VPNs, please enlighten me?
Discussion
VPNs and antivirus programs are two separate things, but a VPN will help protect you against the risk of being susceptible to a virus attack, especially if you connect to any public networks on a day to day basis.
I signed up to Nord 6 months ago when I moved overseas and wasn’t confident in the inherent security of the internet infrastructure where I was going. Works perfectly and solved the issue of still being able to use my UK streaming accounts whilst over there.
I signed up to Nord 6 months ago when I moved overseas and wasn’t confident in the inherent security of the internet infrastructure where I was going. Works perfectly and solved the issue of still being able to use my UK streaming accounts whilst over there.
DanL said:
parabolica said:
a VPN will help protect you against the risk of being susceptible to a virus attack, especially if you connect to any public networks on a day to day basis.
It will? Curious to learn how (honestly - not having a dig!). Matt99man said:
Can a VPN be used at router level? So TVs in the house connected to Netflix would work
Yes. A decent quality router will have the functionality built in. You could also configure a Raspberry Pi to do it whilst you are out and about.https://restoreprivacy.com/vpn/raspberry-pi/
Baldchap said:
Yes. A decent quality router will have the functionality built in. You could also configure a Raspberry Pi to do it whilst you are out and about.
https://restoreprivacy.com/vpn/raspberry-pi/
Ok, great. Any router recommendations? Not bought one for prob 15+ years as just used the free ones. Needs to work with Voda as moving there https://restoreprivacy.com/vpn/raspberry-pi/
DanL said:
parabolica said:
a VPN will help protect you against the risk of being susceptible to a virus attack, especially if you connect to any public networks on a day to day basis.
It will? Curious to learn how (honestly - not having a dig!). parabolica said:
DanL said:
parabolica said:
a VPN will help protect you against the risk of being susceptible to a virus attack, especially if you connect to any public networks on a day to day basis.
It will? Curious to learn how (honestly - not having a dig!). VPN = virtual private network.
My non professional understanding.
An encrypted link between you and the VPN company's server so no one on your local network or the internet between you and the VPN server can be read what you are sending/receiving as it passes through the network and the internet.
it can be used protect your privacy by hiding your identity (to a certain extent).
It can allow you to appear somewhere you are not. E.g. you could be in France with this encrypted link to a server in Manchester, and it appears that you are accessing the internet from Manchester. Which is why you may be able to use it to access UK streaming services.
If you want to access adult material, but it is blocked by your internet provider you can bypass their block because they don't actually know what you are accessing.
Might not work everywhere because some providers will know that the traffic is going to a VPN and block it. Likewise some streaming services will recognise the VPN server and block their service.
You are still trusting an organisation with your privacy, e.g. not to log your activities, so don't just get some cheap VPN from an unknown provider. Or you could be just handing over data.
You can protect yourself by making sure you always use "secure" websites e.g. those with https:// addresses which creates a similar encrypted link between youannd the website you are accessing (but this isn't foolproof iirc).
My non professional understanding.
An encrypted link between you and the VPN company's server so no one on your local network or the internet between you and the VPN server can be read what you are sending/receiving as it passes through the network and the internet.
it can be used protect your privacy by hiding your identity (to a certain extent).
It can allow you to appear somewhere you are not. E.g. you could be in France with this encrypted link to a server in Manchester, and it appears that you are accessing the internet from Manchester. Which is why you may be able to use it to access UK streaming services.
If you want to access adult material, but it is blocked by your internet provider you can bypass their block because they don't actually know what you are accessing.
Might not work everywhere because some providers will know that the traffic is going to a VPN and block it. Likewise some streaming services will recognise the VPN server and block their service.
You are still trusting an organisation with your privacy, e.g. not to log your activities, so don't just get some cheap VPN from an unknown provider. Or you could be just handing over data.
You can protect yourself by making sure you always use "secure" websites e.g. those with https:// addresses which creates a similar encrypted link between youannd the website you are accessing (but this isn't foolproof iirc).
Unless you are truly paranoid, or , handle multi million pound transactions on your laptop in manilla, you really don't need a VPN.
A VPN is a private tunnel from one point to another , within the existing network you are on (internet). The security idea is that if anyone hacks into your WiFi connection, or, the WiFi router owner is a bad guy (same thing) , then any traffic you are sending is encrypted within the VPN.
