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29 <div class="TITLEPAGE">
30 <h1 class="TITLE"><a name="AEN2" id="AEN2">Privoxy Frequently Asked
33 <p class="PUBDATE"><sub><a href="copyright.html">Copyright</a> ©
34 2001-2011 by <a href="http://www.privoxy.org/" target="_top">Privoxy
35 Developers</a></sub><br></p>
37 <p class="PUBDATE">$Id: faq.sgml,v 2.85 2011/12/26 17:05:40 fabiankeil
40 <div class="ABSTRACT">
41 <a name="AEN9" id="AEN9"></a>
43 <p>This FAQ gives quick answers to frequently asked questions about
44 <a href="http://www.privoxy.org/" target="_top">Privoxy</a>. It is
45 not a substitute for the <a class="CITETITLE c1" href=
46 "../user-manual/index.html" target="_top">Privoxy User
49 <p>What is Privoxy?</p>
51 <p>Privoxy is a non-caching web proxy with advanced filtering
52 capabilities for enhancing privacy, modifying web page data and HTTP
53 headers, controlling access, and removing ads and other obnoxious
54 Internet junk. Privoxy has a flexible configuration and can be
55 customized to suit individual needs and tastes. It has application
56 for both stand-alone systems and multi-user networks.</p>
58 <p>Privoxy is Free Software and licensed under the GNU GPLv2.</p>
60 <p>Privoxy is an associated project of Software in the Public
63 <p>Helping hands and donations are welcome:</p>
67 <p><a href="http://www.privoxy.org/faq/general.html#PARTICIPATE"
69 "_top">http://www.privoxy.org/faq/general.html#PARTICIPATE</a></p>
73 <p><a href="http://www.privoxy.org/faq/general.html#DONATE"
75 "_top">http://www.privoxy.org/faq/general.html#DONATE</a></p>
79 <p>Please note that this document is a work in progress. This copy
80 represents the state at the release of version 3.0.20. You can find
81 the latest version of the document at <a href=
82 "http://www.privoxy.org/faq/" target=
83 "_top">http://www.privoxy.org/faq/</a>. Please see the <a href=
84 "contact.html">Contact section</a> if you want to contact the
92 <dt class="c2">Table of Contents</dt>
94 <dt>1. <a href="general.html">General Information</a></dt>
98 <dt>1.1. <a href="general.html#WHO-USES">Who should give
99 <span class="APPLICATION">Privoxy</span> a try?</a></dt>
101 <dt>1.2. <a href="general.html#BESTCHOICE">Is Privoxy the best
102 choice for me?</a></dt>
104 <dt>1.3. <a href="general.html#PROXYMORON">What is a <span class=
105 "QUOTE">"proxy"</span>? How does Privoxy work?</a></dt>
107 <dt>1.4. <a href="general.html#OTHERSTUFF">Does Privoxy do
108 anything more than ad blocking?</a></dt>
110 <dt>1.5. <a href="general.html#NEWJB">What is this new version of
111 <span class="QUOTE">"Junkbuster"</span>?</a></dt>
113 <dt>1.6. <a href="general.html#AEN85">Why <span class=
114 "QUOTE">"Privoxy"</span>? Why change the name from Junkbuster at
117 <dt>1.7. <a href="general.html#DIFFERS">How does Privoxy differ
118 from the old Junkbuster?</a></dt>
120 <dt>1.8. <a href="general.html#WHATSANAD">How does Privoxy know
121 what is an ad, and what is not?</a></dt>
123 <dt>1.9. <a href="general.html#AEN163">Can Privoxy make mistakes?
