Glossary · Adjacent

Bridge relay

Also calledtor bridgebridge node

Definition

A Tor bridge is an unlisted entry relay used to reach the Tor network from a country that blocks the public list of Tor guard relays.

Explanation

In depth

The public Tor relay list is easy to block — China and Iran have both done it. Bridges are Tor entry relays whose IPs are not published in the public list; users obtain them via specific channels (Tor Project email, moat proxy, direct sharing). Combined with obfuscation transports (obfs4, meek), bridges let Tor traffic look like ordinary HTTPS and reach the Tor network from filtered countries. Bridges are specifically a censorship-circumvention tool; ordinary Tor users on unrestricted networks do not need them.

Related terms

TorTor is a free, open-source network that routes traffic through three volunteer-run relays with layered encryption — designed for anonymity, not speed.ObfuscationObfuscation is a technique for disguising the protocol signature of a connection so that DPI systems cannot identify and block it.GFW (Great Firewall of China)The Great Firewall is China's national-level internet filter — one of the most technically sophisticated censorship systems in operation.RoskomnadzorRoskomnadzor is Russia's federal executive agency responsible for media and telecom oversight — including the national blocklist enforced by Russian ISPs.

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