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Tagged: VPN
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The Duke.
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January 23, 2017 at 11:34 pm #2585
With all the talk of the Snooper’s Charter, I’m getting a VPN. Ideally I want something that can run on multiple systems, Windows and Linux*, and on Android, and on multiple devices at the same time. I’d prefer something with no / high bandwidth limits, no logs, and a kill switch.If I’m going to get a VPN, I may as well do it right 🙂
Like anything else, the cheaper I can get it, the better.
Does anyone have any suggestions please?
*Probably Ubuntu or Mint
January 24, 2017 at 12:20 am #2590I like hotspot shield, I was using the free version for years , then about ten years ago jumped on the paid for version, which is $18pa , but suffers little slowdown, I only see slowdown kicking in over about 20meg. Your long takes a hit though. But no bandwidth caps. Or non I’ve run into and I recon half of our 800gb average a month runs through it.
I use it more and more and more these days. Streaming movies or sport with it never gets issue , and it’s cross platform. You will need to check on Linux thou.
You could use a ras pi and set up a dedicated vpn box. It’s on my to do list.
January 24, 2017 at 1:36 am #2594Thanks Steve 🙂
I did look at Hotspot Shield, but I thought it had a bandwidth cap. I’m having another look now.
Now that I’ve looked, I’m torn between Hotspot Shield and VPNSecure, mainly because VPNSecure has a lifetime subscription deal for $39 at the moment, and covers more than five systems.
January 24, 2017 at 1:39 am #2595Yes the 5 devices is a pain. That’s why I was thinking of setting up a dedicated vpn box so all my device could jump on that as and when needed, them back no the normal router when not.
January 24, 2017 at 1:46 am #2596I did look at a hardware setup after someone (Drezha?) posted this on MM:
I realised I’d need three though, at $280 a year, just to cover the house and our two phones, as we’re often out separately and leave the computers running :wacko:
January 24, 2017 at 4:09 am #2597Either someone’s messing with me, or I’m going senile! :wacko:
I’ve just double checked the details for both VPNs, and now VPNSecure says it only protects five devices, and Hotspot Shield covers ten! I’m going to bed! :scratch:
January 24, 2017 at 6:33 am #259810 devices is news to me. I’ll check .
I can’t screen shot my account page, to much info, Mine say 5/5 in use. If it’s now offering 10 I will be getting in touch as my yearly sub only come out a few weeks ago.
Lol week means months I’m my world. Nov 17 in was re subbed, only feels like a few weeks
January 24, 2017 at 7:25 am #2600I’ve just looked and it is five devices. The Stack Social page with the lifetime offer says it’s ten. I’m sure the Stack Social page is where I got five from earlier though.
January 24, 2017 at 9:44 am #2613I use Private Internet Access – it’s cross platform, though I’ve struggled using it on Linux using the installed app. It was much easier to use the command line(!) and the certificates they download.
One thing I found was that the downloads through a dedicated device (such as a router or a Pi) would be a lot less due to the encryption of OpenVPN, namely due to the ARM processor. Slowdown when running the client direct isn’t noticeable (I’m on 70Mb Virgin). Ars did a homemade router here that shows the difference in numbers.
Also, I don’t tend to run the VPN much at home any more – I can’t really get around the Charter with it because whilst I’m technological able to, the girlfriend isn’t, so if the VPN causes issues with Netflix (it does), then she can’t figure out how to sort it out.
"Everything looks interesting until you do it. Then you find it’s just another job" - Terry Pratchett
January 24, 2017 at 3:34 pm #2624Be double careful with VPN. If they are cheap they are probably cheap for a reason….I would do a trial a and run checks like doileak.com, ipleak.com and dnsleaktest.com…you might be surprised how insecure you are. Even with a great VPN, windows (especially 10) can leak DNS at will, and chrome and Firefox have (fixable) vulnerabilities too (RTC). If you use windows 10 behind a VPN its worth entering your VPN providers DNS directly, don’t trust windows.
My VPN of choice is Torguard. Very reasonable if you don’t need streaming, five additional dollars a month for a dedicated USA streaming IP if you do (apparently)…and five simultaneous devices.but whatever you do check your vpn….without extra steps good chance you are still exposed
January 24, 2017 at 5:42 pm #2627I started using hotspot shield to get hulu from America 10 years ago , and just stick with it as it served me well.
I just ran the tests linked to above and it seemed it is rather leak free, though I’m no expert. The info that came back was I was using a PC in America on a 800 x400 CRT , that’s some leakage .
The one thing we can’t know untill to late is what the VPN service is capturing. But I’d rather some company was capturing my behaviour than the gov, especially as I’m not viewing anything that is deemed illegal or embarrassing. But could be used by the government to profile me. No one knows who or what the current or next administion will do with said data.