124 This does not sound very scientific.</a></dt>
126 <dt>1.10. <a href="general.html#AEN169">Will I have to configure
127 Privoxy before I can use it?</a></dt>
129 <dt>1.11. <a href="general.html#LAN">Can Privoxy run as a server
130 on a network?</a></dt>
132 <dt>1.12. <a href="general.html#BROWSERS2">My browser does the
133 same things as Privoxy. Why should I use Privoxy at all?</a></dt>
135 <dt>1.13. <a href="general.html#WHYTRUST">Why should I trust
138 <dt>1.14. <a href="general.html#LICENSE">Is there is a license or
139 fee? What about a warranty? Registration?</a></dt>
141 <dt>1.15. <a href="general.html#SPYWARE">Can Privoxy remove
142 spyware? Adware? Viruses?</a></dt>
144 <dt>1.16. <a href="general.html#OTHERADS">Can I use Privoxy with
145 other ad-blocking software?</a></dt>
147 <dt>1.17. <a href="general.html#HELP-THE-DEVELOPERS">I would like
148 to help you, what can I do?</a></dt>
152 <dt>1.17.1. <a href="general.html#PARTICIPATE">Would you like
153 to participate?</a></dt>
155 <dt>1.17.2. <a href="general.html#DONATE">Would you like to
162 <dt>2. <a href="installation.html">Installation</a></dt>
166 <dt>2.1. <a href="installation.html#WHICHBROWSERS">Which browsers
167 are supported by Privoxy?</a></dt>
169 <dt>2.2. <a href="installation.html#WHICHOS">Which operating
170 systems are supported?</a></dt>
172 <dt>2.3. <a href="installation.html#EMAIL-CLIENT">Can I use
173 Privoxy with my email client?</a></dt>
175 <dt>2.4. <a href="installation.html#FIRSTSTEP">I just installed
176 Privoxy. Is there anything special I have to do now?</a></dt>
178 <dt>2.5. <a href="installation.html#LOCALHOST">What is the proxy
179 address of Privoxy?</a></dt>
181 <dt>2.6. <a href="installation.html#NOTHING">I just installed
182 Privoxy, and nothing is happening. All the ads are there. What's
185 <dt>2.7. <a href="installation.html#NOTUSED">I get a <span class=
186 "QUOTE">"Privoxy is not being used"</span> dummy page although
187 Privoxy is running and being used.</a></dt>
191 <dt>3. <a href="configuration.html">Configuration</a></dt>
195 <dt>3.1. <a href="configuration.html#AEN369">What exactly is an
196 <span class="QUOTE">"actions"</span> file?</a></dt>
198 <dt>3.2. <a href="configuration.html#ACTIONSS">The <span class=
199 "QUOTE">"actions"</span> concept confuses me. Please list some of
200 these <span class="QUOTE">"actions"</span>.</a></dt>
202 <dt>3.3. <a href="configuration.html#AEN392">How are actions
203 files configured? What is the easiest way to do this?</a></dt>
205 <dt>3.4. <a href="configuration.html#AEN401">There are several
206 different <span class="QUOTE">"actions"</span> files. What are
207 the differences?</a></dt>
209 <dt>3.5. <a href="configuration.html#GETUPDATES">Where can I get
210 updated Actions Files?</a></dt>
212 <dt>3.6. <a href="configuration.html#NEWCONFIG">Can I use my old
213 config files?</a></dt>
215 <dt>3.7. <a href="configuration.html#DIFFICULT">Why is the
216 configuration so complicated?</a></dt>
218 <dt>3.8. <a href="configuration.html#YAHOO">How can I make my
219 Yahoo/Hotmail/Gmail account work?</a></dt>
221 <dt>3.9. <a href="configuration.html#CONFIGFILES">What's the
222 difference between the <span class="QUOTE">"Cautious"</span>,
223 <span class="QUOTE">"Medium"</span> and <span class=
224 "QUOTE">"Advanced"</span> defaults?</a></dt>
226 <dt>3.10. <a href="configuration.html#BROWSECONFIG">Why can I
227 change the configuration with a browser? Does that not raise
228 security issues?</a></dt>
230 <dt>3.11. <a href="configuration.html#AEN489">What is the
231 <tt class="FILENAME">default.filter</tt> file? What is a
232 <span class="QUOTE">"filter"</span>?</a></dt>
234 <dt>3.12. <a href="configuration.html#LANCONFIG">How can I set up
