How to speed up tor

Как ускорить браузер Тор

Недавно загрузившие Tor Browser люди легко могут заметить, что он загружает страницы далеко не так быстро, если сравнивать с другими интернет-обозревателями (Chrome, Opera, Mozilla Firefox и т. д.). И это не слишком приятная новость, ведь каждый раз нужно ждать, пока не откроется та или иная ссылка. И вполне вероятно, что пользователь посчитает это за какую-то проблему и решит найти способ для ее устранения. Давайте разберемся, как ускорить Тор, и есть ли в этом какой-либо смысл.

Подробности

Главное достоинство Tor Browser заключается в том, что он максимально сильно скрывает местоположение и прочие данные пользователя в ходе интернет-серфинга. Достигается это за счет так называемой луковичной маршрутизацией, когда на входной сетевой трафик накладывается многократное шифрование, а сам он проходит через кучу промежуточных узлов, и так происходит множество раз.

Но такая степень защиты сопряжена с несколькими существенными недостатками. Самый заметный из них – медленная загрузка веб-страниц, и она протекает далеко не так быстро, как в других браузерах. Но стоит понимать, что это не какая-то проблема, которую нужно идти и решать. Это вовсе не проблема, а специфичная особенность, и с ней придется смириться.

Теперь вы понимаете, почему так медленно работает Тор, – так происходит из-за многократного шифрования входящего и исходящего сетевого трафика, без чего невозможно достижение анонимности пользователя в сети.

Но возможны и ситуации, когда интернет-обозреватель «думает» ну слишком уж долго, и, например, раньше такого не было. В таких случаях стоит проверить несколько нюансов:

Случай №1: Прокси-сервер

Для подключения в Сети пользователь может включить прокси-сервер. И если он является очень удаленным, обладает высоким пингом и низкой пропускной способностью, то веб-страницы будут грузиться еще медленнее обычного. Так что для увеличения скорости интернета в браузере Тор следует его сменить или полностью отключить. Разберемся, как это сделать:

Случай №2: Уровень безопасности

Чтобы сменить данный параметр в обозревателе Tor, выполните следующие шаги:

Дополнение

Проблемы со скоростью интернет-соединения могут заключаться не в Торе, а в других причинах. Перечислим основные случаи:

How to make Tor faster?

Have you ever wondered how to make Tor faster? You are not alone out there. There are ways to speed up Tor, and we will discuss it in this guide. But first, let’s get through some Tor basics.

Tor which is better known as the Tor Project is a software that allows users to surf the internet anonymously. The word Tor is an acronym for ‘The Onion Router’ which borrows from Onion Routing, a technique of online communication.

Basically, onion routing is the method of anonymous communication over an onion network. In an onion network, there are numerous layers of encryption which would resemble the layers of an onion bulb. Data is transmitted over onion routers and these layers are peeled by a series of network nodes. Each time an onion router peels off a layer, it uncovers the data’s next destination. It is this process that allows the sender to remain anonymous. This is because each and every intermediary only gets to know the ideal location of the preceding nodes.

Another aspect of this method is that data is directed through an overlay network, which is a computer network built over another computer network. In this overlay network, there are thousands of relays (more than 7,000) all of which play a part in preventing the network analysis from unearthing the user’s location. It is, therefore, also difficult for an online service to trace or monitor a user’s internet activity while they are sending instant messages, sharing online posts, or visiting websites.

Why is Tor so slow?

One of the core reasons why Tor is slow is that it is not designed for peer to peer sharing. That’s kind of what the uTorrent and Bit Torrent are developed to do. It is directly impacted by those users who spend too much time on their network downloading directories without putting in their fair share of the contribution.

Furthermore, the Tor network is small. Just like the same reason most users are always trying to bypass security and censorship, the users are trying to download or upload heavy files that they would otherwise not, on a usual day! If they wish to also access restricted sites via Tor, then the volume of data flowing through the onion routers is way more than what it is expected to handle anyway.

The functionality of the onion routers is such that, the data is bounced off people’s computers. These people are merely volunteers in the real sense because no one in their right mind would want anonymous data anywhere near their computer. But because of what Tor stands for, most people willingly participate in this online project. Add the network latency and some bottlenecks which directly affect internet data speed, and you have a real problem on your hands.

So why is Tor so slow? It is not slow. It is just that it is congested with so many users attempting bulk transfer rather than simple web browsing.

