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Drill Here, Drill Now
Picture of tatortodd
posted Hide Post
quote:
Originally posted by Aeteocles:
quote:
Originally posted by nhtagmember:
so what are the benefits of a VPN over just a straight internet connection? You still need a local service provider to give you access do you not?


It hides the origin of the connection.

You essentially make a (virtual) private connection between you and a server in another location. All of your interaction with 'net first goes from you to the server, and then from the server out to the net. Anyone on the outside looking in just sees the server, the people behind it are hidden.

The connection between you and the server is encrypted. Your ISP sees that there's traffic between you and the server, but because the traffic is encrypted, they have no idea what that traffic is doing.
It eliminates a huge security vulnerability for frequent travelers who have to connect through hotel, restaurant, coffee shop, and airport wifi. My VPN works on my iPhone, iPad, and MacBook for 1 fixed rate. It costs me about 10% in speed, but it's worth it as nobody packet sniffing is getting my passwords AND no nanny filter is preventing me from seeing Sigforum. My budy was the admin for a Meraki for 1000 users and I could get faster times on FB because he had all 1000 users sharing 56k (meraki's can control access speeds to sites not just go/no go). I'm posting right now on a restaurant wifi through my VPN.

I use it at home too as ISPs are notorious for monitoring for targeted advertising.



Ego is the anesthesia that deadens the pain of stupidity

DISCLAIMER: These are the author's own personal views and do not represent the views of the author's employer.
 
Posts: 23255 | Location: Northern Suburbs of Houston | Registered: November 14, 2005Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Seeker of Clarity
Picture of r0gue
posted Hide Post
quote:
Originally posted by tatortodd:
quote:
Originally posted by Aeteocles:
quote:
Originally posted by nhtagmember:
so what are the benefits of a VPN over just a straight internet connection? You still need a local service provider to give you access do you not?


It hides the origin of the connection.

You essentially make a (virtual) private connection between you and a server in another location. All of your interaction with 'net first goes from you to the server, and then from the server out to the net. Anyone on the outside looking in just sees the server, the people behind it are hidden.

The connection between you and the server is encrypted. Your ISP sees that there's traffic between you and the server, but because the traffic is encrypted, they have no idea what that traffic is doing.
It eliminates a huge security vulnerability for frequent travelers who have to connect through hotel, restaurant, coffee shop, and airport wifi. My VPN works on my iPhone, iPad, and MacBook for 1 fixed rate. It costs me about 10% in speed, but it's worth it as nobody packet sniffing is getting my passwords AND no nanny filter is preventing me from seeing Sigforum. My budy was the admin for a Meraki for 1000 users and I could get faster times on FB because he had all 1000 users sharing 56k (meraki's can control access speeds to sites not just go/no go). I'm posting right now on a restaurant wifi through my VPN.

I use it at home too as ISPs are notorious for monitoring for targeted advertising.


Fair point about public WiFi. I use my iPhone hotspot. But I certainly can understand the use case you have there.




 
Posts: 11386 | Registered: August 02, 2004Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Something wild
is loose
Picture of Doc H.
posted Hide Post
Norton's; inexpensive and very easy to use.



"And gentlemen in England now abed, shall think themselves accursed they were not here, and hold their manhoods cheap whiles any speaks that fought with us upon Saint Crispin's Day"
 
Posts: 2746 | Location: The Shire | Registered: October 22, 2011Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Member
posted Hide Post
I heard on Fox that China is trying to ban VPN apps in China's iPhone App Store. Not suprising.

I wonder how long until our government outlaws them? They tend to hamper their 'monitor everyone, everywhere, all the time' mantra.
 
Posts: 3954 | Location: UNK | Registered: October 04, 2009Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Member
posted Hide Post
Trying out TunnelBear right now.

It says it is ON, but how do I know it is really doing anything ?


"Crom is strong! If I die, I have to go before him, and he will ask me, 'What is the riddle of steel?' If I don't know it, he will cast me out of Valhalla and laugh at me."
 