235 Privoxy to act as a proxy for my LAN?</a></dt>
237 <dt>3.13. <a href="configuration.html#AEN540">Instead of ads, now
238 I get a checkerboard pattern. I don't want to see
241 <dt>3.14. <a href="configuration.html#AEN557">Why would anybody
242 want to see a checkerboard pattern?</a></dt>
244 <dt>3.15. <a href="configuration.html#AEN563">I see some images
245 being replaced with text instead of the checkerboard image. Why
246 and how do I get rid of this?</a></dt>
248 <dt>3.16. <a href="configuration.html#SRVANY">Can Privoxy run as
249 a service on Win2K/NT/XP?</a></dt>
251 <dt>3.17. <a href="configuration.html#OTHERPROXY">How can I make
252 Privoxy work with other proxies?</a></dt>
254 <dt>3.18. <a href="configuration.html#PORT-80">Can I just set
255 Privoxy to use port 80 and thus avoid individual browser
256 configuration?</a></dt>
258 <dt>3.19. <a href="configuration.html#TRANSPARENT">Can Privoxy
259 run as a <span class="QUOTE">"transparent"</span> proxy?</a></dt>
261 <dt>3.20. <a href="configuration.html#INTERCEPTING">Can Privoxy
262 run as a <span class="QUOTE">"intercepting"</span>
265 <dt>3.21. <a href="configuration.html#OUTLOOK">How can I
266 configure Privoxy for use with Outlook?</a></dt>
268 <dt>3.22. <a href="configuration.html#OUTLOOK-MORE">How can I
269 have separate rules just for HTML mail?</a></dt>
271 <dt>3.23. <a href="configuration.html#SNEAKY-COOKIES">I sometimes
272 notice cookies sneaking through. How?</a></dt>
274 <dt>3.24. <a href="configuration.html#EVIL-COOKIES">Are all
275 cookies bad? Why?</a></dt>
277 <dt>3.25. <a href="configuration.html#ALLOW-COOKIES">How can I
278 allow permanent cookies for my trusted sites?</a></dt>
280 <dt>3.26. <a href="configuration.html#MULTIPLES">Can I have
281 separate configurations for different users?</a></dt>
283 <dt>3.27. <a href="configuration.html#WHITELISTS">Can I set-up
284 Privoxy as a whitelist of <span class="QUOTE">"good"</span>
287 <dt>3.28. <a href="configuration.html#NO-ADBLOCK">How can I turn
288 off ad-blocking?</a></dt>
290 <dt>3.29. <a href="configuration.html#TEMPLATES">How can I have
291 custom template pages, like the <span class=
292 "emphasis EMPHASIS c3">BLOCKED</span> page?</a></dt>
294 <dt>3.30. <a href="configuration.html#BLOCKALL">How can I remove
295 the <span class="QUOTE">"Go There Anyway"</span> link from the
296 <span class="emphasis EMPHASIS c3">BLOCKED</span> page?</a></dt>
300 <dt>4. <a href="misc.html">Miscellaneous</a></dt>
304 <dt>4.1. <a href="misc.html#AEN738">How much does Privoxy slow my
305 browsing down? This has to add extra time to browsing.</a></dt>
307 <dt>4.2. <a href="misc.html#LOADINGTIMES">I notice considerable
308 delays in page requests. What's wrong?</a></dt>
310 <dt>4.3. <a href="misc.html#CONFIGURL">What are
311 "http://config.privoxy.org/" and "http://p.p/"?</a></dt>
313 <dt>4.4. <a href="misc.html#NEWADS">How can I submit new ads, or
314 report problems?</a></dt>
316 <dt>4.5. <a href="misc.html#NEWADS2">If I do submit missed ads,
317 will they be included in future updates?</a></dt>
319 <dt>4.6. <a href="misc.html#NOONECARES">Why doesn't anyone answer
320 my support request?</a></dt>
322 <dt>4.7. <a href="misc.html#IP">How can I hide my IP
325 <dt>4.8. <a href="misc.html#AEN803">Can Privoxy guarantee I am
328 <dt>4.9. <a href="misc.html#AEN821">A test site says I am not
329 using a Proxy.</a></dt>
331 <dt>4.10. <a href="misc.html#TOR">How do I use Privoxy together
334 <dt>4.11. <a href="misc.html#AEN877">Might some things break
335 because header information or content is being altered?</a></dt>
337 <dt>4.12. <a href="misc.html#AEN891">Can Privoxy act as a
338 <span class="QUOTE">"caching"</span> proxy to speed up web
341 <dt>4.13. <a href="misc.html#AEN901">What about as a firewall?