Speed up Tor

It is as obvious that people who use Tor, are not simply just looking for anonymity. Otherwise they would invest and employ the services of a VPN (Virtual Private Network) which delivers the same results plus it is also very secure. The fact that it is free-to-use, most people will try to maximize their time on the software and it is no wonder they end up overwhelming it thereby making Tor browser slow.

So, the main question is still out there – how to make Tor faster?

To speed up Tor, it is first and foremost, essential to identify the weaknesses or flaws that reduce its effectiveness. As more developers engage in fixing and upgrading Tor, the most obvious reasons that have been hindering its optimum efficiency have solutions which are slowly being integrated to improve it.

For instance, people with a low bandwidth on their modems and phones operate the Tor browser slow because, as part of the relay cycle, their devices are slow to peel off the encryption layer from the network nodes. Unfortunately, there are many users whose bandwidth is low. This eventually increases the length of time that the data bounces off their computer.

A simple suggestion, which might sound complex, is to have a balance between the relays by creating proportionality based on their bandwidth contribution. The reasoning is such that, if every single byte of data is going to be used, then the capacity of the data should be weighted proportionally. So far, it is something that the software’s algorithm has failed to do, and it has been highlighted as a possible start in rectifying some of the software’s glitches.

It is still a project in the works because coming up with an algorithm is proving to be an obstacle. It is still not very clear how much bandwidth is necessary for one relay.

Final thoughts

It is no doubt that Tor is slow because of onion routing, but like other free software, there are numerous independent developers trying to improve it. They are aware of how to make Tor faster and more dependable to give the perfect user experience to everybody while maintaining the anonymity factor that it is so well known for.

In most forums, the talk is on how to balance between its functionality as well as blocking the resistance that the software is subjected to by major players in the online industry, all while sourcing for funds to further develop it. The surge in the number of users has placed an immense burden on the software, seeing as there is a widespread trend of censorship which is constantly trying to undermine the software’s usability in most of the prominent sites. This is something that deprives the key developers, vital data which is used to rectify any glitches in the software because most websites try to de-anonymize the visitors on their site for safety reasons.

Among the call-to-action is for people to volunteer especially if you have a special skill set that can be used in the software’s development. Alternatively, a small donation can help meet the cost of research or you can as well find a sponsor, e.g. a government agency that might require the services of Tor. With such a large following and people eager to help, it does seem that Tor will bounce back from this minor setback.

Nadin has been tinkering with computers and gadgets for as long as she can remember. She has extensive knowledge about various topics, including IoT, Linux, digital security, and more. Nowadays, she works as an IT network professional and writes helpful guides in her free time.

Interesting article to read. Seriously I dislike using Tor because it is quite slow, however, I just learn a new thing and that is how to make tor faster.

Can Tor ever get faster? This has been the question lurking in my heart and yet to get an answer. Maybe I have the answer on my palm. Guess I should try the process to get it faster. Perhaps it could work

Thanks for that article, I used Tor a few times before but it was way too slow and the only alternative were VPNs; so this article was really helpful. Great content on this website, I’ll be sure to check all your other articles.

Never heard of Tor but I can see why it’s so helpful. It sounds like the speed aspect is the only drawback. I’m not very hip on these security issues and am curious about the difference between using Tor and a vpn. Could someone explain this to me? Either direct me to a blog or respond in the comments section. Thank you!

Hi there – there are some important differences between the two. We’ve covered them here: Is Tor browser safe to use?

7 Tips to Speed Up Tor Browser

Tor preserves your online anonymity through its unique onion routing, in which your encrypted data passes through several intermediary nodes. None of the nodes know anything about the origin of your data or your final destination, thus protecting your identity, but this process can reduce your browsing speed, and ISPs can throttle Tor traffic without warning. The following tips below will help speed up the Tor browser and make it faster.

Why Is Tor Slow?

Tor is inherently slower compared to other browsers. The main reasons include the absence of a direct connection between the client and online service and, conversely, the presence of several intermediary layers to facilitate routing.

On a regular browser, a client device such as your laptop can directly talk to a web server. Instead of this conventional handshake, Tor uses a multi-layered network (also known as an “overlay network”) consisting of thousands of volunteer-managed relays (or “nodes”) that randomly bounce the data traffic off to a final destination.

Whenever you interact with a website on Tor, the connection will include a minimum of three relays:

Since your data traffic has to pass through at least three relay nodes, it naturally increases the overall time for a website to appear on your screen. This is why when you use Tor, you feel like you are stuck at slower speeds than normal.

