Advanced Onion Router is a free utility program that enables you to safely send online data anonymously. Developed by hexhub, this software is considered an improved alternative to Tor, Vidalia, and Privoxy. It is a portable client for the OR network and contains numerous upgraded features that provide more security to your presence online. This tool looks similar to a VPN program in nature but please take note that it doesn’t specifically function as one.

Another OR network client

Advanced Onion Router uses what is called “onion routing” as its method of hiding you online. Onion routing is a technique for anonymous communication over a computer network. Similar to the layers of an onion, your data is covered in layers of encryption. It will be transmitted through a series of network nodes called onion routers, which will "peel away” one by one and uncover the data's next destination until the final one is reached.

This OR network client offers the common features you’d expect from a Tor alternative. However, its functionalities have been improved compared to the Tor Browser Bundle. For one, the user interface has been revamped. There’s now a local ban list for forbidden addresses, the option for private identity isolation, and a point-and-click process interceptor that redirect connections from programs that don't support proxies. The tool also supports UNICODE paths, HTTP and HTTPS proxy protocols, and NTLM proxies.

This program can estimate AS paths for all circuits and prevent AS path intersections, as well. It can restrict circuits to be built using only nodes from different countries and can change circuit lengths. Its portability ensures that it doesn’t write to the system registry and its read-only mode avoids files being written. Plugins are even supported. However, take note that just like the others, this can be slow when compared to a VPN service.

Not a bad second option

Overall, Advanced Onion Router is a nice alternative to other onion router clients. It provides several advanced options that can be easily configured and even has hotkeys, multi-language support, and an onion address generator you can use. It’s not the fastest way to stay anonymous but it is still a reliable one so this is a highly recommended program to try out.