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1Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute2Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems3Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesSpecial offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.
You can use Tor Browser without a VPN: try Connect first, then use Connection Assist or a bridge if Tor is blocked. Use a proxy only when an administrator or provider has given you its address, port, and any required credentials. These options solve different problems; neither is a universal VPN replacement.
Choose the setup that matches your situation
| Option | Use it when | What you need | Coverage and limits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tor Browser direct connection | You want to browse through Tor and have not established that Tor is blocked. | Tor Browser; no separate proxy details. | Routes Tor Browser traffic through Tor, not every app on your device. A direct connection may not work on networks that block Tor. |
| Tor Browser with a bridge | A direct Tor connection is blocked or will not connect. | Connection Assist or an available bridge address. | Changes how Tor Browser connects to Tor; a bridge can fail or be unavailable and is not a general-purpose proxy. |
| Browser proxy | Your organization or proxy provider has supplied an authorized proxy endpoint. | The proxy hostname and port, and any required configuration details. | Applies to the browser configured to use it; it does not automatically cover other apps or guarantee anonymity. |
Connect Tor Browser without a VPN
A VPN is not a prerequisite for Tor Browser. On first launch, the usual starting point is the direct connection option. The Tor Project says that in most cases, selecting Connect works without extra configuration. See the Tor Project’s first-launch instructions.
- Open Tor Browser and select Connect.
- If it connects, browse in Tor Browser. You do not need to enter proxy settings merely because you do not have a VPN.
- If it stalls or you know the network blocks Tor, open Configure Connection and try Connection Assist or a bridge.
Use Connection Assist or a bridge if Tor is blocked
Connection Assist can try to select a bridge based on location information. If automatic selection does not work, choose a region if offered and try a bridge. A bridge changes the route by which Tor Browser enters the Tor network; it is not a proxy endpoint for other browsers or apps. The Tor Project explains how to use bridges and how to get bridge addresses.
Enter a bridge address on desktop
- In the connection setup screen, open Configure Connection and find Bridges.
- Choose the option to enter known bridge addresses.
- Enter each bridge address on its own line, then connect.
In a running desktop browser, open Settings → Connection → Bridges to add addresses. Labels and paths can change between Tor Browser versions, so use the current connection settings if your screen differs. You can request bridge addresses through Tor Browser or the Tor Project’s bridge-distribution service. A bridge is not a guaranteed fix: it may be unavailable or fail to connect.
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#1 Best Overall
GL.iNet GL-SFT1200 Opal Travel Router, AC1200 Dual-Band Wi-Fi
- 【AC1200 Dual-band Wireless Router】Simultaneous dual-band with wireless speed up to 300 Mbps (2.4GHz) + 867 Mbps (5GHz). 2.4GHz band can handles some simple tasks like emails or web browsing while bandwidth intensive tasks such as gaming or 4K video streaming can be handled by the 5GHz band.*Speed tests are conducted on a local network. Real-world speeds may differ depending on your network configuration.*
- 【Easy Setup】Please refer to the User Manual and the Unboxing & Setup video guide on Amazon for detailed setup instructions and methods for connecting to the Internet.
- 【Pocket-friendly】Lightweight design(145g) which designed for your next trip or adventure. Alongside its portable, compact design makes it easy to take with you on the go.
- 【Full Gigabit Ports】Gigabit Wireless Internet Router with 2 Gigabit LAN ports and 1 Gigabit WAN ports, ideal for lots of internet plan and allow you to connect your wired devices directly.
- 【Keep your Internet Safe】IPv6 supported. OpenVPN & WireGuard pre-installed, compatible with 30+ VPN service providers. Cloudflare encryption supported to protect the privacy.
Configure a proxy in Firefox
Use this path only if an administrator or proxy provider gave you the required settings. Mozilla’s Firefox connection-settings guide describes choices including No proxy, automatic detection, system proxy settings, manual configuration, and an automatic proxy configuration URL (PAC). Exact menus vary by Firefox release.
