IP, Privacy & Security
What Is the Tor Network?
Tor is a network designed for one thing above all: anonymity. It hides not just what you do, but who and where you are, by bouncing your traffic through the world.
The goal: unlinkability
Ordinary connections — even through a VPN — have one party that knows both who you are and what you're accessing. Tor is built so that no single point knows both. It aims to make your identity and your activity impossible to link together.
Onion routing
Tor routes your traffic through at least three volunteer-run relays, wrapping it in layers of encryption — hence "onion" routing. Each relay peels off one layer and knows only the previous and next hop:
- The entry (guard) relay knows who you are but not where you're going.
- The middle relay knows neither end — just that it's passing traffic along.
- The exit relay knows the destination but not who you are.
No single relay sees the whole picture, which is the heart of Tor's anonymity.
The Tor Browser
Most people use Tor through the Tor Browser, a hardened version of Firefox that routes traffic through the network and resists browser fingerprinting. It's the recommended, safest way to use Tor without misconfiguring things.
Strengths and trade-offs
- Strength: the strongest widely available anonymity for browsing.
- Trade-off: it's slow, because traffic bounces around the globe — not ideal for streaming or large downloads.
- Caveat: the exit relay can see unencrypted traffic, so HTTPS still matters.
Who it's for
Tor is a vital tool for journalists, activists, and anyone who needs to research or communicate without revealing their identity or location. It's not necessary for everyday browsing, but it's one of the internet's most important privacy technologies — and a reminder that your IP address is only one of many ways you can be identified online.