Tunnel - Putty - Firefox

Ever have the need to browse the internet in an un-secure hot-spot? Say... a coffee shop or the airport (typing this at the Las Vegas airport right now)... Well, it might be a good idea to make your connection secure (never know who is collecting your wireless packets). If you've got an SSH server setup at home (built into most Linux distros) then you are set.

First thing first; you will need Putty. Go to www.google.com and search/download ''Putty''. You don't even need to install it as it can run straight from your desktop. I suggest putting it in your program files directory just to keep things uniform.

1. Open Putty
2. Put in the IP or Host Name of your SSH server.
3. Leave it at 22 or change it to whatever port you run your SSH server on.
4. Verify that SSH is selected.
5. Give it a Saved Session name.

6. On the left side, expand SSH.
7. Click on Tunnels to see your options for types of tunnels.
8. Enter the ''Source port'' of 4321
9. Leave the ''Destination'' EMPTY.
10. Make sure ''Dynamic'' and ''Auto'' are selected.
11. PRESS ADD

12. Now go back to the category ''Session'' on the top left.
13. Click SAVE
14. Then Open
15. Log into your SSH server and do some thing useful. ;)
16. Open Firefox & at the top, click on Tools -> Options
17. Then the ''Advanced'' page; then the ''Network'' sub-menu.
18. Select ''Manual proxy connection''
19. Under ''SOCKS Host'' enter: 127.0.0.1
20. Under ''Port'' (to the right of SOCKS Host) enter: 4321
21. Click Ok;Ok
22. Visit http://www.whatismyip.com to verify your viewing the internet with your SSH server's IP instead of the IP of where you are actually located. :)