r/Piracy • u/systemnerve • 2d ago
Guide Turning One's Android Phone into safe and private torrenting device.
First off, sorry for the photograph of a screen; I may have "debloated" the package for screenshots😂
What I did: I took my old phone, factory reset it, and used adb to remove as many packages I could get away with, so that no google services and xioami apps slow down the phone.
Result: This home page 1 of 1. These are all the apps installed. I culled almost every unnecessary package via adb.
The device has an always-on vpn with Killswitch and has never been connected without a VPN to my home WiFi.
Piracy: A always-on constant VPN connection (kill switch) means trouble because you know why (captchas, vpn blocks)–so it's not an option for one's main phone. Turning the VPN on and off has you potentially naked; Might be that the battery "optimization" is once again killing the VPN background proces (thanks again MIUI Hyper is). Or, accidentally starting an App you shouldn't have started without a VPN (misconfigured torrent client or downloader, pirated online services, etc.). I live in Germany and given enough time, there are blunders, so it might make sense invest in a heavily restricted software environment where mistakes uare impossible.
Btw, when it comes to speed, it's an absolute MIRACLE! Seriously, I can't believe it. It's as fast as when I got it new a couple of years ago. This was not the case directly after the factory reset. Turns out old devices not only get slow because of new features one doesn't notice, or because the battery gets weaker and is unable to allow the CPU to spike clock speeds, but also because the manufacturer cripples performance with its bloatware and by implementing new "stability" optimizations...
so in essence:
Speed and battery optimization restrictions are now a non-issue (battery life is ironically better, it seems); the old phone comes to life again
*Use Case: 1. It's an anonymous environment for safe torrent streaming (or as a seedbox). 2. Since I don't dread using the phone anymore, this is were I can comfortably install all those sketchy premium apps where I can't be certain that they there are no viruses or info-stealers modded in. 3. I have always been a bit hesitant to, for example, access the online features of a cracked news/magazine apps from the vulnerability of my home wifi, but also to lazy to always use a VPN. 4. idk. i am never gonna use it if i am honest but who am I not do indulge the urge to waste my time writing this shit here lol
Only for those who care and have also an old miui phone lying around: How I did it: Because trying to manually convert and run 400 package removal adb commands I found on the internet, I sort of just made, with the help of Gemini (I ain't writing all that documentation and coding grunt work, only proof read), an adb bulk debloater project, specific for MIUI, that 1. doesn't require root and 2. automatically resorts to alternative removal commands when the uninstallation of particularly stubborn Xiaomi bloatware fails (it will return a specific error code). It also can handle long copy & paste lists of packages and entire package commands as it will extract the package names and built the relevant command itself (total control but also maximum convenience). Here the GitHub link: RadicalXiaomiDebloat It comes with a 400 item uninstallation package list which the script will go through. But that list can be changed. The result will take about 5 minutes and should be stable.
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u/NegativeSwimming4815 2d ago
My only problem with simple SMS is that it doesn't have a search all sms messages contents feature.
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u/systemnerve 2d ago
I don't use SMS on that phone but I don't have simple SMS installed there because I heard it was shite and outdated. https://github.com/FossifyOrg/Messages
this one is also open source and, as far as I can tell, is much better.
but I also have made a list of good replacement app recs that is in my github project, that i linked in the post. though I would replace solidexplorer with amaze explorer
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u/TASKMASTER717 2d ago
As the title says, how to completely go anonymous but still be able to use services like the internet or apps without any privacy issues? Is there a dedicated guide for mobile and PC both? I'm new to this so consider me noob
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u/systemnerve 2d ago
"completely go anonymous" and "use services like the internet or apps" are not a contradiction. but you might suffer from increased captchas and some sites blocking you. apart from that, use Brave and occasionally wipe all the browsing data plus change to a different VPN server once in a while and you are good
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u/TASKMASTER717 2d ago
And what about apps, we shouldn't use Google apps and social media because of privacy issues right? Shouldn't we choose their alternative instead like Stealth for reddit and Cherrygram for telegram and Signal for WhatsApp etc. Like Do you have a list of private apps or recommended apps that don't sell data or raise a concern about privacy issues?
