# Practically impossible to avoid fingerprinting aside from getting new hardware? **URL:** https://discuss.privacyguides.net/t/practically-impossible-to-avoid-fingerprinting-aside-from-getting-new-hardware/40596 **Category:** Questions **Tags:** please-eli5 **Created:** 2026-09-10T13:44:57Z **Posts:** 7 ## Post 1 by @alive.barn2915 — 2026-09-10T13:44:57Z Is it just me, or are software-based solutions completely useless for avoiding being fingerprinted? I feel like I’ve tried everything, from fingerprint protection add-ons to specialized anti-detect browsers, but certain websites are always able to identify and ban me, even when I’m using unique IPs addresses. The only way to get around it is to sign up to a website using a completely different device. Does anyone know how deep this fingerprinting stuff really goes at a software-level? And is there some kind of specialized hardware out there that I can buy that was specifically designed to avoid being fingerprinted? Buying a cheap PC for this doesn’t make sense, does it? Because that device would eventually be fingerprinted even if I were to do a full wipe and OS reinstall? --- ## Post 2 by @Expert4870 — 2026-09-10T13:56:30Z Did you try a commercial anti detect browser like incogniton? Closed source. It comes with free included residential proxies.. Donut Browser has like an open source manager but the browser is closed as well. Are the unique IPs suspicious? How do you know they aren’t just flagged for spam regardless of if you’re being identified? --- ## Post 3 by @trilobyte — 2026-09-10T20:39:24Z Most software solutions are targeting low effort fingerprinting. Since most people have few or no fingerprinting protection, low effort fingerprinting can give a sufficient amount of information for many. Therefore blocking low effort fingerprinting isn’t useless. There is no way to reliably prevent all fingerprinting, as it mostly comes down to how much they want to track you and how innovative they can be about doing so. Legislation is helpful here. --- ## Post 4 by @Julie — 2026-09-10T20:56:39Z Did you try booting on the same PC with a different Linux os ? --- ## Post 5 by @fossman — 2026-09-10T21:24:40Z You can try Simplified Privacy’s Hydraveil VPN that was made specifically to defeat fingerprinting: > **[Hydra Veil – Decentralized VPN Browser](https://hydraveil.net/)** > > Avoid browser fingerprinting without restricting JavaScript. Use cryptographically verified Nostr operators. Instant performance with no VM drag. It’s Free Software / Open Source. --- ## Post 6 by @Jasongall — 2026-09-10T23:36:46Z So a vpn with no names, history, audits, etc.. Technical Red Flags - Lack of Public Audits: There is no evidence of a third-party security audit from a recognized firm. - Closed-Source Elements: While they mention “Original Code,” the core functionality of their paid services (like HydraVeil) is not openly audited by the community. - The “Black Box” Problem: You are paying for a service where the infrastructure is managed by people who do not exist on paper. The excuse being they are anon and extreme privacy advocates etc. Could also be the perfect cover for a honeypot. Buyer Beware. --- ## Post 7 by @Jasongall — 2026-09-10T23:47:40Z Which fingerprinting websites have you used? What are your results with Antidetect browsers like Shard, Camoufox etc. What are your results with Tor or Whonix? Without a reliable baseline and testing framework you can easily just go off paranoia. Yes Fingerprinting is a thing but measuring, identifying and mitigating are an objective scientific process. There are papers, models and techniques. It is not a matter of installing a browser extension or just using tor-browser. Typing and browser habits, such as timing and spelling, Websites visited at what times, time delays etc. You may need to change some habits, Like disable Javascript, use text based browsers, have multiple devices, re-evaluate your internet relationship etc.. Its a process that needs a risk / threat/ convenience model and a plan.