How to Surf Anonymously on Windows

Guide Note

Have you have ever wished that you could go online without the risk of someone following your every move? If so, this guide on How to Surf Anonymously on Windows will show you exactly how to do that!

Table of Contents

Introduction: Why You Should Surf Anonymously

Prevent others from remotely accessing your information. (Creative Commons photo by d70focus)
Prevent others from remotely accessing your information. (Creative Commons photo by d70focus)
  • Surfing anonymously is something everyone using a computer should do, or think about doing. Hiding private information keeps you safer online, protecting you from other users that are looking to gain access to your personal information.
  • If you hide your IP address you can prevent sites from knowing who is behind that address. Anonymous surfing will also protect you from websites trying to install cookies onto your machine without your permission.

Step 1: Clear Cookies

  • Clearing cookies is the first step to make sure you remain safe online. With cookies, a company keeps track of all the surfing that you do on a specific site. These types of cookies can be abused and may be used to spy on what a user is doing even after the site session has ended. In this case it becomes necessary to delete these cookies so they cannot see where you are browsing.

Internet Explorer

  1. Go to the Tools menu and select Internet Options.
  2. Click on the General tab.
  3. Click the Settings button.
  4. Click the View Files button.
  5. Find the cookie(s) you want to delete in the window that appears.
  6. If you want to delete multiple cookies, hold the CTRL button as you select the ones you wish to delete.
  7. If you want to delete all cookies, type CTRL+A.
  8. Press the Delete key on your keyboard.
  9. Click OK.
  10. Click OK again.

Mozilla Firefox

You can use a web proxy to mask your IP address. (Creative Commons photo by Jackie)
You can use a web proxy to mask your IP address. (Creative Commons photo by Jackie)
  1. Go to the Tools menu and select Options.
  2. Click Privacy.
  3. Click on the Show Cookies button.
  4. You can delete specific cookies by clicking on the site name and Remove Cookie.
  5. You can delete all the cookies by clicking on Remove All Cookies.

Safari

  1. In the Safari menu, select Preferences.
  2. Click Security.
  3. Click Show Cookies.
  4. You can either select cookies from specific websites to delete, or click on Remove All to erase all cookies.

Step 2: Clear Other Private Data

  • Besides cookies, other files on your system may follow your online activities. Web cache and browsing history also keep track of the places you've visited online. Fortunately, there are many programs that can remove these privacy risks. Any of these programs can safely be run with any other programs since they do not have real-time protection (a security feature for detecting viruses) and are just simple tools for preventive maintenance. The following programs are free to download—choose one appropriate for your system.

Step 3: Use A Firewall

  • Using a firewall is an absolute necessity in today's online world. Not using a firewall leaves your computer open for hackers to exploit. The firewall's job is to mask all the ports on a computer so that a hacker or any other malicious agent cannot locate your computer. Either of the free firewalls below is a good option.

ZoneAlarm Free Firewall

  1. Go to ZoneAlarm's site and download ZoneAlarm Free Edition.
  2. Save the file to your desktop for easy access.
  3. Doubleclick on the zaSetup_en.exe file that you just saved.
  4. After you doubleclick the file, it will ask which version of Microsoft Windows you are using.
  5. If you are using Windows Vista, put a checkmark next to Vista.
  6. If you are not using Vista, then please keep the dot next XP/2000 and click Next.
  7. Make sure there is a dot next to "Download and Install" and click Next.
  8. ZoneAlarm will now download to your computer—just be patient.
  9. After ZoneAlarm downloads, it is now ready for installation by clicking the Next button.
    (Screenshot by Mahalo)
    (Screenshot by Mahalo)
  10. On the next screen, enter a valid e-mail address so you can register and download future ZoneAlarm updates—then click Next.
  11. Put a checkmark next to the "I accept the terms of the preceding License Agreement" and click Install.
  12. The ZoneAlarm window will disappear momentarily. Do not try to re-launch the program, it is operating correctly.
  13. Fill out the survey by marking the appropriate choices and click Finish.
  14. You will get a window that asks if you want to start ZoneAlarm now, click the Yes button.
  15. Click the No Thanks button when it asks if you want to try ZoneAlarm Security Suite.
    • Security Suite is a more advanced security package. Although it has a free trial, it is a pay program.
  16. On the next screen, ZoneAlarm says it will scan your computer so it can auto-configure the necessary configuration.
  17. ZoneAlarm is now installed on your computer and—after a restart—will protect your computer.
  18. Click Finish to restart your computer.
  19. When your computer restarts you will be presented with a Getting Started window. Watch the video and then click Finish.
  20. ZoneAlarm is now configured for your computer and protecting you.

Comodo Personal Firewall

  1. Go to Comodo's official site and download Comodo Firewall Pro.
  2. Save the file to your desktop for easy access.
  3. Doubleclick the file that you just downloaded to start the installation wizard.
  4. When Comodo asks you to uninstall any third party firewalls, please click Yes to continue.
    Advanced configuration (Screenshot by Mahalo)
    Advanced configuration (Screenshot by Mahalo)
  5. Click Next at the resulting window.
  6. Click I Accept to agree to the terms of the license agreement.
  7. Keep the default installation directory and parameters and click Next to begin installation.
  8. You will be presented with the configuration wizard. Please click Next.
  9. Again, click Next to keep the default Advanced Firewall with Defense+ selection.
  10. Click Next to accept the default automatic rule creation.
  11. On the following screen, click Next.
  12. And on then following screen, click Next, yet again.
  13. Finally, click Finish twice and restart your computer.
  14. Comodo Firewall is installed and protecting your computer.

