Howdy ~bastokian,
afraid of TOR? Why? I use it practically all day with the torbrowser. Much more quiet web experience. Slower, too. It helps to be a bit sporty about admitting only needed domains.
Other protocols? Be sure to explore John Goerzen's site, reading about nncp, yggdrasil, ethernet-over-serial, kermit and other goodies.
Have fun!