[Consolidated] VPN Provider Recommendations
#286
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2000
Location: in the vicinity of SFO
Programs: AA 2MM (LT-PLT, PPro for this year)
Posts: 19,781
Why the big concern about paying anonymously? You guys are clearly using VPNs for things I'm not.
The three things I use(d) a VPN for are both things of no interest to the NSA or any US government bit.
1) Accessing financial (and similar) services where I don't trust the local network operator, even with SSL (this is useful even in the US, at hotels/conferences, and
2) to access sites I didn't want visible to my past overly-snoopy employer (surprisingly, they didn't block VPNs), and
3) back when I was traveling outside the US regularly and for longer, to access US based streaming services (I've since seen a number of stories about Amazon/Hulu/Netflix blocking VPNs, so no idea if that's still useful.)
The first would all be subpoena-able by the government anyway. In theory the latter would be, although they wouldn't care. As for the middle, unless I worked for the government, they would be unlikely to care that I was visiting Monster/Indeed/Glassdoor/Hired or the occasional not-porn-but-potentially-NSFW site on company time.
The three things I use(d) a VPN for are both things of no interest to the NSA or any US government bit.
1) Accessing financial (and similar) services where I don't trust the local network operator, even with SSL (this is useful even in the US, at hotels/conferences, and
2) to access sites I didn't want visible to my past overly-snoopy employer (surprisingly, they didn't block VPNs), and
3) back when I was traveling outside the US regularly and for longer, to access US based streaming services (I've since seen a number of stories about Amazon/Hulu/Netflix blocking VPNs, so no idea if that's still useful.)
The first would all be subpoena-able by the government anyway. In theory the latter would be, although they wouldn't care. As for the middle, unless I worked for the government, they would be unlikely to care that I was visiting Monster/Indeed/Glassdoor/Hired or the occasional not-porn-but-potentially-NSFW site on company time.
#288
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2000
Location: in the vicinity of SFO
Programs: AA 2MM (LT-PLT, PPro for this year)
Posts: 19,781
Not sure what your bar for low cost is, but Witopia does so (at least if you're comfortable editing the OpenVPN config file yourself; I use their service with the open source client, not with their software.)
#289
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: Menlo Park, CA, USA
Programs: UA 1MM 0P, AA, DL, *wood, Lifetime FPC Plat., IHG, HHD
Posts: 6,912
you could try tunnelbear, it's free up to 500MB and 1.5GB with a tweet, or about 6$ a month. you can pick your VPN gateway easily, at fix it if you like.
#290
Join Date: Aug 2008
Posts: 1,470
I have not installed it yet, but do you mind explaining how I could increase my data to 1.5GB "with a tweet"?
So to limit the data usage, I could log off and go to an unprotected mode when I am doing something harmless (like browsing FT ) and then log in to the VPN when I do some banking / trading transactions?
#291
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: Menlo Park, CA, USA
Programs: UA 1MM 0P, AA, DL, *wood, Lifetime FPC Plat., IHG, HHD
Posts: 6,912
This sounds promising - thanks much for the heads up
I have not installed it yet, but do you mind explaining how I could increase my data to 1.5GB "with a tweet"?
So to limit the data usage, I could log off and go to an unprotected mode when I am doing something harmless (like browsing FT ) and then log in to the VPN when I do some banking / trading transactions?
I have not installed it yet, but do you mind explaining how I could increase my data to 1.5GB "with a tweet"?
So to limit the data usage, I could log off and go to an unprotected mode when I am doing something harmless (like browsing FT ) and then log in to the VPN when I do some banking / trading transactions?
or just pay the 6$ a month for unlimited.
#292
Join Date: Dec 2014
Posts: 394
This sounds promising - thanks much for the heads up
I have not installed it yet, but do you mind explaining how I could increase my data to 1.5GB "with a tweet"?
So to limit the data usage, I could log off and go to an unprotected mode when I am doing something harmless (like browsing FT ) and then log in to the VPN when I do some banking / trading transactions?
I have not installed it yet, but do you mind explaining how I could increase my data to 1.5GB "with a tweet"?
So to limit the data usage, I could log off and go to an unprotected mode when I am doing something harmless (like browsing FT ) and then log in to the VPN when I do some banking / trading transactions?
I've had Tunnelbear for years, and the user interface is incredibly easy - you can turn it on and off with a click, and you can choose one of 20 different countries from a drop-down menu. Easy peasy. I use it on my phone or laptop exactly like you described: turn it on for email and banking (for instance) but don't use it for general surfing. I have an unlimited plan ($50 a year), but I also use it at home for streaming sometimes (not Netflix).