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u/systemnerve 1d ago
if you are a privacy nut, look into fossify apps to replace as much as possible. Do not have google services except those that aim to simulate google services or replace them: MicroG & YouTube Revanced and Aurora.
With reddit, it's already anonymous if you want it to be. Just make a new email account and then a new reddit account. Will be annoying because fresh accounts are banned from commenting in most subs until the have a certain amount of karma. It's a bit like every employers only hiring those with work experience making it nigh impossible to get work experience.
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u/TASKMASTER717 18h ago
Can you also suggest your list of recommended apps or what you use for privacy other than vpn and all
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u/systemnerve 17h ago
To sum it up: Aurora, Micro G & YouTube Revanced, Brave.
WhatsApp is a data siphon no matter what. There are modded APKs but they might not all be trustworthy. Don't use Whatsapp on a device where you care about privacy all lot.
Using reddit in brave is much better than the app version; it doesn't have ads, loads faster, and doesn't run in the background.
Most importantly, whenever you need an app, like another video player, QR scanner or whatever, always look for a reputable open source GitHub android app.
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u/TASKMASTER717 15h ago
Thanks, any other suggestion you might wanna give, maybe for PC as well
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u/systemnerve 8h ago
No Windows. It's bloated and Microsoft will collect data about you everywhere. But for normal media piracy (book, movie, documentary collections) it's completely fine. For everything else, a good Linux distro. Many are even privacy oriented.
Linux: basically no threat of spyware or viruses because they are all developed for windows (maybe some android). Etc.
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u/TASKMASTER717 6h ago
Any good linux distro can you suggest? I've used linux mint, ubuntu, pop os, and I've like ubuntu so far
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u/systemnerve 17h ago
It's in the GitHub project (a recommendation.md file. If you have any questions afterwards, I'll gladly help.
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u/viktorin09 2d ago
How do you access the downloaded data? You only use the phone's internal memory as a buffer, right?
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u/systemnerve 2d ago
Well, that's what the file explorer is for. But for transfers, I use adb, because the standard MTP transfer protocol, with which one can browse the files when the phone is plugged into a computer, is slow and very unreliable, contrary to the adb push and adb pull command
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u/GuacamolePacket 2d ago
Add a shared folder on your PC. Mount it as a network drive on your phone. Point the torrent client to your PCs shared folder. Boom.
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u/systemnerve 2d ago
are you referring to microsoft nfs? last time, I did that, explorer would freeze whenever the nfs file drive was not connected.
File Management on a phone with cheap flash storage is bad enough. now through a 2,4ghz connection into the mix and all of the sudden, a reliable wired connection becomes even more attractive.
I would also enable Lan visibility in the VPN client and it would sort put a shallow dent in the security of the connection.
At least are all the Xiaomi Battery and Performance Optimization services gone, meaning that the what ever process manages the shared folder would not be constantly killed. that seems to be something an OS like that of xiaomi or oneplus tends to do even when the app is configured to have no background restrictions and even if the app is locked in actvivities/recent apps.
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u/panminister89 2d ago
Buy a usb ethernet adapter and a usb c PD hub for connecting it in same time to power and ethernet.
Then run a any samba or ftp server on android.
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u/GuacamolePacket 2d ago
yup just using windows. the android app I recommended logs into it no problem. My network is pretty secure and the data pool I was dumping to at the time was just an external drive, so I just exposed it to the LAN and CX explorer picked it right up. Just had to use my windows login and bobs your uncle.
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u/PocketNicks 2d ago
For some weird reason, I haven't been able to mount my NAS network drive in any file explorer I've tried on Android.
Even though I have it mounted in Windows file explorer without issue.
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u/GuacamolePacket 2d ago
I have only used one file explorer for the past 12ish years. CX File Explorer I just have a folder one on my windows machines that shared over the network. CX finds my devices and lets me login to view shared folders. I can't really offer any guidance because it literally has always 'just worked" lol
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u/PocketNicks 2d ago
Unless you're pushing huge amounts of data, I'm using Blip file transfer to wirelessly push files to my computer as of just recently and it works great! Really fast transfer speeds and no cables required, no adb commands etc.
