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5 >Privoxy Frequently Asked Questions</TITLE
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33 >Privoxy Frequently Asked Questions</A
43 HREF="http://www.privoxy.org/"
45 >Privoxy Developers</A
51 >$Id: faq.sgml,v 2.69 2010/02/13 17:38:27 fabiankeil Exp $<BR></P
61 > This FAQ gives quick answers to frequently asked questions about
63 HREF="http://www.privoxy.org/"
67 It is not a substitute for the
69 HREF="../user-manual/index.html"
73 >Privoxy User Manual</I
81 > Privoxy is a non-caching web proxy with advanced filtering capabilities
82 for enhancing privacy, modifying web page data and HTTP headers, controlling
83 access, and removing ads and other obnoxious Internet junk. Privoxy has a
84 flexible configuration and can be customized to suit individual needs and tastes.
85 It has application for both stand-alone systems and multi-user networks.</P
87 > Privoxy is Free Software and licensed under the GNU GPLv2.</P
89 > Privoxy is an associated project of Software in the Public Interest (SPI).</P
91 > Helping hands and donations are welcome:
98 HREF="http://www.privoxy.org/faq/general.html#PARTICIPATE"
100 >http://www.privoxy.org/faq/general.html#PARTICIPATE</A
107 HREF="http://www.privoxy.org/faq/general.html#DONATE"
109 >http://www.privoxy.org/faq/general.html#DONATE</A
116 > Please note that this document is a work in progress. This copy represents
117 the state at the release of version 3.0.16.
118 You can find the latest version of the document at <A
119 HREF="http://www.privoxy.org/faq/"
121 >http://www.privoxy.org/faq/</A
127 contact the developers.
139 >Table of Contents</B
144 >General Information</A
150 HREF="general.html#WHO-USES"
151 >Who should give <SPAN
158 HREF="general.html#BESTCHOICE"
159 >Is Privoxy the best choice for
164 HREF="general.html#PROXYMORON"
173 HREF="general.html#OTHERSTUFF"
174 >Does Privoxy do anything more than ad blocking?</A
178 HREF="general.html#NEWJB"
179 >What is this new version of
187 HREF="general.html#AEN85"
191 >? Why change the name from
192 Junkbuster at all?</A
196 HREF="general.html#DIFFERS"
197 >How does Privoxy differ
198 from the old Junkbuster?</A
202 HREF="general.html#WHATSANAD"
203 >How does Privoxy know what is
204 an ad, and what is not?</A
208 HREF="general.html#AEN163"
209 >Can Privoxy make mistakes?
210 This does not sound very scientific.</A
214 HREF="general.html#AEN169"
215 >Will I have to configure Privoxy
216 before I can use it?</A
220 HREF="general.html#LAN"
221 >Can Privoxy run as a server on a network?</A
225 HREF="general.html#BROWSERS2"
226 >My browser does the same things as
227 Privoxy. Why should I use Privoxy at all?</A
231 HREF="general.html#WHYTRUST"
232 >Why should I trust Privoxy?</A
236 HREF="general.html#LICENSE"
237 >Is there is a license or fee? What about a
238 warranty? Registration?</A
242 HREF="general.html#SPYWARE"
243 >Can Privoxy remove spyware? Adware? Viruses?</A
247 HREF="general.html#OTHERADS"
248 >Can I use Privoxy with other ad-blocking software?</A
252 HREF="general.html#HELP-THE-DEVELOPERS"
253 >I would like to help you, what can I do?</A
259 HREF="general.html#PARTICIPATE"
260 >Would you like to participate?</A
264 HREF="general.html#DONATE"
265 >Would you like to donate?</A
273 HREF="installation.html"
280 HREF="installation.html#WHICHBROWSERS"
281 >Which browsers are supported by Privoxy?</A
285 HREF="installation.html#WHICHOS"
286 >Which operating systems are supported?</A
290 HREF="installation.html#EMAIL-CLIENT"
291 >Can I use Privoxy with my email client?</A
295 HREF="installation.html#FIRSTSTEP"
296 >I just installed Privoxy. Is there anything
297 special I have to do now?</A
301 HREF="installation.html#LOCALHOST"
302 >What is the proxy address of Privoxy?</A
306 HREF="installation.html#NOTHING"
307 >I just installed Privoxy, and nothing is happening.
