Multi-hop VPN
Two chained tunnels so no single server sees both ends.
How widely is it used?
Used for specific scenariosA premium feature in privacy-focused consumer apps; rare elsewhere.
How it works
The client wraps its traffic in a tunnel to the first hop, which forwards it inside a second tunnel to the exit. The entry server knows who you are but not where you go; the exit knows the destination but not you.
Connects
Device → relay → exit → internet
Protocols
WireGuard, OpenVPN, Shadowsocks chains
Typical users
Journalists, Researchers, High-risk users
Main use case
Splitting trust between two independent servers.
Advantages
- No single server correlates both sides
- Survives one compromised hop
Limitations
- Noticeably slower
- Twice the infrastructure to run and trust