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VPN Service Recommendations
This topic was created by AC2.0.
VPN Service Recommendations
Hi
Need recommendations for VPN Services, main criteria
- OpenVPN/ PPTP support: OpenVPN for me
- Specific VPN client application required? (Would be a no go for me; want to access via DD-WRT OpenVPN client on the router preferably else standard open source VPN client implementations)
- Servers outside US/ UK/ EU and affiliated countries (e.g. Australia)
- What is logged, how long are logs stored
- "Trustworthiness", basically can one trust they're not snooping for themselves or on behalf of someone else
Categories for recommendations
- Best priced
- Best for VOIP and Videoconf
- Best for video streaming
- Best for Torrent/ Usenet
I've tried the usual Google search and VPN specific websites but unable to get to the bottom of this...
Thanks!
Re: VPN Service Recommendations
I use VPNUK and it seems to fit your requirement.
OpenVPN is supported.
Servers in 14 countries.
Unlimited on demand switching between servers.
Two simultaneous connections provided they come from different devices.
"We do not log any user activity (sites visited, DNS lookups, emails etc.) We only log access attempts to our servers (for security and troubleshooting), session durations and bandwidth used."
And they have servers were P2P use is not restricted.
£5.99 a month.
Re: VPN Service Recommendations
I forgot to mention, bandwidth is unlimited.
Or at least I see no fair use policy and I've never been told I'm using too much.
Re: VPN Service Recommendations
Thanks! Looks interesting and nice to have the instructions for all clients (including DD-WRT) on the site...
Minor quibble, the OpenVPN authentication is only password based, would have liked to have cert or cert + pass.
And the site does navigate across vpnuk.net and vpnuk.info a bit!
Re: VPN Service Recommendations
Currently I use my own "cloud". A cheap root access VPS from Webfusion or Eukhosts is all you need then you are in charge of the vpn and everything. Most of the time I make use of an SSH connection for my VPS and run socks proxy and tunnels on the machines rather than opening a full VPN connection from here OZ to UK. Works for banks, bbc and all things needing UK IP address. SSH is all you need, and for reasons I do not know upload speeds to UK seem to double over the link.
What I am after is someone selling SSH servers with tunnelling and proxy, rather than VPN services since should be cheaper than owning a whole vps.
I used VPNUK for VPN (shame no SSH) but it was not as fast and had more erratic latency than my EUKhost windows VPNS and SSH socks proxy. VPNUK is a third of the cost of running one own Virtual Server, but the VPS has other uses of course.
Re: VPN Service Recommendations
Interesting approach! Wonder if it can be setup from the router though...
Also, would it be cost effective to BYO VPN on Amazon's EC2 I wonder... Should come to within $10 per month...
I would certainly like the reg to do an article on what to look for and what to look out for. I'm less interested in speed than uptime and a lack of snoopers, which seems paradoxical since the way I read it you're just trading one snooper for another, with the VPN provider knowing your identity and what you're looking at? How good are privacy policies which claim that they won't snoop?
I really don't want the russian mafia reading everything I do online, which is a matter of time at present, what with UK.gov's data retention policies and record on keeping sensitive data out of the hands of criminals. I.e. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-17886548
VPN vs ISP
True, need a VPN provider we trust as much as the ISP, if not more... So prefer HTTPS / SSL/ SSH wherever possible...
But what the VPN provider does give over the ISP is a way to access web sites and services blocked by the ISP, either on their own for commercial reasons (eg VOIP) or at the direction of local authorities...
And the above is probably why El Reg doesn't want to do an article on this topic...
Consumer VPN Suggestions
Jack Schofield wrote this recently: Using a VPN to protect your web use., in response to a reader question from "Dave Null". Hah!
Re: Consumer VPN Suggestions
Nice, I particularly liked the Torrentfreak article linked in his post, seems to address some of the important points...
Here's the link to it:
http://torrentfreak.com/which-vpn-providers-really-take-anonymity-seriously-111007/
There is some question about how many of these VPN providers are genuine providers vs honeypots setup by various LEOs... Anyway as the Kim Dotcom/ HideMyA** fiasco proved, when push comes to shove any provider will roll over when faced with serious heat... So don't think you're completely 'safe'...
Mullvad
OK so I've signed up to Mullvad.. They do cash, cards (Paypal) and bitcoins... Small fee and can work one month to next with no 'registration' as such, can just generate a new customer id when one runs out so pretty good.
Decent privacy policy and TOS (assuming they stick to it!!). And no US, UK, Australia presence only in NL and Sweden.. Hmmm so maybe not so useful if you want Netflix/ Pandora...
Seems OK, torrents, streaming audio/ video, though a little slow (while streaming videos) and occasionally seems to lock up...
Currently using from default Ubuntu OpenVPN software, but seems very easy to setup on DD-WRT. They have their own client but do give a simple .ZIP file containing all conf details for Linux/ Windows/ MacOS, just make sure you're using https://mulvad.net when you download the ZIP file.
Now feel a LITTLE better about using Yahoo Mail, no bloody HTTPS everywhere so I guess I have to trust Mullvad... Would be too painful to switch to Gmail, just for always on HTTPS.
Hmm next I need to figure out how to get and use Bitcoins without access to US wire/ SEPA. Can use Paypal in some cases but that seems to defeat the purpose.
Re: Mullvad
Oh yes, VOIP (Skype) works and they also support port forwarding...
Re: Mullvad
One little problem, if you pay via Paypal, Mullvad sends you an email to the email id used while making the Paypal payment (mandatory field :-( ).
And that email from Mullvad contains your customer id.
And this customer id is the only secret. Anyone who gets it, say from said email, can go to the Mullvad site and download that ZIP file I mentioned above. This ZIP file contains the keys to your VPN connection and said person now start using your VPN subscription... Hmmmm
Re: Mullvad
If you are based in the UK you can buy bitcoin for ukash vouchers (which can be bought for cash). Search for ukash bitcoin on google. mercabit is a good one.
You can try any best vpn service as per your choices. This one I am mentioning is awesome becasue they are applicable to all countries i.e. Austrialia VPN, Europe, and almost everywhere.
