What Are Pluggable Transports?
Direct Tor connections can be detected via DPI and blocked. Pluggable transports wrap Tor traffic in another protocol. obfs4 makes traffic look like random noise. Other transports: meek routes through cloud infrastructure, Snowflake uses WebRTC volunteer proxies. obfs4 is the most widely deployed and best default in 2026. Bridges are unlisted Tor relays - censors cannot block them without knowing the specific IP.
Getting Bridge Addresses
Official ways to get obfs4 bridge addresses:
- bridges.torproject.org - official database, requires CAPTCHA, select "obfs4".
- Email - send to
bridges@torproject.orgfrom Gmail/Riseup, subject:get transport obfs4. - Telegram - message
@GetBridgesBot, send/bridges, select obfs4.
Configuring Tor Browser for obfs4
Steps: Open Tor Browser, go to Settings > Connection, toggle Use a bridge, select Provide a bridge I know, paste your bridge lines, click Connect.
Bridge line format:
obfs4 1.2.3.4:1234 FINGERPRINT cert=xxxxx... iat-mode=0Running Your Own obfs4 Bridge on a VPS
A private bridge is more reliable than public bridges because its IP is unknown to censors. AnubizHost offshore VPS in Romania or Iceland is a good base.
apt update && apt install -y tor obfs4proxyAdd to /etc/tor/torrc:
BridgeRelay 1
ServerTransportPlugin obfs4 exec /usr/bin/obfs4proxy
ServerTransportListenAddr obfs4 0.0.0.0:443
ExtORPort auto
ContactInfo your@email.com
Nickname MyBridgeufw allow 443/tcp
systemctl restart torYour bridge line:
cat /var/lib/tor/pt_state/obfs4_bridgeline.txtTesting and Maintaining Your Bridge
Test the bridge in Tor Browser on a separate device. Check registration at relay-search.torproject.org after ~3 hours.
See also: Best Tor Search Engines in 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between a bridge and a relay?
A relay is listed in the public Tor consensus - its IP is publicly known. A bridge is unlisted, making it harder for censors to block.
Will running a bridge get me in legal trouble?
Running an obfs4 bridge (non-exit) is legal in Romania, Iceland, and most Western countries. It does not route traffic to the open internet through your IP.
How much bandwidth does a bridge use?
Depends on how many users connect. Set limits via RelayBandwidthRate and RelayBandwidthBurst in torrc. A typical uncapped bridge uses 50-200 GB/month.