How to Use Tor Browser on Windows with VPN Enhanced Network Security?

Tor, or The Onion Router, was considered the most anonymous & stealthy web browser you can have. The key to its superior anonymity is a bit complex – to put that simply, you should know that the TOR is a triple proxy. Tor will reroute your traffic through different nodes/proxies (generally speaking, more than 3 times) before your request reached its destination.

It sounds a bit confusing, and sure in fact the Tor browser takes a few more steps than a common browser to use. The following post will introduce how to use Tor browser and how to further protect your internet security within the best free VPN for Windows.

Download & Installment

Step 1. Before introducing how to use Tor browser, You should visit Tor's official website (www.torproject.org) to download the newest version of Tor Browser. Here we use the Windows version as the example.

Step 2. Run the setup wizard, select the language you prefer to be installed.

Then the installer asks you where the Tor Browser will be installed (folder). Need to point out that the Tor directory will be installed on your desktop folder by default. You can modify it with your own preference.

Step 3. After the installation, the setup wizard will ask you if you want to use Tor Browser immediately, and it also asks you to add Tor to the start menu & desktop. It’s depending on you. Let's go on to our next step to how to use the Tor browser.

How to Use Tor Browser - Setting Up

What makes the Tor browser different from other web browsers is you will need to set up the connection before you know how to use Tor Browser to connect to the internet. This will be the key answering to how to use Tor browser.

You may find something under the “Tor” tab which differs from other browsers; There’s a thing names “Bridges” under this tab. To ensure accessibility of Tor Browser, you better make sure your Tor Bridges are set up.

Is Tor browser safe? Sure, it is if you’ve understood the mechanic of Tor browser connection. Most Pluggable Transports which initiate in Tor, such as obfs4, rely on the use of "bridge" relays. Tor Bridges worked like normal Tor nodes and was owned by Tor community volunteers & contributors. Different from common Tor nodes, Bridges are mostly completely hidden & kept anonymous to the public, for not expose themselves to potential sniffing & analysis your transferring data through internet control.

Step 1. To get Tor Bridge, visit bridges.torproject.org/options. After landing on the Tor Bridge DB page, click the button “Just give me bridges”. Then enter the verification code, Tor Bridge DB will give you about three usable bridges code as follows:

You need to copy these codes, go back to your Tor browser, click on “Tor Network Settings”, click the “Tor” tab on the left panel. Then select “Use a bridge”, “Provide a bridge”, then paste the Bridge code you’ve got from Bridge DB. By this method, you can have more flexibility to choose & adjust your Bridge list. 

Step 2. Set up proper security level in the setting menu.

A Normal web browser can be vulnerable as the target of network attacking due to its man-in-the-middle nature. For avoiding malicious attacks, the Tor browser takes different strategies. You can select a proper defense level (from standard to safest) to let Tor determine the browser defense strategy.

Set up proper security level in the setting menu.

A Normal web browser can be vulnerable as the target of network attacking due to its man-in-the-middle nature. For avoiding malicious attacks, the Tor browser takes different strategies. You can select a proper defense level (from standard to safest) to let Tor determine the browser defense strategy.

You may also want to select the option to block dangerous and deceptive downloads, just to check all boxes under “Deceptive Content and Dangerous Software Protection”.

Step 3. The HTTPS-Only is open for users who have a certain understanding of HTTPS knowledge. By activating HTTPS-Only mode, you can only connect & visit HTTPS websites. Which enhanced the online security, again with the cost of performance & connectivity.

How to Use Tor Browser -Connect to Tor Network

Step.1 After setting up the Tor Browser, you are now good to connect to the Tor network safely & privately. Go back to the Tor main screen, click “Connect to the Tor” then the browser will automatically reroute & connect you to a private network.

Step.2 After you get to connect to the Tor network, click the “lock button” on the search/ domain name bar, you will see that your request has been routed several times from different nodes to reach the target website. You have now connected to the tor network and know everything about how to use Tor browser.

Need VPN free trial for Tor broswer? Also read: >>8 Best Free VPNs Trial for Windows/PC 2021 [Free & Safe]<< 

After we get to know how to use Tor browser, we should also know what are the disadvantages of Using Tor solely to protect your online privacy.

• Using Tor can be very slow due to your data bouncing between nodes.

• Tor is an inefficient method of location spoofing. If you are trying to access an online geo-blocked resource with Tor, use a VPN instead.  

• A volunteer could monitor/ control your activities if he/she wants.

• The Tor network can only be accessed from browsers or applications that have Tor access installed.

• Since Tor nodes are free and privately run by volunteers, there is no maintenance or responsibility.

• Frequently use of Tor may get you on an authority watchlist.

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There are some problems you might encounter when you are using Tor. Need to say there isn’t a perfect solution to your security & privacy problems, you should also using a VPN for PC to enforce your anonymity.

As it says, if your purpose is to access regional blocked resources, including but not limited to video games (like Japanese exclusive games) online streaming (YouTube, Netflix, Hulu, etc…), then using Tor could be a bad idea since it will come up with a very bad speed & unstable connection. 

Also, Tor is considered bad for masking your geographic location – the nodes will be randomly routed by Tor, you cannot choose your output destination – the place you need to go. So, if you are trying to hide your location in order to escape from monitoring, Tor could mess you up this time. You will absolutely need a free unlimited VPN for Windows this time.

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If you are worrying that Tor might not be able to cover all your privacy needs, the iTop VPN can be your assistant to access the secured private network.

iTop VPN can perfectly help you solve the problem of spoofing your IP and assist you in accessing region-restricted online content more effectively.

Also, the iTop VPN is free-to-use software, to use iTop VPN will NOT add an extra payment to you to adapt both Tor browser & iTop VPN to usage.

How to Use iTop VPN with Easy Steps

Step 1. Download the iTop VPN from its official website, execute the installer and finish the installation.

Step 2. Double click & run the iTop VPN, it will take you to its main UI

Step 3. Click the round “Connect” button and your network will be connected to a secured private network.

This post briefly introduces how to use the Tor browser and knowledge what does each option in the Tor network setting and how do they affect the network. Besides how to use the Tor browser, the iTop free VPN is also suggested to be used to improve your experience. You really should try both tools to connect to a secure, private network.