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How To Browse The Internet Anonymously

How to Browse the Internet Anonymously in 2023

Published on: May 6, 2023
Last Updated: May 6, 2023

How to Browse the Internet Anonymously in 2023

Published on: May 6, 2023
Last Updated: May 6, 2023

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Are you trying to find out how to browse the Internet anonymously?

To browse the Internet anonymously and securely, you must go about your normal Internet activities without allowing your data to fall into the wrong hands.

It can be easily used for non-beneficial purposes, such as identity theft and targeted malware. Anonymous browsing means data is not only not safe, but it is also not traceable to you.

Everything you do online as a regular user can be tracked. There are a variety of reasons why you may allow it or would want to go completely anonymous.

That is a debate we will not engage in today. In this guide, you can find out how to access the internet securely and keep your confidential information protected at all times so that you can learn how to browse the Internet anonymously.

How to Browse the Internet Anonymously in 2023

There are various ways to remain anonymous online and figure out how to browse the Internet anonymously, but some are more effective than others.

To become the ideal anonymous browser, follow these steps:

  • Using a web proxy, you can conceal your IP address. Not all proxies are created equal, but there are numerous free ones that are excellent for anonymous web browsing, such as Hidester.
  • When you use a proxy to visit a website, all traffic is routed through a remote server before the page is downloaded to your device. This means that to anyone observing (the website you’re on, your ISP, the authorities, etc.), your browsing seems to be coming from that server’s location.
  • Connect to a VPN service. A VPN is similar to a web proxy, but it is beneficial when you want everything encrypted and routed through numerous servers rather than just one. A VPN protects not only your browsing but also any file sharing, messaging, and so forth.
  • When selecting a safe VPN, it is critical to consider whether they keep logs of your visits and search history. If they do, there’s a risk they’ll reveal that information to an official figure if asked, or that your personal information will be leaked if a hacker obtains it.
  • Use a web browser that respects your privacy. Tor Browser, which encrypts traffic and transmits it through numerous servers, is one example of an anonymous browser that hides your web browsing habits.
  • Use a safe search engine, such as DuckDuckGo or Startpage, to block advertising trackers and keep your search history secret.
  • Avoid using public Wi-Fi networks, such as those found in hotels and restaurants. It’s unknown who is watching the traffic from the other side of the building, or what’s happening behind the scenes with that company’s security and privacy policies.
  • In the same vein, only connect to a Wi-Fi network if it employs a modern encryption technology such as WPA2. To remain anonymous while using Wi-Fi, ensure that the network is encrypted. 
  • Use the private mode of your web browser to prevent it from tracking the online pages you visit. Simply exit it after you’re finished to avoid saving any passwords or history.

HTTPS

HTTPS

HTTPS is the secure version of the HyperText Transfer Protocol, which is used to exchange information between browsers and websites.

Almost every modern website employs HTTPS, so avoid websites that don’t because it’s a sure sign that your information isn’t safe.

  • There’s also a browser add-on called HTTPS everywhere that requires browsers to use HTTPS even if they don’t have an HTTPS certificate. 

Browser Plugins Should Be Avoided

Browser Plugins

Modern browsers, such as Google Chrome and Firefox, may extend their functionality with plugins, which is a wonderful thing for helping you figure out how to browse the Internet anonymously.

However, not all plugins are made equal, especially if you’re not receiving them from the normal repo, such as the Chrome Store for Google Chrome.

  • Before installing plugins, check their privacy policies to ensure that they respect your right to privacy and that you have the choice to disable tracking.

DuckDuckGo

DuckDuckGo

DuckDuckGo is a search engine that aims to keep your search history private and to block advertising trackers, giving you control over your data and teaching you how to browse the Internet anonymously.

Most open-source groups highly suggest it, and it is also the default search engine in the Onion browser, TOR. 

Cookie Caution

Cookies are not inherently harmful because they enable web services to present you with a more personalized browsing experience, ranging from the subjects you prefer reading about to which things you are likely to purchase.

  • Cookies can be used to accomplish a variety of sophisticated activities, such as storing your login credentials, credit card information, location and language preferences, and so on, therefore it is critical that you keep track of which cookies your browser keeps and how they will be used.

Use A VPN

VPNs are the most convenient way to alter your IP address and learn how to browse the Internet anonymously, and most VPNs allow you to encrypt your Internet traffic, impersonate your location, and access geo-blocked websites.

