How to Install Tor Browser on AlmaLinux 9

Tor, also referred to as The Onion Router, is open-source, free software that permits anonymous communication using online services like web surfing. The Tor network directs the web traffic through an accessible worldwide volunteer overlay network with over six thousand relays and continues to grow. Many users want to search out more ways to keep their information and activities anonymous or private online due to the increasing concerns over data and work snooping. However, users should be aware of both the advantages and disadvantages of using Tor before deciding whether or not it is the right tool for them.

While Tor provides a high degree of anonymity, it is not perfect. Due to the way the network routes traffic, it can be slow, making it impractical for some uses. In addition, because traffic is encrypted, some sites that use anti-Tor measures can block all traffic from the network, preventing users from accessing them. Despite these drawbacks, Tor remains a popular tool for those seeking a higher degree of anonymity online.

In the following tutorial, you will learn how to install Tor Browser on AlmaLinux 9 workstation desktop using Flatpak third-party package manager or downloading the browser manually and how to install it manually with tips on registering the application icon.

Update AlmaLinux

First, update your system to ensure all existing packages are up to date. This will ensure no conflicts arise as best as possible during the installation.

sudo dnf upgrade --refresh -y

Install Tor Browser – Flatpak Method

The easiest option for the average desktop user environment is to install Tor Browser with Flatpak, making updating the browser binary in the future much easier and quicker. The manual method is an optional feature after the DNF method and may be preferred for those who dislike using Flatpak.

First, re-install Flatpak if you have removed the package manager previously.

sudo dnf install flatpak -y

Before you proceed, reboot your system, or else you will have issues such as application icons not appearing.

reboot

Next, you need to enable Flatpack using the following command in your terminal.

sudo flatpak remote-add --if-not-exists flathub https://flathub.org/repo/flathub.flatpakrepo

Now install the Tor Browser using the following flatpak command.

flatpak install flathub com.github.micahflee.torbrowser-launcher -y

Install Tor Browser – Manual Method

The second installation option is to install Tor Browser using the latest archive from the downloads page. This method gives you the newest version, but sometimes you must repeat the process for significant browser changes. But for the most part, it should self-update in the browser itself.

First, use the wget command to download the latest .tar.xz link.

Example:

wget https://www.torproject.org/dist/torbrowser/{version}/tor-browser-linux64-{version}_en-US.tar.xz

Replace the command above where {version} is with the current one from the download page.

Once you have downloaded the installation archive, extract it using:

Example only:

tar -xvJf tor-browser-linux64-{version}_en-US.tar.xz

Now, CD into the directory with.

cd tor-browser*

To start Tor Browser and set up configuration installation, use the following command:

./start-tor-browser.desktop 

Note that this will launch Tor Browser. However, you will not see it in your Show Applications menu. To install the Tor Browser icon, you will need to add –register-app to the end of the command as follows:

./start-tor-browser.desktop --register-app

Launch & Configure Tor Browser

Now that you have the Tor Browser installed, launching can be done in a few ways.

tor-browser

Alternatively, Flatpak users will need to launch using the command below from a terminal instance:

flatpak run com.github.micahflee.torbrowser-launcher

The Tor Browser can be launched from the applications menu by following the path.

Activities > Show Applications > Tor Browser.

On the first launch, you will see the following window download the browser for the first time.

Once launched, you will arrive at the Connect to Tor window.

Most users would use Connect by default, but optionally you can configure different settings like proxies.

Tor Network can use proxy settings for countries with tight restrictions or users who want more privacy to use proxy connections. Please make sure you are not breaking any laws using this.

Additionally, Tor now has brides which you can request or set some pre-made ones that can help evade blocks, as many websites often block TOR entirely, or for websites even such as computing post.com, usually if a malicious attacker uses TOR my automatic security rules can block that node for a while.

My advice, however, would be to personally use a clean private proxy with TOR if you can afford it or in a country that is heavily restricted in its citizen’s freedom.

In the tutorial, the method used was to connect straight to the network as most users would. When you click connect, Depending on your location, it may take 2 to 10 seconds to connect to the network, and you will see this message while connecting.

Once connected, you will get the following page.

Congratulations, you have connected to the Tor Network through your Tor Browser.

Tor Onion Services

When using Tor Browser, you can elect to use part of the Online services of the Tor Network instead of regular websites. The websites, however, must be available in this format, and if they are, they use a .onion address.

For those unfamiliar with onion services, they are anonymous network services that are exposed over the Tor network. In contrast to conventional Internet services, onion services are private, generally not indexed by search engines, and use self-certifying domain names long and complex for humans to read.

Some notable sites using .onion services are:

• The New York Times (https://www.nytimes3xbfgragh.onion)
• DuckDuckGo (3g2upl4pq6kufc4m.onion)
• ProtonMail (https://protonirockerxow.onion)

To see more services visit the wiki page List of Tor onion services.

Comments and Conclusion

Tor is a valuable tool for maintaining privacy, but it should not be considered the only solution. It is important to remember that Tor is not perfect and can be compromised. Always use caution when browsing or communicating online, especially when sharing personal information.©