Should I use Orbot when connecting Android device?

[rikotap 0]

I'd like the following setup on my new Android device  (VPN over Tor):    user    ->   Tor   ->   AirVPN   ->   www

 

Since AirVPN offers VPN over Tor, do I need to use Orbot at all to rout all my traffic through Tor?

 

Do I understand this correctly?:

 

- If I'm not using AirVPN - use Orbot to rout through Tor

 

- if I am using VPN then do not use Orbot and just use AirVPN over Tor service?

 

- or is it more secure somehow, to use Orbot to rout through Tor and use AirVPN directly?

 

I'm new to networking and would love to learn more, so any explanations and further clarifications would be great. Thank You.

[eyes878 43]

Everything is more complicated when involving mobile, and especially when trying to connect over Tor. Ideally, you should just connect directly unless you have a reason not to.

 

In case you still want to use VPN over Tor on Android:

 

I don't know exact instructions, but you should connect to Tor with Orbot then find out what port the HTTP proxy is listening on (I think 8118) and set 127.0.0.1:8118 as a proxy in the OpenVPN app. When doing this, you should use an OpenVPN config that uses port TCP 443 or TCP 80.

[Staff 9972]

@eyes878

 

Warning, that procedure would work only on Windows, which handles sockets in a very peculiar (and somehow dangerous) way. In every other operating system you must also take care about the so called "infinite routing loop problem": communication between Tor and the guard node (the first node of each Tor circuit) will fall back into the VPN. Eddie for Linux and OS X resolves this problem by talking to Tor Control to detect and route correctly the guard(s) IP addresses (Eddie adds specific routes to the Tor guard to prevent the infinite loop).

 

Kind regards

[rikotap 0]

I would like to run VPN over Tor for privacy.

 

Warning, that procedure would work only on Windows... ... Eddie for Linux ...resolves this problem

 

I'm actually setting up Androidx86 as a VirtualBox guest - on a Linux (Debian Jessie) host. So, technically not a 'mobile device' (but will be buying a tablet shortly).

 

My goal is to rout all my Android traffic through VPN over Tor. Rephrasing in general terms... What would be the most secure way to accomplish that? Thank you.

[eyes878 43]

@eyes878

 

Warning, that procedure would work only on Windows, which handles sockets in a very peculiar (and somehow dangerous) way. In every other operating system you must also take care about the so called "infinite routing loop problem": communication between Tor and the guard node (the first node of each Tor circuit) will fall back into the VPN. Eddie for Linux and OS X resolves this problem by talking to Tor Control to detect and route correctly the guard(s) IP addresses (Eddie adds specific routes to the Tor guard to prevent the infinite loop).

 

Kind regards

I forgot about this. Using the app will cut off the Tor connection as it's "lower" - the Tor connection needs to be done elsewhere.

 

To OP: Unless you have a big reason to use VPN over Tor on mobile, don't.