How to Access Darknet on Android Safely in 2024

The Darknet — or Dark Net — is a network online that requires special software or authorization to gain access, often requiring custom protocols or configurations.

This overlay network is frequently associated with illegal activities, like sharing child pornography, hacking, or whistleblowing, but it can also simply be a place on the web that is an anonymous forum if certain users prefer extreme privacy.

Whatever your purpose for using it, if you are looking to safely access Darknet on Android, you are going to want to use Tor Browser.

Tor gives you access to information that is typically inaccessible on the regular Internet and that is nearly impossible to block or track. To use Tor with maximal anonymity and security, though, we highly recommend using a VPN connection with Tor.

To find out how to navigate Dark Web sites on Android safely, keep reading.

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 Download Tor Browser for Android from the Tor project page or Google Play Store.

Download Orbot from the official site or from the Google Play Store.

Download Orfox or Tor and install it on your Android device. (click the onion bulb and then press the VPN switch.)

Enter the website address, which can be tricky to enter manually. You can use DuckDuckGo if you want instead.

If you have installed Orbot, launch it and choose the app you want to protect, and run VPN, then use your app normally.

If you are unable to connect to Tor on your Android device (likely because your provider blocked the Tor protocol) you can use the Bridges option by going to Settings and clicking on Use Bridges (on Orbit) or Internet is censored here in your Tor Browser.

What is Darknet and Why You May Want to Use It

The Darknet (also known as the Dark Web or Deep Web) is a highly secure and encrypted place where content can be hidden and is inaccessible to ordinary Internet users.

Often, the Deep Web is used for accessing, selling, or buying illegal content — like pornography, drugs, firearms, and even terrorist activity. Dark Web users can use this Deep Web to launder money, sell organs on the black market, or even plan kidnappings or trafficking.

Despite all of these very dangerous uses for the Dark Web, there are also some fewer criminal uses for accessing this network. Some users opt to navigate the Dark Web to bypass network surveillance, avoid Internet blocks in heavily censored countries, or for fighting for freedom against totalitarian regimes.

Sometimes, users are nervous that their sensitive private info will be harvested by the government or law enforcement, so they opt to use the Tor Network to protect this information.

While we are most familiar with website domains that end in .net or .com, on the Deep Web, domains typically end in the top-level domain .onion, and the onion sites on the deep Web are all identified with random letters and numbers.

Getting into Darknet with Tor

Tor is a network of proxy servers that allows users to be both the client and the server.

After connecting to Tor, your traffic passes through a chain of other mobile devices and computers to get encrypted, allowing users to surf the web anonymously and access .onion websites.

The best and simplest way to safely use the Deep Web on your device is by using the TOR network, which is accessible using specialized apps.

Use Tor with a VPN Service for Maximum Anonymity

Whether you are looking to use TOR for illegal activities or just for personal freedom purposes, using a virtual private network when accessing any website on the Deep Web is a must.

While Tor protects users from network surveillance and traffic analysis, if you want to use Tor with the top privacy and anonymity, we urge you to use a Virtual Private Network with Tor. One reason for this is that many Android background apps track users’ location and other data, which can be avoided using a virtual private network that blocks your location and data from these background apps in the first place.

A VPN’s encryption prevents the entry node (Tor’s initial server where you enter this network) from being able to see your IP address. This Tor entry node is commonly compromised, exposing you to attackers.

3 Best VPNs to Access Darknet Together with Tor Browser

If you want to explore the Deep Web/Dark Web on Android, here are the top VPNs that will help you navigate the Dark/Deep Web securely:

1. ExpressVPN

To navigate the Dark Web, ExpressVPN is the very best choice, with over 3,000 of the fastest servers located in more than 94 countries around the globe.

ExpressVPN offers users top online protection features, like military-grade encryption, a strict no-logs policy, a Kill Switch, and leak protection.

If you want to ensure that you are able to sign up for ExpressVPN anonymously, ExpressVPN lets users subscribe using cryptocurrencies, like Bitcoin, for added privacy. On top of this, ExpressVPN also has a mirror site that you can only access with Tor on the dark web, so you can go through the whole setup and subscription process completely anonymously.

ExpressVPN has apps for Windows, iOS, macOS, Amazon Fire TV, Linux, and some routers, and you can connect up to 5 devices to one ExpressVPN account. This means that you can explore the Deep Web on your device while your family members access different blocked website content on their devices simultaneously.

2. NordVPN

For accessing the Deep Web on Android, NordVPN is one of the smartest options.

NordVPN encrypts your Internet traffic with military-grade encryption and offers a Kill Switch, leak protection, and a strict no-logs policy, so users’ traffic is never kept.

NordVPN also offers the option to use Tor over VPN, routing your traffic through this network when it exits the VPN’s tunnel so it is never vulnerable.

NordVPN users can connect up to 6 devices to a single account, so you can browse any website on the Deep Web while your family members use the same account to unblock their own streaming apps or websites on the Internet.

If you want to make sure you can even subscribe to NordVPN anonymously, Nord lets you subscribe using cryptocurrency, like Bitcoin, Ethereum, or Ripple.

3. Surfshark

If you want to use the Dark Web safely on your Android and iOS devices, Surfshark is a great option.

