Relay Nodes & Exit Nodes

What Are Relay Nodes and Exit Nodes?

Obscura routes your traffic through two separate servers before it reaches the internet. This 2-hop design is what makes Obscura fundamentally different from a traditional VPN.

Relay Servers (First Hop)

The relay node is the first server your device connects to. It’s operated by Obscura and is the only server that knows your real IP address. However, unlike single-hop VPNs, it can’t see your traffic. Your data is encrypted so that only the exit node can decrypt it, meaning the relay forwards it without being able to read it.

Exit Servers (Second Hop)

The exit node is the location where your traffic appears to come from when visiting a website. It’s operated by our partner, Mullvad, an independent, privacy-focused VPN provider based in Sweden. The exit node can see the websites you visit (just like any VPN endpoint), but has no idea who you are. It only knows the traffic came from an Obscura relay, not from your device.

Why Two Hops?

Our 2-party relay design means no single server ever has the full picture of your traffic. The Obscura relay knows where you’re connecting from, but not what websites you’re visiting. The exit server knows what websites are being visited, but not where the users are connecting from. Even if one server is compromised, an attacker can’t link your identity to your browsing activity.

Where Are Our Servers?

We’re always expanding our network. Here’s where you can connect today.

Exit Node Locations

North America

Toronto, Canada 🇨🇦
Vancouver, Canada 🇨🇦

United States 🇺🇸

Ashburn, VA
Chicago, IL
Dallas, TX
Denver, CO
Los Angeles, CA
Miami, FL
New York, NY
San Jose, CA
Seattle, WA

Latin America

São Paulo, Brazil 🇧🇷
Santiago, Chile 🇨🇱
Bogotá, Colombia 🇨🇴
Querétaro, Mexico 🇲🇽

Europe

Prague, Czech Republic 🇨🇿
Paris, France 🇫🇷
Frankfurt, Germany 🇩🇪
Milan, Italy 🇮🇹
Palermo, Italy 🇮🇹
Amsterdam, Netherlands 🇳🇱
Warsaw, Poland 🇵🇱
Madrid, Spain 🇪🇸
Stockholm, Sweden 🇸🇪
Zurich, Switzerland 🇨🇭
Kyiv, Ukraine 🇺🇦
London, United Kingdom 🇬🇧

Asia

Tokyo, Japan 🇯🇵
Singapore 🇸🇬
Istanbul, Turkey 🇹🇷

Africa

Johannesburg, South Africa 🇿🇦

Oceania

Auckland, New Zealand 🇳🇿
Sydney, Australia 🇦🇺

Relay Node Locations