https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dark_web If you are using VPN and Tor to visit "regular web" you're not on dark web. Most people will probably just use anonymization software but won't move to dark web.
The adresses typically end with .onion or .i2p .i2p = accessible with I2P .onion = accessible with TOR
The article was a little out of touch with what the dark web really is. The use of TOR as depicted in the article simply routes and conceals the original IP's from the "normal" websites a user visits. Don't get me wrong this is still far better than a raw ISP connection, but it stops well short of the DW. In the model I just described there are 3 relays used in a normal TOR circuit - AND - most importantly there IS an exit node into clearnet. The Deep Web goes like this: 3 TOR relays are used for YOU to arrive at a rendezvous point - PLUS - 3 TOR relays are used by the deep web onion site to arrive at that same rendezvous point. Neither side of the transaction knows where the other party is located and in fact if done properly you don't even know where the onion site is. Its a very high tech model for a site to remain anonymously located, even when 3 letter places are looking, but it can and is done. Mistakes are costly, but preventable with good OPsec. Additionally, some of us augment even this design by chaining VPN's in front of the TOR circuits we use. I could mention names here but we know who we are. [wink] One of the most significant differences in these two models is in the true DW model there is NO exit node for any leaks to occur!! The only common space between the two parties is handled at the rendezvous point and its not viewable on the net. That is huge and eliminates MITM, etc.....