If the gov was to offer me services I’m exchange for the data I deem a good deal, I may be a bit more on board. But the thing I hate the most is the government having control to block things that are totally legal but it [the gov] seems unfit for UK citizens.
I said it when the porn filter was put in place, don’t accept it, so “I want the porn” when BT or TT etc, ask you on behalf of the gov. If you have kids it’s easy to lock it down to make safe. Safer than the gov can to aswell. The British firewall as it’s dubed had nothing to do with porn (which is legal content btw) and a) to do with imformation control, (slippery slope) sold in the grand old “think of the children” way.
Opendns will sort for filters out and give you full control of what you have access to. It’s a Shane we are getting to this point , where we are actively needing to figure out ways of superseding the government. We mock china and NKorea, while the rest of the world now see us in the same bracket .
January 25, 2017 at 8:48 pm #2713doileak.com is a particularly interesting test – probably most revealing out of them all…out of interest did you pass that Duke? I didn’t, I had WebRTC leaks on Chrome and Firefox (which can be fixed) – ironically Edge and IE don’t have this particular vulnerability.
Despite where the IP location puts you – what is the DNS look up saying? If you have the DNS servers set to OpenDNS on the PC then you are probably OK, but for example Windows 10 behind a VPN router will still try and use local DNS even if you tell it to get the DNS configuration from the router.
Region-swerving for telly is a lot less of a concern than true privacy, but main point is even the best VPN service is compromised if you don’t go belt and braces.
The other recommendations include Flash (disable if you can), third party cookies (disable) and making sure your PC is in the same time zone as your chosen VPN if practical.
January 25, 2017 at 9:15 pm #2715I’m using android 7.1.1. and going to use Russia for the test. I tested chrome and x scope browser, (not sure what it’s based on) and both failed the webrtc leak test , showing my local IP , but not my physical IP, tbh I don’t know what a local IP is.
Also it pics up on that my device and the “location” are showing diffent times .
January 25, 2017 at 9:22 pm #2717I was wrong, it reports it as leaked, bit it’s isnt it giving out a faults IP as for as I can tell. As when I turn the HSS off, I get my actually local IP. The 192.168.x.x. when HHS is on it gives out 4 sets of double numbers.
The device(is) time looks like it’s being leaked via the GPU api (webGL).
January 26, 2017 at 10:26 am #2766Web GL is probably leaking your GPS position.
January 26, 2017 at 11:43 am #2772@ed maybe. Having a closer look it doesn’t say anything bad about webGL or rather what is or isn’t leaking, it just says your browser’s supports it and it’s enabled, and that webGL has possible insecurities , so disable it if you don’t use it.
It’s picking up my device time via Java withing the browser. Java also leaks what is I’m using , bit the test picks up two os’s , I’m assuming mine and the server , it say multiple os picked up android and Linux .
The rest also says I have a WebRTC leak, local IP, bit with my VPN on it’s definitely no leaking my local IP, with it off, it says 192.168.x.xx , which is definitely not want you want being logged as that pinpoints you, but rather it says an IP I don’t recognise at all, maybe it’s the ip of the server connecting too, but I don’t think so as no matter where I concur to I’m the world , so far tried us , Russia,China and currently ire, it give the same mysterious IP .
I’m not going ot lie, im new to this . But it’s intresring non the less.
@admin can you see what my IP is showing as at your end, and pm it me please. If you can all the data my browser is pumping out. I’m sure you can get that cant you?
January 26, 2017 at 11:50 am #2773@tippon currently connected via china, just playing and see my screen shot for the speed I got. No slowdowns here.
I didn’t know my phone or router was capable of sich speeds over wi-fi.
January 26, 2017 at 11:53 am #2775I could get your browser, os , location etc…. Maybe later though, I’m thinking at the moment. Sent your i.p though.
Americans: Over Sexed, Over Payed and Over here, Wat Wat!
January 26, 2017 at 12:15 pm #2778Cheers Lee, it will be interesting to see what you can grab. As using the what’s my IP, that sees the proxy IP, and the make of my phone, bit it gets confused as it gets the specs wrong, as if my browser is reporting back, and the server’s browser /os like on the lest earlier , as it gets the specs form the sever. The IP from there, and can see two os’s and reports mostly on the server’s spects.
Strange. Show I’m mostly secure and with a few steps could tighten it up. I don’t think any VPN is going to save you from Java and WebRTC. You need to manage that yourself. I may be wrong though .
January 26, 2017 at 1:58 pm #2787!92.168.x.x is just a generic private network address – probably millions of people with the same one. Nothing to worry about if that is all it leaks. Your broadband network address is of course a different kettle of phish.
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