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The dark web is a part of the internet that is intentionally hidden and is inaccessible through traditional web browsers. It is often associated with illegal activities, but it also hosts legitimate content that is not available on the surface web. To access the dark web, you need to use a special browser called Tor.
What is Tor?
A VPN is an online app that lets you connect to VPN servers to change your IP address and encrypt your traffic (usually just once). On the other hand, most VPNs have paid plans and only some providers have free plans, and only a few VPNs come with open-source apps. I’m a fan of NordVPN’s Onion Over VPN servers, which route your traffic through the Tor network before it reaches the web. It’s also great that you can visit .onion sites directly in your normal browser (some VPNs like Surfshark only allow you to surf .onion sites using the Tor browser). Plus, I like how you can automate connections, like setting up the VPN app to automatically connect to a server when you use unsecured Wi-Fi networks to access the Tor network. Most people get confused between the Deep Web and the Darknet (or Dark Web).
To Summarize, These Are The Best VPNs For Tor
Tor (The Onion Router) is a free and open-source software that enables anonymous communication. It hides your IP address and encrypts your internet traffic, making it difficult for anyone to track your online activity. Tor is available for Windows, Mac, Linux, and Android operating systems.
How to Install Tor?
To install Tor, follow these steps:
- Go to the Tor Project website (https://www.torproject.org/) and download the appropriate version for your operating system.
- Run the installer and follow the on-screen instructions.
- Launch Tor and wait for it to connect to the Tor network.
How to Access the Dark Web Using Tor?
Is The Dark Web Safe?
To access the dark web using Tor, follow these steps:
- Sci-Hub gives access to millions of scientific papers, mostly ones from behind paywalls.
- Comparatively, portable operating systems like Tails, Whonix, ZeusGuard, and Qubes OS prevent unwarranted data collection and surveillance, limiting the data at risk in case of a breach.
- At its core, much of the activity on the dark web focuses on discussion forums, chat rooms, and news aggregators accessed only via Tor and thus hidden from traditional Internet search engines.
- The default browser that ships with Ubuntu is Firefox, which is what we’ll use.
- These websites are part of the deep web, which encompasses content that is not easily accessible through regular browsing.
- Launch Tor and wait for it to connect to the Tor network.
- Click on the Tor browser icon to open it.
- Type a dark web address (also known as an onion address) in the address bar and press Enter.
- Note: Dark web addresses usually end with .onion. Here are some examples of popular dark web sites:
- ProPublica: https://www.propub3r6espa33w.onion
- The Hidden Wiki: http://zqktlwiuavvvqqt4ybvgvi7tyo4hjl5xgfuvpdf6otjiycgwqbym2qad.onion
- DuckDuckGo: https://3g2upl4pq6kufc4m.onion
Of course, you can also find plenty of illegal items such as hacked Netflix accounts, stolen Social Security numbers, credit card account numbers, firearms, and drugs, too. For example, dissidents who fear political prosecution from their governments might use the dark web to communicate with each other. As many as 70.79% of users claim to use the Tor browser for anonymity, 62.28% said they use it for additional security, and 27.07% used it out of curiosity about the dark web. Tor is available on mobile only for Android devices, as there’s no Tor Browser for iPhone. The mobile Tor Browser is an application you can download on the Tor project website and the Google Play store. Your web traffic goes through thousands of layers of decryption when connecting to the internet via Tor Browser.
The names of dark web pages are unusual, too, and can make it difficult to find them. Instead of site names that are easy to memorize, such as CNN.com or Google.com, Tor sites are made up of a random series of numbers and letters. For instance, the website of the Torch dark web browser is cnkj6nippubgycuj.onion, while the Tor website for DuckDuckGo is 3g2upl4pq6kufc4m.onion. But you can face criminal charges if you use the dark web to sell or purchase illegal firearms, drugs, pornography, stolen passwords, hacked credit card account numbers, or other items. You can find legitimate products such as basketball shoes, apparel, research papers, and other items on the dark web.
FAQs
Q: Is it legal to access the dark web?
A: Yes, it is legal to access the dark web, as long as you are not involved in illegal activities.
How To Stay Safe While Browsing The Dark Web
This includes all the websites, social media, e-commerce pages, blogs, and anything else indexed by Google. The rest of the internet falls within the deep web, which is anything not indexed by web crawlers. These sites include everything from your personal email and payment portals to private forums and hidden backend web pages. The dark web is a small segment of websites on the deep web with hidden IP addresses that can only be accessed by special browsers like Tor. While the surface and deep web contain mostly benign sites, dark web sites use encryption software to keep their users and locations concealed.
Q: Is it safe to access the dark web?
A: Accessing the dark web can be risky, as it hosts both legal and illegal content. It is important to use caution and protect your privacy by using a VPN and avoiding downloading any files or clicking on suspicious links.
Accessing The Dark Web On Android:
Q: Can I use Tor on my mobile device?
Is there a better browser than Tor?
Are there any reliable alternatives to TOR? – Quora. As much as Tor, I'm afraid not. Snowden never recommended any other alternative. But there are other networks, namely i2p (invisible internet project) and freenet, that strive to provide anonymous connections as well.
It’s important to keep your browser up to date with the latest security patches to ensure that you’re protected against known threats. Ahmia.fi, Onion.link, and Skunksworld all provide useful tools in their lane, but they’re hit and miss when you’re looking for precision. Google retains a top spot by providing some of the most comprehensive results. It’s a bit ironic, given one of the defining features of the dark net that it’s supposed to sit beyond Google’s reach.
A: Yes, Tor is available for Android devices. You can download the Tor browser from the Google Play Store or the F-Droid app store.
That said, using a VPN over Tor does present some vulnerabilities and limitations. For instance, your ISP can still see you’re using Tor and you won’t be able to visit Onion sites. Using a VPN over Tor just allows you to access surface websites with added privacy. It’s one of the fastest protocols and it’s open-source, so it’s continuously scrutinized for vulnerabilities.
Q: Can I access the dark web using a regular web browser?
A: No, you need to use the Tor browser to access the dark web. Regular web browsers do not support the onion routing protocol that is required to access the dark web.
Q: Can I use Tor on a public Wi-Fi network?
How do I stay anonymous on TOR?
Tor is a free and open-source network that can help protect your online privacy by routing your internet traffic through a series of encrypted nodes. It is important to configure the Tor Browser for maximum anonymity, including selecting the highest security level and disabling browser plugins.
A: Yes, you can use Tor on a public Wi-Fi network, but it is not recommended, as it may compromise your privacy and security. It is better to use a VPN or a trusted network when using Tor.
What is .onion available?
Onion-Location is a HTTP header that web sites can use to advertise their onion counterpart. If the web site that you're visiting has an onion site available, a purple suggestion pill will prompt at the URL bar saying ". onion available". When you click on ".
