Internet Anonymity – Anonymizer vs Steganos

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by Rob Williams on August 8, 2005 in Security, Software

Last week, we took a look at what Internet Anonymity is, and how it works. Today, we will be taking a hard look at two of the most popular Anonymity tools out there.

Page 4 – Anonymizer vs Steganos

The last and final icon is the Digital Shredder. This is also a no brainer to use, and it will completely shred your Cookies, Cache, History and other info with one swift click. Whereas Steganos allowed a varying degree of file deletion, from what I can tell, Anonymizer only overwrites the files once, which should be enough, but not always. There are no options to choose any other methods, so we must stick with what they give us.

One benefit that Anonymizer does have over the Steganos though, is the speed. Surfing the internet was very quick, and I would estimate it to be around 20% slower than if I did not have it enabled. This is partly due to two reasons. Firstly, the servers were all directly in the US, which are closer to me than the Steganos overseas ones. Since it sticks to one server for the duration of your surfing, it cuts down on the cutouts. You should not have a problem downloading and grabbing any information off the web with this program.

Anonymizer vs. Steganos

Now comes the part where I decided which of these two I liked more. This is not an easy decision, because it’s like comparing a Car to a Boat.. both are used for different main purposes. Let’s discuss what the highlights are of each program.

Steganos.. I had two problems with this program. The fact that I could not easily use it with Firefox was not a welcomed one. The other main complaint I have is that it is a lot slower than Anonymizer. The thing with Internet Anonym though, is that the more you use the program, the better it will optimize your surfing. It will discover over time, which servers are best for you, which means your surfing time will increase. This optimization process could take a few days or a few weeks.

Now the things I do like about Steganos, are all the extras they include. You can encrypt your internet favorites, remove information off your computer like a brute and you can block browser information and cookies from sites you visit. These are great features, and every anonymity program should have them.

Anonymizer.. My main problem with this program was the lack of immediate features. They give you a very basic tool to use, and that’s great for most people, however I would have been much happier to see more advanced options. I was very impressed however, with how well it worked with Firefox. Since that’s been my primary browser for a long time, I hated the fact that I was forced to Internet Explorer with Steganos. The integration with Anonymizer is perfect if you already use the browser. Chances are, if you care this much about your security, you are using Firefox to begin with.

This program was also a lot faster than Steganos. If you live in the US, chances are that Anonymizer will be much faster than Steganos, and the opposite may be if you live overseas from North America. The program works awesome.. I just yearn for more features to be available.

The Verdict

Because these programs are so different from each other, it’s hard to compare them directly. If you insist on using Firefox, you should definitely choose Anonymizer. On the other hand, if you want a lot of kick ass features and higher security, you may wish to use Steganos. If Steganos was faster and worked with Firefox, it would be my first choice. If Anonymizer added some of the kick ass extra security features that Steganos had, then I’d choose it.

Have something to say about this article? Feel free to post your comments or questions in our RELATED THREAD. I’m also interested in taking a look at other programs in the future, so feel free to recommend me any that you think I should be mentioning!


Official Site – SRP: $49.95

Pros:

  • Super easy installation
  • Surfing the net is fast!
  • Easy to use and understand
  • Works *perfect* with Firefox

Cons:

  • Does not protect you “out of browser”
  • Would have welcomed more advanced features


Official Site – SRP: $59.95

Pros:

  • Super easy installation
  • GUI is innovative
  • Ability to hide Browser Info
  • Rotates servers for more security

Cons:

  • Slow surfing compared to Anonymizer
  • Does not work reliably with Firefox

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Rob Williams

Rob founded Techgage in 2005 to be an 'Advocate of the consumer', focusing on fair reviews and keeping people apprised of news in the tech world. Catering to both enthusiasts and businesses alike; from desktop gaming to professional workstations, and all the supporting software.

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