If you're having trouble connecting, an error message may appear and you can select the option to "copy Tor log to clipboard".Then paste the Tor log into a text file or other document.
If you don't see this option and you have Tor Browser open, you can navigate to the hamburger menu ("≡"), then click on "Settings", and finally on "Connection" in the side bar.At the bottom of the page, next to the "View the Tor logs" text, click the button "View Logs...".
Alternatively, on GNU/Linux, to view the logs right in the terminal, navigate to the Tor Browser directory and launch Tor Browser from the command line by running:
./start-tor-browser.desktop --verbose
or to save the logs to a file (default: tor-browser.log)
./start-tor-browser.desktop --log [file]
You should see one of these common log errors (look for the following lines in your Tor log):
Common log error #1: Proxy connection failure
2017-10-29 09:23:40.800 [NOTICE] Opening Socks listener on 127.0.0.1:91502017-10-29 09:23:47.900 [NOTICE] Bootstrapped 5%: Connecting to directory server2017-10-29 09:23:47.900 [NOTICE] Bootstrapped 10%: Finishing handshake with directory server2017-10-29 09:24:08.900 [WARN] Proxy Client: unable to connect to xx..xxx..xxx.xx:xxxxx ("general SOCKS server failure")
If you see lines like these in your Tor log, it means you are failing to connect to a SOCKS proxy.If a SOCKS proxy is required for your network setup, then please make sure you've entered your proxy details correctly.If a SOCKS proxy is not required, or you're not sure, please try connecting to the Tor network without a SOCKS proxy.
Common log error #2: Can't reach guard relays
11/1/2017 21:11:43 PM.500 [NOTICE] Opening Socks listener on 127.0.0.1:915011/1/2017 21:11:44 PM.300 [NOTICE] Bootstrapped 80%: Connecting to the Tor network11/1/2017 21:11:44 PM.300 [WARN] Failed to find node for hop 0 of our path. Discarding this circuit.11/1/2017 21:11:44 PM.500 [NOTICE] Bootstrapped 85%: Finishing handshake with first hop11/1/2017 21:11:45 PM.300 [WARN] Failed to find node for hop 0 of our path. Discarding this circuit.
If you see lines like these in your Tor log, it means your Tor failed to connect to the first node in the Tor circuit.This could mean that you're on a network that's censored.
Please try connecting with bridges, and that should fix the problem.
Common log error #3: Failed to complete TLS handshake
13-11-17 19:52:24.300 [NOTICE] Bootstrapped 10%: Finishing handshake with directory server 13-11-17 19:53:49.300 [WARN] Problem bootstrapping. Stuck at 10%: Finishing handshake with directory server. (DONE; DONE; count 10; recommendation warn; host [host] at xxx.xxx.xxx.xx:xxx) 13-11-17 19:53:49.300 [WARN] 10 connections have failed: 13-11-17 19:53:49.300 [WARN] 9 connections died in state handshaking (TLS) with SSL state SSLv2/v3 read server hello A in HANDSHAKE 13-11-17 19:53:49.300 [WARN] 1 connections died in state connect()ing with SSL state (No SSL object)
If you see lines like this in your Tor log, it means that Tor failed to complete a TLS handshake with the directory authorities.Using bridges will likely fix this.
Common log error #4: Clock skew
19.11.2017 00:04:47.400 [NOTICE] Opening Socks listener on 127.0.0.1:9150 19.11.2017 00:04:48.000 [NOTICE] Bootstrapped 5%: Connecting to directory server 19.11.2017 00:04:48.200 [NOTICE] Bootstrapped 10%: Finishing handshake with directory server 19.11.2017 00:04:48.800 [WARN] Received NETINFO cell with skewed time (OR:xxx.xx.x.xx:xxxx): It seems that our clock is behind by 1 days, 0 hours, 1 minutes, or that theirs is ahead. Tor requires an accurate clock to work: please check your time, timezone, and date settings.
If you see lines like this in your Tor log, it means your system clock is incorrect.Please make sure your clock is set accurately, including the correct timezone. Then restart Tor.
FAQs
Censorship is the suppression of speech, public communication, or other information. This may be done on the basis that such material is considered objectionable, harmful, sensitive, or "inconvenient".
Why is Tor Browser potentially blocked? ›
Sometimes websites will block Tor users because they can't tell the difference between the average Tor user and automated traffic. The best success we've had in getting sites to unblock Tor users is getting users to contact the site administrators directly.
Is Tor Browser really safe? ›
Is Tor Browser safe? Tor Browser is generally considered safe and secure thanks to the onion routing protocol that encrypts your data and hides your IP address. But Tor does have some vulnerabilities, and as with any browser, Tor users remain vulnerable to online threats, ranging from malware to phishing scams.
Is Tor really anonymous? ›
While the Tor network is designed to provide anonymity and make tracking difficult, it is not entirely untraceable. Highly skilled individuals or organizations, such as government agencies, may have the capability to de-anonymize some Tor traffic using advanced techniques.
Why is censorship illegal? ›
In the United States, censorship involves the suppression of speech or public communication and raises issues of freedom of speech, which is protected by the First Amendment to the United States Constitution.
Why is censorship important? ›
It can protect people from slander intentionally making a false accusation or claim against someone in order to hurt their reputation 8 or violent threats. It can strengthen national security by keeping information away from enemies. Some people believe it can make a society more unified or moral.
Is Tor illegal in the US? ›
Tor is legal in the US. You won't likely get in trouble just because you use the Tor browser. However, Tor is not a lawless domain, so you can't use this browser for illegal activities. If you use Tor for buying drugs or weapons, you are held responsible against the law.
Is DuckDuckGo a Tor Browser? ›
DuckDuckGo is the default search engine in Tor Browser. DuckDuckGo does not track its users nor does it store any data about user searches. Learn more about DuckDuckGo privacy policy.
Are there any legitimate uses for Tor? ›
Along with SecureDrop, Tor is used by news organizations such as The Guardian, The New Yorker, ProPublica and The Intercept to protect the privacy of whistleblowers.
Do police track Tor users? ›
In conclusion, while TOR can provide a high level of anonymity, it's not completely foolproof. There are ways that law enforcement and other agencies can track down users on the TOR network, such as traffic analysis, exploiting vulnerabilities in the TOR software, monitoring exit nodes and using Honeypot nodes.
Tor tries to prevent attackers from learning what destination websites you connect to. However, by default, it does not prevent somebody watching your Internet traffic from learning that you're using Tor.
Can anyone see my Tor history? ›
When using Tor Browser, no one can see the websites that you visit. However, your service provider or network admins may be able to see that you're connecting to the Tor network, though they won't know what you're doing when you get there.
What is the simple definition of censorship? ›
Censorship blocks something from being read, heard, or seen. If you've ever heard the sound of bleeping when someone is speaking on television, that's censorship. To "censor" is to review something and to choose to remove or hide parts of it that are considered unacceptable.
What does being censored mean? ›
Censure is a formal, public, group condemnation of an individual, often a group member, whose actions run counter to the group's acceptable standards for individual behavior.
How do you explain censorship to a child? ›
Today, censorship means that a person or an institution (like a government) controls what information is shared with the public. Any type of information can be censored, including books, newspaper articles, and radio shows.
What words describe censorship? ›
censorship
- ban.
- blackout.
- restriction.
- suppression.
