Why can't I use an internet connection anonymously?
TLDR: While you may be able to get internet access anonymously (e.g. temp number/email, anonymous esim/sim, etc.), you cannot use it anonymously, as they know where they provide the service to, which obviously leads to where you are.
In this tutorial we're going to learn about the different types of internet connections and why you cannot use them anonymously.
Cable/Fiber Connection
Cable is the most used way to connect to the internet, with Fiber coming in as second. Cable and Fiber both work using, well, cables. There are cables underground called coaxial cables which link you to the CMTS (Cable Modem Termination System), which delivers internet access.
To use a Cable or Fiber connection, you must be registered with your local ISP (Internet Service Provider), thus compromising any potential anonymity due to the ISP forcing you to KYC yourself upon signing up.
But even if you had the option to anonymously sign up, you wouldn't be able to use the connection anonymously as the cables physically lead to your apartment or home.
Cellular Connection
Another way to connect to the internet is by using your SIM card. Cellular connection works by having your phone transmit radio waves to the nearest cell tower in your area. The cell tower then forwards that signal to the base station, which routes the data to the appropriate core network, which manages data traffic and connects you to the internet.
To get a SIM card you must register with a mobile carrier, which apart from knowing your identity (due to you signing up with them), they will also know your location, due to cell tower triangulation.
Even if you can obtain an anonymous sim card, you once again cannot use the sim card anonymously due to cell tower triangulation, which physically leads to where the sim card is being used at.
Satellite Connection
To use the internet via a satellite connection, you must have a satellite dish installed on the roof of your home. A satellite dish can send and receive signals.
The dish forwards your web request to the satellite, which then transmits it to a ground station that is connected to the internet. Then, the ground station processes the request and retrieves the information from the internet. It then is sent back to the satellite which beams it back to the person's dish. The user's dish receives the data, allowing access to the requested content.
In this case, you actually can sign up anonymously by using an anonymous email, but you still need the dish delivered to your home, meaning you're deanonymizing yourself there on the delivery step. Also, by simply using the satellite dish, the ISP also knows the geolocation of where the dish is being used from, meaning that anonymity is also impossible to achieve by that method.
The Key Point
Even if you manage to sign up for an internet connection anonymously, your ISP will still know exactly where the connection leads.
For instance, consider Jenn, who has a house in Paris, France, and uses her SIM card to connect to the internet.
Although Jenn may have obtained the SIM card anonymously (e.g., through a prepaid card), the mobile provider will know WHERE the connection is provided; specifically, to her house in Paris.
Methods like Cable and Fiber connections also have a clear disadvantage: they physically lead to your home, compromising anonymity.
Similarly, satellite connections rely on your EXACT geolocation coordinates, which again reveals your location.
Anonymity is NOT possible on the connection layer. Anonymity is ONLY possible on the application layer, in which you can route your traffic through anonymity networks such as Tor. You might also consider connecting to a VPN like Mullvad VPN beforehand to help you conceal the fact that you are on any anonymity network.
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hymn
2026-02-11
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