Posts: 6641 | Registered: September 10, 2007Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Bamf
posted Hide Post
I've heard good things about PIA, but I use PureVPN. It has worked really well for me so far - and works on all my devices too.




"I have a suggestion to keep you all occupied. Learn to swim" - Ænema
 
Posts: 4599 | Location: N. Idaho | Registered: November 12, 2006Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Caribou gorn
Picture of YellowJacket
posted Hide Post
Used PIA to get around blackouts for streaming sports.



I'm gonna vote for the funniest frog with the loudest croak on the highest log.
 
Posts: 10487 | Location: Marietta, GA | Registered: February 10, 2009Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Tinker Sailor Soldier Pie
Picture of Balzé Halzé
posted Hide Post
quote:
Originally posted by r0gue:
quote:
Originally posted by tatortodd:
quote:
Originally posted by Aeteocles:
quote:
Originally posted by nhtagmember:
so what are the benefits of a VPN over just a straight internet connection? You still need a local service provider to give you access do you not?


It hides the origin of the connection.

You essentially make a (virtual) private connection between you and a server in another location. All of your interaction with 'net first goes from you to the server, and then from the server out to the net. Anyone on the outside looking in just sees the server, the people behind it are hidden.

The connection between you and the server is encrypted. Your ISP sees that there's traffic between you and the server, but because the traffic is encrypted, they have no idea what that traffic is doing.
It eliminates a huge security vulnerability for frequent travelers who have to connect through hotel, restaurant, coffee shop, and airport wifi. My VPN works on my iPhone, iPad, and MacBook for 1 fixed rate. It costs me about 10% in speed, but it's worth it as nobody packet sniffing is getting my passwords AND no nanny filter is preventing me from seeing Sigforum. My budy was the admin for a Meraki for 1000 users and I could get faster times on FB because he had all 1000 users sharing 56k (meraki's can control access speeds to sites not just go/no go). I'm posting right now on a restaurant wifi through my VPN.

I use it at home too as ISPs are notorious for monitoring for targeted advertising.


Fair point about public WiFi. I use my iPhone hotspot. But I certainly can understand the use case you have there.


Yes, on my recent trip to europe, particularly in the airports and in Spain, the only Internet I could get (without turning on my data and blowing out my next bill) was through free public wifi. Having the VPN at least gave me some sense of security. It was the best way to communicate and meet up with the people I was meeting.


~Alan

Acta Non Verba
NRA Life Member (Patron)
God, Family, Guns, Country

Men will fight and die to protect women... because women protect everything else. ~Andrew Klavan

"Once there was only dark. If you ask me, light is winning." ~Rust Cohle
 
Posts: 30409 | Location: Elv. 7,000 feet, Utah | Registered: October 29, 2012Reply With QuoteReport This Post
The air above the din
Picture of Aquilon
posted Hide Post
NordVPN here. You want to make sure whichever one you pick doesn't log activity (or, at least pick one that says they don't log activity - that's the best you can do, really, because there's no way to know for sure).

If your VPN provider keeps logs, you're just trading one company which monitors your activity (your ISP) for another (your VPN provider).
 
Posts: 966 | Location: Virginia | Registered: May 16, 2007Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Glorious SPAM!
Picture of mbinky
posted Hide Post
PIA VPN. No logs, $40 a year for 5 devices.
 
Posts: 10635 | Registered: June 13, 2003Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Member
posted Hide Post
Another happy PIA user here. I've configured OpenVPN on my router so all devices in the house that are not bandwidth hogs go through that particular router and have protection.
 
Posts: 708 | Location: Ohio | Registered: January 04, 2009Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Member
posted Hide Post
Glad this thread came back to remind me to get a VPN and the information here is a major help - as is any SIGforum thread requesting information or assistance.




 
Posts: 4981 | Location: Arkansas | Registered: September 04, 2008Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Member
Picture of MtnPlinker
posted Hide Post
I'll be the odd one in this thread...