The reality is anything you do with your bank will be encrypted anyhow through HTTPS .
A VPN will make no difference when you click the "free money/women" link and install a virus inadvertently.
VPNs are superb at hiding your geo location. I am using one in Thailand to make it appear im in the UK, so my iPlayer will work (and my poker client).
Most decent routers (ones you buy, not the free ISP ones) support common VPN protocols so it's easy to set them up at router level.
VPNs are being pushed as some kind of security panacea, much like VAX are now pushing the anti viral abilities of cleaning your carpets.
If you don't know you need a VPN then you don't need one ;-)
A VPN is a private tunnel from one point to another , within the existing network you are on (internet). The security idea is that if anyone hacks into your WiFi connection, or, the WiFi router owner is a bad guy (same thing) , then any traffic you are sending is encrypted within the VPN.
The reality is anything you do with your bank will be encrypted anyhow through HTTPS .
A VPN will make no difference when you click the "free money/women" link and install a virus inadvertently.
VPNs are superb at hiding your geo location. I am using one in Thailand to make it appear im in the UK, so my iPlayer will work (and my poker client).
Most decent routers (ones you buy, not the free ISP ones) support common VPN protocols so it's easy to set them up at router level.
VPNs are being pushed as some kind of security panacea, much like VAX are now pushing the anti viral abilities of cleaning your carpets.
If you don't know you need a VPN then you don't need one ;-)
I have this conversation way too often. VPN does not protect you really at all, and the majority of the time you do not need to be protected. Why would a hacker come after your PC? And if they wanted to it would be via the normal email/click on this link kind of way.
You can use VPN to pretend you are in a country that you are not (for Netflix / iPlayer) or if you have a personal one it can be used to access devices on your home network.
You can use VPN to pretend you are in a country that you are not (for Netflix / iPlayer) or if you have a personal one it can be used to access devices on your home network.
I use one of these for a foreign property. Sits on the inside interface of the router, makes all devices in the property appear like they are in the UK, so TVs, streaming etc all work fine. Has worked perfectly for years now. You also can use the account details on individual devices software VPN setup, so works when away from the property.
https://www.libertyshield.com/Home/OrderHardware/1
https://www.libertyshield.com/Home/OrderHardware/1
They're handy for streaming TV series. The one I use prevents my ISP from stopping me stream the content and also blocks the pop ups on the streaming app. Occasionally the streaming sources drop off, but switching to another server brings up a few new ones. It costs, but means I can get most of my content from one app.
Pointing your PC or broadband router at OpenDNS can do the same thing.
The VPNs are much less useful now most of the web is TLS encrypted. Your ISP can still see what sites you visit but not what pages or what you do on them. There are protocols to stop them doing even that (eSNI and DOH) but they’re not widely used yet.
A VPN prevents that, the VPN provider can see the same info but they’ve usually got privacy protections in the contract. Their upstream ISP can see it too but can’t associate it with you as an individual so easily. ISPs have farmed user data for marketing purposes and some in the states were caught injecting their own adverts into users web sessions, so there are some reasons you may not want then looking at your stuff.
There are privacy benefits to VPNs, but do those outweigh the cost and hassle? Many think so, personally I don’t use one.
The VPNs are much less useful now most of the web is TLS encrypted. Your ISP can still see what sites you visit but not what pages or what you do on them. There are protocols to stop them doing even that (eSNI and DOH) but they’re not widely used yet.
A VPN prevents that, the VPN provider can see the same info but they’ve usually got privacy protections in the contract. Their upstream ISP can see it too but can’t associate it with you as an individual so easily. ISPs have farmed user data for marketing purposes and some in the states were caught injecting their own adverts into users web sessions, so there are some reasons you may not want then looking at your stuff.
There are privacy benefits to VPNs, but do those outweigh the cost and hassle? Many think so, personally I don’t use one.
There is incessant promo to tell people they need a VPN, when they don’t.
I would love to hear how peoples bog standard connections actually resulted in a problem…
Generally those who say you need them have paint protection insurance, 10 year warranties on their telly, and think they are going to win the f
king postcode lottery.
I would love to hear how peoples bog standard connections actually resulted in a problem…
Generally those who say you need them have paint protection insurance, 10 year warranties on their telly, and think they are going to win the f
king postcode lottery. Gassing Station | Computers, Gadgets & Stuff | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff