Tor and NordVPN - Questions and Suggestions?

VPN
1

r/Tor

Hope everyone is doing well. I’m new to the cybersecurity industry so please bear with me.

Few questions regarding both Tor and NordVPN. I find both Tor and cybersecurity extremely interesting but confused about several topics. When I’m using NordVPN and connect to Iceland on both Chrome and Tor, the masked information is different between both browsers according to https://ipleak.net/:

Chrome:

IP:45.133.192.92AirVPN Exit Node::camera: NoCountry::camera: Iceland (IS)Region:Reykjanesbaer (RKN)City:KeflavikTime Zone:Atlantic/ReykjavikLatitude & Longitude:63.967 , -22.572

Tor:

IP: 81.17.16.150AirVPN Exit Node: :camera: NoCountry: :camera: Switzerland (CH)Time Zone: Europe/ZurichLatitude & Longitude: 47.1449 , 8.1551View Larger MapAccuracy Radius:50 KMLast data update:Tue, 09 Mar 2021 03:57:17 +0000

Here are a series of questions related to both NordVPN/Tor:

  1. Why are there two different IP addresses given contingent on the browser? I’m assuming the Tor network takes priority over NordVPN?
  2. I’m unable to load Reddit through Tor regardless of VPN usage. Site states: “503 Service Temporarily Unavailable”… does Reddit not allow browsing through Tor’s network? Any fixes for this?
  3. What is the benefit of using the “Onion Over VPN” service of NordVPN? When I’m using Onion Over VPN, everything will timeout or is unavailable. Therefore, I’ve only been able to use Iceland or Switzerland connection?
  4. Due to data privacy laws, I’m connecting to either Iceland or Switzerland. Are there any other countries I should be aware of that may have safer privacy laws? I’m US-based so our online privacy is basically no longer existent. Trying to protect myself from unsolicited eyes.
  5. The last time I used Nord (about a year ago), there was a “Double VPN” feature available but I no longer see it. Why is that unavailable and what are the benefits?
  6. Under advanced settings within Nord, I’m using a custom DNS and assigned it to 9.9.9.9 which is the Quad9. From what I read, that is the most secure way of browsing through their DNS. Are there other DNS’s more secure? Or better ways to mask both my IP/DNS addresses?
  7. Is Tor still the most secure browser for online privacy? I’ve been reading Brave is a strong contender but don’t know if that’s true or not.

I know it’s a lot of information so any responses are welcome. I’m here to learn.

Thanks in advance and look forward to hearing from each and everyone of you!

2

“I’m new to the cybersecurity industry” Step #1, remove NordVPN.

3

onion over vpn is basically running tor inside tor with a third party server in between. this can slow down your speed considerably depending on many variables outside your network. as for the different IPs that is just how the browsers connect to the internet with a VPN, chrome will still hit google servers, just in a different location than normal, Tor does not

4

I wouldnt waste resources on onion over vpn.

Nords onion over vpn sucks anyways.

plus it creates a single point of failure.

Your IP address should change every 10 minutes with Tor.

Brave just got caught with their pants down leaking dns, so take that for what you will.

Double VPN, same provider may as well use one but if somebody is tracking you its just one extra hop. But that wouldnt matter since its the same company running that hop.

Tor should be using the Tor nodes DNS, but honestly Ive never messed with changing it.

Use a Bridge not a VPN if your nervous.

I’m on reddit using Tor right now you just have to allow some java script.

YMMV as Ive heard conflicting reports but Ive havent had any issues.

Also Ive heard of being shadow banned while on Tor and Reddit but if you can read this message then???

5

Got it, which VPN do you suggest. “No log” preferred if that even exists.

6

Ok makes sense.

So when I’m using “Onion Over VPN”, then all my traffic is run through Tor. So if I’m using the Tor browser, then the data is being run through Tor two times? Does it increase security or privacy? Or totally redundant and servers no purpose?

7

Brave just got caught with their pants down leaking dns, so take that for what you will.

This. No way Brave should even be compared with Tor.

8

You’re not the first one to say this. What VPN do you recommend outside Nord?

9

im not sure it really exists… our best hope is that protonvpn is telling the truth.

10

If you’re already using tor it’s pretty redundant it’s more for if you’re using brave or Firefox or something like that