I've been using Witopia for a couple of years. It actually improves my connection throughput.

Skip the free service and pay for openvpn. Their openvpn solution, however, is not really iOS compatible.
 
Posts: 1962 | Location: Front Range CO | Registered: April 03, 2008Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Member
posted Hide Post
PIA for several years now. Use on phones, ipads and desktop. It does slow down connection quite a bit. May be something I need to change to get better. I have Uverse 45m service. I get downloads at 47-48m without PIA on, and it drops to about 10 with PIA on.


NRA Endowment Member
USAF 1958-1970
Master Instructor 1969-1970
Georgia Gun Owners Member
 
Posts: 237 | Location: Atlanta, GA, USA | Registered: February 11, 2003Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Tinker Sailor Soldier Pie
Picture of Balzé Halzé
posted Hide Post
quote:
Originally posted by MtnPlinker:
I'll be the odd one in this thread...

I've been using Witopia for a couple of years. It actually improves my connection throughput.



I can't see how that's possible.


~Alan

Acta Non Verba
NRA Life Member (Patron)
God, Family, Guns, Country

Men will fight and die to protect women... because women protect everything else. ~Andrew Klavan

"Once there was only dark. If you ask me, light is winning." ~Rust Cohle
 
Posts: 30409 | Location: Elv. 7,000 feet, Utah | Registered: October 29, 2012Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Member
Picture of MtnPlinker
posted Hide Post
I, too, am scratching my head on this one. I have a fairly strange ISP situation though (uWave link to fiber to hub which uses the same fiber and hub as Witopia's local server).

My best guess is that without VPN, I am being auto-routed through a different server (off fiber & Witopia's server) but when I choose Witopia, I'm on the same core server/router as my shortest path.

A stretch in thinking for sure.

I know that I did not realize anywhere near decent speed with my VPN until I started using OpenVPN.
 
Posts: 1962 | Location: Front Range CO | Registered: April 03, 2008Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Ammoholic
posted Hide Post
quote:
Originally posted by Balzé Halzé:
quote:
Originally posted by MtnPlinker:
I'll be the odd one in this thread...

I've been using Witopia for a couple of years. It actually improves my connection throughput.



I can't see how that's possible.
MtnPlinker probably has the answer above but one possibility that occurred to me was an ISP (or someone else along the path) using QoS to prioritize different types of traffic and with the VPN his traffic goes in a better "bucket."
 
Posts: 6919 | Location: Lost, but making time. | Registered: February 23, 2011Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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I'm lost in at least one respect. How does an app, i e the American Express app, connect via the vpn. I see how the browser would work but not an app?

Could someone explain this to a decidedly non techie?

Thanks!
 
Posts: 772 | Location: Southeast Tennessee | Registered: September 30, 2008Reply With QuoteReport This Post
I'm Different!
Picture of mrbill345
posted Hide Post
The browser Opera has a free built-in VPN. It is available for MacOs, iOS, Windows, Android & Linux.

I haven't used the mobile apps, but I don't have any complaints with the Mac Browser. I only use it infrequently.



“Agnostic, gun owning, conservative, college educated hillbilly”
 
Posts: 4139 | Location: Middle Finger of WV | Registered: March 29, 2010Reply With QuoteReport This Post
member
Picture of henryaz
posted Hide Post
quote:
Originally posted by Tn226:
I'm lost in at least one respect. How does an app, i e the American Express app, connect via the vpn. I see how the browser would work but not an app?

Could someone explain this to a decidedly non techie?

Thanks!

The VPN tunnel is at a lower level in the network scheme of things than the application layer. This means when connected to a VPN tunnel, all packets from your machine travel through the tunnel. It is app-agnostic. So your AX app would work just the same as your browser, as your ftp app, as any other app needing Internet access.
 
 
Posts: 10785 | Location: South Congress AZ | Registered: May 27, 2006Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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