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How can I configure Tor browser so it does not connect to the tor network? I want it to connect like any other browser would. I would like to use Tor as a hardened browser. I know this question has been asked here How to run the Tor browser without the bundled Tor proxy? I have dissabled Tor button but whenever I set proxy settings to "none" it wont connect to the internet at all?

Any and all help appreciated thanks.

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2 Answers 2

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This is not a good plan, if you feel that you still want to do this, the easiest way to do this (see here for setting environment variables in Windows) is to follow the 'Upstream Transproxy' section of this guide:

https://trac.torproject.org/projects/tor/wiki/TorBrowserBundleSAQ

Specifically:

  • TOR_SKIP_LAUNCH=1 will stop Tor Launcher from launching its own copy of Tor.
  • TOR_TRANSPROXY=1 will tell it to not use any proxy settings. It is intended to be used with an upstream transparent proxy.

You should be very cautious when doing this, do not do this with a copy of Tor Browser that you later intend to use for anonymous browsing.

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  • Hi I just read your answer, I was wondering how I can access the TOR_SKIP_LAUCH and TOR_TRANSPROXY variables? Is there a command I write in the URL?
    – Webeng
    Commented Apr 26, 2017 at 20:32
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    They're environment variables, so on linux or unix you'd run something like: env TOR_SKIP_LAUNCH=1 TOR_TRANSPROXY=1 ./start-tor-browser.desktop from the command line, there's a link to setting environment variables in windows too.
    – cacahuatl
    Commented Apr 26, 2017 at 22:10
  • thanks for that man, I'm running it on linux/ubuntu. What does the ./start-tor-browser.desktop do? does TOR have to be on the desktop in that case for it to work
    – Webeng
    Commented Apr 26, 2017 at 22:17
  • You just need to be in the folder where you extracted Tor Browser to then run that command from the command line, it will start tor browser.
    – cacahuatl
    Commented Apr 26, 2017 at 22:59
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not a good idea at all.

why would you want to surf around using the TOR Browser-Fingerprint ?

if you want privacy without anonymity use a sandboxed Firefox with the addons NoScript and HTTPS Everywhere. maybe get a decent AdBlocking hosts file and set your Browser to always use privacy mode (to prevent DOM Storage, Cache and Cookie tracking techniques)

this behind a VPN is what i'd consider pretty private. always keep your browsing habits in mind though and refresh your session from time to time.

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  • But if you disabled TOR, would the fingerprint still exist? Or would it seem to be a normal firefox browser?
    – Webeng
    Commented Apr 26, 2017 at 17:33
  • From my understanding, TOR does everything it can to prevent fingerprinting from happening. And if you take out the "secret sauce" of what makes TOR unique, wouldn't it just be that much harder to finger print you?
    – Webeng
    Commented Apr 26, 2017 at 17:35
  • It is important to keep in mind that you have a fingerprint, this can't be avoided. All Tor Browser tries to do is to make the fingerprints of all Tor users uniform. No attempt is made to hide that your using Tor or Tor Browser. To achieve this, all Tor Browsers have the same user agent string, JavaScript API, window size (multiple of 200x100), fonts, plugins, rendering and all traffic is passed through Tor.
    – Peter Gerber
    Commented Jun 26, 2017 at 18:44
  • If you stop passing traffic through Tor, an observer will see someone using Tor Browser without Tor. This alone makes you pretty unique and your IP might be a bit of a giveaway too. Even if it isn't static, you may very well be the only one in the providers network with this fingerprint.
    – Peter Gerber
    Commented Jun 26, 2017 at 18:44
  • Tor Browser does make some effort to camouflage itself, at least to the extent possible without breaking any functionality. It at least breaks the ability to track users across sites e.g. using canvas fingerprinting
    – Codebling
    Commented Feb 12, 2022 at 23:52

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