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Groups > alt.comp.os.windows-10 > #186926

Re: Tutorial: DIY build your own lightweight chromium-based privacy web browser

From Marion <marion@facts.com>
Newsgroups alt.comp.os.windows-10, alt.comp.os.windows-11, alt.comp.microsoft.windows
Subject Re: Tutorial: DIY build your own lightweight chromium-based privacy web browser
Date 2025-08-20 18:27 +0000
Organization BWH Usenet Archive (https://usenet.blueworldhosting.com)
Message-ID <108541r$2igj$1@nnrp.usenet.blueworldhosting.com> (permalink)
References (10 earlier) <107trjv$9eo$1@nnrp.usenet.blueworldhosting.com> <107vl4v$1541$1@nnrp.usenet.blueworldhosting.com> <107vtqj$2s2$1@nnrp.usenet.blueworldhosting.com> <1081lgo$2nsg$1@nnrp.usenet.blueworldhosting.com> <10824ht$26ne$1@nnrp.usenet.blueworldhosting.com>

Cross-posted to 3 groups.

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On Tue, 19 Aug 2025 15:17:17 -0000 (UTC), Marion wrote :


> To both those ends, I improved the process this morning of running a 
> free no-registration system-wide random VPN first, and then running 
> Psiphon with a static SOCKS5 port of 1080 so that when I run the 
> privacy web browser from FreeCap, I now don't need to set the SOCKS5 
> port each time.

UPDATE:

Since we're layering free no-registration VPNs onto open source proxies 
onto free no-registration proxifiers onto free no-registration privacy 
extensions, it behooves us to be able to check proxy settings dynamically.

I never messed with proxies before, but darn'it, Windows splatters proxy 
settings all over the place, such that I needed a quick testing script.

Below is a script which simplifies visibility and control over what turns 
out to be a devilishly fragmented system of how Windows defines proxies.
 a. WinINET: Used by Internet Explorer, Chrome, and many apps;
 b. WinHTTP: Used by system services and background tasks;
 c. PAC/AutoDetect: Dynamic proxy configuration via commands.

Unfortunately, I've run into this proxy setup complexity due to using
 A. VPN, which encrypts traffic and changes routing;
 B. Psiphon, which tunnels & encrypts SOCKS5 & HTTPS traffic;
 C. FreeCap, which redirects app traffic through SOCKS proxies.

The proxy.bat script included below checks all three methods at once
which gives us a clear snapshot of what the Windows proxy setup is.

To that end, we add a new command to run in your Win+R taskbar Runbox:
  Win+R/Runbox > proxy
Which executes this added registry "App Paths" key:
  HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\App Paths\proxy.exe
Which runs this proxy checking tool (see the tool below in its entirety):
  C:\sys\bat\proxy.bat

 ===< cut here for proxy.bat >===
 @echo off
 REM proxy.bat 20250820 v1.0 — Unified Windows check-proxy diagnostic tool
 REM Reports: WinINET manual proxy, WinHTTP proxy, PAC/AutoDetect
 REM 20250820 rev 1.0
 REM HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\App Paths\proxy.exe
 REM Default=C:\sys\bat\proxy.bat ==> creates "Win+R > proxy" command
 setlocal
 
 set KEY="HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings"
 
 echo ==============================================
 echo   WINDOWS PROXY CONFIGURATION CHECK
 echo ==============================================
 
 REM --- WinINET (manual proxy) ---
 echo.
 echo [1] WinINET / Internet Settings
 for /f "tokens=2,* skip=2" %%A in ('reg query %KEY% /v ProxyEnable 2^>nul') do set ProxyEnable=%%B
 for /f "tokens=2,* skip=2" %%A in ('reg query %KEY% /v ProxyServer 2^>nul') do set ProxyServer=%%B
 if "%ProxyEnable%"=="0x1" (
     echo Proxy is ENABLED
     echo Proxy server: %ProxyServer%
 ) else (
     echo Proxy is DISABLED
 )
 
 REM --- WinHTTP proxy ---
 echo.
 echo [2] WinHTTP proxy (system/background services)
 netsh winhttp show proxy
 
