VPN Question
May 21st 2016, 9:48 am
#1
BE Forum Addict
Thread Starter
Joined: May 2016
Location: Northern California
Posts: 2,277
VPN Question
I've used free VPNs in the past and wondered just how useful they are. Would it be worth paying for VPN, if suppose one would theoretically use it to download British TV programs using Bittorrents. Not that one would of course.
May 21st 2016, 10:32 am
#2
Banned
Joined: Feb 2016
Location: Chicago, IL
Posts: 348
Re: VPN Question
I've got a Tunnelbear, 20 bucks for a years' subscription. Definitely one of the more professional VPNs out there, their phone app is excellent. Doesn't seem to work with BBC iPlayer though since they upped their encryption, similar to what Netflix have done for none US residents
May 21st 2016, 11:44 am
#3
Grumpy Know-it-all
Joined: Jul 2010
Location: Calgary, Alberta
Posts: 8,928
Re: VPN Question
If you're going to use Bittorrent, why bother?
VPNs used to watch shows abroad aren't actually VPNs, they don't use any encryption. They're just called that because you typically use the VPN client software in Windows to connect to the proxy.
But it's just a proxy that changes your IP address. The actual data is transmitted in the clear so your ISP can see it just as easily as if you went to The Pirate Bay directly. It's still coming across peer-to-peer.
The advantage of using a proxy is that you can go to the XYZ website in the UK and it thinks you are in the UK. But nowadays they have more security than just geolocation, for example they ask for your address, credit card details, etc. The most common one is that your cable/satellite provider gives you a username and password to access the XYZ website.
Frankly I'm bemused by the whole thing because I can't honestly say I miss British TV in the slightest.
VPNs used to watch shows abroad aren't actually VPNs, they don't use any encryption. They're just called that because you typically use the VPN client software in Windows to connect to the proxy.
But it's just a proxy that changes your IP address. The actual data is transmitted in the clear so your ISP can see it just as easily as if you went to The Pirate Bay directly. It's still coming across peer-to-peer.
The advantage of using a proxy is that you can go to the XYZ website in the UK and it thinks you are in the UK. But nowadays they have more security than just geolocation, for example they ask for your address, credit card details, etc. The most common one is that your cable/satellite provider gives you a username and password to access the XYZ website.
Frankly I'm bemused by the whole thing because I can't honestly say I miss British TV in the slightest.
May 21st 2016, 2:32 pm
#4
BE Forum Addict
Thread Starter
Joined: May 2016
Location: Northern California
Posts: 2,277
Re: VPN Question
If you're going to use Bittorrent, why bother?
VPNs used to watch shows abroad aren't actually VPNs, they don't use any encryption. They're just called that because you typically use the VPN client software in Windows to connect to the proxy.
But it's just a proxy that changes your IP address. The actual data is transmitted in the clear so your ISP can see it just as easily as if you went to The Pirate Bay directly. It's still coming across peer-to-peer.
The advantage of using a proxy is that you can go to the XYZ website in the UK and it thinks you are in the UK. But nowadays they have more security than just geolocation, for example they ask for your address, credit card details, etc. The most common one is that your cable/satellite provider gives you a username and password to access the XYZ website.
Frankly I'm bemused by the whole thing because I can't honestly say I miss British TV in the slightest.
VPNs used to watch shows abroad aren't actually VPNs, they don't use any encryption. They're just called that because you typically use the VPN client software in Windows to connect to the proxy.
But it's just a proxy that changes your IP address. The actual data is transmitted in the clear so your ISP can see it just as easily as if you went to The Pirate Bay directly. It's still coming across peer-to-peer.
The advantage of using a proxy is that you can go to the XYZ website in the UK and it thinks you are in the UK. But nowadays they have more security than just geolocation, for example they ask for your address, credit card details, etc. The most common one is that your cable/satellite provider gives you a username and password to access the XYZ website.
Frankly I'm bemused by the whole thing because I can't honestly say I miss British TV in the slightest.
Last edited by johnwoo; May 21st 2016 at 2:36 pm.
May 22nd 2016, 4:56 am
#5
BE Practitioner (Level 2)
Joined: Aug 2014
Location: San Diego, CA
Posts: 1,403
Re: VPN Question
Get a smart DNS service, better for streaming video. I use Overplay and iPlayer and the likes work fine. If one is hell bent on torrenting, it would be better to use a VPN as DNS does not encrypt or hide your IP address.
Not all VPNs are equal, either. If you really want a private service it's worth doing the research. Many VPN services record and track logs, making them not altogether private at all. Some claim not to, although it's hard to determine what they're really sharing/selling.
If I was in the market for one I'd be looking at something based in Panama. At the end of the day, it's impossible to really know what your ISP or VPN provider is really doing behind the scenes.
Not all VPNs are equal, either. If you really want a private service it's worth doing the research. Many VPN services record and track logs, making them not altogether private at all. Some claim not to, although it's hard to determine what they're really sharing/selling.
If I was in the market for one I'd be looking at something based in Panama. At the end of the day, it's impossible to really know what your ISP or VPN provider is really doing behind the scenes.
May 22nd 2016, 7:57 am
#6
Wondering if...
Joined: Apr 2009
Location: Clarence, NY
Posts: 1,214
Re: VPN Question
I use a VPN provider based in Hong Kong. Supposedly no logs kept.
Access to UK viewing is via a Roku, which is hooked to a router that thinks it is in the UK, courtesy of a permanent link to the VPN provider. So all the UK Roku apps are available, delivering all the UK channels. Of course the Roku won't then serve up US channels and content, but that's the job of its twin sitting next to it! Dealing with the Roku apps and interface is a lot less hassle than messing around with websites and suchlike.
Access to UK viewing is via a Roku, which is hooked to a router that thinks it is in the UK, courtesy of a permanent link to the VPN provider. So all the UK Roku apps are available, delivering all the UK channels. Of course the Roku won't then serve up US channels and content, but that's the job of its twin sitting next to it! Dealing with the Roku apps and interface is a lot less hassle than messing around with websites and suchlike.
May 24th 2016, 7:04 am
#8
Forum Regular
Joined: Feb 2013
Location: Mission Viejo, CA
Posts: 255
Re: VPN Question
I use SmartDNSProxy
https://www.smartdnsproxy.com/
The DNS allows access to iPlayer etc. It's fast enough to stream live HD (with my 50Mb Cox cable line). We still use the downloads when we want to watch stuff without any risk of stuttering though.
It also has a load of VPN servers you can connect to for download of torrents without getting nasty-grams from the ISP. They connect at full speed most of the time.
https://www.smartdnsproxy.com/
The DNS allows access to iPlayer etc. It's fast enough to stream live HD (with my 50Mb Cox cable line). We still use the downloads when we want to watch stuff without any risk of stuttering though.
It also has a load of VPN servers you can connect to for download of torrents without getting nasty-grams from the ISP. They connect at full speed most of the time.
