Vpn

[Boomer 33202]

I was recently traveling and ran across a situation where I couldn't access CERB. Also even here there are occasions where you can't access certain sites strictly because of geographic restrictions, or on say a public wifi site. So, I'm thinking it's time to subscribe to a VPN service. So I'm looking for some information, e.g. cost, ease of use, using on multiple devices and any other relevant info you can share.

 

Actual provider recommendations would also be valuable.

[backrubman 64800]

It's hard to beat Strong VPN. They are reliable and more than fast enough for Netflix or Hulu (even on my smartphone using Wifi). About $50/year, complete pricing information can be found on their site.

 

Without VPN and on Wifi, your CERB password goes over the air as a simple hash which is trivial to convert back to plain text. Many other passwords (like for POP3 email accounts) often travel in the clear and are easily intercepted.

 

With some VPN services you can still tell what site the user is accessing (DNS lookups) but not with this one, all someone intercepting the traffic will "know" is that you are using a VPN connection and how much traffic you are moving and of course it gives you an IP address that terminates in the country of your choice thus it can be used to bypass content restrictions on streaming media, etc.

 

If you are using a smartphone it's best to make sure it is easily supported (mine is - Android). For Windozzze and Apple OSX there is an installer that is dead simple to use.

[PurpleHaze 140]

Never pay for anything. Here is a free VPN that you won't have trouble using. http://proxpn.com/

 

It's hard to beat Strong VPN.

 

Without VPN and on Wifi, your CERB password goes over the air as a simple hash which is trivial to convert back to plain text. Many other passwords (like for POP3 email accounts) often travel in the clear and are easily intercepted.

 

It is actually extremely easy to beat StrongVPN as VPNs do not protect against layer two attacks such as ARP poisoning. For example here is a nice tool called Ettercap that even comes with a simple to use graphical interface http://ettercap.github.io/ettercap/ . Furthermore SSL and HTTPS can easily be decrypted into plain text with tools such as SSLstrip which can be downloaded here http://www.thoughtcrime.org/software/sslstrip/ . You are never safe on a public WiFi as there are many assholes such as myself just waiting for morons to enter their banking information and credit cards. But honestly, anyone who would do this could not give a shit about your CERB password or email accounts.

 

The only thing a VPN is good for is changing your IP address to allow ban evasion, content filtering, and country spoofing. If you use a public WiFi then consider everything you type to be public, because it is.

[PhantomKnight 7914]

I agree with Backrubman. Strong VPN is a great way to do it. Cheap. Works like a champ and if you're computer handicapped like me. They'll even set it up for you. On all your computers. Haha. Great customer service representatives. Def recommend it!

[Guest ca**eyf**]

There are a few reasons that people use a vpn.

 

1. Hide your ip address from owners of content that you may be downloading via bittorrent etc. Note this may backfire if you try to do online banking or access facebook while on the vpn. Your bank may wonder why you are banking from Germany , for instance. ( cerb may wonder why I am in Miami right now ).

 

2. keep your isp from recording what sires you go to, what you download, and reading your email.

 

3. To use sites such as hulu and american netflix from Canada.

 

There are a lot of choices in vpn services and good and bad points with them all. There are different technologies such as ipsec openvpn. Also different levels of encryption etc. Some may even be gathering the very information you are trying to protect.

 

There is no perfect privacy these days with Google and various government agencies reading your emails , but there are ways to minimize your exposure. Do not let the perfect be the enemy of the good.

 

Really , just do not use public wi-fi for anything you want to keep private.

 

The best thing to do , if you are interested in vpn services is to do your research or take advice from someone you trust.

 

ps. Make sure you use https instead of http for a little extra security if you are worried.

 

@admin. I see that https is availabe but my browser does not trust your certificate.

[backrubman 64800]

...

@admin. I see that https is availabe but my browser does not trust your certificate.

 

Yes, there is a self-signed certificate and if you access CERB via https://www.cerb.ca/vbulletin/index.php and tell your browser to trust it, then it is a far better way... but keep in mind that the SSL functionality isn't quite implemented correctly so there are lots of links you can click on within the CERB site that will end up taking you back to an http (non-SSL as opposed to https SSL) session.

 

It would be a major step forward for security if the mod installed a trusted certificate and made sure it was implemented properly (in fact redirecting http sessions to https, insisting all sessions be SSL like any banking site). At least this would prevent most people from being able to grab your login credentials for CERB out of thin air when using Wifi.

[TheOptimist 110]

I've used overplay (https://www.overplay.net/) for a while now. Good service and has various geographic exit points.

Mainly use it for Netflix, BBC etc

[radio 120]

I'm surprised nobody has mentioned FreeVPN. It works from anywhere and is a simple PPTP connection so it works on all platforms without much hassle. I use it at work to bypass my own filters (I'm a sysadmin).

 

http://www.justfreevpn.com/

[backrubman 64800]

I'm surprised nobody has mentioned FreeVPN. It works from anywhere and is a simple PPTP connection so it works on all platforms without much hassle. I use it at work to bypass my own filters (I'm a sysadmin).

http://www.justfreevpn.com/

 

Interesting. I'd have to say perhaps you should read this:

http://www.personalvpn.org/danger_proxy_servers.htm

 

People have been known to set up TOR exit nodes just so they could intercept and harvest the traffic drawn to their node. Few things in life are both free and don't come with a catch of some sort (CERB excepted of course and even that isn't free to those who pay to advertise here) :)

[radio 120]

It's not a proxy, it's a vpn connection. Besides, if you aren't doing anything illegal then what do you have to worry about? Oh, the NSA...right...lol

 

Anyway, let's stay on topic. ;)

[backrubman 64800]

It's not a proxy, it's a vpn connection. Besides, if you aren't doing anything illegal then what do you have to worry about? Oh, the NSA...right...lol

 

Suggest you actually take the time to read it: as much about VPN services (to spite the title) so don't judge a book by it's cover (or title).

 

FreeVPN? How about free security guards for your business? Bet any bank would jump at my free security guard service and dump the paid ones they have, imagine the money they would save! You wouldn't trust an offer like that so why would you trust a "free" VPN service?

[PhantomKnight 7914]

Has any tried Btguard?

[impoverished 643]

I use StrongVPN... It's fairly inexpensive and does the job quite well (I use it primarily for streaming Netflix and Hulu)

 

You mentioned you wanted to know about being able to use on multiple devices... StrongVPN (at least the plan I have) can be used on multiple devices, but only one device at a time (ie. if I'm using it on my pc and then try logging in to the vpn on my phone it will disconnect the PC and vice versa).

 

I used to use HideIP VPN, but that was quite some time ago. Service was decent there (had some hiccups with streaming though occasionally), but they allowed for simultaneous connection on multiple devices.