Nice write-up. Tor over VPN is generally recommended if you want to hide Tor usage from your ISP and access the dark web securely, while VPN over Tor might be better if you prioritize privacy and want to shield your IP from the VPN provider.
**HOWEVER, IT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT:**
**VPN over Tor (Computer -> Tor -> VPN -> Website) is more complicated due to the need for precise configuration and the potential for DNS leaks, whereas Tor over VPN is simpler and generally more supported by VPN providers.**
**So proceed with caution. You could shoot yourself in the foot if you don't know what you're doing and you don't test it well.**
**VPN over Tor:**
1. **Configuration Complexity:**
- Requires setting up the VPN client to connect after the Tor network is established.
- Ensuring that the VPN client is properly configured to route through Tor can be tricky.
2. **Limited VPN Support:**
-Not all VPN providers support connections through Tor, limiting the choice of VPN services.
3. **DNS Leaks:**
-More prone to DNS leaks if not properly configured, which can expose browsing activity.
4. **Performance:**
- Usually slower because the traffic first goes through the Tor network and then through the VPN, adding latency.
5. **Anonymity:**
- Tor entry nodes can see your IP address, but the VPN exit node sees the final destination. Misconfiguration can expose your identity.
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**Tor over VPN:**
1. **Simpler Setup:**
- Connect to the VPN first, then start the Tor browser. Most VPNs support this configuration.
2. **Privacy:**
- The VPN hides your IP from the Tor entry node, adding an extra layer of privacy.
3. **DNS Handling:**
- Easier to manage DNS settings, reducing the risk of leaks.
4. **Compatibility:**
- More VPN providers support this setup, making it easier to find a suitable service.
Good points. Also all of this is pointless if you are using a OS or browser that tracks you. Or do something dumb like forget to log out of a google account.
💯 Gotta be vigilant with good OPSEC.
100%. All the more reason to have separate VMs for different purposes or Qubes OS where that is already baked in.
What is an example of a specific risk of your ISP knowing you accessed Tor?
Them canceling your service if it is against their terms and conditions. They dime you out to the government if tor is illegal where you reside.
Ah yeah that first one feels most likely to occur 😅 BRB going to skim my ISP’s T&Cs
Thanks for writing up! Much appreciated
I suppose having a very long range wifi antenna and borrowing a distant wifi network and using the VPN & TOR techniques above along with Qubes/Whonix would help even more. Or a public wifi.
Anything that would distance yourself from identity. Public WiFi has its own issues even if it’s not an evil twin.
Wifi & Bluetooth frequencies are poisonous for your brain
VPN at the router. Always.
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2. Privacy:
- The VPN hides your IP from the Tor entry node, adding an extra layer of privacy.
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The enttry node knows where you coming from even with vpn ... entry node is always showing the same country, the country which you are in
Safer to keep always on VPN active than to risk accidentally not reenabling it and exposing your IP
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