Am considering this on xp

[Guest Mark G.]

So I am thinking of installing and using a program that will hide and/or

make my IP anonymous. With theft and whatnot these days, I am thinking I may

be better of with this. Plus, I don't necessarily like all websites tracking

my moves and whatnot. No, I am not paranoid by default, but just cautious.

Anyhow, I am a very heavy PC user and do quite the variety of things on my

PC. Will using this type of software mess with anything that I may be used

to? What I mean is, some sites that I do sign into and use frequently, I

want them to store my login. Also, what about XP ftp settings and the like?

Anybody use these types of programs? Your thoughts? Will they interfere with

online game play? Any other input on this? Sorry for the long post, I just

thought some of you could share your experiences with this type of thing.

Thanks much!

[Guest VanguardLH]

Re: Am considering this on xp

 

Mark G. wrote:

> So I am thinking of installing and using a program that will hide

> and/or make my IP anonymous. With theft and whatnot these days, I am

> thinking I may be better of with this.

 

Someone - a friend or thief - that uses your computer at their current

location won't be getting your old IP address, anyway. Unless you PAID

for a static IP address (which won't be available elsewhere), you get a

dynamic IP address. Eventually it expires (in a couple days) and

becomes eligible for reassignment to you or someone else. You don't go

anonymous for your IP address because you're worried about theft of

your computer. Your real worry is something that you decided wouldn't

be beneficial for responses to your post.

> Plus, I don't necessarily like all websites tracking my moves and

> whatnot.

 

Oh, so you don't trust your ISP and the web sites but you'll trust an

unknown party with your web traffic. Yeah, like that increases

security ... not! With Javascript and cookies (which often are

required for a web site to function), they'll know your host's IP

address or track your web surfing without it (they often don't care

about your IP address).

> No, I am not paranoid by default, but just cautious.

 

Hiding your IP address is not just being cautious. There's a reason

behind it, like wanting to troll a forum, bypass being banned from

there, or fear of an oppressive government in your area. It's not done

because of just curiosity. No one goes to the trouble of setting up and

using proxies because they were merely cautious. They want to hide for

a reason.

> Anyhow, I am a very heavy PC user and do quite the variety of things

> on my PC. Will using this type of software mess with anything that I

> may be used to?

 

It will slow your web traffic. Why? Because a host had to process the

incoming traffic and separately generate the output traffic to

disconnect the link between the endpoints. It also means a less

reliable Internet connection. Why? Because if that anonymizing proxy

goes down then you no longer have a path to receive that web traffic.

> What I mean is, some sites that I do sign into and use frequently, I

> want them to store my login.

 

They can't "store" you login unless you enable cookies. Cookies reside

on your host, not on the intermediate proxy. That means any site that

uses cookies can track you despite using a proxy unless you purge their

cookie after your web session with the target site is over; however,

some sites won't function unless you save their cookie (which is on

your host) so you can't get rid of it until you close the last instance

of the web browser and then purge cookies.

> Also, what about XP ftp settings and the like?

 

If you're using an anonymous FTP server (allows anyone to login), why

do you care if they know your IP address? Most anonymizing proxies

only handle certain protocols, like HTTP. They don't support FTP. If

the FTP site isn't anonymous, you'll have to login using your

credentials for your account so some proxy between you and them is

worthless.

> Anybody use these types of programs? Your thoughts?

 

Yes, I've trialed several to see how they worked. You move your trust

regarding your web traffic from your ISP to an unknown owner of an

unregulated proxy host. Web traffic is slowed. Reliability is

diminished.

> Will they interfere with online game play?

 

Definitely because of the slowdown in delivering traffic. While you're

still trying to move, someone else with a faster connect which includes

not using proxies has already splattered your innards on the wall.

[Guest Mark G.]

Re: Am considering this on xp

 

Thanks for the extended info. Very informative. And yes, I do try things on

a 'test' machine just to see how they react. And yes, I am sure I, just like

others "may" trade torrents and the like for 'legite' purposes. In any

event, is/was a curiosity. Thanks for your lengthy insight on the subject.

While some points I considered, others came from your own first hand

knowledge and that is appreciated.

 

 

"VanguardLH" <V@nguard.LH> wrote in message

news:%231uN%239TKJHA.1012@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...

> Mark G. wrote:

>

>> So I am thinking of installing and using a program that will hide

>> and/or make my IP anonymous. With theft and whatnot these days, I am

>> thinking I may be better of with this.

>

> Someone - a friend or thief - that uses your computer at their current

> location won't be getting your old IP address, anyway. Unless you PAID

> for a static IP address (which won't be available elsewhere), you get a

> dynamic IP address. Eventually it expires (in a couple days) and

> becomes eligible for reassignment to you or someone else. You don't go

> anonymous for your IP address because you're worried about theft of

> your computer. Your real worry is something that you decided wouldn't

> be beneficial for responses to your post.

>

>> Plus, I don't necessarily like all websites tracking my moves and

>> whatnot.