342 Can Privoxy protect me?</a></dt>
344 <dt>4.14. <a href="misc.html#AEN906">I have large empty spaces /
345 a checkerboard pattern now where ads used to be. Why?</a></dt>
347 <dt>4.15. <a href="misc.html#AEN914">How can Privoxy filter
348 Secure (HTTPS) URLs?</a></dt>
350 <dt>4.16. <a href="misc.html#AEN928">Privoxy runs as a
351 <span class="QUOTE">"server"</span>. How secure is it? Do I need
352 to take any special precautions?</a></dt>
354 <dt>4.17. <a href="misc.html#TURNOFF">Can I temporarily disable
357 <dt>4.18. <a href="misc.html#REALLYOFF">When <span class=
358 "QUOTE">"disabled"</span> is Privoxy totally out of the
361 <dt>4.19. <a href="misc.html#TURNOFF2">How can I tell Privoxy to
362 totally ignore certain sites?</a></dt>
364 <dt>4.20. <a href="misc.html#CRUNCH">My logs show Privoxy
365 <span class="QUOTE">"crunches"</span> ads, but also its own
366 internal CGI pages. What is a <span class=
367 "QUOTE">"crunch"</span>?</a></dt>
369 <dt>4.21. <a href="misc.html#DOWNLOADS">Can Privoxy effect files
370 that I download from a webserver? FTP server?</a></dt>
372 <dt>4.22. <a href="misc.html#DOWNLOADS2">I just downloaded a Perl
373 script, and Privoxy altered it! Yikes, what is wrong!</a></dt>
375 <dt>4.23. <a href="misc.html#HOSTSFILE">Should I continue to use
376 a <span class="QUOTE">"HOSTS"</span> file for
377 ad-blocking?</a></dt>
379 <dt>4.24. <a href="misc.html#SEEALSO">Where can I find more
380 information about Privoxy and related issues?</a></dt>
382 <dt>4.25. <a href="misc.html#MICROSUCK">I've noticed that Privoxy
383 changes <span class="QUOTE">"Microsoft"</span> to <span class=
384 "QUOTE">"MicroSuck"</span>! Why are you manipulating my
387 <dt>4.26. <a href="misc.html#VALID">Does Privoxy produce
388 <span class="QUOTE">"valid"</span> HTML (or XHTML)?</a></dt>
390 <dt>4.27. <a href="misc.html#SURPRISE-PRIVOXY">How did you manage
391 to get Privoxy on my computer without my consent?</a></dt>
395 <dt>5. <a href="trouble.html">Troubleshooting</a></dt>
399 <dt>5.1. <a href="trouble.html#AEN1100">I cannot connect to any
400 websites. Or, I am getting <span class="QUOTE">"connection
401 refused"</span> message with every web page. Why?</a></dt>
403 <dt>5.2. <a href="trouble.html#ERROR503">Why am I getting a 503
404 Error (WSAECONNREFUSED) on every page?</a></dt>
406 <dt>5.3. <a href="trouble.html#AEN1123">I just added a new rule,
407 but the steenkin ad is still getting through. How?</a></dt>
409 <dt>5.4. <a href="trouble.html#BADSITE">One of my favorite sites
410 does not work with Privoxy. What can I do?</a></dt>
412 <dt>5.5. <a href="trouble.html#DUN">After installing Privoxy, I
413 have to log in every time I start IE. What gives?</a></dt>
415 <dt>5.6. <a href="trouble.html#FTP">I cannot connect to any FTP
416 sites. Privoxy is blocking me.</a></dt>
418 <dt>5.7. <a href="trouble.html#MACOSXIE">In Mac OS X, I can't
419 configure Microsoft Internet Explorer to use Privoxy as the HTTP
422 <dt>5.8. <a href="trouble.html#MACOSXUNINSTALL">In Mac OS X, I
423 dragged the Privoxy folder to the trash in order to uninstall it.