How to Make Tor Faster

While technically Tor will always run slower than a conventional Internet connection, that doesn’t mean you’ll have to browse at a snail’s pace. There are many workarounds to the speed up Tor, and we explain them in full in this article:

1. Check Tor Browser for the Latest Updates

Frequent experience suggests updating the Tor browser allows you to achieve faster speeds. Go to the three-bar menu icon on the top right followed by “Options” and the “General” tab. Here you can check for any updates. If there hasn’t been an update in a long time, you may experience slower speeds. Thus, it is better to stay frequently updated.

2. Use Bridge Relays to Circumvent Throttling

If you suspect that the ISP is throttling your bandwidth while you’re using Tor, you will have to use one of its features called “bridge” relays. This would make it more difficult for anyone monitoring your traffic to determine that you are using this anonymous browser. Tor cannot use a bridge if a proxy was set by you.

To begin, go to the Options menu from the three-bar icon on the top right and select “Tor Settings.” Here you can find the Bridges section: don’t use the bridge relays if your Tor speeds are normal. (It will still be slower than your regular ISP speeds.)

While using a select built-in bridge, you should use the available pluggable transports, such as “obfs4,” “meek-azure” and “snowflake.” They will disguise the traffic between the client (you) and the first hop so that the ISP cannot identify you as a Tor connection.

If none of these pluggable transports can get you online (say you have one smart ISP!), you can then request a new bridge from torproject.com. After you solve the captcha, you will get a bridge connection which will look something like the following image.

Sometimes no new bridges are available. In that case, you can request one by dropping an email to “bridges@torproject.org” from Gmail, Yahoo or RiseUp addresses.

After a successful bridge connection, you will be able to enjoy regular or higher Tor speeds independent of your ISP restrictions.

3. Use New Tor Circuit for this Site

If your webpage is not loading fast enough, it can be due to several reasons, such as social networking buttons, analytical tools, advertisements, and other factors. To solve these issues, Tor has a new feature which allows the website or active window to be reloaded over a new Tor circuit. This menu item can be accessed from the three-bar menu. Every time your web page refuses to load quickly, you can click this option for a new circuit. Of course, for this option to be visible, you need to update your Tor browser.

4. Make Sessions Discrete with the New Identity Feature

Sometimes when you’re stuck at slower speeds for no reason, it may be helpful to restart the Tor browser to get fresh speeds. You can also use another feature called “New identity,” which is accessible from the three-bar menu. This is also a nice security feature, as it prevents your subsequent browser activity from being linkable to what you were doing before.

5. Optimize Privacy and Security Settings

To ensure that speed issues are minimal, you need to ensure that your system clock and time zone are set correctly. Tor recommends that the following software be temporarily disabled, as they’ve been known to interfere with browsing:

It is better to disable any antivirus software affecting your system tray. Also, disable your firewall, and if you are using a new Tor browser version, uninstall the old one. Do not overwrite the old program. If another Tor is running, it can severely impact your connection speeds.

You should configure Tor to isolate cookies and delete your browsing history after each session. Go to about:preferences#privacy in Tor and make sure you enable these privacy preferences.

6. Use Recommended Performance Settings

Tor has a feature that allows you to adjust the browser’s performance values based on your computer’s hardware and operating system. It can be accessed from Settings and is disabled by default. Enable it to ensure proper speeds that are supported by your device.

7. Insert New Torrc File

You can search and download a new Torrc file online. Github is one place to look it up. Simply delete the older Torrc file in the folder path and replace it with the updated file.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Can a VPN be used with Tor?

Yes. However, the Tor manual itself discourages the use of VPN, but it has more to do with privacy reasons. Tor states that “A VPN/SSH acts either as a permanent entry or permanent exit node. This can introduce new risks while solving others.” You’re certainly at risk when you use any unreliable VPN providers which log all your details.

Moreover, the VPN-encrypted tunnel prevents both the Tor network and your ISP from seeing your IP address, which in itself is an extra layer of privacy.

Since Tor network uses at least three relays, using VPN with Tor will not slow down your Tor network any more than it already is. Personally, I have always used Tor with VPN, and it does not affect the speeds noticeably. In fact, with the latest VPN protocols, like IKeV2 and WireGuard, you get extremely fast speeds which benefit the Tor network.