>

> Oh, so you don't trust your ISP and the web sites but you'll trust an

> unknown party with your web traffic. Yeah, like that increases

> security ... not! With Javascript and cookies (which often are

> required for a web site to function), they'll know your host's IP

> address or track your web surfing without it (they often don't care

> about your IP address).

>

>> No, I am not paranoid by default, but just cautious.

>

> Hiding your IP address is not just being cautious. There's a reason

> behind it, like wanting to troll a forum, bypass being banned from

> there, or fear of an oppressive government in your area. It's not done

> because of just curiosity. No one goes to the trouble of setting up and

> using proxies because they were merely cautious. They want to hide for

> a reason.

>

>> Anyhow, I am a very heavy PC user and do quite the variety of things

>> on my PC. Will using this type of software mess with anything that I

>> may be used to?

>

> It will slow your web traffic. Why? Because a host had to process the

> incoming traffic and separately generate the output traffic to

> disconnect the link between the endpoints. It also means a less

> reliable Internet connection. Why? Because if that anonymizing proxy

> goes down then you no longer have a path to receive that web traffic.

>

>> What I mean is, some sites that I do sign into and use frequently, I

>> want them to store my login.

>

> They can't "store" you login unless you enable cookies. Cookies reside

> on your host, not on the intermediate proxy. That means any site that

> uses cookies can track you despite using a proxy unless you purge their

> cookie after your web session with the target site is over; however,

> some sites won't function unless you save their cookie (which is on

> your host) so you can't get rid of it until you close the last instance

> of the web browser and then purge cookies.

>

>> Also, what about XP ftp settings and the like?

>

> If you're using an anonymous FTP server (allows anyone to login), why

> do you care if they know your IP address? Most anonymizing proxies

> only handle certain protocols, like HTTP. They don't support FTP. If

> the FTP site isn't anonymous, you'll have to login using your

> credentials for your account so some proxy between you and them is

> worthless.

>

>> Anybody use these types of programs? Your thoughts?

>

> Yes, I've trialed several to see how they worked. You move your trust

> regarding your web traffic from your ISP to an unknown owner of an

> unregulated proxy host. Web traffic is slowed. Reliability is

> diminished.

>

>> Will they interfere with online game play?

>

> Definitely because of the slowdown in delivering traffic. While you're

> still trying to move, someone else with a faster connect which includes

> not using proxies has already splattered your innards on the wall.

[Guest HeyBub]

Re: Am considering this on xp

 

Mark G. wrote:

> So I am thinking of installing and using a program that will hide

> and/or make my IP anonymous. With theft and whatnot these days, I am

> thinking I may be better of with this. Plus, I don't necessarily like

> all websites tracking my moves and whatnot. No, I am not paranoid by

> default, but just cautious. Anyhow, I am a very heavy PC user and do

> quite the variety of things on my PC. Will using this type of

> software mess with anything that I may be used to? What I mean is,

> some sites that I do sign into and use frequently, I want them to

> store my login. Also, what about XP ftp settings and the like?

> Anybody use these types of programs? Your thoughts? Will they

> interfere with online game play? Any other input on this? Sorry for

> the long post, I just thought some of you could share your

> experiences with this type of thing. Thanks much!

 

It's probably a wasted effort. I don't think anybody monitors the internet

looking for all connections to "Site X." In other words, if they are

interested in you, they are interested in you due to some other indicator.

Of course if there ARE institutions monitoring the internet, they certainly

wouldn't be telling me...

 

If the men in black ARE interested in you, no amount of obfuscation will be

sufficient.

 

Even encryption won't make you immune - you can be forced to divulge the

encryption key just like you can be compelled to give up the combination to

a safe in your home.

[Guest olfart]

Re: Am considering this on xp

 

 

"HeyBub" <heybub@gmail.com> wrote in message

news:%23nFh6GtKJHA.4908@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...

> Mark G. wrote:

>> So I am thinking of installing and using a program that will hide

>> and/or make my IP anonymous. With theft and whatnot these days, I am

>> thinking I may be better of with this. Plus, I don't necessarily like

>> all websites tracking my moves and whatnot. No, I am not paranoid by

>> default, but just cautious. Anyhow, I am a very heavy PC user and do

>> quite the variety of things on my PC. Will using this type of

>> software mess with anything that I may be used to? What I mean is,

>> some sites that I do sign into and use frequently, I want them to

>> store my login. Also, what about XP ftp settings and the like?

>> Anybody use these types of programs? Your thoughts? Will they

>> interfere with online game play? Any other input on this? Sorry for

>> the long post, I just thought some of you could share your

>> experiences with this type of thing. Thanks much!

>

> It's probably a wasted effort. I don't think anybody monitors the internet

> looking for all connections to "Site X." In other words, if they are

> interested in you, they are interested in you due to some other indicator.

> Of course if there ARE institutions monitoring the internet, they

> certainly wouldn't be telling me...

>

> If the men in black ARE interested in you, no amount of obfuscation will

> be sufficient.

>

> Even encryption won't make you immune - you can be forced to divulge the

> encryption key just like you can be compelled to give up the combination

> to a safe in your home.

A guy named Vinnie will break your legs