Ideas to help forum member with internet shutdowns

[peregrina2000]

As many of you know, we have a dear forum friend who lives in a part of the world where regular internet shutdowns and slowdowns have become a fact of life. She is able to access email and zoom, but getting on the forum is nearly impossible.

I am unable to offer any suggestions, but I am happy to be the go-between.

I wish I could connect with Ivar or Rick because they might have some other ideas besides getting rid of my cache/cookies and reinstalling Firefox. The speed is the same on my phone or my laptop, and while sometimes I can get in to read posts (it takes forever), I'm wondering if the software The Forum uses shares some key characteristics with Facebook or Twitter, which are both blocked here.

I am happy to relay the messages, fingers crossed that some of you can help. Buen camino, Laurie

 

[mspath]

Laurie,
If our dear friend is able to access email then each of us should be able to send her a sincere good wish via email.

MM.

 

[Deleted member 73526]

Unfortunately, I think that social media like this forum are exactly the kind of thing that totalitarian governments want to limit access to in times of crisis.

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[Anhalter]

Are we talking problems, because someone might be turning it off (like china or myanmar), or problems because of bad infrastructure (like rural places, emerging countries)? Different problems with different solutions.

 

[peregrina2000]

Are we talking problems, because someone might be turning it off (like china or myanmar), or problems because of bad infrastructure (like rural places, emerging countries)? Different problems with different solutions.

The former.

 

[Anhalter]

The former.

In this case, @Raggy has given the correct answer already. That does not help, if they actually "cut the line" but might help with the more common blocking methods.

 

[peregrina2000]

Thanks so much for the quick responses. I have sent on the information and will report back.

 

[Stephan the Painter]

As many of you know, we have a dear forum friend who lives in a part of the world where regular internet shutdowns and slowdowns have become a fact of life. She is able to access email and zoom, but getting on the forum is nearly impossible.

I am unable to offer any suggestions, but I am happy to be the go-between.

Your friend might look into the TOR browser, which was designed to provide users with anonymity and works like a VPN. Some countries block people from using TOR, but if your friend can get a copy of it they show a way you can configure it to work around that.

The Tor Project | Privacy & Freedom Online

Defend yourself against tracking and surveillance. Circumvent censorship.

www.torproject.org

Breaking through censorship barriers, even when Tor is blocked | Tor Project

Download video | view on YouTube While Tor Browser provides many security and privacy properties...

blog.torproject.org

 

[Stephan the Painter]

@peregrina2000 , In case it isn’t evident from those links, the TOR project gives an option to get their software by email in case the download page is blocked:

“Send an email to gettor@torproject.org. Write your operating system (such as Windows, macOS, or Linux) in the body of the message and send. GetTor will respond with an email containing links from which you can download Tor Browser, the cryptographic signature (needed for verifying the download), the fingerprint of the key used to make the signature, and the package’s checksum. You may be offered a choice of "32-bit" or "64-bit" software: this depends on the model of the computer you are using; consult documentation about your computer to find out more.”

To use GetTor via email. | Tor Project | Support

Defend yourself against tracking and surveillance. Circumvent censorship. | To use GetTor via email.

support.torproject.org

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

I've noticed that our friend has been missing. I don't have much knowledge on the ways to get around the blockage but the suggestions on using a VPN or the TOR browser are good.

 

[Stephan the Painter]

It also occurs to me that depending what country you live in using TOR or a VPN may not be legal, or might get you into trouble in some other way. The point of these things is that you remain anonymous and they can’t track you, but of course the Camino forum might not be the thing you want to risk anything for.

I don’t have any specific knowledge, but I wouldn’t want any suggestion I made to get someone in trouble.

 

[peregrina2000]

I don’t have any specific knowledge, but I wouldn’t want any suggestion I made to get someone in trouble.

That’s a good heads up. I will make sure to pass along this information.

 

[NorthernLight]

I’ve used DuckDuckGo as an anonymous browser, but repressive regimes are likely on to sites such as that.

 

[DoughnutANZ]

As many of you know, we have a dear forum friend who lives in a part of the world where regular internet shutdowns and slowdowns have become a fact of life. She is able to access email and zoom, but getting on the forum is nearly impossible.

I am unable to offer any suggestions, but I am happy to be the go-between.

I wish I could connect with Ivar or Rick because they might have some other ideas besides getting rid of my cache/cookies and reinstalling Firefox. The speed is the same on my phone or my laptop, and while sometimes I can get in to read posts (it takes forever), I'm wondering if the software The Forum uses shares some key characteristics with Facebook or Twitter, which are both blocked here.

I am happy to relay the messages, fingers crossed that some of you can help. Buen camino, Laurie

I believe that the military in Myanmar are deliberately slowing the Internet and as a result Tor and VPN's are just as slow as a straight browser.

