This indirect and wrapped connection between your device and a destination server causes the slowness due to three main factors: Each network node “peels” away a single layer of the encrypted data to uncover where to send the data to next (and the name Tor is short for The Onion Router). This anonymous communication technique is known as onion routing. Each relay knows only the location of the immediately preceding and following nodes. Your user data is encrypted when it passes through each node of the Tor network. It does this by sending your traffic through three random relays in the Tor network so that only the last relay in the circuit (the “exit relay”) sends out traffic into the public internet. Using Tor hinders anyone watching your connection from knowing what websites you visit. This includes your internet service provider, the operators of the websites you use, governments, and third-party trackers and ads. Your online activity can be monitored by anyone tracking your connection. Tor works by routing internet traffic through a network of servers (also known as “nodes” or “relays”) so that it’s difficult to trace the source of the internet activity back to the user.Ī device like your phone or laptop talks directly to a destination web server on a regular browser.

Fortunately, here are 5 tips on how to make Tor faster.īefore we dig into these tips to improve your internet connection through the network, you need to understand the problem.

But because of its design, using Tor can sometimes be slower than what many users are used to with unprotected connections to the internet. The Tor network is used to protect your privacy and anonymity.

How to get tor browser to run faster