2. Does Tor slow down the Internet?

Given that the Tor network uses at least three relays, it should not be used when you want a fast data transfer. You’re always at the mercy of the slowest relay in the network. This doesn’t make Tor very suitable for watching online streaming videos, scheduling video-conferencing calls, or anything else that requires high network speeds.

However, that isn’t why Tor was designed. Tor is the most prolific solution to unravel the Onion sites, and you can’t use a VPN alone to get there. And it does connect to regular websites without any trouble.

3. How can I make Tor faster on Android?

At the moment of writing, the Tor Android version is considered final and stable by the Tor team. But the actual user experience is different. The main reason is that some of the desktop speed customizations can’t be replicated on a phone. The speed of the Tor Android version is good enough for basic browsing though.

Final Notes

Tor has become the go-to browser for privacy lovers, activists, journalists and all those who prefer anonymity in their browsing or when accessing the dark web. By using the methods mentioned in this article, you can speed up Tor and surf with ease.

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Tor Browser is slow – this is how you make it faster

The Tor Browser is the odd duck of the browser world, and it all has to do with how it accesses the internet. The Tor Network offers much better privacy than just browsing regularly, but it also makes the Tor Browser slow – much slower than the alternatives. So let’s try to speed it up.

Why is the Tor Browser so slow?

Hold on, I have a car analogy:

This makes the volunteer-run network safer (but Tor is not entirely safe ) from being compromised. ‘Cause a malicious actor would need to compromise at least two nodes in your net to spy on your traffic.

That said, can you make Tor faster? Yeah, but there’s a caveat (or two).

*Technically speaking, the Tor Browser isn’t slow, it’s working just fine. It’s your internet connection that slows down due to the peculiarities of the Tor Network.

How to make Tor run faster

There aren’t that many surefire ways to make Tor connections work faster. However, there some things you can try:

Method 1: Update the Tor Browser;

Method 2: Use a Bridge relay;

Method 3: Create a new Tor circuit;

Method 4: Try the New Identity feature;

Method 5: Use optimized settings;

Method 6: Optimize your system;

Method 7: Be mindful of why you’re using Tor.

Of course, the list itself says very little about what you actually need to do, so let’s put some meat on this skeleton.

1. Update the Tor Browser

Software updates are meant to improve the functionality (and security) of your apps, so it’s not wise to sleep on them. The same thing applies to the Tor Browser. The Tor Project is constantly in development, so older browser versions may not be playing nicely with the newest network updates or simply lack optimization.

Here’s what you do:

Hey, it just might work.

Note: Newer Tor Browser versions can check for updates and install them automatically.

2. Use a Bridge relay

To get on that Bridge relay business, do this:

3. Create a new Tor circuit

To make this journey more modest:

This will (hopefully) generate a less crazy circuit that doesn’t take me halfway across the world:

See? Much better.

4. Try the New Identity feature

To quote Tor support, New Identity will “close open tabs and windows, clear all private information such as cookies and browsing history, and use New Tor circuits for all connections.” As I already mentioned, getting a new circuit might increase browser speeds. Deleting cookie-type stuff may also help.

To get New Identity, you:

5. Use optimized settings

The Tor Browser can optimize its performance based on your device setup. Check if your Tor Browser has that option ticked by:

Newer Tor versions seemingly enable this by default, so if it’s unmarked, you may need to update your browser.

6. (Optional) Optimize your system

Other Tor speed-up guides mention stuff like disabling your antivirus software or firewalls, but as a cybersecurity blog for a cybersecurity product, we can hardly recommend it.

Instead, follow Tor Project’s advice and make exceptions in your firewall/antivirus software for Tor-related files.

For Windows, that’s:

7. Be mindful of why you’re using Tor

Remember: Tor is primarily there to address your privacy concerns online – other considerations (such as speed) come secondary.

Why is Tor slow? How to make Tor browser faster

Tor, despite being a highly secure incognito browser, suffers from a crippling flaw – it is frustratingly slow. Since Tor channels your web requests through multiple servers, it causes unavoidable delays. Yet, the browser can be made to run faster by simple tweaks like creating your own bridge relays or installing the latest updates. Another option is to migrate to a different browser like Kingpin for fast, anonymous browsing.

Does Tor slow down browsing?

