So I’ve heard about the benefits and downsides to vpn over tor and tor over vpn but I was curious if you can kind of combine them. Could you use a tor bridge to hide from your ISP and then connect a VPN to protect yourself from malicious exit nodes? Or is it just generally better to use a VPN before launching tor?
Depending on the quality and privacy of your vpn holder though really makes a difference , how did you acquire the vpn ? is it connected to your identity? , if someone can access the logs and or user data then the VPN is not much use.
It is generally discouraged to use Tor with a VPN.
/r/TorwithVPN (it’s just a single post so we don’t have to constantly copy paste it because this comes up so often)
Edit: Also, you probably shouldn’t use a bridge unless it’s a necessity for you to do so. They’re a finite resource, and you could be taking up what others actually require.
Want to be slammed, hence this post.
Isn’t it linking a VPN to TOR ‘more’ risky like in the radar, yes the will not track you but just raises more flags. I2p and multi sig is the future is bill shit 
the debate is not if tor + a vpn is a good option the debate is normally on in what order
but yes VPN then use tor is safe , don’t use a vpn in tor
vpn → tor is frowned upon.
tor — > anonymous vpn works well if you set it up right.
You can then surf the clear web and not be stuck in captcha hell.
I’m not aware of any downsides to using TOR through a VPN.
If anything, it’s an added layer of protection that you wouldn’t normally have if you used your raw IP.
You can defend against malicious exit nodes by using encryption (HTTPS / GPG).
A VPN just adds an extra hop to the circuit that could be keeping logs. You’re better off using TAILS and connect to TOR using a long-range antenna and neighboring open Wi-Fi.
You are also stuck in the location of the VPN setting/location always being in that location you set the VPN at then to the closes Tor circuit. without a VPN , the tor circuit location will vary , with a VPN you are alway connected to vpn location then to the closest Tor circuit based on the vpn location. I have read that being stuck to a VPN location first then tor connection it makes you look more suspicious like you are up to no good trying to hide something using a VPN , I have been using whonix workstation connected to the whonix gateway in VB and I have found many of the what’s my iP lookups can’t even detect my IP address , the ones that do show only show a tor exited, with a constant location changes and various IP addresses , I have all VB files set to read only and boot in live so nothing is saved on the computer . Whonix was a learning curve but they have excellent how to’s and it’s pretty user friendly
I’ll hold my hands up and accept I am wrong. I skimmed your message and miss out the word “recommended”
I read it as you’d gone for the full “never VPN” appproach
For your average Joe bloggs, yes you’re right. the developers advise against it.
Host - VPN - tor can have some minor safety net and benfits with little in the way or risk as long as due diligence is done on the vpn
No, usually the debate is if you should use a VPN with Tor. The answer is very likely no. r/TorwithVPN
You’re not aware of any downsides…?
The fact that the Tor devs themselves do NOT recommend using a VPN with Tor would not register as a downside to you?
Then soonern that sub does the better
They only dont recommend it because VPNs keep logs mostly all at least. Hiding your real IP from entry node is far safer than showing your real IP. So it would be beneficial.
The TOR website says no such thing
Not without a sufficient explanation why unless they are assuming the VPN is compromised.
What downside is there to using a random endpoint generated by a commercial VPN (Nord, Proton, PIA, etc) compared to your raw IP? It’s just another level of obfuscation.
If someone were monitoring your connection, in theory, they could time the packets on your IP compared to a targeted TOR endpoint. With a VPN, they would also have to have access to the VPN to link your exit to a TOR entry node.
They actually do recommend it but you should know what you do.
Their scenarios are highly improbable. Is it possible? Sure, but so is winning the lottery. Just incredibly unlikely to ever happen.
I approach TOR concepts assuming typical everyday scenarios, not “tin foil hat” levels of paranoia.
Popular VPNs do not keep logs, well, the ones I listed, and have been verified as much by independent audits along with court cases that showed they had no data to provide.
The thing with TOR recommendations is they give them assuming a paranoia level of MAX, such as the FBI is secretly controlling the VPN you use