#293
Suspended
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Bay Area
Programs: DL SM, UA MP.
Posts: 12,729
Anyone try the Chrome extensions like Just Proxy VPN? I haven't tried it for something like streaming video but for masking my real IP.
But Chrome warns you that extensions which redirect traffic could be snooping on you?
I got it from the Chrome store where it has very high average review.
But Chrome warns you that extensions which redirect traffic could be snooping on you?
I got it from the Chrome store where it has very high average review.
#294
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: ORD
Posts: 14,233
Anyone try the Chrome extensions like Just Proxy VPN? I haven't tried it for something like streaming video but for masking my real IP.
But Chrome warns you that extensions which redirect traffic could be snooping on you?
I got it from the Chrome store where it has very high average review.
But Chrome warns you that extensions which redirect traffic could be snooping on you?
I got it from the Chrome store where it has very high average review.
Chrome gives you that warning because it has no way of knowing who is running the proxy or what they're doing with the traffic you're redirecting to that proxy.
#295
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: HaMerkaz/Exit 145
Programs: UA, LY, BA, AA
Posts: 13,167
I have a modem/router combo at home but want to buy a second router and flash the firmware onto the second router and plug that into my home one (in essence creating 2 WiFi networks: home and home+vpn). Is this ridiculous and/or possible, what I'm asking?
I'm not generally into tinkering like that but the benefit would be instead of installing the VPN and running it on each client, I could simply encrypt traffic at the source.
If so, does anyone know StrongVPN, PureVPN, or Express VPN and can recommend any of them (or can advise to stay away)?
I'm not generally into tinkering like that but the benefit would be instead of installing the VPN and running it on each client, I could simply encrypt traffic at the source.
If so, does anyone know StrongVPN, PureVPN, or Express VPN and can recommend any of them (or can advise to stay away)?
#296
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: SJC
Programs: UA 1K, AA ExecPlat
Posts: 820
I have a modem/router combo at home but want to buy a second router and flash the firmware onto the second router and plug that into my home one (in essence creating 2 WiFi networks: home and home+vpn). Is this ridiculous and/or possible, what I'm asking?
I'm not generally into tinkering like that but the benefit would be instead of installing the VPN and running it on each client, I could simply encrypt traffic at the source.
If so, does anyone know StrongVPN, PureVPN, or Express VPN and can recommend any of them (or can advise to stay away)?
I'm not generally into tinkering like that but the benefit would be instead of installing the VPN and running it on each client, I could simply encrypt traffic at the source.
If so, does anyone know StrongVPN, PureVPN, or Express VPN and can recommend any of them (or can advise to stay away)?
And like you, I wanted to run the VPN on my router so that I don't have to run the client on all of my computers/phones/devices.
#297
Suspended
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Bay Area
Programs: DL SM, UA MP.
Posts: 12,729
I just turn on the Cellspot Router VPN running Open VPN.
I have the OpenVPN app running on my iOS devices. Mainly using at public wifi and when overseas and want to access US content.
I have the OpenVPN app running on my iOS devices. Mainly using at public wifi and when overseas and want to access US content.
#298
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: HaMerkaz/Exit 145
Programs: UA, LY, BA, AA
Posts: 13,167
So going back on this, I never ended up purchasing something as I'm still using a crappy VPN but looking to bite the bullet today.
Has anyone used PureVPN or can recommend them?
They have a 7 day money-back guarantee plus $62.10 for 3 years ($1.73/month). The offer seems fantastic, but curious if others here have encountered them before?
Has anyone used PureVPN or can recommend them?
They have a 7 day money-back guarantee plus $62.10 for 3 years ($1.73/month). The offer seems fantastic, but curious if others here have encountered them before?
#299
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: HaMerkaz/Exit 145
Programs: UA, LY, BA, AA
Posts: 13,167
Is this what you're talking about? https://play.google.com/store/apps/d....openvpn&hl=en
How much does it cost?
#300
Suspended
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Bay Area
Programs: DL SM, UA MP.
Posts: 12,729
Yes, using the iOS version of that app.
However, you need a router with a VPN server. In my case, I got the router while I'm a T-Mobile customer. The router exports a file and you get that into your devices and the OpenVPN app. will connect to it.
However, you need a router with a VPN server. In my case, I got the router while I'm a T-Mobile customer. The router exports a file and you get that into your devices and the OpenVPN app. will connect to it.