We recommend NordVPN, Surfshark and ExpressVPN because they are by far the most dependable networks when thinking about how to browse the Internet anonymously.

All of them have more than 2000 servers in 141 countries and over 300,000 anonymous IP addresses.

1. NordVPN

NordVPN

This is probably one of the most popular virtual private networks on the market today to help you learn how to browse the Internet anonymously.

It offers high speed browsing, anonymity and monitors traffic through a remote server.

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By using this VPN, you can enjoy access to blocked content and bypass all restrictions easily as well. The providers encrypts all the data so all confidential information can remain protected. 

Features

  • User-friendly Apps: The network has reliable applications for Windows, MacOS, Android and iOS. 
  • Dark Web Scanner: Recently, NordVPN has launched a feature that allows users to scan the dark web to find out if their information has been leaked. 
  • Fast Speed: There are no lags or disruptions as the servers support high speed transfers. 

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2. Surfshark 

Surfshark

Surfshark is a relative newcomer with rapid innovation, a plethora of features, and reasonable costs as far as figuring out how to browse the Internet anonymously goes. It also comes with data protection features and search tools for private browsing.

While the server network is slightly small, the network is quite user-friendly. You can easily avail the services to browse the internet anonymously and secure all activities from hackers or lurkers.  

Features

  • Reliable VPN apps: The Surfshark VPN apps are quite dependable, with no bugs, timeouts, or other issues.
  • Servers that are dependable: The Surfshark server network provides continuously quick and dependable service.
  • Connections with Surfshark are also stable, with no frequent dips or disconnections.

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3. ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN is a well-known network that is used by millions across the world for learning how to browse the Internet anonymously. It has been around for quite some time now and offers many features to its users.

ExpressVPN can allow you to browse anonymously and hide your IP address as well. 

The provider is known for offering a simple VPN service with few bells and whistles. Split tunnelling is one of ExpressVPN’s key features.

You can use this functionality to route specified programmes or websites outside of the VPN tunnel. This feature is also available with NordVPN and ProtonVPN.

Features 

  • Reliable VPN apps: Whether you use the Lightway or OpenVPN protocols, ExpressVPN provides dependable VPN apps.
  • Reliable servers: While the speeds aren’t as fast as those of Surfshark, the ExpressVPN server network is nevertheless dependable.
  • Reliable Connections: There are no connectivity issues that have been discovered in testing.

Make Use of an Anonymous Email Account

Popular email service providers, such as Gmail and Yahoo Mail, require you to enter personal information that is automatically shared throughout their community for a variety of purposes.

  • What you want to do is move away from those services and toward anonymous email services like TorGuard and ProtonMail, which allow you to create accounts and communicate with others via email without revealing your true name.

Utilize A Mobile Network

Browsing with your phone’s data is a safe way to be anonymous online since it employs a routing mechanism that assigns a unique IP address to each connection.

  • While this method keeps your identity hidden, it is slower and less effective than browsing on a laptop.

1. TOR Browser

Tor Browser

TOR is free and open-source software that allows users to work out how to browse the Internet anonymously by routing Internet traffic through a network of relays.

It goes the extra mile to encrypt your IP address and all data packets that interface with your computer, masking your identity whether or not you’re using a VPN.

Simply put, Tor is another alternative for hiding your IP address, in addition to using a VPN.

Before sending your communication through three randomly selected exit nodes, the service encrypts it and your IP address.

Everything is also re-encrypted at each stage, making tracing your web traffic nearly impossible.

  • To begin, you must first download the Tor browser. When you wish to prevent being monitored by your IP address, use the browser.
  • Don’t use Tor to download torrents: you’ll almost always wind up revealing your IP address one way or another.
  • Tor should not have any browser plugins enabled: IP addresses have been revealed by plugins such as Adobe Flash.
  • When feasible, use encrypted versions of websites: Tor is included as standard with HTTPS Everywhere for this precise reason. This software provides encryption on any website that supports it.
  • Do not open documents obtained through Tor: At the very least, avoid doing so while online. These could connect to the internet outside of Tor and use your real IP address to track you down.
  • Using Tor to browse the web is perhaps the most straightforward approach to secure your security. This is especially true if you only use it when safety is critical. There are methods for tracing your traffic when using a browser, however, this is mainly due to user error. It’s a good idea to save Tor for when you need to be anonymous and use another browser for day-to-day computing.