On her (Android) phone she could use Chrome Lite mode, see https://support.google.com/chrome/answer/2392284?co=GENIE.Platform=Android&hl=en&oco=0

This doesn't work on a PC though. On a PC if she can get Opera Mini from somewhere (downloading it will obviously be slow) then that may be slightly faster.

In addition, do the normal things to speed up browsing on both the phone and PC such as only have a single tab open and no other programs running.

 

[DoughnutANZ]

She could try turning off graphics, that will speed things up but might make the Forum hard to navigate:
Chrome

In the upper right, open the Customize and control Google Chrome menu by clicking the three horizontal bars. Select Settings.

Click the Show advanced settings... ...

Under the "Images" heading, select Do not show any images.

Click OK, and then close the Settings tab.

 

[DoughnutANZ]

Ask Ivar if there is a low graphics version of the Forum software that he can enable for people on slow links.

 

[DoughnutANZ]

A much more complicated method may help if she wants to go down the technology hole.

On a PC if she has a mobile phone that allows its internet connection to be shared over WiFi then it is possible to combine the wired PC connection with the phone connection to get a faster combined speed, see: https://techwelkin.com/combine-multiple-internet-connections

Good luck!

 

[David Tallan]

Ask Ivar if there is a low graphics version of the Forum software that he can enable for people on slow links.

For those Internet old timers in the crowd, I might suggest she browse the site with the Lynx web browser, but I don't know how well the site works with it.

 

[LesBrass]

If anyone does get in touch with our friend please pass on my very best wishes...I was thinking of her just today and hope that life is being kind, even in such terrible times

 

[lt56ny]

That’s a good heads up. I will make sure to pass along this information.

I agree with Les. Hopefully there is someone on this forum or knows someone that is well versed in this area and knows what the serious repercussions may be if she attempts to use some work around that has been set up by a totalitarian regime. Even for just coming to our sight this person could face profound and life changing repercussions. I have no idea but better to be safe.

 

[peregrina2000]

A note from Myanmar —

It's late and I just blew through a couple of hours futzing around trying to install a VPN. I can download the app but then I can't sign in— that latter step seems blocked. But Doughnut's Chrome Lite mode does seem to make a big difference. So I can read at least. The thing is, the page never fully loads and what is missing is is any ability to interact, so I can't reply or even easily like a post. But it's hugely better than nothing.

So, many thanks to all the forum helpers. I am going to be the relay messenger — from Myanmar via email to me to the forum!

And I. have also communicated all the concerns about legality and possible repercussions. Thanks so much to everyone!

 

[Mycroft]

The former.

How blessed are we who do not have to deal with this internal terrorism--yet anyway.

 

[DoughnutANZ]

A note from Myanmar —

It's late and I just blew through a couple of hours futzing around trying to install a VPN. I can download the app but then I can't sign in— that latter step seems blocked. But Doughnut's Chrome Lite mode does seem to make a big difference. So I can read at least. The thing is, the page never fully loads and what is missing is is any ability to interact, so I can't reply or even easily like a post. But it's hugely better than nothing.

So, many thanks to all the forum helpers. I am going to be the relay messenger — from Myanmar via email to me to the forum!

And I. have also communicated all the concerns about legality and possible repercussions. Thanks so much to everyone!

I use Lite mode on my phone all the time and I don't have any problems accessing the Forum. This probably means that the problems are related to Internet issues.

 

[Marbe2]

I am always fascinated by the scope of information one can obtained on this Forum and the expertise of so many members! Google lite...who knew... Thank You!

 

[Marcus-UK]

I’ve used DuckDuckGo as an anonymous browser, but repressive regimes are likely on to sites such as that.

DuckDuckGo is search engine and not a browser.

Just be aware that that Internet Searches on DuckDuckGo are visible to your ISP and hence local authorities who can request access to your search history. Similarly just looking up a web site address via the ISP default DNS server is also logged.

To be discrete you need to use an anonymous VPN service such as NORDVPN and to configure your device to use a secure DNS service. There are many Tutorials on the Internet who can show you how to do this and it is not difficult.

 

[NorthernLight]

@Marcus-UK Thank you for fixing that info! I must clearly have been operating under wrong info.

 

[ivar]

The Opera Browser has a built in VPN where (I don't think) you need to log in to use it.. might be worth a try

Free VPN | Browser with free VPN | Opera Browser

A free browser VPN is built right into Opera Browser for Android and desktop. No add-ons, more privacy. Browse with enhanced VPN privacy for free.

www.opera.com

Hang in there!

 

[peregrina2000]

I have sent along that suggestion, thanks, Ivar.