Most web browsers connect you directly to the websites you visit. That is convenient, but it also means the site can normally see your public IP address.
Tor Browser takes a different approach. It is a free browser designed to make it more difficult to connect a person with their browsing activity. Although Tor is frequently associated with the dark web, you can use it to visit ordinary news sites, forums and search engines as well.
In this practical introduction to Tor Browser, I download the browser, test the IP address it presents to websites and examine the route created for a browsing session.
How does a Tor connection work?
Rather than sending a request straight to its destination, Tor passes it through several independently operated servers, known as relays. They are provided by volunteers and organisations in many countries. The first relay receives the connection from your device, so it can see your real IP address. However, layers of encryption prevent it from seeing the final website. A middle relay carries the traffic further without knowing both ends of the journey. The exit relay then contacts the requested site, which sees the exit relay’s address instead of yours.
Your own browser constructs and displays this route, but it does not reveal the complete circuit to each relay or to the website. The aim is to avoid placing all the identifying information in the hands of one intermediary.
Why might somebody use Tor Browser?
Tor can be useful when you do not want every website to receive an IP address linked to your normal connection. It can also help people reach information where websites are blocked. Journalists, researchers and whistleblowers have obvious reasons to value it, but it is available to anyone wanting more privacy.
Using Tor does not mean entering hidden or illegal parts of the internet. Type a normal web address into Tor Browser and it opens the regular website through the relay network. Special addresses ending in .onion are an additional feature, not a requirement.
How is Tor different from a VPN?
A VPN usually routes device traffic through a single company-operated server. It is generally faster and can cover applications outside the browser. The trade-off is that the VPN provider occupies a position of considerable trust.
Tor spreads that trust across multiple relays rather than relying upon one provider. This design can offer better anonymity for particular uses, although the extra stages make it noticeably slower. Tor exit addresses may also trigger CAPTCHAs or be refused by some websites.
Another important limitation is scope: Tor Browser protects its own web traffic. It does not automatically hide connections made by other programs on the computer.
Does Tor make you completely anonymous?
Logging into a personal account, entering an email address or sharing recognisable details can identify you regardless of the route used. Tor cannot secure a device already compromised by spyware, either.
For the safest experience, obtain the browser from the official Tor Project download page, install updates promptly and avoid adding extensions that could create a distinctive browser fingerprint. Torrenting is also unsuitable: torrent software may reveal an IP address, and its heavy traffic consumes bandwidth donated by relay operators.
Tor will not replace a conventional browser or VPN for every task. It is slower and sometimes less convenient. Nevertheless, for people who want a straightforward way to separate ordinary web browsing from their usual IP address, it remains a powerful and unusually accessible option.