Onion over VPN

With NordVPN you can combine the anonymizing powers of the Onion network and the extensive benefits of a VPN service for full online privacy and security.

The Onion network and a VPN service are both used for private browsing experience. While they share some similarities, the main difference is that the Onion browser is designed for anonymity but routes only HTTP traffic. Using it together with VPN adds an extra layer of encryption to ensure top-level privacy.

Therefore, combining the anonymizing powers of the Onion Router and the extensive benefits of the NordVPN service, you can achieve the maximum online security and privacy while browsing the web.

What is the Onion Router and how does it work?

The Onion Router (Tor) is a free network of volunteer-operated servers, which randomly sends and encrypts your online activity across various exit nodes in separate locations.

So instead of taking a direct route from the source to the destination, your Internet data will enter the Onion network via a random relay anywhere around the globe. Then it will make at least one additional hop and, finally, will go through a random exit node to its final destination on the web.

Furthermore, when your Internet traffic enters Tor network, it will go through layers of encryption at every point of connection, making it difficult to identify from where the traffic has originated and where it has exited.

That means the entry node will see your real IP address, but not the final destination on the web, while the exit node will know the final destination, but not your IP address.

What is Onion over VPN and why it is important?

Even though no single relay can see the full picture of what you are doing online, your Internet Service Provider will know that you are using Tor network to access the Internet, which, in fact, is restricted in some countries.

What is more, any node in the Onion network can be set up and run by anyone on the Internet. In theory, very powerful organizations, such as U.S. or China governments could easily deploy thousand of relays to monitor your behavior online. And since your online traffic is unencrypted at the exit node, anyone who is controlling it can see your activity on the web.

Therefore, it is highly recommended to use a VPN service together with the Onion network to ensure that:

• Your ISP doesn’t know that you are using the Onion network to browse the web;

• Your Internet traffic is encrypted and hidden from government institutions or cyber criminals after it passes through the final exit node.

Onion over NordVPN

With our unique Onion over VPN solution, your Internet traffic will be routed through our VPN server first and then sent to the Onion Router. After the traffic finally reaches the final destination on the Internet via one of the Tor exit relays, it will be next to impossible to trace it back to you.

Usually, the Onion network can only be accessed with the Onion browser, while with NordVPN’s Onion over VPN servers you do not need to download it.

All you need to do is to connect to the Onion over VPN server, and NordVPN will take care of the rest. However, if you prefer, you can also connect to our regular servers, and then use the Onion browser as usual. Any way you choose, we will ensure that your Internet traffic is protected at all time.