Proxychains Does Not Require Tor
Explain how proxychains uses the configured HTTP or SOCKS endpoint and why installing an unrelated service can conceal a configuration mistake.
Proxychains-ng works with configured HTTP CONNECT and SOCKS endpoints. It does not require Tor specifically.
A sample configuration may name a loopback port where no service is running. Starting a service on that port can make the setup work, provided it speaks the configured protocol, but that is an endpoint requirement rather than a dependency on one product.
The selected configuration
Check which file the invoked wrapper loads, then inspect its proxy list and chain mode. Use the endpoint intended for the job: a SOCKS server, an appropriate HTTP proxy, or an SSH dynamic listener, with compatible authentication. For a permitted public endpoint, the free proxy list offers candidates to match to the configuration's protocol.
A missing local listener, rejected login, and failed destination DNS are different stages. Diagnose the one reported instead of adding another network service, which may select a route different from the one intended.