424 Now the finder tells me I don't have sufficient privileges to
425 empty the trash.</a></dt>
427 <dt>5.9. <a href="trouble.html#MACOSXIMAGES">In Mac OS X Panther
428 (10.3), images often fail to load and/or I experience random
429 delays in page loading. I'm using <tt class=
430 "LITERAL">localhost</tt> as my browser's proxy setting.</a></dt>
432 <dt>5.10. <a href="trouble.html#BLANKPAGE">I get a completely
433 blank page at one site. <span class="QUOTE">"View Source"</span>
434 shows only: <span class=
435 "MARKUP"><html><body></body></html></span>.
436 Without Privoxy the page loads fine.</a></dt>
438 <dt>5.11. <a href="trouble.html#NOHOSTNAME">My logs show many
439 <span class="QUOTE">"Unable to get my own hostname"</span> lines.
442 <dt>5.12. <a href="trouble.html#INUSE">When I try to launch
443 Privoxy, I get an error message <span class="QUOTE">"port 8118 is
444 already in use"</span> (or similar wording). Why?</a></dt>
446 <dt>5.13. <a href="trouble.html#DEMORONIZER">Pages with UTF-8
447 fonts are garbled.</a></dt>
449 <dt>5.14. <a href="trouble.html#DEMORONIZER2">Why are binary
450 files (such as images) corrupted when Privoxy is used?</a></dt>
452 <dt>5.15. <a href="trouble.html#DEMORONIZER3">What is the
453 <span class="QUOTE">"demoronizer"</span> and why is it
456 <dt>5.16. <a href="trouble.html#WINDOWOPEN">Why do I keep seeing
457 <span class="QUOTE">"PrivoxyWindowOpen()"</span> in raw source
460 <dt>5.17. <a href="trouble.html#DNSERRORS">I am getting too many
461 DNS errors like <span class="QUOTE">"404 No Such Domain"</span>.
462 Why can't Privoxy do this better?</a></dt>
464 <dt>5.18. <a href="trouble.html#ALLCPU">At one site Privoxy just
465 hangs, and starts taking all CPU. Why is this?</a></dt>
467 <dt>5.19. <a href="trouble.html#SLOWCRAWL">I just installed
468 Privoxy, and all my browsing has slowed to a crawl. What
471 <dt>5.20. <a href="trouble.html#PREVENTCOMP">Why do my filters
472 work on some sites but not on others?</a></dt>
474 <dt>5.21. <a href="trouble.html#SSL-WARNINGS">On some HTTPS sites
475 my browser warns me about unauthenticated content, the URL bar
476 doesn't get highlighted and the lock symbol appears to be broken.
477 What's going on?</a></dt>
479 <dt>5.22. <a href="trouble.html#SE-LINUX">I get selinux error
480 messages. How can I fix this?</a></dt>
482 <dt>5.23. <a href="trouble.html#GENTOO-RICERS">I compiled
483 <span class="APPLICATION">Privoxy</span> with Gentoo's portage
484 and it appears to be very slow. Why?</a></dt>
488 <dt>6. <a href="contact.html">Contacting the developers, Bug
489 Reporting and Feature Requests</a></dt>
493 <dt>6.1. <a href="contact.html#CONTACT-SUPPORT">Get
496 <dt>6.2. <a href="contact.html#REPORTING">Reporting
501 <dt>6.2.1. <a href="contact.html#CONTACT-ADS">Reporting Ads
502 or Other Configuration Problems</a></dt>
504 <dt>6.2.2. <a href="contact.html#CONTACT-BUGS">Reporting
509 <dt>6.3. <a href="contact.html#CONTACT-FEATURE">Request New
512 <dt>6.4. <a href="contact.html#MAILING-LISTS">Mailing
517 <dt>7. <a href="copyright.html">Privoxy Copyright, License and
522 <dt>7.1. <a href="copyright.html#AEN1475">License</a></dt>
524 <dt>7.2. <a href="copyright.html#AEN1491">History</a></dt>
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