What is I2P?
I2P (Invisible Internet Project) is an anonymous network layer that allows for censorship-resistant, peer-to-peer communication. Unlike Tor, which is designed for accessing the regular internet anonymously, I2P is optimized for internal services ("eepsites").
Garlic Routing
I2P uses garlic routing, a variant of onion routing where multiple messages are bundled together—like cloves in a garlic bulb—making traffic analysis more difficult.
Message Bundling
Multiple messages encrypted together, making it harder to trace individual communications.
Unidirectional Tunnels
Separate inbound and outbound tunnels increase resistance to traffic analysis.
Packet-Based
Unlike Tors circuit-based design, I2P is packet-based for better performance.
I2P vs Tor
| Feature | I2P | Tor |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Use | Internal services | Clearnet access |
| Routing | Garlic | Onion |
| Network Type | Distributed | Directory-based |
| Best For | Hosting, P2P | Browsing |
Eepsites
Websites on I2P are called eepsites and use the .i2p domain extension. Unlike Tor, these addresses are human-readable (e.g., forum.i2p) thanks to a distributed naming system.