308 All the ads are there. What's wrong?</A
312 HREF="installation.html#NOTUSED"
315 >"Privoxy is not being used"</SPAN
316 > dummy page although
317 Privoxy is running and being used.</A
323 HREF="configuration.html"
330 HREF="configuration.html#AEN360"
331 >What exactly is an <SPAN
338 HREF="configuration.html#ACTIONSS"
342 > concept confuses me. Please list
350 HREF="configuration.html#AEN383"
351 >How are actions files configured? What is the easiest
356 HREF="configuration.html#AEN392"
357 >There are several different <SPAN
365 HREF="configuration.html#GETUPDATES"
366 >Where can I get updated Actions Files?</A
370 HREF="configuration.html#NEWCONFIG"
371 >Can I use my old config files?</A
375 HREF="configuration.html#DIFFICULT"
376 >Why is the configuration so complicated?</A
380 HREF="configuration.html#YAHOO"
381 >How can I make my Yahoo/Hotmail/Gmail account work?</A
385 HREF="configuration.html#CONFIGFILES"
386 >What's the difference between the
400 HREF="configuration.html#BROWSECONFIG"
401 >Why can I change the configuration
402 with a browser? Does that not raise security issues?</A
406 HREF="configuration.html#AEN480"
410 > file? What is a <SPAN
417 HREF="configuration.html#LANCONFIG"
418 >How can I set up Privoxy to act as a proxy for my
423 HREF="configuration.html#AEN531"
424 >Instead of ads, now I get a checkerboard pattern. I don't want to see anything.</A
428 HREF="configuration.html#AEN548"
429 >Why would anybody want to see a checkerboard pattern?</A
433 HREF="configuration.html#AEN554"
434 >I see some images being replaced with text
435 instead of the checkerboard image. Why and how do I get rid of this?</A
439 HREF="configuration.html#SRVANY"
440 >Can Privoxy run as a service
445 HREF="configuration.html#OTHERPROXY"
446 >How can I make Privoxy work with other
447 proxies like Squid or Tor?</A
451 HREF="configuration.html#PORT-80"
452 >Can I just set Privoxy to use port 80
453 and thus avoid individual browser configuration?</A
457 HREF="configuration.html#TRANSPARENT"
458 >Can Privoxy run as a <SPAN
465 HREF="configuration.html#INTERCEPTING"
466 >Can Privoxy run as a <SPAN
468 >"intercepting"</SPAN
473 HREF="configuration.html#OUTLOOK"
474 >How can I configure Privoxy for use with Outlook?</A
478 HREF="configuration.html#OUTLOOK-MORE"
479 >How can I have separate rules just for HTML mail?</A
483 HREF="configuration.html#SNEAKY-COOKIES"
484 >I sometimes notice cookies sneaking through. How?</A
488 HREF="configuration.html#EVIL-COOKIES"
489 >Are all cookies bad? Why?</A
493 HREF="configuration.html#ALLOW-COOKIES"
494 >How can I allow permanent cookies for my trusted sites?</A
498 HREF="configuration.html#MULTIPLES"
499 >Can I have separate configurations for different users?</A
503 HREF="configuration.html#WHITELISTS"
504 >Can I set-up Privoxy as a whitelist of
512 HREF="configuration.html#NO-ADBLOCK"
513 >How can I turn off ad-blocking?</A
517 HREF="configuration.html#TEMPLATES"
518 >How can I have custom template pages, like the
529 HREF="configuration.html#BLOCKALL"
530 >How can I remove the <SPAN
532 >"Go There Anyway"</SPAN
553 HREF="misc.html#AEN728"
554 >How much does Privoxy slow my browsing down? This
555 has to add extra time to browsing.</A
559 HREF="misc.html#LOADINGTIMES"
560 >I notice considerable
561 delays in page requests. What's wrong?</A
565 HREF="misc.html#CONFIGURL"
566 >What are "http://config.privoxy.org/" and
571 HREF="misc.html#NEWADS"
572 >How can I submit new ads, or report
577 HREF="misc.html#NEWADS2"
578 >If I do submit missed ads, will
579 they be included in future updates?</A
583 HREF="misc.html#NOONECARES"
584 >Why doesn't anyone answer my support
590 >How can I hide my IP address?</A
594 HREF="misc.html#AEN793"
595 >Can Privoxy guarantee I am anonymous?</A
599 HREF="misc.html#AEN811"
600 >A test site says I am not using a Proxy.</A
605 >How do I use Privoxy
606 together with Tor?</A
610 HREF="misc.html#AEN867"
611 >Might some things break because header information or
612 content is being altered?</A
616 HREF="misc.html#AEN881"
617 >Can Privoxy act as a <SPAN
621 speed up web browsing?</A
625 HREF="misc.html#AEN891"
626 >What about as a firewall? Can Privoxy protect me?</A
630 HREF="misc.html#AEN896"
631 >I have large empty spaces / a checkerboard pattern now where
632 ads used to be. Why?</A
636 HREF="misc.html#AEN904"
637 >How can Privoxy filter Secure (HTTPS) URLs?</A
641 HREF="misc.html#AEN918"
642 >Privoxy runs as a <SPAN
646 secure is it? Do I need to take any special precautions?</A
650 HREF="misc.html#TURNOFF"
651 >Can I temporarily disable Privoxy?</A
655 HREF="misc.html#REALLYOFF"
660 out of the picture?</A
664 HREF="misc.html#TURNOFF2"
665 >How can I tell Privoxy to totally ignore certain sites?</A
669 HREF="misc.html#CRUNCH"
670 >My logs show Privoxy <SPAN
674 ads, but also its own internal CGI pages. What is a <SPAN
681 HREF="misc.html#DOWNLOADS"
682 >Can Privoxy effect files that I download
683 from a webserver? FTP server?</A
687 HREF="misc.html#DOWNLOADS2"
688 >I just downloaded a Perl script, and Privoxy
689 altered it! Yikes, what is wrong!</A
693 HREF="misc.html#HOSTSFILE"
694 >Should I continue to use a <SPAN
697 > file for ad-blocking?</A
701 HREF="misc.html#SEEALSO"
702 >Where can I find more information about Privoxy
703 and related issues?</A
707 HREF="misc.html#MICROSUCK"
708 >I've noticed that Privoxy changes <SPAN
715 >! Why are you manipulating my browsing?</A
719 HREF="misc.html#VALID"
720 >Does Privoxy produce <SPAN
723 > HTML (or XHTML)?</A
727 HREF="misc.html#SURPRISE-PRIVOXY"
728 >How did you manage to get Privoxy on my computer without my consent?</A
741 HREF="trouble.html#AEN1090"
742 >I cannot connect to any websites. Or, I am getting
745 >"connection refused"</SPAN
746 > message with every web page. Why?</A
750 HREF="trouble.html#ERROR503"
751 >Why am I getting a 503 Error (WSAECONNREFUSED) on every page?</A
755 HREF="trouble.html#AEN1113"
756 >I just added a new rule, but the steenkin ad is
757 still getting through. How?</A
761 HREF="trouble.html#BADSITE"
762 >One of my favorite sites does not work with Privoxy.
