The Onion Router, often abbreviated to TOR, is a privacy network that can allow its users to surf the web without having to worry about their privacy. This is certainly something that can be beneficial for anyone out there who’s hoping to browse the web anonymously since you can never be too careful in online spaces.
Even with the notoriety that TOR has, you might be wondering if you need to use a VPN or proxy with it. Here’s everything you need to know about TOR to make the right decision.
How can TOR help you?
In many ways, The Onion Router can often be considered the best option, acting as both a VPN and proxy at the same time in some ways. This service has several layers of encryption, taking traffic through its own proxy servicers (the onion routers) which won’t know what you’re looking at, and keeping your data and information safe from anyone who could otherwise access your IP address.
The service will use a different IP for each of your sessions, which overall, is perfect for discreetly browsing the web without being tracked. More or less, if you’re searching for a tool that will provide you with anonymity, this might just be one of the best options out there.
Do You Need To Use A Separate VPN or Proxy with TOR?
For the most part, you’ll find that there’s no need to use a proxy or a virtual private network alongside TOR. This is mostly because The Onion Router as a whole can provide a similar service and doesn’t need any additional help or tools to work. Using TOR with a VPN could help to enhance your security, but that doesn’t make it a necessity.
The Downsides of TOR
The key benefit of this particular service is the anonymity and privacy that it has to offer, which does make it a popular option for illegal and at best suspicious activities. Some even use TOR to perform cyberattacks, which goes against the intended purpose of the site altogether.
Needless to say, it’s not usually used for the most legitimate or innocent purposes. It does protect your privacy online, but it’s important to remember that you might be flagged if someone finds out that you’re using it, purely because of how many individuals use it for illegal activity.
It’s actually blocked by some national authorities, which might be worth keeping in mind before you start using it.
Can A Proxy or VPN Be Better?
If your main concern is security rather than privacy and you’d rather not be associated with the shady business that often goes on with The Onion Router, we’d advise you to consider using a proxy or VPN.
While these two types of services generally provide their users with a high level of anonymity while browsing the internet, they’re also far more commonly used by everyday web users and even businesses, making it a less shady tool in most people’s eyes. Plus, they can offer a high level of security and several other advantages – all of which have helped to make them popular among a wide range of individuals.
For example, they can often help to get access to blocked content online, like websites that are restricted by location. While a simple bonus, this is something that a lot of people can benefit from, especially with streaming services that have a lot of geo-blocked content. With all this and several other advantages, it’s not hard to see why many people opt to use these VPNs over TOR.
How Do You Find The Right Service For You?
Whether you’re interested in proxies or TOR, it’s important that you take the time to ensure that you’re choosing the right one for your needs. Fortunately, when it comes to proxies, there are several different options on the market to choose from – which gives you a better chance to pick one that suits your needs.
When it comes to picking the best proxy or VPN, one of the best things you can do is research. Learn a little more about some of your different options and how they could benefit you, and making the right decision should prove to be easier.