2. I2P

I2P

The Invisible Internet Project (I2P) is a decentralized, anonymous network that allows its users and apps learn how to browse the Internet anonymously.

Unlike Tor’s onion routing, I2P communication is analogous to garlic, with each message representing a clove and a group of them representing a bulb.

As a result, with I2P, multiple packets (or messages) are delivered instead of just one, and they pass via multiple nodes.

It also employs one-way entrance and exit tunnels, ensuring that a query and a response traverse distinct paths. Furthermore, similar to Tor, onion routing is used throughout each tunnel.

As a result, analyzing data with I2P is much more difficult than with Tor or a typical VPN because it not only uses several nodes and tunnels but also sends multiple packets rather than just one.

  • The fundamental advantage of I2P is that it can be used for all of our Internet activities because it is compatible with most apps, including browsers, torrent and other P2P (peer-to-peer) tools, mail, chat, gaming, and many more.
  •  Furthermore, the documentation for the project is quite clear and extensive, allowing you to customize its API for any application.

However, because it is not as well-known as Tor. It doesn’t yet have as many users (and hence fewer players to share the load), so browsing is sometimes slower.

3. Freenet

Freenet

Freenet, the oldest of the three networks under consideration here, was founded in 2000.

Freenet is intended to be an unstructured P2P network with non-hierarchical nodes that share information so that you can figure out how to browse the Internet anonymously.

Communication takes place between the different entrance, transit, and exit nodes, just like Tor and I2P.

The goal of Freenet is to keep encrypted papers that can only be accessed if you have the accompanying key, preventing them from being discovered and censored.

It provides anonymity to people who publish information as well as those who download it.

  • Freenet’s key advantages include strong privacy and anonymity features that allow users to browse websites, search or read forums, and publish content anonymously. Furthermore, as a P2P network, it is the greatest of the three for anonymous content posting and sharing.
  •  However, the same functionality has the disadvantage of requiring each user to save the material on their own hardware in order to share it, necessitating a considerable amount of disc space and resources.

How Can You Make Digital Payments Anonymously?

Even though the method is safe, you cannot remain anonymous online if you communicate bank details and other sensitive information over the Internet.

So, how do you make online payments and figure out how to browse the Internet anonymously? Make use of gift cards and cryptocurrency. They are becoming more accessible these days, and more businesses are adding support for them on a daily basis.

How Can A VPN Help You?

VPN

Your location, device kind, IP address, and browsing history are just a few of the traces you leave when you surf the web. That information is extremely useful, whether to an obtrusive advertising or a sly crook. 

A VPN might assist you in reclaiming your privacy when learning how to browse the Internet anonymously. It encrypts your internet connection so that no one can eavesdrop on the websites you browse or the data you share.

It also conceals your IP address and location, making it impossible for snoopers to trace you down.

Security

The internet is not a secure environment when figuring out how to browse the Internet anonymously. With a few careless clicks on a suspicious attachment or a gorgeous pop-up, your device gets infected with malware.

A cybercriminal knows your credentials after only a few minutes of utilising public Wi-Fi at your local cafe.

A VPN encrypts your connection, so your data transmission is secure even if the network you connect to has lax security.

The CyberSec function of NordVPN for example, bans malicious websites and advertisements.  So even if you make a mistake online, the software will prevent you from reaching a dangerous site.

Internet Liberty

Are you planning a trip to a more restricted area? That doesn’t mean you should let it restrict your freedom when working out how to browse the Internet anonymously.

NordVPN has over 5100 safe servers spread across 60 countries. You can connect to any of them and get your favorite stuff regardless of where you are.

Connect to your home region and instantly access your favourite news websites or social media accounts.

With NordVPN, you can connect to the internet as if you were at home, no matter where you are.

Speed

We’ve all been in that situation at one point or the other. You’ve finally seen the Netflix show you’ve been dying to see, or you’re about to deliver the final victory blow to your gaming adversary.

Then you notice the dreaded buffering symbol.

With a fast VPN, you don’t have to worry about it. It not only ensures that your connection is safe and that you experience little speed loss.

It also prevents the throttling of your internet connection, so your ISP cannot slow you down.

The elements described above are the checkboxes that you must check to ensure that your data is protected online and that you remain anonymous at all times.

Remember to pay attention to the details of any services you use while online and to follow the privacy restrictions outlined in the programs you use, such as Tor.

Convenience

Your sensitive data isn’t merely stored on one of your devices. It’s all over your phone, laptop, and tablet. However, obtaining device-specific cybersecurity software for each device is, to say the least, inconvenient.

