# Why can't I access quicktopic.com from Thailand ?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-i-access-quicktopic-com-from-thailand/614098>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [February 27, 2012, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-i-access-quicktopic-com-from-thailand/614098 "2012-02-27T00:34:49Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![septimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/septimus/32/410_2.png) [@septimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/septimus)\
**Post date:** [May 13, 2012, 7:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-i-access-quicktopic-com-from-thailand/614098/21 "2012-05-13T07:04:43Z")

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> [@Patty\_O\_Furniture](#):
>
> I know it’s been a huge pain trying to find a working proxy back to the USA…

I installed Tor, as **tellyworth** recommended upthread. It seems to access all pages without trouble.

(Unfortunately, I’m afraid I’ve not configured it properly. It brought Firefox 10.0.2 along with it, whereas I normally run Firefox 3.6.28. Then, for example, it complains it needs Flash for a site where Firefox 3.6.28 is OK; when I attempt to download Flash the download stalls. I’m guessing that having two versions of Firefox on the same machine causes confusion. I’d hope an experienced expert could recommend a workaround that doesn’t require massive de-install or such.)

(And, unrelated to censoring(?), CAT sometimes provides slow or very slow connection, adding to the confusion and irritation.)

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**Author:** ![tellyworth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/977dab/32.png) [@tellyworth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tellyworth)\
**Post date:** [May 13, 2012, 8:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-i-access-quicktopic-com-from-thailand/614098/22 "2012-05-13T08:57:29Z")

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The Tor Browser Bundle comes with its own copy of Firefox, for reasons of security and convenience (it’s self-contained and doesn’t affect your old copy). It’s not really compatible with Flash - Flash bypasses Tor, using your regular network connection. That means it won’t benefit from Tor’s ability to route around censorship, and it can also unmask you.

It is possible to install just the Tor components necessary to work with an existing copy of Firefox, but it’s complicated and nowadays the Tor developers recommend against it.

In short: Tor is secure, but slow and incompatible with Flash.

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