Is orbot a vpn like proton over tor?

Or is it only to give apps tor excess?

Is it problematic to browse the web with orbot? Or is it better to use a vpn?

Orbot is not a VPN, it's more of a proxy that allows you to pass your connection through Tor relays. For classic Internet browsing, it's better to use a VPN and Tor for Tor.

    Stewart By your description, a VPN probably isn't a VPN either, its "more of a proxy that allows you to pass your connection through" whatever.

    A VPN is a secure connection to some network that is mostly closed off to the outside world, such as an office LAN. You use VPN software to gain Virtual access to the Private Network. In other words, to access non-public resources in a closed off / private network without exposing those resources to the internet.

    When you're using a VPN as a privacy screen, you aren't using it to gain access to resources on a private network. You're using it to access publicly accessible resources, but hiding your identity behind someone else's IP address. That's using it like a PROXY, not like a VPN. Its called VPN only really because it uses VPN software and protocols.

    Now Orbot, on the other hand, can be used in exactly the same way, with greater privacy effect because of the different layers and different entry and exit nodes (whereas a typical privacy "VPN" will have a connection IN, and a connection OUT that could potentially be associated by data volume), but Orbot can ALSO be used as a more traditional VPN in that it also does provide access to a PRIVATE NETWORK -- known sometimes as the dark web.

      secrec Thanks for the clarification, you're absolutely right.

      Also, I would like to know what is the difference between VPN mode and running Orbot without VPN mode?
      I already use Proton VPN and I'd like to know if it's useful to also use Orbot without VPN mode.

      What's more, Orbot recommends being activated with messaging or social media applications to work better. By default, it offers me Signal and Whatsapp, which is also useful on other types of application such as Proton Mail or Tuta, even though I already have a VPN.
      Is there any point in activating the IP protection option by routing Signal and Whatsapp calls through their servers?

      In short, is Proton VPN + Orbot + IP Protection on Signal and Whatsapp really useful?

      • yore replied to this.

        By the way, when I go to this site check.torproject.org after configuring Orbot without using VPN mode, it tells me I'm not connected to Tor. Why?

        • yore replied to this.
          • Edited

          Stewart By the way, when I go to this site check.torproject.org after configuring Orbot without using VPN mode, it tells me I'm not connected to Tor. Why?

          VPN mode routes Tor traffic from Orbot through all network connections in that profile. Without VPN mode, you need to select the apps that you want to route through Tor from Orbot's in-app settings.

          Stewart In short, is Proton VPN + Orbot + IP Protection on Signal and Whatsapp really useful?

          You don't need a VPN if you're connecting with Orbot. Or you can use only a VPN without Orbot if you need privacy but not anonymity. I don't know what you mean by "IP Protection" so I can't say 🤷‍♂️.

          • [deleted]

          • Edited

          Yes its essentially the same, but you trust different parties (volunteer nodes) with your traffic instead of a company. Its not very fast though, but its better for privacy in the sense that you're not protected by a single entity but a decentralized network. Its not worse or better than a VPN for "privacy" or "anonimity" in other fields. Your traffic is still protected from the ISP and your IP is still protected from the end website. The website can see that you're using tor which is just as fingerprintable as your real IP or a VPN's ip, so dont be concerned about that.

          • yore replied to this.
            • Edited

            [deleted] A VPN is a single point so if there is a probe into the VPN provider and they keep logs, then user activities can be correlated. Tor does not have the same issue but is significantly slower and many Tor exit nodes are blocked or considered suspicious activity, resulting in some sites asking for additional verification.

              • [deleted]

              yore Yes.