Before launching Privoxy for the first time, you will want to configure your browser(s) to use Privoxy as a HTTP and HTTPS proxy. The default is 127.0.0.1 (or localhost) for the proxy address, and port 8118 (earlier versions used port 8000). This is the one configuration step that must be done!
With Netscape (and Mozilla), this can be set under Edit -> Preferences -> Advanced -> Proxies -> HTTP Proxy. For Internet Explorer: Tools -> Internet Properties -> Connections -> LAN Setting. Then, check "Use Proxy" and fill in the appropriate info (Address: 127.0.0.1, Port: 8118). Include if HTTPS proxy support too.
After doing this, flush your browser's disk and memory caches to force a re-reading of all pages and to get rid of any ads that may be cached. You are now ready to start enjoying the benefits of using Privoxy!
Privoxy is typically started by specifying the main configuration file to be used on the command line. If no configuration file is specified on the command line, Privoxy will look for a file named config in the current directory. Except on Win32 where it will try config.txt.
We use a script. Note that RedHat does not start Privoxy upon booting per default. It will use the file /etc/privoxy/config as its main configuration file. FIXME: Debian??
# /etc/rc.d/init.d/privoxy start |
We use a script. It will use the file /etc/privoxy/config as its main configuration file. Note that SuSE starts Privoxy upon booting your PC.
# rcprivoxy start |
Click on the Privoxy Icon to start Privoxy. If no configuration file is specified on the command line, Privoxy will look for a file named config.txt. Note that Windows will automatically start Privoxy upon booting you PC.
Example Unix startup command:
# /usr/sbin/privoxy /etc/privoxy/config |
FIXME.
FIXME.
FIXME.
Privoxy may be invoked with the following command-line options:
--version
Print version info and exit. Unix only.
--help
Print short usage info and exit. Unix only.
--no-daemon
Don't become a daemon, i.e. don't fork and become process group leader, and don't detach from controlling tty. Unix only.
--pidfile FILE
On startup, write the process ID to FILE. Delete the FILE on exit. Failure to create or delete the FILE is non-fatal. If no FILE option is given, no PID file will be used. Unix only.
--user USER[.GROUP]
After (optionally) writing the PID file, assume the user ID of USER, and if included the GID of GROUP. Exit if the privileges are not sufficient to do so. Unix only.
configfile
If no configfile is included on the command line, Privoxy will look for a file named "config" in the current directory (except on Win32 where it will look for "config.txt" instead). Specify full path to avoid confusion. If no config file is found, Privoxy will fail to start.