Surfshark‘s servers are spread across over 65 countries, with access to over 3,200 servers that will help keep you secure on any Deep Web website.

Surfshark offers great Internet privacy and security features, like military-grade encryption to encrypt your Internet connection, a Kill Switch, a strict no-logging policy, DNS and IP leak protection, and CleanWeb suite, which is an ad-tracker blocking tool.

Surfshark allows you to connect unlimited devices simultaneously to a single account, so you can explore the Deep Web on your device while other members of your household use the same Surfshark account to unblock other apps and restricted websites with their encrypted connection.

You can also opt to pay for Surfshark using cryptocurrencies, like Bitcoin, Ripple, or Etherium, so you can sign up anonymously if you choose to do so.

Will a Free VPN Boost My Anonymity with TOR Network?

Definitely not! While we often urge users not to use any free VPN due to the lack of security and privacy features and the lack of reliability in helping you get past blocks on the web, in this case, we have to stress that you use even more caution when thinking about using a free VPN for the Deep Web, as you can wind up in much more trouble.

How to Access Tor Network on Android 

If you are trying to use Tor Network, you can do this by using special software, like Tor’s (official) Browser or Orfox/Orbot combined. Orbot is a free proxy app, and Orfox is an uber-secure Android web browser that was designed with a source code identical to Tor’s. You can use Tor independently, but Orbot and Orfox need to be used together.

The Tor Browser for Android can be downloaded from the Tor Project official page or the Google Play, and it combines browser and repeater features and lets you visit normal web pages in addition to .onion websites.

You can download and install Orbot from the Google Store or from the official Orbot site, and it is a repeater client that allows users to choose apps that work with Tor protocol.

Setting Up Tor on Android 

If you want to set up Tor on your Android, follow these steps:

1. Download Orfox or Tor.
2. Install apps on your Android tablet or phone.
3. When the installation process is complete, the first time you launch the app, you will see a button in the center of the repeater window.
4. Click on the icon of the bulb and click the VPN’s switch.

Entering Darkweb on Android: Security Tips 

Accessing Dark Web sites can be risky. Follow these tips for maximum security when accessing the Dark Web/Deep Web:

1. If you are searching for websites, make sure to use the DuckDuckGo search engine. Unlike the Google search engine, DuckDuckGo does not track your activity or compromise your anonymity.
2. If you notice a warning popping up when you try to access your site that it is unavailable with HTTPS, exit the site, since you will be able to be tracked!
3. Make sure never to use Tor for downloading torrents on your device without connecting to one of your VPN’s servers first.
4. Before your access the Dark Web, do an IP address check to make sure your IP address changed so you are not traceable. First, check to see what your real IP address was before connecting to Tor, and then check it again to see that it has changed after you connect to Tor.
5. Since there is a risk of being tracked, do not use your actual email address on your device.
6. We recommend using a VPN along with Tor since there is always a chance that you can be tracked or hacked using Tor without one.

Difference Between Darknet, Deep Web, and Dark Web

The World Wide Web is made up of different layers, consisting of the surface web (or open web) and the hidden web.

The three names often used for the hidden web are the Dark Net, Deep Web, and Dark Web.

The Deep Web is a part of the Internet not able to be found on any search engines. Since you will not be able to use a search engine to find the page you are trying to reach, you will, instead, have to use the exact specific address or use direct links to access sites on the Deep web.

While there are many instances in which you will not need to use special software to access your resources on the Deep Web, some situations will require this specialized software, including anything that requires passwords or permissions. Examples of these can be medical content, government documents, or police reports. In most cases on the Deep Web, content is perfectly legal, but just out of reach for privacy reasons.

The Darknet is the term used for an encrypted network that is not available through search engines like Chrome or Google and that requires special configuration or software to access.

This overlay network uses a configuration that isn’t compatible with standard protocols, routings, and DNS. Instead, it uses the onion domain, which does not entail an exchange of information between connected devices. The hidden sites are accessible through a special proxy or through the Tor browser.

While the Dark Web and DarkNet are used interchangeably, there are some differences. The Dark Web is a portion of the Deep Web that includes overlay networks, only accessible using special tools and software., and it can only be accessed using an exact address and special software. The Dark Web is a collection of sites that, collectively, form an encrypted network that can’t be accessed via a normal browser.

The Dark Web is the term that refers to the global network of individual networks (dark nets). While the Dark Web functions as a surface web, it is actually controlled by Dark Web users.

The Surface Web is the Internet that you use on a daily basis, consisting of everything available on the web without having to use any special permissions. These include web pages you will find on search engines like Google, social media sites, online banking sites, and many, many more.

Using the Surface Web, you don’t even have to know a web address if you want to access a website, since you can type in keywords that will give you links to the results you are requesting.

FAQs

Conclusion

To use the Deep Web/Dark Web safely, it is best to also ensure that you have VPN apps installed on your devices first.

Using a Virtual Private Network on the Deep Web, you can help prevent malicious code from being injected, and ensure that your activity is anonymous and that you are even more protected online.

So, before you sink to the darkest corners of the Deep Web, make sure to first use a reliable VPN connection. We recommend using ExpressVPN when exploring the Deep Web, as it is vetted for reliability and for its top privacy and protection features.

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