What is Tor Network

Tor is an entirely free software and an open network that allows Internet users to improve their privacy and security when surfing the internet. Tor software is an efficient censorship circumvention tool that lets you protect your privacy and defend yourself online from network surveillance. It not only allows people to secure their identities online but also enables you to unblock sites and content similarly like VPN providers do. In this article you’ll find out what is Tor Network and how does it work, we will also give you a comparison of Tor and a VPN service, and give you an idea which is a better tool for your requirements.

What is Tor Network

The Tor is a software that provides its users with completely anonymous internet access. It offers similar benefits like a VPN service, but regarding practical use, each of them provides slightly different features.

Although Tor provides a very high level of internet anonymity, it also comes at the cost of internet speed reduction. On the other hand, all the best VPN providers offer a very high level of privacy, but because the VPN provider knows your actual IP address, then it’s hard to regard it as an entirely anonymous network.

The Tor is the best tool for anyone who’s looking for maximum possible anonymity when browsing the internet, plus it’s a great anti-censorship tool. However, being free and with many users around the world, many governments have tried to a varying degree of success to block access to the Tor network.

Why is Tor free?

Tor network is completely free and open source. Although Tor still accepts sponsorships and donations, since the beginning of its launch in the mid-1990s, it’s been receiving substantial funding from the USA government. The actual reason to start the Tor project was to protect government communications. However, today Tor’s primary purpose is to assist those people who are living under oppressive regimes like China, North Korea, Saudi Arabia and many others.

Who uses Tor?

Now that you know what is Tor Network, you should know who are the people that typically use it. Today, Tor Network is used by many people around the world and for a wide variety of reasons. It’s regularly used by the military, law enforcement officers, journalists and many others.

Today, many people around the world use Tor Network and for a wide variety of reasons. Military, law enforcement officers, journalists are often using Tor Network.

Here are some of the best uses of Tor for specific industries:

Tor for Everyone

The Tor is a popular tool within regular internet users as it protects their internet identity and privacy. The Tor is also a great tool for everyone who’s concerned about their breached private data through online communication. Many Tor users also mention their kid’s protection online as one of the main reasons for using the tool. It also let’s circumvent censorship and access even blocked sensitive topics that typically wouldn’t be available.

Tor for Journalists

Tor software is very advisable for journalists, sources and bloggers protect their online privacy and security. Even Reporters without Borders have recommended journalists around the world to use a Tor to keep their identities anonymous. Most of the journalists in China, where the internet censorship is at a high level, use Tor when writing news and articles to encourage social change and political reforms.

Tor for law enforcement officers

Anonymous internet access allows law officers to facilitate secret operations. If the communication includes connections from a government, law enforcement or from police IP addresses, then they can lose the cover.

Tor for activists and whistleblowers

Many human rights defenders report abuses from danger zones, to do so anonymously they use Tor as although it’s within the law, it doesn’t mean that it is safe.

Tor for celebrities and low profile people

Many celebrities choose to use Tor because they want to hide from a spotlight that their profession provides. Tor lets celebrities and high profile people share their opinions online without consequences to their public roles.

Also low profile people use Tor to keep their online profile anonymous, people who are living in poverty are in fear to voice out their opinion. They’re don’t want to lose their job or worry to be treated differently if their boss or social worker comes across to their views published online.

How does Tor network work?

The Tor is an official name of the program which is an acronym of The Onion Router. It’s related to the way in which your online data encryption is layered.

Tor works at an extremely high level; it bounces connections from your computer or mobile device to the end destination like google.com though several (at least three random) intermediate servers called as “nodes.”

What is Tor Network and How it Works

Currently, there are a few thousands of nodes. They are all in different locations across the world that is routing traffic through the Tor network. And run by volunteers who are willing to give up some bandwidth for a good cause. Therefore it’s also good to know that only rare nodes have a special software or hardware to run. But most of them use only Tor software to act as a node.

How Tor Network Works

Each time your data passes through a node, it is re-encrypted. Nodes only recognize IP addresses that are in front and behind it. That means that no one can figure out the whole path of your data. Data that is traveling between your computer and the website you are trying to connect.

How Tor Network Works Step 3

For the speed and anonymity, it’s important that there are more nodes. That is because of the limited bandwidth that each node offer. The more nodes there are, the more difficult it is to track its users. And that makes the Tor system to be one of the best privacy tools designed. With Tor Network no one can trace back your real identity and no one can access your online data.

Tor against censorship

Tor randomly directs your internet connection. That’s how it exits through a node located in some other part of the world. Most of the nodes located in countries that are pro-freedom online therefore Tor works as a great anti-censorship tool. To bypass censorship and avoid school or work firewalls is one of Tor’s core feature. However, there are some countries and even organizations that have blocked Tor network access. Countries like China and Iran have tried to block the access to the Tor network by using Deep Packet Inspection.

Author: Inga

I’m a freelance writer living in Canada. Highly interested in topics on technology, online surveillance, and censorship. Love traveling and outdoor activities.

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