How to Anonymously Browse the Web and Send Email

I am not very technically sophisticated. I am looking for an easy and cheap way to anonymously browse the internet and send email. I know there are some free services out there like proxify, but its functionality seems limited. I'm unsure who to trust with all the options out there, both whether they'll do the job right and whether they'll not open me up to some virus. Also, with email, if I already have an account not linked to me, can emails sent from it be traced back to my ip address or is that not something I need to worry about?

research "The TOR project" that should answer your questions

You can also research "VPN."

research "The TOR project" that should answer your questions Originally Posted by Spirit13

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Recommend downloading the program on a flash drive - that way, the program would not be on your system...in case someone asks why it is on your system.

Recommend downloading the program on a flash drive - that way, the program would not be on your system...in case someone asks why it is on your system. Originally Posted by plainjoe

I agree.. you can put TOR on a thumby..

Buy a good laptop with CASH
Only browse , Email or whatever at Wireless 'hotspots'

Buy a good laptop with CASH
Only browse , Email or whatever at Wireless 'hotspots' Originally Posted by instfixer

Here is what I do
1) use a laptop at wireless hot spots that do not use a portal page(more on that later)
2) use Linux since it can encrypt the home directory (all my files) at installation
3) use TOR on thumb drive which does not stay with the laptop bag..

You guys sound way more serious than what I'm looking for. I'm not too worried about LE. I just would not want some of the folks who run websites seeing my real IP without any extra inconvenience than currently. I read the wiki page for TOR and still not sure I get it or if I even need to understand how or why it works. Please dumb it down for a non-techie. Is it as simple as there is a site I go to and download a program and then just run the program whenever I surf?

@Waldo Tor uses a list of proxy sites to browse from.. aka you appear to be in a different city or country .. and it is set to change proxies every 10 -15 minutes (but you can change that to stay put and only change when you launch it) so it seems you move around.. to a systems log it would appear you are using proxies but it does not reveal you. Because it can be installed on a thumb drive and all its browsing history, cookies, and bookmarks are kept on the same drive what happens is when you remove the thumb drive all the "evidence" goes with the thumby. which can be hidden ALOT easier these days.. hell I have seen watches with 4 gig usb drives built into the, Zippo lighters, pens ... so hiding a thumb drive is easier than a laptop.

@Waldo Tor uses a list of proxy sites to browse from.. aka you appear to be in a different city or country .. and it is set to change proxies every 10 -15 minutes (but you can change that to stay put and only change when you launch it) so it seems you move around.. to a systems log it would appear you are using proxies but it does not reveal you. Because it can be installed on a thumb drive and all its browsing history, cookies, and bookmarks are kept on the same drive what happens is when you remove the thumb drive all the "evidence" goes with the thumby. which can be hidden ALOT easier these days.. hell I have seen watches with 4 gig usb drives built into the, Zippo lighters, pens ... so hiding a thumb drive is easier than a laptop. Originally Posted by Spirit13

+1

google hide your ass it works great

Gmail does hide your IP address which is very nice.

I've tried TOR and can see its usefulness if you are worried about sites collecting your IP address.

https://www.torproject.org/

Just follow the download link and it will download the program and an attached version of Firefox. Then when you want to use it just run the TOR program it will start up and load the Firefox for browsing. Its simple and easy.

I recommend looking at Hushmail

You might do some reading/researching on "non-install applications".
You can run you entire world, both civilian and hobby, off of a thumbdrive.

However, if I may add a little common sense- remember,-
-just because you are browsing a website does not implicate you in any illegal activity.
-And always use a server based email for actual communication and delete the emails regularly.

On another thread, I recently posted what I call "How to Be a Successful Hobbiest". Just a list of things to know/think about in this world of ours.
Search my handle and it should pop up.
Be well,