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If you’re looking for the best onion links, you’ve come to the right place. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll explore some of the most popular and trustworthy onion sites on the dark web. But first, let’s define what we mean by “onion links.”
What are Onion Links?
Onion links are URLs that end in “.onion” rather than “.com” or “.org.” These links can only be accessed through the Tor network, a free software that allows users to browse the internet anonymously. The Tor network encrypts internet traffic and routes it through a series of servers, making it difficult for anyone to track a user’s online activity.
Onion links are often associated with the dark web, a part of the internet that is not indexed by search engines and is only accessible through specialized software like Tor. While the dark web does contain some illegal and unsavory content, it also hosts a variety of legitimate websites that value user privacy and anonymity.
Why Is The Tor Browser So Slow?
Finding the Best Onion Links
Finding the best onion links can be a challenge, as many of these sites are not well-known or easily discoverable. However, there are a few resources that can help you get started.
Monitor Your Onion Service(s) Availability
Here’s a quick tutorial on how to safely access the dark web and tips on how to use it. When you envision the dark web, it may conjure up images of hackers trading stolen Social Security numbers or drug dealers advertising their products online—and that’s not completely wrong. While the dark web can be a helpful tool for sourcing legitimate products or ensuring private communication, it’s also a hotspot for illegal internet activity. Given the dangers that lurk on the dark web, it’s a no-brainer that you shouldn’t disclose any personal information like your name, email address, phone number, or financial details. If an email is required, use a burner mail account or an anonymous, secure email provider.
- Always exercise extreme caution when using the Dark Web and carefully research the sites that you intend to visit.
- As Tor’s equivalent to Reddit, you’ll be able to make an account and leave your thoughts on a variety of topics without compromising your privacy or anonymity.
- Instead, I2P uses its own brand of hidden sites called “eepsites”.
- As such, the main reason it is used is to avoid surveillance and ensure privacy while online.
Onion Link Directories
How To Access The Dark Web Safely Step-by-Step
One of the easiest ways to find onion links is to use a directory or indexing site. These sites maintain lists of onion links, categorized by topic or type. Some popular onion link directories include:
- The Hidden Wiki
- Daniel’s Onion Links
- TorLinks
The Hidden Wiki is the dark web’s unofficial Wikipedia, where you can find “.onion” links for many black web pages, services, and other content. The Hidden Wiki doesn’t discriminate, so if you start diving into dark net links randomly, you may come across objectionable or dangerous material. Onion sites are websites on the dark web that use the “.onion” top-level domain instead of “.com,” “.net,” “.gov,” etc.
For most everyday users, a VPN like Surfshark is a much better alternative. Hackers have managed to compromise the network in the past, to spy on users’ browsing or even gain control of their devices. They do this by setting up rogue Tor nodes, which can intercept traffic and inject malware into user devices. These are relay (or middle) nodes that aren’t listed in Tor’s directory, so they’re harder for governmental authorities to identify and block. I can’t recommend using these without the protection of a VPN — bridges are run by volunteers, just like any other node. You never know if the user behind the bridge has malicious intentions.
Does DuckDuckGo use Tor?
onion version of this search engine, your ISP (or any man in the middle, for that matter) will no longer have any records that you have visited duckduckgo.com at all, since all the routing happens over the TOR network, and not over the 'clear' Internet.
These directories are a good starting point for finding onion links, but be aware that not all of the links they list are trustworthy or safe. Always do your own research before visiting any onion site.
Forums and Communities
Another way to find onion links is to participate in forums and communities dedicated to the dark web. These communities often have their own lists of recommended onion sites, based on the experiences and recommendations of their members. Some popular dark web forums and communities include:
- Torum
- Tor Metrics
- The Hidden Wiki
Working more like a directory, it makes it easy to navigate the dark web by providing a categorized directory of indexed links. The Hidden Wiki also blocks many malicious sites on the dark web from appearing on its directory, but as with all dark web search engines, some shady sites still make it to the list. But the dark web is not the easiest place to navigate; dark web links are long, and the sites are generally not household names. To search the dark web, you’ll need to first head to a dark web search engine.
As with any online community, be cautious when interacting with others and be wary of any links or advice that seem suspicious or too good to be true.
Where does the US get most of its onions?
California is the largest onion producer in the US, and is the only state to produce both spring and summer-harvested onions.
Dark Web Search Engines
Finally, you can use dark web search engines to find onion links. These search engines are specifically designed to index and search the dark web, and can help you find onion sites that are not listed in traditional directories or forums. Some popular dark web search engines include:
What is the safest onion browser?
Because of how it operates, Tor is generally safe to use, and Tor onion browser offer several benefits like heightened safety and privacy. Before using the Tor browser, though, users should be aware of any potential legal issues with Tor in their country, and that they could be flagged for its use.