767 HREF="trouble.html#DUN"
768 >After installing Privoxy, I have to log in
769 every time I start IE. What gives?</A
773 HREF="trouble.html#FTP"
774 >I cannot connect to any FTP sites. Privoxy
779 HREF="trouble.html#MACOSXIE"
780 >In Mac OS X, I can't configure Microsoft Internet Explorer to use
781 Privoxy as the HTTP proxy.</A
785 HREF="trouble.html#MACOSXUNINSTALL"
786 >In Mac OS X, I dragged the Privoxy folder to the trash in order to
787 uninstall it. Now the finder tells me I don't have sufficient privileges to
792 HREF="trouble.html#MACOSXIMAGES"
793 >In Mac OS X Panther (10.3), images often fail to load and/or I
794 experience random delays in page loading. I'm using
798 > as my browser's proxy setting.</A
802 HREF="trouble.html#BLANKPAGE"
803 >I get a completely blank page at one site. <SPAN
809 ><html><body></body></html></SPAN
811 Privoxy the page loads fine.</A
815 HREF="trouble.html#NOHOSTNAME"
816 >My logs show many <SPAN
818 >"Unable to get my own hostname"</SPAN
824 HREF="trouble.html#INUSE"
825 >When I try to launch Privoxy, I get an
828 >"port 8118 is already in use"</SPAN
829 > (or similar wording).
834 HREF="trouble.html#DEMORONIZER"
835 >Pages with UTF-8 fonts are garbled.</A
839 HREF="trouble.html#DEMORONIZER2"
840 >Why are binary files (such as images) corrupted when Privoxy
845 HREF="trouble.html#DEMORONIZER3"
849 > and why is it there?</A
853 HREF="trouble.html#WINDOWOPEN"
854 >Why do I keep seeing <SPAN
856 >"PrivoxyWindowOpen()"</SPAN
857 > in raw source code?</A
861 HREF="trouble.html#DNSERRORS"
862 >I am getting too many DNS errors like <SPAN
864 >"404 No Such Domain"</SPAN
866 can't Privoxy do this better?</A
870 HREF="trouble.html#ALLCPU"
871 >At one site Privoxy just hangs, and starts taking
872 all CPU. Why is this?</A
876 HREF="trouble.html#SLOWCRAWL"
877 >I just installed Privoxy, and all my
878 browsing has slowed to a crawl. What gives?</A
882 HREF="trouble.html#PREVENTCOMP"
883 >Why do my filters work on some sites but not on others?</A
887 HREF="trouble.html#SSL-WARNINGS"
888 >On some HTTPS sites my browser warns me about unauthenticated content,
889 the URL bar doesn't get highlighted and the lock symbol appears to be broken.
894 HREF="trouble.html#SE-LINUX"
895 >I get selinux error messages. How can I fix this?</A
899 HREF="trouble.html#GENTOO-RICERS"
903 > with Gentoo's portage and it appears to be very slow. Why?</A
910 >Contacting the developers, Bug Reporting and Feature Requests</A
916 HREF="contact.html#CONTACT-SUPPORT"
921 HREF="contact.html#REPORTING"
922 >Reporting Problems</A
928 HREF="contact.html#CONTACT-ADS"
929 >Reporting Ads or Other Configuration Problems</A
933 HREF="contact.html#CONTACT-BUGS"
940 HREF="contact.html#CONTACT-FEATURE"
941 >Request New Features</A
945 HREF="contact.html#CONTACT-OTHER"
952 HREF="copyright.html"
953 >Privoxy Copyright, License and History</A
959 HREF="copyright.html#AEN1461"
964 HREF="copyright.html#AEN1477"
977 SUMMARY="Footer navigation table"
1018 >General Information</TD