We like to hazard a guess that if you’ve heard of the Tor browser, that it would have been something to do with the deep or dark web. Well, while the Tor browser is able to access the parts of the internet that is not listed by search engines such as Google, this browser is so much more than just a gateway to the murky parts of the internet.
In fact, the Tor browser to those that know is popular mainly because it provides internet users to surf the web in complete anonymity. Think of Google, Firefox or any other browser and you will know straight away that the online activity you’re enjoying will be tracked by that search engine, your ISP, many governmental agencies, and anyone else that likes to keep an eye on what you’re doing.
Is Tor Similar to a VPN?
You might be wondering if the Onion browser (another name for Tor due to its many layers of security) is nothing more than a VPN. Well, while the end result of using Tor or a VPN is the same with regards to your privacy and activity being protected when online, they actually work in different ways.
They do have similarities however as Tor uses a network of random servers around the world and encryption to ensure that your data is private and secure. A VPN provider, on the other hand, will allow you to connect to specific servers around the world via a secure and encrypted connection before letting you access the internet from there.
Can You Use Tor and a VPN Together?
Yes, it is possible but not really ideal if you’re looking for good performance. Either a VPN or Tor alone will probably give you the protection that you need but if you really wanted to, yes you could use a VPN alongside the Tor browser.
You could either connect to the Tor Browser first and then use a VPN or you could do it the other way around by connecting to a VPN and then opening your Tor browser. However, VPNs and Tor are both known to slow down network performance due to the many servers that they use, so you can just imagine using both at the same time.
If you did want to try using both, we recommend taking a look at the VPN reviews found at VPNVeteran.com.
Is the Dark Web as Bad as Made Out?
Firstly, it is important to note that you do not have to go looking around the dark web if you have the Tor browser and we certainly recommend that you avoid it. It should be noted though, that not everything on the dark web is as sinister as what is often made out. Sure there is a lot of nasty stuff down there but often you will find stuff from people that just do not want their privacy to be invaded.