Best proxy server in China ?

[Rob and WeiLing]

A couple free options are:

• As mentioned above, TOR. The main website is blocked, obviously, as are most of the initial connections it needs. To get around this, one has to continually add bridges--obtained either by sending an email from a GMail account (very specifically gmail), or by going to a specific website. But because of the hassle and the gov'ts high amount of crack-down on it, TOR isn't very reliable in China. Since its design also assumes users want to remain anonymous, there are privacy/security concerns. For example, I can setup an exit node right now and start tracking websites that some people on the network connect to. If they log into unsecure websites, I'll have their passwords.
  
• Free U/FreeDoor (NOTE: Door should be replaced with something that rhymes with Hate, maybe with a G) - These are basically the same products. It's a small program that you run which will automatically find and connect to a proxy server. FreeU is run by triple-double-you .dongXXXX.com, where XXXX is "tai" and "wang" together (The organization behind that website, by the way, is funded mostly by members of Fall Un Gong -- misspelled to avoid censor). And it's pretty sophisticated--despite being automatic and freely available, it is usually very reliable.
  
• GTunnel - This is similar to FreeU. It's also free, but hasn't been updated as regularly. One problem that I have with it is it's inability to properly reset proxy settings when it is closed. It is, however, able to use Skype's network to connect. This is pretty unique in that it's very hard for transparent firewalls and DNS hijacks to block GTunnel's Skype method (both are techniques that China uses). You'll have to have a Skype account (no Skype credit or subscription required, just a free ID) to use the Skype network though.
  

Everything here is free, both in the "free speech" and in the "free beer" meanings of the word. I expect freedur.com is probably using only one of those definitions.

 

Anyway, more information about those (and more options which I haven't tried) can usually be found at triple-double-you internet XXXX .org (where XXXX is "freedom"), but of course China blocks that website too. If anyone needs help obtaining these programs, I wouldn't mind.

 

PS, Trying to post this message unedited from China resulted in a "connection drop". I've modified some of the content in hopes that retrieving this post from China won't bring unwanted censor attention to CFL.

 

PPS, Awww hell. A couple extra posts in there. I hope this won't cause problems for readers in China.... Feel free to delete if it, in its current state, still does.

Edited July 8, 2010 by Rob and WeiLing (see edit history)