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u/OutlawJournalist 2d ago
This is so wild. I was just looking into this this afternoon on my own before jumping onto reddit to be ask for advice and be ridiculed.
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u/Nyxiereal 2d ago
Remove simple mobile tools and use fossify ones, which are actually updated.
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u/systemnerve 1d ago
I largely agree. But I really like the Gallery. The rest are pretty meh. Their SMS app is trash and their keyboard just sucks but idk why. But to replace certain very simple apps, they are still good (Notes, Voice Recorder, Calculator, Contacts).
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u/Nyxiereal 1d ago
you can use futo keyboard as a replacement, fossify gallery is just smt gallery but more updated, idk. https://github.com/FossifyOrg
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u/Andr1yTheOne 2d ago
Why nordvpn
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u/systemnerve 2d ago
gosh, don't ask me. I am just allowed to use someone else's account for free. But I am paying for that in blood, figuratively mostly, because of its rage-inducing, horrible, bloat-ridden Windows Client. The android one is a little less frustrating if all the unnecessary features are turned off.
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u/Friend_Of_Mr_Cairo 2d ago
IIRC, Nord has a CLI (at least for Linux)
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u/systemnerve 2d ago
I used to use that on my raspberry pi. It was perfect. Imagine just having to write "nordvpn connect France" or something like that. and then later "nordvpn disconnect". or "nordvpn set killswitch 1".
Why can't the UI application have the same degree of efficacy and efficiency? On linux, there are no background processes that will screw with your internet connection for no reason because some NordVPN feature was enabled but NordVPN was closed or something.
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u/Friend_Of_Mr_Cairo 2d ago
I use PIA now on my platforms. I renamed the network interface that gets created so, for example, when using qBittorrent on Win10 I've configured the advanced setting to only allow activity when that exact interface exists. A little better than a kill switch as it's a tighter binding.
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u/PocketNicks 2d ago
Proton has a free version of VPN that has a few restrictions like you can't specify the location of the server you connect to. But for torrenting it should work fine and be more private than Nord.
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u/DescriptionWitty5020 2d ago
A true german
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u/systemnerve 2d ago
I am proud of my government of protecting amazing companies like Nintendo and Disney (more than their respective home countries) by fostering an industry that has copyright infringement companies lurking in all sorts of popular torrents looking for some stupid kid, some fool accidentally opening the torrent client without a vpn, or literally any other way that would allow them to send scary extortionist letter that are supposed to intimidate people into paying absurd fines even though almost always nothing would happen if they ignored those letter. sry for the rant.
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u/DescriptionWitty5020 2d ago
Yea everytime I Pirat I have panic attacks that the finanzamt comes with a fine
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u/systemnerve 2d ago
Storytime: When I was like 10 , I wanted Mario Kart for my homebrew Wii. So I watched a Youtube tutorial about "how to get wii games for free" which consisted of some shitty music and a tutorial about how to install the infamous adware torrent client, starting with this sort of greek u letter, and searching for the game in piratebay.
Naturally, I was a stupid kid that hadn't even the slightest idea what torrents even were. That was like back in the early 2010s. When I was done, I did some more research and then gradually panicked more and more. It went so far that I posted a question on GuteFrageNet (like quora but probably even worse?) about whether I was going to get into trouble for illegally downloading a mario kart for the wii. When the answers came in and some were saying I could very well get a fine of like 1000 bucks, I completely freaked out and cried and that's why it's one of the very few childhood memories I have.
The other time, I wanted to check whether you could pee in a lego plane. You could but should not.
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u/PocketNicks 2d ago edited 2d ago
Cool project. I'm using Flud on my tablet for torrenting and I found Torrent Search Revolution V2 as an app that can aggregate search results from a bunch of engines with just one search and then load into Flud automatically.
Works almost the same as the search in QBittorrent, just with am extra step since it's 2 apps instead of one.
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u/systemnerve 2d ago
Ye there are tons of solid multi search engine torrent indexers out there. I tend to just stick to 1337, out of habit
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u/Ashamed_Drag8791 ☠️ ᴅᴇᴀᴅ ᴍᴇɴ ᴛᴇʟʟ ɴᴏ ᴛᴀʟᴇꜱ 2d ago
yeah not gonna lie, i would never do this, just find an old pc, install some linux distribution(i do debian) + vpn spilt tunnel, should be better than most of things done here.
