The relationship between VPNs and Tor is often misunderstood, with confusion about whether to use them together, separately, or not at all. Understanding how these technologies interact helps you make informed decisions about your privacy setup.
Tor Over VPN vs. VPN Over Tor
Using a VPN before connecting to Tor (Tor over VPN) hides your Tor usage from your ISP and prevents them from seeing that you’re accessing the Tor network. This can be useful in locations where Tor usage itself attracts attention or is blocked. However, it requires trusting your VPN provider not to log your activity, and a malicious VPN could potentially correlate your traffic.
Connecting to a VPN through Tor (VPN over Tor) is more complex and less commonly recommended. This configuration can hide your Tor usage from the destination service but requires careful configuration to avoid DNS leaks and other privacy compromises. Most users don’t need this configuration, and it adds complexity that can introduce security vulnerabilities if misconfigured.
When to Use VPN with Tor
For most dark web users, Tor alone provides sufficient anonymity without adding a VPN. VPNs add a single point of trust that can compromise your anonymity if the provider cooperates with authorities or keeps logs despite claiming not to. However, in environments where Tor usage is blocked or attracts suspicion, a VPN can provide a useful initial layer before connecting to Tor.
If you do use a VPN with Tor, choose a provider carefully. Look for providers with strong privacy policies, no-log audits by independent security firms, and a track record of refusing to cooperate with mass surveillance. Pay with anonymous cryptocurrency and never provide real personal information when registering. Remember that a VPN only shifts trust from your ISP to the VPN provider rather than eliminating trust requirements entirely.
Privacy tools work best when properly understood and configured. Making informed decisions about your privacy stack requires understanding both the benefits and limitations of each technology. For additional privacy considerations, see this discussion of security risks in connected devices.