTACT-FEATURE"
829 >Request New Features</A
833 HREF="contact.html#CONTACT-OTHER"
840 HREF="copyright.html"
841 >Privoxy Copyright, License and History</A
847 HREF="copyright.html#AEN1247"
852 HREF="copyright.html#AEN1263"
865 SUMMARY="Footer navigation table"
906 >General Information</TD