Step 4: Use a Web Proxy

  • When you use a web proxy you send your request to another computer. That computer then fetches the information from the place you are trying to visit and subsequently gives you the information. Using a web proxy is one of the fastest and easiest ways to travel throughout the Internet without releasing your private information. However, although they're used for anonymity, web proxies are in fact very dangerous to your privacy.
  •  WARNING Only use a web proxy on your own computer or with the permission of the computer's owner.  Warning

Why A Web Proxy Can Be Dangerous

  • Some of the dangers of using a proxy server include, but are not limited to:
  1. The proxy could be a honeypot.
    • A honeypot is a trap set up to steal your personal information.
  2. The person who set up the proxy server could be a hacker.
  3. You trust your information to someone you don't know.
  4. If the proxy server was opened by mistake and the company chooses to pursue you, you could be convicted of a felony.
    • All proxy servers take a certain amount of bandwidth. If a company goes over its allotted bandwidth limit, it would look into who is accessing its network. If it is an unauthorized entry, the company may consider it hacking.
  • More information on open proxy servers can be found Here.

How to Use a Web Proxy

  • There are several free web proxies available for use, usually from sites like Proxy.org.
  1. To use one of these free web proxies, visit here.
  2. Select a proxy from the list presented.
  3. In the box that asks for a URL, type in the URL which you wish to visit.
  4. Click to start browsing the web page as normal.
  • By performing the above steps, the website will not know where the original request has come from—the web proxy masks your IP Address. Only the web proxy knows where the original request came from.

Step 5: Use xB Browser

  • xB Browser is a free web browser that is based off the same code as Mozilla Firefox 2.0, but has added features that protect your private information. It is available only for Microsoft Windows.
  1. Download xB Browser from the Xerobank website.
  2. Save the file to your desktop for easy access.
  3. Doubleclick the file that you just downloaded.
  4. Put a dot next to "I accept the terms in the License Agreement" and click Next.
  5. Click Next to use the default installation directory.
  6. Now click the Install button to use the Free Version of xB Browser.
    The xB Browser window (Screenshot by Mahalo)
    The xB Browser window (Screenshot by Mahalo)
    • xB Browser also offers a pay version which will speed up browsing, but is not required to surf anonymously.
  7. xB Browser will now install—click the Finish button after it is done installing.
  8. Doubleclick the xB Browser icon on your desktop—it will sync the browser with the Tor network.
  9. You are now able to surf anonymously with the Tor network.
  • If you do not want to use xB Browser as your primary browser, please read the next section for another option.

Step 6: Use Tor

  • Tor is a very useful, secure program that allows a user to connect to the Internet using a random IP Address from a list of proxy servers, and also keeps the original IP address secret.

Microsoft Windows Instructions

  1. Click here to download the Tor bundle.
  2. Save the file to your desktop for easy access.
    Installing Tor (Screenshot by Mahalo)
    Installing Tor (Screenshot by Mahalo)
  3. Doubleclick on the file that you just downloaded.
  4. Click the OK button to keep the default English installation language.
  5. On the next window click the Next button.
  6. Keep the full installation to install all functions of Tor and click Next.
  7. Keep the default installation directory of C:\Program Files\Vidalia Bundle and click Install.
  8. Tor will now install to your computer.
  9. When it says it has completed, click Next.
  10. You are now ready to run Tor, so click Finish to start the installed components.
  11. Click the Hide button when a configuration window pops up.
  12. Close your web browser and re-open it.
  13. You are now browsing the Internet with Tor.
  14. If you get any errors accessing a web page, right-click the green, pear-shaped item in your system tray and select New Identity. Close your web browser and try again.

USB Flash Drive Instructions

  • If you want to surf anonymously on a computer that you are not able to install Tor onto, then Portable Tor might be for you. All you need is a USB flash drive.
  1. Insert your flash drive into one of your USB ports on your computer.
  2. Go to the SourceForge website and download Portable Tor.
  3. Save the file to your desktop for easy access.
  4. Doubleclick the file that you just downloaded to your desktop.
  5. The 7-Zip extraction wizard will open—click the ... button to the right of the pathway.
  6. Navigate to find your flash drive, click on it and then click OK.
  7. Now click the Extract button—be patient as it extracts to your flash drive.
  8. Portable Tor is now installed on your flash drive.
  9. To start Portable Tor, doubleclick your flash drive and also doubleclick PortableTor.
  10. You will see an icon that says PortableTor—doubleclick this icon.
  11. Tor is now started and you may anonymously browse the Internet.

Step 7: Use FAROO

  • FAROO is an anonymous search engine that is based off of a secure peer-to-peer search network, so search results are not saved on any one computer.
FAROO (Screenshot by Mahalo)
FAROO (Screenshot by Mahalo)
  1. Go to FAROO's official site and download FAROO.
  2. Save the file to your desktop for easy access.
  3. Doubleclick on the file that you just downloaded to launch the installation wizard.
  4. Click the Next button to begin the installation.
  5. Put a dot next to I accept the agreement and click Next.
  6. Keep the default installation directory and click Next and on the next screen also click Next.
  7. Finally, click the Install button.
  8. FAROO is now installed on your computer and will open in a separate window or tab.
  9. If you need to close or re-open FAROO, just doubleclick on the FAROO icon on your desktop.

Conclusion

  • These steps have outlined the basics of surfing anonymously. However, there is no way to completely hide yourself from anyone. Law enforcement, for example, can figure out which IP an illegal request came from and then subpoena the records from that website and see exactly what you did. Surf anonymously so that regular people do not know who you are, not so that you can go on a crime spree!

Resources for How to Surf Anonymously

Have any great tips on How to Surf Anonymously on Windows? Post your thoughts to the discussion board.