 REM --- PAC (Proxy Auto-Config) & AutoDetect ---
 echo.
 echo [3] PAC / AutoDetect
 for /f "tokens=2,* skip=2" %%A in ('reg query %KEY% /v AutoConfigURL 2^>nul') do set PACurl=%%B
 for /f "tokens=2,* skip=2" %%A in ('reg query %KEY% /v AutoDetect 2^>nul') do set AutoDetect=%%B
 
 if defined PACurl (
     echo PAC script set: %PACurl%
 ) else (
     echo No PAC script URL found.
 )
 
 if "%AutoDetect%"=="0x1" (
     echo Auto-detect is ENABLED
 ) else (
     echo Auto-detect is DISABLED
 )
 
 echo.
 echo ==============================================
 echo Check complete.
 echo ==============================================
 
 endlocal
 pause
 ===< cut here for proxy.bat >===

As always, this is posted to help others copy & paste
(where wasbit's kind and helpful advice is appreciated)
this script as part of their addition of privacy to Windows.

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Thread

Tutorial: DIY build your own lightweight chromium-based privacy web browser Marion <marion@facts.com> - 2025-07-29 02:25 +0000
  Re: Tutorial: DIY build your own lightweight chromium-based privacy web browser "Allan Higdon" <allanh@vivaldi.net> - 2025-07-29 08:38 -0500
    Re: Tutorial: DIY build your own lightweight chromium-based privacy web browser Marion <marion@facts.com> - 2025-07-29 22:41 +0000
      Re: Tutorial: DIY build your own lightweight chromium-based privacy web browser Marion <marion@facts.com> - 2025-07-30 05:42 +0000
        Re: Tutorial: DIY build your own lightweight chromium-based privacy web browser Marion <marion@facts.com> - 2025-07-30 21:01 +0000
          Re: Tutorial: DIY build your own lightweight chromium-based privacy web browser Marion <marion@facts.com> - 2025-08-01 02:42 +0000
            Re: Tutorial: DIY build your own lightweight chromium-based privacy web browser Marion <marion@facts.com> - 2025-08-07 03:31 +0000
              Re: Tutorial: DIY build your own lightweight chromium-based privacy web browser Marion <marion@facts.com> - 2025-08-09 02:57 +0000
                Re: Tutorial: DIY build your own lightweight chromium-based privacy web browser Marion <marion@facts.com> - 2025-08-09 19:35 +0000
                Re: Tutorial: DIY build your own lightweight chromium-based privacy web browser Marion <marion@facts.com> - 2025-08-12 20:13 +0000
                Re: Tutorial: DIY build your own lightweight chromium-based privacy web browser Marion <marion@facts.com> - 2025-08-18 00:20 +0000
                Re: Tutorial: DIY build your own lightweight chromium-based privacy web browser Marion <marion@facts.com> - 2025-08-18 16:42 +0000
                Re: Tutorial: DIY build your own lightweight chromium-based privacy web browser Marion <marion@facts.com> - 2025-08-18 19:10 +0000
                Re: Tutorial: DIY build your own lightweight chromium-based privacy web browser Marion <marion@facts.com> - 2025-08-19 11:00 +0000
                Re: Tutorial: DIY build your own lightweight chromium-based privacy web browser Marion <marion@facts.com> - 2025-08-19 15:17 +0000
                Re: Tutorial: DIY build your own lightweight chromium-based privacy web browser Marion <marion@facts.com> - 2025-08-20 18:27 +0000
                Re: Tutorial: DIY build your own lightweight chromium-based privacy web browser Marion <marion@facts.com> - 2025-08-21 04:11 +0000
                Re: Tutorial: DIY build your own lightweight chromium-based privacy web browser Marion <marion@facts.com> - 2025-08-22 09:45 +0000
                Re: Tutorial: DIY build your own lightweight chromium-based privacy web browser Marion <marion@facts.com> - 2025-08-23 17:14 +0000
                Re: Tutorial: DIY build your own lightweight chromium-based privacy web browser Marion <marion@facts.com> - 2025-08-24 14:54 +0000
                Re: Tutorial: DIY build your own lightweight chromium-based privacy web browser Marion <marion@facts.com> - 2025-08-29 05:41 +0000
                Re: Tutorial: DIY build your own lightweight chromium-based privacy web browser Marion <marion@facts.com> - 2025-09-02 04:06 +0000

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