Tor is by far the most popular browser for private browsing. Yet Tor users complain that it experiences frequent lags. There are many reasons behind this: multiple onion relays in different international locations to bounce off incoming traffic, more than a million daily users, and not enough relays for each of them, layer decryption at each relay, and the connection between servers. All these factors add to the inevitable latency. One second here, half a second there, and you are left waiting for a web page to finally display. What’s more, larger images take extra time to load.

How can I speed up my Tor?

There are a few ways to get the browser running faster and those are listed below:

1. Get the latest updates for Tor

Usually, a small thing like the current browser version or updates can help fix the speed issue. Open the browser and go to the Menu icon on the top right of the screen. Go to Option and then to the General tab. Users check for updates here. You can view the update history as well. You may also choose to install updates automatically.

Tor > Menu > Options > General > Updates

2. Set up a bridge relay of your own

Internet Service Providers can impede traffic and cause delays. Users can add a bridge relay to go around this restriction. Go to the menu icon and then go Options. Scroll down to the Bridges part. Here you have two choices: use an available bridge or request a new one from Tor.

To use a default bridge, click on “Select a built-in bridge” and use either ‘meek-azure’ or ‘obfs4’.

Tor > Menu > Options > Bridges > Use a bridge > Select a built-in bridge > meek-azure or obfs4

If you would rather use a new one, click on “Request a bridge from torproject.org” which will generate a connection.

Tor > Menu > Options > Bridges > Request a new bridge from torproject.org

If such a bridge is not immediately available, you may mail Tor for support.

A third option, to include a bridge provided by a trusted source, also exists.

3. Refresh and use Tor as a new user

Sometimes, refreshing the browser is all that is needed. Once you do this, your previous and current browser activities can no longer be linked. Go to Menu and then scroll down to “New Identity” and click on it.

Tor > Menu > New Identity

Restarting Tor is often a useful way out when your browser is frozen or goes painfully slow for no rhyme or reason.

4. Follow Settings recommendation for better performance

Modifying Tor settings can boost speed. If you are suffering from repeated latencies, it is time to adjust browser settings. The Settings option is found in the Menu. Check the box before “Use recommended performance settings”. When the browser’s performance settings are fine-tuned you may enjoy higher speeds.

This feature is deactivated by default so all you need to do is enable it and enjoy better loading speeds.

5. Use a New Tor Circuit

Similar to using Tor as a new user, this option too helps you navigate to websites quicker. Sometimes page elements like social media buttons, ads, and certain tools cause obvious delays. You can try to refresh the site and open it through New Tor Circuit to cut down on loading time. Whenever you feel tied down, just hit refresh and use a new circuit. This makes Tor slightly less sluggish.

Launch Tor and go to Menu at the top right corner. It is the three line icon. Then click on “New Tor Circuit for this Site” to reload the page.

Tor > Menu > “New Tor Circuit for this Site”

Note: This option may not be visible if you are using an older version of Tor. So the best thing would be to update and use the latest edition.

6. Set up your device and operating system for Tor

Device settings and adjustments to the OS are factors that determine how fast the browser can work. There are a number of things you can do. Is your time zone accurate? Does your computer show the right date? After you’ve adjusted these two things, you can move to anti-malware software. Tor recommends disabling antivirus and firewalls, at least temporarily. This is because these two often limit the performance of the browser.

Also, make sure you are using only one Tor browser per system. That is, if you have recently updated it, uninstall and remove the older one. Otherwise, you are forcing it to go super slow.

7. Switch to Kingpin

A sure-fire fix is to choose a faster and equally secure browser. Kingpin, with its default incognito browsing feature, is a popular option. It is an obvious choice for users who prefer a light, fast browser that forgets user data like cookies and browsing history. After each session, Kingpin erases all data so no one can track you. It does not support plugins or remember passwords.

Keep your browsing sessions private, shop anonymously, and carry out financial transactions safely. Whether visiting restricted sites or sharing a public computer, Kingpin protects your data from leaks, thefts, and unsuspected tracking at the device level. And did we mention, it doesn’t allow ads? It seems to have just the right balance of speed and safety, something Tor is unlikely to meet. It is highly doubtful that Tor will be blazing fast, for its focus lies solely on security.

The bottom line

Tor is an excellent browser to maintain anonymity and protect your virtual identity. Although it suffers from frequent latency, the browsing speed is usually increased with a few quick fixes. The problem is, these quick fixes may or may not considerably speed up the browsing. As an alternative, you may try migrating to another browser such as Kingpin, which is safe and also much faster and compatible with both Mac and Windows.