Anonabox is the tiny plug-and-play Tor router that keeps your surfing habits private

[Shawn Knight]

The Tor network is perhaps the best way to anonymously surf the web but it’s not exactly easy for the average user to set up and use. Those wanting a bit of privacy but lack the technical know-how have had few choices up to this point but as the narrative around privacy continues, we’re seeing more hardware-based plug-and-play devices spring up.

One such example is the Anonabox, a Tor-enabled, open source networking device designed to run alongside your existing home router / modem. The hardware, which connects to your network via Ethernet cable, provides anonymous Internet access and encryption by routing all of your Internet traffic through the Tor network.

Earlier models of the Anonabox were admittedly clunky and expensive but that’s not the case with the latest prototype. This fourth generation device features a CPU clocked at 580MHz alongside 64MB of memory. Its creators claim pageload times are much faster compared to running the Tor browser software because all of the hard work is being done in the background by the Anonabox.

The Anonabox is currently seeking funding on Kickstarter and is off to a stellar start. With 29 days to go, more than 1,300 backers have already pledged over $80,000 – more than 10 times the campaign’s original goal. At the current rate, the Anonabox could end up being one of the most successful campaigns in recent memory.

A pledge of $51 is all that’s needed to score an Anonabox from the first production batch scheduled for delivery in January 2015.

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https://www.techspot.com/news/58415-anonabox-tiny-plug-play-tor-router-keeps-surfing.html

 

[JohnCB]

The Tor network is perhaps the best way to anonymously surf the web but it’s not exactly easy for the average user to set up and use. Those wanting a bit of privacy but lack the technical know-how

What? You literally download an executable and run it. That's it. nothing else.

Yet this alternative is assuming you are comfortable setting up your own wired network, and capable of setting up a NAT environment and relay your wireless through another device? C'mon...

 

[davislane1]

The Tor network is perhaps the best way to anonymously surf the web but it’s not exactly easy for the average user to set up and use. Those wanting a bit of privacy but lack the technical know-how

What? You literally download an executable and run it. That's it. nothing else.

Yet this alternative is assuming you are comfortable setting up your own wired network, and capable of setting up a NAT environment and relay your wireless through another device? C'mon...

Apparently users of laborious versions of Linux are Tor's primary audience.

 

[Hexic]

The Tor network is perhaps the best way to anonymously surf the web but it’s not exactly easy for the average user to set up and use. Those wanting a bit of privacy but lack the technical know-how

What? You literally download an executable and run it. That's it. nothing else.

Yet this alternative is assuming you are comfortable setting up your own wired network, and capable of setting up a NAT environment and relay your wireless through another device? C'mon...

Without proper [software] configuration, Tor is useless anywho. Executable file or hardware support.

 

[RustyTech]

Without proper [software] configuration, Tor is useless anywho. Executable file or hardware support.

Hexic, in reading the article, did you get the impression that you would be needing to load software into this Anonabox? Because the impression I got, after reading the second paragraph, is that all the software is already installed and the devise if plug-and-play.

 

[Guest]

"The Tor network is perhaps the best way to anonymously surf the web but it’s not exactly easy for the average user to set up and use."

Totally condescending, like only one computer user out of every 1,000,000 users can figure out where to place a few numbers--127.0.0.1:9050. Since using Tor is such an arduous task and only the "gifted few" have the knowledge necessary to use Tor, please provide a Tor user guide. (Of course, most people have moved on to valid and more secure protocols, so it may be a waste of your time; nope, not going to tell or show you what these protocols are, but VPN isn't close, and I am one of the "gifted few ;-) from the NSA .

 

[VitalyT]

Here's a big "Ops!" on this story: http://mashable.com/2014/10/15/anonabox-kickstarter-misleading-customers/