How to hide websites visited from router

People use the internet for different purposes. If you have a wifi router at home that you use to access the internet, you should never overlook safety.

Since wifi routers keep logs, the wifi provider can easily see the specific websites that you visit from time to time. They can even tell the duration that you spend on each site or webpage.You can hide the websites you visit by using a web proxy server, the onion router, or VPN.Here is how these techniques work.

Web proxy server

hide websites visited from router

This can help you browse the internet anonymously. It does not expose the specific websites that you visit. Once the proxy server gets your connection requests, it forwards them to the particular website you would like to access. Every time you connect to a proxy server, it replaces your IP address with that of the server.

Though the internet service provider can tell that you are attempting to connect to a server, it cannot see the specific websites that you browse. If you choose this option, you should get a proxy server with useful features such as encryption. Do some research since you can find free web proxy servers that can be quite beneficial.

The onion router

You can also hide the websites that you visit by choosing to browse with Tor. The onion router also referred to as the dark web, offers a safe way of browsing different websites online. This can give you an anonymous browsing experience since it routes internet traffic via a series of various servers and conceals the origin of your data. Since all the traffic routed through this network is encrypted, no third party can see the specific websites you have been visiting.

Since the US Navy developed the onion router, internet users have been using it to hide the websites they visit and conceal their identity. Though Tor can prevent your ISP from seeing the specific sites you visit, you may not like its speed.

You may not enjoy activities such as video streaming if you choose to use the onion router. This is because it utilizes certain tunneling servers called nodes that tend to slow down the connection speed. This can, therefore, limit you when conducting different online activities. Before you pick this method, you should also understand that it cannot protect any IoT devices in your home.

VPN

How to hide websites visited from router

If you don’t want your wireless router to keep track of the websites you like frequenting, you should consider using a VPN. The virtual private network is a useful online service that can hide your IP address and even encrypt online traffic. Using it can prevent your internet service provider from seeing all your online activities.

You should therefore consider setting up a VPN on your router so that all your internet-enabled devices can use VPN connections. This ensures that you can get encrypted traffic regardless of the device you choose to use. Since the VPN has strong encryption, the information that your ISP can see may not be useful to them. When you use a VPN, it prevents the router from keeping tabs on the frequently visited sites. Your ISP can only see strings of symbols, numbers, and letters every time you connect to the internet with a VPN.

The only way you can enjoy a high level of privacy while using a VPN is by working with the right provider. Though different free VPNs can help you save some cash, they are not the best to use. Most of the free VPNs steal bandwidth. Some VPN service providers are also known for selling personal data to advertising companies. Choosing a free VPN also puts you at risk of malware.

A good VPN does not use weak protocols such as L2TP or PPTP since this may not give you the privacy level you want. As you choose a VPN, you should confirm that it configures its encryption properly, and it does not log data. Since there are different VPN service providers, you should take your time to compare them before settling for one. Ensure that you choose one that has a no-log policy.

Unlike Tor, using a VPN can help you protect not only your browser but also your computer. It also protects your smartphone and IoT devices in your home. It lets you use anonymous IPs every time you want to browse different websites. When you use an IP that originates from another country, your ISP cannot tell that the website is being accessed from your home. Since VPN uses AES encryption, it can also give you peace of mind every time you want to conduct online transactions. VPN can also help you enjoy fast connection speeds.

A summary of how you can hide websites visited from a router

Techniques
How it works
Web proxy server
When you are using the proxy server, the wifi provider can see that you are connected but cannot see the websites you browse.
Tor
It is a free network that offers anonymity while visiting different websites.
VPN
The virtual private network prevents the ISP from seeing what you do online, including the websites you visit.

Conclusion

Every time you access the internet, your wireless router can keep logs, making it easy for the wifi provider to see which sites you visit. Sometimes ISPs sell this information to advertisers who keep on bombarding you with ads when you access different web pages. You can hide the websites you visit from the router by using a web proxy server, Tor, or VPN.

FAQs

Can my wifi provider see the websites that I visit?

Yes. The internet service provider can see all your online activities, including the websites you visit. You can, however, enhance your online privacy through different methods.

Can using the incognito mode prevent the wifi provider from tracking my online activities?

No. Though the incognito mode can help conceal your internet activities from people who utilize the same device, it cannot block the ISP from seeing what you do online.

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