Though there are many ways to enhance your security online, there is one new platform that is pretty exciting. VPNs and other security technologies are fantastic at encrypting your data and masking your IP address – allowing you to browse the web securely and anonymously. However, the Invisible Internet Project is pretty interesting and you should know how to take advantage of it. I2P is aimed at allowing applications to send data to each other anonymously, such as chatting, blogging, file transfers, and web surfing.
Unfortunately, I2P isn’t very user friendly to operate. In fact, you need to have a certain amount of technological education before you can configure and use this tool. If you aren’t the most technically inclined person, you may struggle getting it to work right. As such, this guide is aimed at people who don’t consider themselves to be computer or technical experts. The following is a brief guide to help your everyday Internet user download and install this amazing tool.
Configuration Steps
- Step 1 is to download and install Java. This application utilizes Java code, and without it, you won’t be able to run the program. I would bet money that you already have Java installed on your computer, but if you don’t you will need to go download the latest version.
- Next, you will actually have to download I2P. Unzip it, install it, and run it.
- When you launch it, you will see a command prompt open up. For future reference, you can also copy and paste the text you see in the command prompt should you need support help. The text is made of log files, and they can be especially helpful.
- You will know you have successfully installed and launched the application when you reach a window that says “I2P Router Console” in the upper right hand corner of the window. However, in some cases you will need to wait as the program finds other peers and builds tunnels in between them.
- After your computer has made connections with other devices, you should see your ‘Uptime’ clock ticking away and your network status as ‘OK.’
- Next, you will need to configure your web browser to use a web proxy. In Firefox, browse to Options, Advanced tab, Network tab, and then connection settings.
- Once there, you will want to manually configure a proxy server. Inside the HTTP proxy configuration fields, enter 127.0.0.1 and port number 4444. Also, in the box labeled ‘No Proxy for,’ enter the following text:
– localhost, 127.0.0.1
Click ok until all the configuration windows for your browser have been closed.
- Everything should be setup now. To test your configuration, click on any of the links in the I2P program that end in .i2p. If the first one doesn’t work, move down the list until you find one that does. Save that website to the address book and continue to eepsite (‘eep’ is the phonetic pronunciation of IIP, or I2P).
- By now you should be able to browse the secure web. If you want to find other sites, you should use their search engine. Furthermore, you can gain access to other resource pages on their website.
Though this handy tool may not be feasible for all of your web browsing needs, it can certainly help improve a good portion of your online security. Browsing through a proxy service will help you circumvent network restrictions as well as improve the strength of your Internet anonymity.