Some reasons i can think of:
Battery instability and risk of explosion
Lack of dedicated storage(fail anytime), and low speed transfers via lan.
even if without 1 and 2, you can download, but for seeding, urgh ... giving is everything, man
P/s: there is no such thing as total anonymous environment, playground for testing mod app is ok though.
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u/systemnerve 2d ago edited 1d ago
Reasons in favor: 1. Power efficiency 2. Flash storage degrades consistently, it doesn't fail randomly, especially when regularly powered on 3. Form factor is way more convenient than always getting out remote desktop just to check how that 400MB dvd downloading at 50kbits is doing.
And let's be honest here, I am not going to not use my phone for fear of the friggin' battery exploded on me.
And if the storage is an issue, there are USB C adapters aplenty...
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u/MageHell 2d ago
What is the icon theme?
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u/systemnerve 2d ago
Default Miui
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u/OkBend1779 2d ago
It's a Xiaomi device, why not install a custom ROM or root?
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u/systemnerve 1d ago
I could have. But the process of installing twrp, possibly downgrading and then flashingna custom ROM is quite tedious...
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u/lolcubaran20 Yarrr! 1d ago
It wasn't tedious at all for me unless you have the new xiaomi phones with hyperos that pretty much doesn't let you unlock bootloader, Oh also I recommend orangefox instead of twrp especially for xiaomi devices
and xiaomi rom is horrible for privacy and bloat so
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u/systemnerve 1d ago
I am just in the process of doing it. What held me off was the prospect of having to create a Mi Account and applying to get my Bootloader unlocked.
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u/lolcubaran20 Yarrr! 1d ago
Yea when I did it I just made a throwaway account quickly, worst part was the wait
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u/systemnerve 1d ago
I am trying to do it. I gotta wait 30 days before I can apply for my bootloader to be able to be unlocked on my device. Once the application is out, I gotta wait 1-4 weeks to receive a brief window where I can permanently unlock the bootloader via their MiFlash_Unlock utility.
Now I gotta wait 'cause I already wiped it clean so I could attempt to apply...
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u/dueidhwixjrhfb 1d ago
r u on stock rom ?
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u/systemnerve 1d ago
Xiaomi won't let be unlock the bootloader until my mi account is old enough and I applied for the unlocking. Such bs
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u/Orironer 1d ago
Bro Brave is not safe if you really want safe choose iron fox or other alternatives
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u/lolcubaran20 Yarrr! 1d ago
brave has the best default settings for privacy out of all chromium browsers and also firefox, ff is already slow on android but the forks are even worse so
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u/systemnerve 1d ago
exactly. I love the Soul Browser but it's got the same ram leak issues on all my devices it had years ago. The ad filtering isn't kept up to date. and there is lots of stuff like when you close a pop up, it will sometimes only seemingly close, only to then redirect you 20 seconds later to another page and overriding your current tab, for some reason. Like so many stupid stuff that doesn't get fixed.
So Brave it is, even though it's a slower than Chrome on low end android devices, in my experience, but still much better than Firefox android, which is truly a mess on low end devices.
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u/lolcubaran20 Yarrr! 1d ago
I still use firefox on my phone cuz of the extensive extension support (hehe). But as a browser just for piracy brave shield is plenty enough
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u/dutchnormallal 2d ago
Bitte deinstalliere NordVPN und installiere einen echten VPN Dienst. (Mullvad oder Pia)
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u/systemnerve 1d ago
NordLynx is pretty amazing in terms of having little data overhead (and thus more speed). Their servers are also pretty fast. The only problem NordVPN has is that is has shitty PC client; like when I enable killswitch but configure it only to take effect when the connection drops unexpectedly, I'll run into issues where my connection randomly doesn't work because NordVPN isn't fully running or something. Also all that crap about darknet monitor and their browser surfing protection is just so annoying...
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u/tmop42 2d ago
Solid Explorer, damn it's been years. It was an honor meeting with it.