- Open Firefox Settings and go to the network or proxy connection settings.
- Select Manual proxy configuration.
- Enter the hostname and port provided by your administrator or proxy provider. If the same proxy should handle HTTPS, use Firefox’s option to apply it to HTTPS too.
- Save the settings and try loading a site. If connections fail, verify the endpoint and settings with the provider or administrator.
If you do not know whether a proxy is required, ask your organization or compare the settings with a working browser. Do not guess an address or use a random public proxy. An incorrect or unreachable proxy can prevent sites from loading. These steps are Firefox-specific; other browsers and operating systems have their own controls.
Quick Recap
Bestseller No. 1
Best Value
Sale
ASUS RT-BE58 Go Travel Router WiFi 7 Dual-Band, 3.6Gbps, Secure Public WiFi
- Next-Gen WiFi 7 Router Speeds: Experience blazing-fast dual-band WiFi 7 speeds of up to 3600 Mbps with Multi-Link Operation (MLO) and 4K-QAM. This VPN router ensures a low-latency connection and exceptional Wi-Fi for office working, streaming, and video calls, so you never miss a beat.
- Stay Secure on Any Public Network: This ASUS router protects your sensitive data with comprehensive VPN features and commercial-grade security. This is the ideal travel router for hotel WiFi or for a cruise ship, as it lets you easily create a private hotspot over public WiFi (WISP mode), ensuring your privacy with an easy toggle switch.
- Powerful Mobile Hotspot: Transform your smartphone or mobile dongle into a powerful, shareable network. This hotspot travel router leverages 4G LTE and 5G mobile tethering.
- USB-C Powered Router: Pack lighter and power up anywhere on your journey. With universal USB-C Power Delivery 18W, you can use the same charger for your router as you do for your laptop or phone, eliminating the need for bulky, extra adapters.
- Future-Ready Scalable Mesh Network: As your needs grow, so can your network. This WiFi7 router features enhanced AiMesh technology, enabling you to create a more reliable and extendable Aimesh network for seamless, whole-home coverage with rich security and networking features.
Rank #4
GL.iNet GL-MT300N-V2 (Mango) Portable Mini Travel Wireless Pocket VPN WiFi Router - 2X Ethernet Ports | USB 2.0 | OpenWrt | OpenVPN/Wireguard for Public & Hotel Wi-Fi | Easy to Set up via Admin Panel
- 【WIRELESS MOBILE MINI TRAVEL ROUTER】 Convert a public network (wired or wireless) to a private Wi-Fi for secure surfing. Tethering. Powered by any laptop USB, power banks or 5V/2A DC adapters (sold separately). 39g (1.41 Oz) only, portable and pocket friendly. 2.4GHz ONLY
- 【OPEN SOURCE & PROGRAMMABLE】 OpenWrt pre-installed, USB disk extendable.
- 【LARGER STORAGE & EXTENDABILITY】 128MB RAM, 16MB Flash ROM, dual Ethernet ports, UART and GPIOs available for hardware DIY.
- 【OPENVPN CLIENT】 OpenVPN client pre-installed, compatible with 30+ VPN service providers.
- 【PACKAGE CONTENTS】 GL-MT300N-V2 (Mango) mini router (2-year Warranty), USB cable, Ethernet cable, User Manual. Please update to the latest firmware.
Rank #3
Sale
Roam 6 AX1500 Portable Wi-Fi 6 Travel Router Dual-Band USB C 3.0
- 𝐑𝐨𝐚𝐦 𝟔 𝐀𝐗𝟏𝟓𝟎𝟎 𝐝𝐮𝐚𝐥-𝐛𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐬 - Wi-Fi 6 Speeds up to 1,201 Mbps (5 GHz) and 300 Mbps (2.4 GHz) for up to 60 devices simultaneously. Actual Wi-Fi speeds vary based on source bandwidth, environment, distance to devices, and obstacles. ◇§
- 𝐏𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐝𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐧 - Roam 6 AX1500 is a pocket-sized travel router compactly designed for trips and adventures, featuring a 1 Gbps WAN/LAN port and a 1 Gbps LAN port for reliable wired connectivity.
