Tor software is a unique platform that enhances security for clients accessing the internet. However, its working principle tends to slow down browsing. If you want to use it but are concerned about this aspect, I will highlight the various ways through which you can retain maximum internet speeds when using Tor.
So, how can you make Tor Faster? One way to improve Tor’s speed is by ensuring that you are running on the latest software version or refresh it after a while to avoid overloading. You can also establish a new identity while using it or implement bridges to prevent your ISP from suspecting that you are using Tor and interfering with the process. Tor also allows you to adjust your system to the highest performance depending on the OS and hardware. Lastly, you can disable firewalls like anti-viruses to ensure that no robust firewalls are blocking the process.
Tor has succeeded as a network hiding software, but users still have issues with its speeds. Understanding why Tor slows down the internet and how you can speed up browsing when using it is important.
If you want to browse sensitive and private content, then TOR may be your go-to. It bars snoopers from accessing your data, allowing you to surf the internet without worries. However, despite the benefits users associate with this software, there are speculations that it slows down the internet.
Tor is a bit slower than most browsers when you use it to access the internet due to its design of several layers. Primarily, these overlays help guard your data against breaches before its delivery to the endpoint.
Tor has three primary layers that mask the origin of your data, and since your traffic passes through each level, it takes a considerable amount of time before it reaches the recipient. As a result, your browsing becomes slower than usual compared to using regular search engines.
The nodes on the Tor browser extend the time between the request you make on the internet and when you get feedback. Hence, the more the layers, the longer the distance the information travels, making the internet run slowly when you surf. Furthermore, the users who visit the site surpass the available relays, which also contribute to latency.
The daily traffic on this browser reads over a million, which is quite overwhelming for the nodes. This situation causes overload on the application and leads to lagging on the internet, which may otherwise not occur on an ordinary website.
Tor can be a little slower than expected, especially if you are a beginner and don’t know how to boost the speed. One sure way to obtain continuous and reliable feedback using Tor is through the relays, and you can also avoid throttling by snoopers when you use a bridge.
Other users also merge VPN and Tor for extra privacy when they are browsing. A VPN hides your IP address, and, just like Tor, it also conceals your identity while surfing. If the two applications can run together, you may have extra robust protective layers for your traffic.
The two can run perfectly together for unwavering data security. Both software can block all the vulnerabilities that can compromise your activities online. Tor is essentially about anonymity, while the VPN hides your identity.
Generally, it hides your traffic content online, but your ISP can notice signs of activities. When working with a VPN, even your internet service provider won’t unearth any sign of traffic from your browser. It means that you can surf safely without throttles that try to cut you off the internet.
Why Is Tor Slow?
If you have used other browsers in the past, you will notice that Tor is generally slow. It may be a bummer if you transfer bulky data but still want a reliable, secure process. Therefore, it is essential to understand why it is slow.
Primarily, Tor is comparatively slow because it doesn’t directly link the user and the online service. Based on its working principle, there are many layers between you and the service, which reduces the processing speed. There are at least three primary steps in browsing with Tor, the entry, middle, and exit.
Secondly, the network is relatively minor, so not well-designed to handle massive data at once. Therefore, if the service you require deals with voluminous files, then Tor will be relatively slow, and the several overlays don’t help much either.
Tor doesn’t facilitate a direct link between you as the client and the system, unlike other browsers. Its operation involves many layers making it effective as a network for hiding privacy.
Conventionally, when you log onto the internet using your computer, you form a link with the webserver. Tor, on the contrary, deploys overlays or nodes that will systematically relay the traffic to its intended destination.
Therefore, whenever you browse, your data must go through at least three stops first. The initial step is the entry relay or the Guard node, the gateway into the server. Secondly, the traffic transfers to the middle relay that transmits the information to each other and effectively masks your IP address. When successful, the last stage is the exit relay that marks the end of the process.
Here, Tor disguises the IP giving the website a unique signature. Ultimately, since the data has to go through each stage, the process becomes relatively slow, explaining why your website takes unusually long to show on your screen. It is necessary to ensure that your data is secure, and luckily, the Tor process isn’t prolonged, and there are ways to make it even faster.
How To Make Tor Faster
Generally, Tor runs slower than the usual browsing methods, but the good news is that you don’t have to suffer devastating network lagging every time. Here are five ways to make Tor faster.
First, it is recommended to use the latest Tor version because old systems tend to be too slow. If you are confident that you have the most recent Tor, you can also refresh your software using a new circuit. To restart your system, you can also browse after setting up a new identity.
Tor also frequently recommends some settings to its users, allowing them to boost their browsing speeds according to their devices’ OS, hardware and general performance capabilities.
Additionally, if you think your ISP may be interfering with your browsing, you can also use bridges to avoid detection. Moreover, if you have installed firewalls like anti-viruses on your device, Tor’s speed may improve by disabling them.
