What Nym is

The Nym network is decentralised privacy infrastructure that protects against network-level surveillance. Unlike tools that focus on encrypting message content, Nym protects the metadata around communication: who talks to whom, when, how often, and how much. That metadata is enough for an observer to map relationships and build behavioural profiles, even without the message content.

Nym has two modes, both on the same infrastructure. Mixnet mode routes through five hops with packet mixing, timing delays, and cover traffic, for privacy against an adversary that can watch the whole network. dVPN mode routes through two WireGuard hops: fast enough for browsing, with privacy against typical adversaries. Developers reach mixnet mode through the Nym SDKs, and dVPN mode through nym-smoldvpn. Which one you need depends on the threat actor you defend against.

The Ethereum case

Your wallet sends every balance read and every signed transaction to one RPC provider, over your own connection. TLS hides the contents. TLS does not hide the metadata: your IP address, the addresses you ask about together, and the time you ask. The browser SDKs route that traffic through mixnet mode, which changes what the provider and your network can see.

Five hops

Mixnet mode routes each packet through five hops: an entry gateway, three mix layers, and an exit gateway. Every packet is the same size (a Sphinx packet). Each mix node adds a random delay and reorders packets, and it sees only the next hop. A constant stream of dummy packets hides when real communication is happening. No node ever sees both the origin and the final destination.

How it differs from Tor and a VPN

What each system hides depends on who watches (Nym vs other systems). A VPN sends your traffic through one server. The server hides your IP address from the destination, but it sees both ends: every site, the time, and how long. The mixnet splits that trust. The entry gateway sees your IP address, not the destination. The exit gateway sees the destination, not your IP address. No single operator sees both.

Tor sends your traffic through three relays, so no single relay sees both ends. But Tor adds no delay and no cover traffic. A global observer that watches both ends can match the timing and identify you. The mixnet adds four things Tor leaves out: a random delay at each hop, cover traffic, a new route per packet, and a blockchain topology in place of a central directory. Tor is faster, because it adds no delay, so it fits general browsing. The mixnet fits a threat model where the adversary can analyse traffic.