Beyond Single-Hop VPN
A standard VPN connection routes your traffic through a single server. While this hides your activity from your ISP and local network, the VPN server itself can see both your real IP and your destination.
RAMonly's multi-hop routing adds additional layers of anonymity.
How Multi-Hop Works
┌──────┐ ┌─────────┐ ┌─────────┐ ┌─────────┐ ┌──────────┐
│ You │────▶│ Entry │────▶│ Middle │────▶│ Exit │────▶│ Internet │
│ │ │ Node │ │ Node │ │ Node │ │ │
└──────┘ └─────────┘ └─────────┘ └─────────┘ └──────────┘
IP: yours Sees: your IP Sees: entry Sees: middle Sees: exit
Not: destination Not: your IP Not: your IP Not: your IP
Each Node Only Knows Its Neighbors
- Entry node — Knows your real IP, but not your destination
- Middle node — Knows only the entry and exit nodes
- Exit node — Knows the destination, but not your real IP
No single node has the complete picture.
RAMonly Multi-Hop Advantages
1. RAM-Only at Every Hop
Unlike other multi-hop solutions, every node in our chain operates on volatile memory. There are no logs at any point in the route.
2. Cross-Jurisdiction Routing
You can configure your multi-hop chain to cross multiple legal jurisdictions:
- Entry in Switzerland
- Middle in Iceland
- Exit in Romania
This makes legal compulsion extremely difficult, as no single authority has jurisdiction over the entire chain.
3. Per-Session Rotation
Each time you connect, the middle nodes are randomly selected from our network. This prevents traffic correlation attacks based on consistent routing paths.
When to Use Multi-Hop
Multi-hop adds latency (typically 20-40ms per hop), so it's a trade-off:
- Use multi-hop for: Sensitive research, journalism, whistleblowing, high-threat environments
- Single hop is fine for: General privacy, streaming, everyday browsing
Configuration
Enable multi-hop in the RAMonly app:
- Open Settings → Connection
- Toggle Multi-Hop Routing
- Optionally select preferred entry/exit countries
- Connect as usual — the app handles the rest