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ProxyChains With Tor Configuration Guide

· 2 min read
Ryan Achmad
Ryan Achmad
soc & sysadmin

This guide will walk you through setting up proxychains4 to route your traffic through Tor for enhanced anonymity.

1. Update & Upgrade System​

Before installing any packages, ensure your system is up to date:

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y

2. Install ProxyChains4 & Tor​

Next, install the required tools:

sudo apt install proxychains4 tor -y

After installation, start the Tor service:

sudo systemctl start tor
sudo systemctl enable tor

3. Configure ProxyChains4​

Open the configuration file:

sudo nano /etc/proxychains4.conf

Choosing the Right Proxy Chain​

Scroll down to find the chain settings. Choose the one that fits your needs:

  • Dynamic Chain: Uses proxies in order, but skips any failed ones.
  • Strict Chain: Uses proxies in order; if one fails, the entire connection fails.
  • Round-Robin Chain: Uses proxies sequentially in a circular manner.
  • Random Chain: Selects proxies randomly for each connection.

For better reliability, enable dynamic_chain by uncommenting it and commenting out others:

dynamic_chain
#strict_chain
#round_robin_chain
#random_chain

Configure Proxy List​

Scroll to the [ProxyList] section at the bottom. Since we're using Tor, comment out any existing SOCKS4 entries and add SOCKS5 support:

#socks4  127.0.0.1 9050
socks5  127.0.0.1 9050

Save the file (CTRL+X, then Y, then Enter).

4. Test ProxyChains​

First, check your IP without proxychains:

curl https://check.torproject.org/api/ip

Example Output (without ProxyChains):

{"IsTor":false,"IP":"12.43.33.233"}

"IsTor:False" without proxychains

Now, test with ProxyChains:

proxychains4 curl https://check.torproject.org/api/ip

Example Output (with ProxyChains via Tor):

[proxychains] config file found: /etc/proxychains4.conf
[proxychains] preloading /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libproxychains.so.4
[proxychains] DLL init: proxychains-ng 4.17
[proxychains] Strict chain  ...  127.0.0.1:9050  ...  check.torproject.org:443  ...  OK

{"IsTor":true,"IP":"2.58.56.35"}

If the output IP is different and "IsTor:True", Tor and ProxyChains are working correctly! 🎉

Troubleshooting​

  • If proxychains4 curl https://check.torproject.org/api/ip fails, ensure Tor is running: 
    systemctl status tor
    If it's not running, restart it: 
    sudo systemctl restart tor
  • If your IP remains the same, double-check proxychains4.conf to ensure SOCKS5 is set correctly.

🎯 Now you can route any application through Tor using ProxyChains!
Example:

proxychains4 firefox

Enjoy anonymous browsing! 🕵️‍♂️🔥