I intend to make browsing more manageable for you when using Tor. Using secure software doesn’t necessarily mean that you should also embrace slow internet speeds. Despite everything, Tor can also be a reliable and convenient platform, and the following are some methods to help boost your browsing speed when using it.
- Get Tor Updates
As with any other system, you can boost Tor’s speed when checking and clicking on updates. Many users attest that their networks work surprisingly faster when they reboot them with necessary updates. If you are dealing with an old Tor version, your browsing may be significantly slower than for other users with the latest one.
You can go to the menu button, symbolized with three bars, then follow up to the “General” setting under “Options” to update your system. If Tor makes any update, you can find it under the “Update” icon. If you are lucky, Tor may have made recent modifications, and you can enjoy faster speeds. Moreover, if you don’t want to keep checking, you can set it to automatic updating.
- Use a New Identity
Besides refreshing your Tor, there are other methods to speed up browsing if you have been on the network for a long time. You can instead use the “New identity” icon from the menu bar. It restarts the system to function as if you are a new user.
In most cases, some systems can detect that you are using Tor by relating your browsing history. Therefore, this method is also a workable security measure to ensure there is no way to link your activities because you will be disguised as a new client.
- Implement Bridge Relays
In some cases, Tor experiences lagging because of interruptions by the ISP. If you are worried that the same is happening to your network, bridge relays are an effective method to make Tor run faster. It ensures that any ISP or any other system cannot detect or interfere with this service.
To set up, you can navigate from the “Options” icon to the “Tor Settings” then the bridges option. If you pick an in-built version, remember to deploy options like the “snowflake” or “obfs4”. Alternatively, you can request a new bridge from Tor if your ISP has elaborate ways to detect the connection.
With this, the system will mask your identity from the ISP by covering up the data flow. If there is no available one at the moment, there are options to mail Tor, and they can send one for you. If successful, you can browse faster without worrying about ISP interference. It isn’t advisable to use bridges if your Tor is working as usual; otherwise, it may become even slower.
- Refresh Tor
Sometimes, your Tor may be lagging because your browser is running a lot of content simultaneously. Websites are usually flooded with ads and other material that cause the software to run slowly. Luckily, you can use a new Tor circuit for the website to refresh and reduce the loading rate.
If you have logging issues, you can always click on the “new Tor circuit” under the menu button for the system to refresh and open a new and less sluggish window. However, note that you can only get this option if you use the latest Tor version, hence the need to make frequent updates.
- Advanced Privacy Settings
Some software can cause Tor to lag. Therefore, it is wise to revamp your security settings to ensure that these services do not interfere with the browsing speed. It is best to temporarily shut them out and simultaneously ensure that your device has the correct time setting according to your region.
Remember to stop any other firewall in your system, including impermeable anti-virus software. Tor advises that you create a firewall for software like Sophos Antivirus, Avast Antivirus, Microsoft Security Essentials, Webroot SecureAnywhere and any other service that may hinder smooth running.
Secondly, if you want to install a new Tor, it is imperative to delete the old version. Overwriting the current one instead makes the two systems operate concurrently, thereby reducing the running speed. Lastly, to beef up the security, you can also configure Tor to erase your browser when you are done.
- Deploy Settings Recommendations
One way to deal with excessive browser lagging is by modifying your settings. Luckily, Tor allows the users to tweak their system’s speed depending on their devices’ capabilities, mainly the OS and hardware. Therefore, you can allow your browser to function at its potential speeds when you accept the suggestion.
To implement it, you can go to the menu button, then click on “settings”. You can toggle for the icon that allows you to use recommended settings and enable it since it is usually off by default. Once you adjust, you will notice a significant improvement in your browser speeds.
- Use New Torrc File
Lastly, one relatively fast way to improve Tor speed is by adjusting your Torrc. However, this method isn’t very effective because it may not work for some users. You can go to the Tor menu to set it up, right-click and select “Properties”.
Next, navigate to the “Tor Browser”, then “Data” through the “Browser” icon and lastly “Tor.” Afterward, you can now download another Torrc file from the internet. Note first to erase the old Torrc and substitute it with the new version to prevent overloading.
Wrap Up
Tor has proven effective for individuals, especially professionals, to access the web privately. The layers hide your IP when surfing and guarantee that not even your ISP can interfere with the process. Your traffic passes through three main layers explaining why Tor users complain about slow internet speeds. Luckily there are ways to increase Tor speed.
For instance, you can frequently update your system or refresh it to avoid overloading it with excessive content. Additionally, it is wise to hide from your ISP using bridges and logging in using new identities. You can also revamp your system by tweaking it to the highest achievable performance, and lastly, you can boost Tor if you break down firewalls like strict anti-viruses on your device.