- 𝗦𝗲𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗪𝗶-𝗙𝗶 𝗼𝗻-𝘁𝗵𝗲-𝗴𝗼 - Connects to public Wi-Fi and creates a private, secure network for all your devices. Supports multiple devices at once, ideal for hotels, Airbnbs, airports, and even home use. VPN connectivity enables secure remote work.
- 𝐌𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐢𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐜𝐭 - (1) Router Mode: Connects to public Wi-Fi, ISP, or phone (USB tethering). (2) AP/RE/Client Mode: Adds WiFi to wired setups, extends WiFi, or connects wired devices wirelessly.
- 𝐎𝐮𝐫 𝐜𝐲𝐛𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐞𝐜𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐢𝐭𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 - TP-Link is a signatory of the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency’s (CISA) Secure-by-Design pledge. Advanced security is integrated into the device’s design, development, and ongoing maintenance.
Rank #2
Sale
GL.iNet GL-MT3000 Beryl AX Wi-Fi 6 Travel Router, 2.5G WAN, VPN, OpenWrt
- 【DUAL BAND AX TRAVEL ROUTER】Products with US, UK, EU Plug; Dual band network with wireless speed 574Mbps (2.4G)+2402Mbps (5G); 2.5G Multi-gigabit WAN port and a 1G gigabit LAN port; USB 3.0 port; Wi-Fi 6 offers more than double the total Wi-Fi speed with the MT3000 VPN Router.
- 【VPN CLIENT & SERVER】OpenVPN and WireGuard are pre-installed, compatible with 30+ VPN service providers (active subscription required). Simply log in to your existing VPN account with our portable wifi device, and Beryl AX automatically encrypts all network traffic within the connected network. Max. VPN speed of 150 Mbps (OpenVPN); 300 Mbps (WireGuard). *Speed tests are conducted on a local network. Real-world speeds may differ depending on your network configuration.*
- 【OpenWrt 21.02 FIRMWARE】The Beryl AX is a portable wifi box and mini router that runs on OpenWrt 21.02 firmware. It supports more than 5,000 ready-made plug-ins for customization. Simply browse, install, and manage packages with our no-code interface within Beryl AX's Admin Panel.
- 【PROTECT YOUR NETWORK SECURITY】Our pocket wifi, unlike other vulnerable portable wifi hotspot for travel purposes supports WPA3 protocol–Preventive measures against password brute-force attacks; DNS over HTTPS & DNS over TLS–Protecting domain name system traffic and preventing data eavesdropping from malicious parties; IPv6–Built-in authentication for privacy protection, eliminating the need for network address translation.
- 【VPN CASCADING AT EASE】Surpassing the mediocre performance of most VPN routers for home usage, the Beryl AX is capable of hosting a VPN server and VPN client at the same time within the same device, enabling users to remote access local network resources like Wi-Fi printers or local web servers, and accessing the public internet as a VPN client simultaneously.
Understand the privacy and coverage limits
- A browser proxy is not device-wide protection. It applies to the browser configured to use it, not automatically to every application. Some applications, including torrent clients, may ignore proxy settings and connect directly.
- Use Tor Browser for Tor browsing. The Tor Project warns that using another browser with Tor can create deanonymization and information-leakage risks. Tor Browser is modified for the Tor network; its overview explains how it differs.
- Neither Tor nor a proxy guarantees anonymity. The Tor Project states that “Tor Browser cannot guarantee perfect anonymity” in its best-practices guidance.
- Keep HTTPS protections enabled. Tor Browser’s HTTPS-Only Mode upgrades connections to HTTPS where the site supports it. HTTPS helps protect the connection to that site, but it does not eliminate every privacy or identity risk. See the Tor Project’s guide to secure connections.
- Follow applicable rules. Tor and proxy use do not bypass every network restriction, and legality depends on the circumstances and jurisdiction. Follow your organization’s network policies and applicable local rules.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
