Why Your Connection to the Tor Network Might Stall

The system works - bouncing your data through three different layers of encryption. If your internet service provider or a local firewall sees this behavior, they might try to stop it. The entry nodes - the first stop on your journey - are simply crowded or offline. Because the network is run by volunteers, traffic levels fluctuate and certain paths become slower than others at different times of the day. Read full guide

If you find that the software is unresponsive for more than a few minutes, the first step is often the simplest. You can try to click the "New Circuit" option, which tells the software to find a fresh path through the network. Many users find that a deeper explanation of anonymous browsing issues helps them understand exactly where the handshake is failing during the startup process.