It is no secret that the Internet is under total control. Government organizations monitor copyright infringement, extremist groups calling for terrorist activities, suppress drug trafficking and the spread of pornography. Well, it has its advantages – safety should always come first. On the other hand, many of the largest companies exploit users’ data to transfer it to third parties. In the most innocuous case, these are advertisers who will not leave you alone on any resource in the future. You can protect your personal information and get rid of invisible controls. It is not necessary at all to refuse from the Internet. There are at least 5 ways to stay anonymous on the World Wide Web.
Effective methods for ensuring anonymity on the web
The IP address is actually the computer's identity. This number is assigned by the ISP and serves to identify the user. By IP, you can find out the geographic location of a person, and if you want to, the physical place of residence and even the real name. By the way, the provider knows all the default data. Some ISPs use this for their own gain. They track the sites that their client visits most often, lower the traffic speed, block access to certain resources. Government agencies can at any time request and receive information from the provider about any user, and then use it to form a dossier. But covert and overt controllers can be knocked off the trail by a fake IP address. In order to do this, it is enough to use one of the options below:
1. VPN service
The most effective and technically secure way to disguise yourself on the Web is to use a reliable VPN (virtual private network) service. The technology allows:
- spoof the IP address;
- anonymously use any torrents;
- go to sites that block users by geo-location (for example, Netflix);
- create an unlimited number of logins;
- create channels protected from hacker attacks;
- get high traffic speed;
There are two ways to connect a VPN – download a free program or contact an intermediary. Typically, the first option is a demo version. It allows you to evaluate the benefits of connecting, and then use a full-fledged service for a fee. Experts do not recommend installing completely free VPN programs. The connection level in them is poor.
2. Proxy server
A service that allows clients to make requests to other networks while hiding the actual IP address. The process is the following: the client connects to the server and enters a request to access a resource located on another server. The service redirects the user to the address, connecting along the chain or retrieving a resource from its own cache (if available).
Despite the fairly high efficiency, this method of maintaining anonymity on the Web has disadvantages:
- The speed is significantly lower compared to VPN, due to the request passing through an additional server;
- Proxy servers may not admit all sites. It all depends on the settings. For example, a server located in the United States will only allow com. Also, many resources have found ways to protect themselves from open proxy servers;
- Proxies cannot securely encrypt traffic, and in fact have access to all user information;
- The network security of the client is at the lowest level, because such a connection has no spoofing;
A proxy server can only be viewed as a temporary (one-time) option to surf the Web anonymously.
3. TOR
Free, readily available software for surfing the Web anonymously. Tor is both a browser and a separate network. The English abbreviation stands for the Onion Router and is called sometimes a bulbous router. Bulbous, because several layers of coding are used to completely hide the user's traces on the Internet.
To work, the user needs to download and install the software (for free). You can use it in the same way as the classic search engines Chrome or Firefox. All actions in the browser are anonymous. Information is encrypted before it enters the network. Therefore, anonymity is guaranteed.
But the popularity and availability of TOR played a cruel joke with it, or rather attracted increased attention of hackers. Almost every second browser user is engaged in illegal activities (in particular, fraud). The second major drawback is that TOR is very slow. By passing a request from one server to another, the browser provides security, but at the same time, traffic suffers greatly.
4. Public Wi-Fi
If there is no time to download and install programs, and you urgently need to log on to the Network anonymously, then it is enough to connect to a public Wi-Fi network. Fast food restaurants, large hotels, airports, train stations – those places where you can get Internet access for free. The method is considered as a backup when there is simply no other way out. The IP address is different, the anonymity is preserved – the task is fulfilled. But requests and personal data are at risk of hacking. There can be no question of any security. Therefore, experts recommend not to take risks and once again do not surf the open Network.
5. Mobile phone
A connection via a mobile operator's network is always a different IP address. It will not replace VPN or proxy server technology, but it will do as a rare replacement for a landline connection. This method is recommended to be used on the road or to access resources that for some reason have blocked the real IP address.
In the case of a mobile connection, you don't have to count on security. Although the systems are different, Internet access here can be compared to a public Wi-Fi network. Therefore, it will not hurt to observe elementary caution.
Anonymity on the web helps you feel comfortable. No ads, no blocking by geo-location, the ability to view your favorite sites, the use of torrents - there are many reasons why you need to hide your real IP address, and they are all quite legal. It remains to choose the best way to disguise and enjoy virtual freedom. In this case, connecting to a VPN is the best solution, which will not only preserve anonymity, but also ensure the safety of the Internet.