This is where VPN services come into play. You can encrypt your data on up to six devices with a single account.

There are also apps for all of your devices, including smartphones, desktops, routers, and even an Amazon Fire TV Stick.

Check Browser Settings 

If you look through your browser’s settings, you’ll see a setting named ‘Do Not Track’. Turning this on may make you believe that sites would no longer follow you, but this is not the case.

This ‘Do Not Track’ is a terrific concept in theory, but it hasn’t worked well in practice.

The aim was to give browsers an optional setting where users could say they don’t want to be tracked. Sites would agree not to monitor such users, allowing them a little more control over their data.

Things To Consider While Browsing Secretly

Browsing Anonymously

Using the web in incognito mode and with a VPN does not provide complete protection. If you save anything on your hard drive (pictures, videos, documents), they are technically still available for others to view later.

Furthermore, as Google points out, any bookmarks saved in incognito mode will be exposed after you exit incognito mode, so don’t save any sites that you don’t want people to know you’re viewing.

The websites you visit may still be able to see your location.

A VPN can help you hide this since you can alter the server you’re connecting to and make it appear as if you’re logging in from somewhere else, such as a foreign nation.

If you do not use a VPN, Google Location Services inside the Chrome browser can gain access to adjacent Wi-Fi routers, the strength of your Wi-Fi connection, your device IP address (which can help identify you), and other information.

Is Private Browsing The Same As Anonymous Browsing?

No, anonymous and private surfing is not the same thing. Using a browser’s private mode, such as Google Chrome’s Incognito mode or Firefox’s private windows, is referred to as private browsing.

When you use these modes, your browser does not save your search history and clears your cookies and other temporary browsing data when you leave the window – but you can still be tracked and are not completely anonymous online.

Ways To Maintain Your Online Anonymity

The following are a few additional ways that you can manage and maintain anonymous browsing for a long period of time: 

  • Web surfing is only one aspect of the online world. If you use email, a web-based texting service, a file transfer website, or another service, you’ll need to think about how to remain anonymous there as well.
  • Make use of a secure email provider such as ProtonMail, an anonymous email service, or a throwaway email account.
  • You should select a cloud storage solution that guarantees zero-knowledge encryption.
  • When shopping online, avoid using your real payment information and instead use virtual cards from services such as Privacy or Blur.
  • Log in to a website using an account-sharing service, such as BugMeNot, to avoid adding your personal information to the profile.
  • Use anonymous social networking sites only.
  • Avoid instant messaging programs that do not enable end-to-end encryption; Signal and WhatsApp are suitable options.
  • Set up your phone with a bogus GPS position to deceive apps and websites that rely on location tracking.
  • Remove your personal information from the internet, where anyone can find it, such as your phone number, address, family, and so on.

Is It Difficult To Browse The Internet Anonymously?

Internet Anonymously

Some of the most dependable Internet services, such as Google, might compromise your privacy.

Since Google logs every search you conduct, you may wish to start using an alternate search engine, such as DuckDuckGo, to protect your privacy.

This search engine does not save any of your information. Another thing to keep in mind is that public Wi-Fi networks are potentially dangerous. 

When you work on a wireless connection or an unprotected network, you are vulnerable since others can observe your activities.

To combat this, use your router’s encryption settings and a VPN when you are unable to connect to a protected network.

Due to unfettered internet access, online security and privacy are more important (and more difficult to preserve) than ever before.

The tools we’ve described are a good starting point, but we recommend maintaining up to date on the most recent security threats and frequently and consistently updating your software.

Final Thoughts

Finally, keep in mind that your data is never completely secure.

You can always defend yourself from intrusion or tracking by following the principles above, but anyone who knows your password or has already invaded your computer through other means could conceivably see what you’re doing.

This guide should make you feel better about keeping most eyes on you, but it should not be used for unlawful purposes.

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Written by Jason Wise

Hello! I’m the editor at EarthWeb, with a particular interest in business and technology topics, including social media, privacy, and cryptocurrency. As an experienced editor and researcher, I have a passion for exploring the latest trends and innovations in these fields and sharing my insights with our readers. I also enjoy testing and reviewing products, and you’ll often find my reviews and recommendations on EarthWeb. With a focus on providing informative and engaging content, I am committed to ensuring that EarthWeb remains a leading source of news and analysis in the tech industry.

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