No, because you don’t control any of the Tor settings. You can verify this for yourself by simply checking your external IP occasionally while connected to their VPN service. Nord may be different, but I strongly suspect it’s not because they’re likely all using the same tech to connect to Tor on the back-end.
Someone did a more in-dept analysis of a couple of the VPN providers and uncovered all this, but I can’t find the post now. It was here on Reddit.
The Tor browser actually changed its old rotation logic, what you are describing is outdated.
You’re thinking of the guard node change, I believe. (Your entry point into Tor.)
I haven’t heard anything about the 10 minute exit node rotation being changed and a quick Google turns up nothing. If you can point me to something that details this I’d certainly appreciate it, if I am incorrect I definitely want to know so I fully understand.
Most people just want a little extra privacy and do not need to consider their ISP as part of their adversary model. These people should be proud of making their Tor usage obvious when they do normal everyday things so that people stop thinking Tor usage is suspicious. If you end up on a list, so what? Now they have to track you for no reason. Be proud of that.
Your ISP will also see that you are using a VPN which can also be interpreted as suspicious by your ISP and government.
I agree, leave VPN on all the time. Others say turn off VPN while using Tor.
I was not talking about using a regular browser through VPN, I was talking about using Tor through VPN for Tor-stuff.
When I stop using Tor (because lots of sites don’t work properly without Javascript etc), I want the VPN to be on, without me having to remember to turn it on.
And even when I’m using Tor, there will be background processes on my machine that I want to go through the VPN, not go out with no VPN.
To restate, I am saying: leave the VPN on all the time. Use Tor when you can, use normal browser when you can’t use Tor.
The mental model of “Tor gives you a new IP address every 10 minutes” is very inaccurate. There’s a tiny grain of truth, but there’s a pile of reasons it isn’t really true.
What you’re thinking of is the MaxCircuitDirtiness torrc option, which does indeed default to 10 minutes. Once you start using circuit A, Tor will no longer attach new streams to it automatically after 10 minutes. That’s what it means more or less.
But there are so many reasons why you might have more than one circuit for user traffic, each with a different exit node (or none at all, for onion service circuits).
And that’s just talking about Tor. What about Tor Browser?
Tor Browser intelligently separates the state you receive from various websites and the connections you make to websites.
If I have social.network open in tab 1, 2, and 3, all its state regardless of the domain it comes from goes into a single bucket and all the connections use one (or more circuits) reserved for this bucket’s traffic. If I have system33.blog open in tabs 4, 5, and 6, all its state goes into a different single bucket and all the connections use a different set of circuits for their traffic.
So just by browsing multiple websites at the same time, I have more than one circuit open, and therefore more than one IP.
cc: /u/Pheelbert
You’re right I confused the two, but I saw a reddit comment say something so similar on the same subject that I assumed it was the same. Here’s the link, tell me what you think: https://goo.gl/r5u71x
To prevent your ISP knowing what you are doing, people use VPNs that does not keep logs
I was not talking about using a regular browser through VPN, I was talking about using Tor through VPN for Tor-stuff.
When I stop using Tor (because lots of sites don’t work properly without Javascript etc), I want the VPN to be on, without me having to remember to turn it on.
This thread is about specific service offered by NordVPN which routes all your traffic first through VPN and than through the Tor network I thought we were talking about that.
Simply running a normal VPN and using Tor Browser like you are doing is definitively a better way of combining VPN with Tor than what the service they are selling is doing.
This is great, thanks. This is likely what the user who explained why the VPN “Tor” services won’t keep you as anonymous as Tor and the Tor Browser bundle.
Thanks for the insight!
I am unsure how /u/HalfwitWithAStutter sees this response as confirming that this setup (see OP) provides less anonymity though.
EDIT: It seems that he thinks you can’t use the Tor Browser while connected to a VPN.
EDIT 2: Actually he knew the context way better.
Tor already does that better than a VPN so VPN is unnecessary.
EDIT: It seems that he thinks you can’t use the Tor Browser while connected to a VPN.
That’s not an accurate assumption at all. I have argued in this very forum over the past few days why Tor over a VPN is great for some situations.
We’re talking about the VPN providers who provide you a Tor exit. You connect to their VPN using their VPN client but can access .onion sites. Without installing Tor or the Tor Browser.
TOR is reason for suspision in my country, so your dopr will be kicked in by the cops. No matter if you dis or dis not commit a crime using TOR
I’m sorry then, huge misunderstanding. I hope we both learned a little from this exchange!
EDIT: Although the diagram confuses me since it’s not accessing a Tor hidden service.
So for you it makes sense to use a VPN or a bridge. That sucks, I’m sorry. But that isn’t advice that applies to very many people.
No apologies necessary. And I definitely did! And the more we know, the safer we can be! Have a great weekend, my friend!