We have already explained what it is and how to access the deep web. Basically, the deep web (also called the dark net) is a set of networks that are part of the web but are not indexed by search engines, making their content hidden to a large
Generally, the deep web is associated with illegal content such as drug sales, child pornography, or various other obscure activities, but the network does not only have that type of content. It can be very useful for activists and journalists who need anonymity. On the computer, it can be accessed by the Tor browser, which connects to the network of the same name.
On mobile, there are apps (official and unofficial) that bridge this with the Tor network and make it possible to connect — you don’t need root, jailbreak or any other unofficial modification on your smartphone. Look at this.
How to access the deep web by Android
On Android, you need to download two apps, both the official Tor project, which created the browser and the Tor network, the most common method for accessing the deep web. These are:
- Orbot Proxy: this is the proxy that will connect to the Tor network to encrypt and anonymize your traffic, as happens on the computer automatically with the Tor browser. That way, you’ll be able to browse the deep web almost anonymously
- Orfox: is the browser in fact, as if it were a version of Tor for mobile. It is also Firefox-based and has received some modifications to ensure that user privacy is guaranteed. It should be used after you activate Orbot;
Here’s how to get on the deep web from your Android phone:
- Download and install Orbot and Orfox on your smartphone;
- Open Orbot Proxy and go through the introduction process;
- Tap World and select your country;
- Turn on VPN Apps Mode;
- Tap Start, on the round icon with the background onion. Wait for the connection. You’ll know it worked when Full Device VPN appears on the Fox side;
- If it doesn’t work, check use bridges and try again;
- Ready! Now, just open the Orfox browser (similar to Tor) and access whatever you want on the deep web. It works like a common browser but can access the sites of the Tor network, usually with .onion address.
When you’re done browsing, just turn off Orbot. See at the end of the post what to do on the deep web.
How to access the deep web by iPhone
For iPhone, there is no official Tor app because of some system limitations, such as Apple forcing third-party browsers on iOS to use the WebKit navigation engine, the same as Safari and Chrome. Because Tor is Based on Firefox to ensure that navigation is as anonymous as possible, iPhone alternatives are technically less secure.
Tor itself recommends Onion Browser, which tries to implement some features to prevent some security issues—typically sufficient for an ordinary user. At least, because of these limitations, it’s much easier to browse the deep web through the iPhone:
- Download and install Onion Browser on iPhone or iPad;
- Go through the setup process;
- When something appears about Bridges, tap Continue Without;
- The app will connect you to the Tor network while the We’re connecting you message appears;
- When Connected appears, tap Start browsing to start browsing;
- If all goes well, you will see the message “Onion Browser has successfully connected over Tor”.
What to do on the deep web
Typically, the first step is to access the Hidden Wiki, which lists some deep web sites. Go to Hidden Wiki by clicking this link (it will only work on tor’s network): http://zqktlwi4fecvo6ri.onion/wiki/index.php/Main_Page. There, you will find any type of site that exists in the deep web networks.
The browsing speed should be slower than normal because your internet connects to multiple computers, such as a tunnel, to load the sites, so it depends on the connection speed of many points around the world.
