Tor keeps you anonymous online, has no registration, ads or data limits and it’s free for anyone to download. But is it right for you?
If you’re keen to keep your online activities to yourself then Tor is a great option and well worth adding to your privacy toolkit.
Tor is a custom browser, which comes complete with clever open-source technology that uses some very smart tricks to protect your web anonymity.
The software accesses both regular websites and the dark web (opens in new tab), which is the hidden area of the internet that you won’t find indexed on Google. Better still, it’s also free to use. There’s no registration required, no data limits, no annoying advertising, and no constant demands to upgrade to a paid product either.
For many then, it’s a perfect fit, especially if you’re keen to keep your browsing tracks hidden from view. Is Tor the perfect web anonymity tool? Not quite, but it can work very well in some situations. During the course of this article we’ll explain how Tor works, when to use it, and how you can combine Tor with a VPN (opens in new tab) to get the best possible protection.
Tor is an open-source package based around a principle called Onion Routing.
This involves encrypting your data multiple times, then passing it through a network of volunteer-run servers (or ‘relays’) from around the world.
The first (or ‘guard’) relay receives your data and peels off the first layer of encryption, like the layer of an onion. In fact, Tor stands for ‘The Onion Router’, and takes its name from this layering idea.
The guard relay knows your IP address (opens in new tab), but has no other clues to your identity. It can’t see which site you’re trying to access either, which means there’s no way to log what you’re doing. The only information it has is the address of the next relay.
The subsequent relays don’t have your IP address or know which site you’re trying to visit. All they do is remove a layer of encryption and pass the data to the next relay.
When your data reaches the last relay, also called the exit node, it removes the final layer of encryption and routes your web request to its real destination.
Your target website sees the IP address of the Tor exit node rather than yours, so has even less idea of who you are. It passes its response back to the exit node, which routes it through the Tor network and back to you.
Tor uses the same core principle as a VPN service (opens in new tab): it hides your IP address from websites by routing your traffic through another server. However, there are several differences in how the process works, which differentiates it somewhat from a conventional VPN arrangment.
For example, while VPNs typically use a single server, Tor routes your data through at least three.
VPNs have a single layer of encryption, which protects you from end-to-end. Tor, on the other hand, uses multiple layers, but these are peeled off as you travel from server to server.
What’s more, VPNs require you to log into a server, which then sees every website you visit and that, theoretically at least, could mean your data is logged as a result. Tor separates the knowledge of who you are (your incoming IP address) and the website you’re visiting, which makes it much more difficult to record your activities.
Despite Tor’s powerful tech and many privacy-protecting features, it’s very easy to use and you can be up and running in no time if you feel it’s well suited to your needs.
First up, you’ll need to visit the official Tor website (opens in new tab) and download the right version of Tor for your platform. While there’s no iOS version, the site does have downloads for Windows, Mac, Linux and Android, so most folks are catered for.
