VPN Madness

[DVDR_Dog]

It seems everyone and their brother is trying to grab the referral fees (or income) for getting you to sign up to a VPN provider.
It's getting out of hand. The latest builds of some anti-virus are including trials or at least installing some otherwise unneeded software in an attempt to sell you on their VPN service. I had a recent install of Kaspersky do just that. Problem was it interfered with my VPN's already existing software and it was a pain to diagnose and straighten out.
As VPN use proliferates it will eventually make them less relevant but that's another discussion.
If your current VPN starts acting funny check your A/V software. I am trying to figure out why an A/V provider thinks it's OK to mess with my network connections and Winsock but that's another discussion.

 

[ThumperTM]

Hi,

Which VPN provider do you use?

 

[DVDR_Dog]

I use TorGuard. I got an insanely cheap deal from an online forum. It's supposedly one of the fastest providers but doesn't come close to filling my 100 meg fiber line. Speeds are more in line from what I expect at work. Depends on the POP I am using but most are good for maybe 5 meg on a good day. I haven't tried multiple connections with more than one computer, I really don't have a need for that.
I do get plenty of bandwidth to satisfy my viewing needs now that I have cut the cord even though I don't subscribe to any IPTV services.
Edit:
I should add that latency is a big part of total bandwidth. If my POP is halfway across the Earth the fiber run may be as long as a trip to the moon and you need to take things into perspective. Yes the actual signal moves at the speed of light BUT it's the nature of the Internet to route that signal all over the place. So it needs to travel through a whole bunch of "smart" switches not to mention it needs to be received processed and resent in duplex by the POP host. Now TCP/IP requires the receiver to acknowledge it received an intact data packet matching the checksum sent with the packet. This takes time which limits the speed a VPN can deliver and the farther the POP is should result in slower speeds.
You can't go by a typical Internet speed test to judge your POP speed to you. Most use remote test servers as close as possible to your POP. DSL Reports I think still has a test which uses your system as the sender which is a much better true value.
The reason I bring this up is I don't wish to appear I am complaining about TorGuard. They are fine for me so far and their customer service appears great.

 

[ThumperTM]

Been using PrivateInternetAccess and PureVPN last few years, pretty good speeds.

 

[DVDR_Dog]

Well it's gotten worse.
Check out this link I got in an email:

StackSocial | Best Apps + Software / Security, Discounts & Sales - May 2021

StackSocial scours the web for the newest software, gadgets & web services. Explore our giveaways, bundles, Pay What You Want deals & more.

stacksocial.com

Some of the major suppliers must be allowing resellers of their service. I promise you there is no way in hades that anyone can build, maintain and pay the bandwidth bills for a year for what some are charging for a "lifetime" subscription to a VPN. That lifetime will equate to the time that company has to collect your money and close the doors no where to be found. Good luck with whatever provider they were using, their contract wasn't with you.
-> SO the moral of this story is be sure you research any VPN provider before you commit to them financially. It might be a good idea to make sure any logs you appear in aren't stored for any length of time. A couple of honest professional reviews particularly for speed and good user feedback are the best way to judge.
Just as an FYI most of these services when served with a warrant that involves terrorism, blatant criminal activity and of course child pornography and human trafficking will cooperate with authorities which is just fine by me.

 

[cndps]

I'm using Windscribe, it's free.

 

[ThumperTM]

I'm using Windscribe, it's free.

Never used free VPN.

Are VPNs Safe? How To Know Which Are Secure (2025)

How do you know if your VPN can keep you safe online? Some free VPNs can severely compromise your security. Read more to find out which VPNs are safe.

www.vpnmentor.com

 

[DVDR_Dog]

I'm using Windscribe, it's free.

For 10 gigs per month. Good for a phone maybe, speeds aren't anything to write home about. 10 GB/mo would not work for me at all. I understand their business model, like us for the 10GB pay and stay around the rest of the month. My VPN constantly will max out my 100 meg line from most of it's servers with no bandwidth usage limits.
Keep your your eye out for specials offered by established providers whose needs fit your requirements like access to Netflix, etc as well as consistent speeds. I am signed up for a great deal from TorGuard and they do everything I expect as well as having a great track record of privacy. I just hope they keep renewing my account at the same price.

 

[DVDR_Dog]

Read this thru and you will get my point.
I saw this deal posted for Torguard VPN. I did some research before I pulled the trigger but found they suit my current needs and speed and servers all good for me as good as I was going to find.
The deal was $14.99/every 6 months recurring which works out to $2.50/mo. No speed limits or caps period. Very cheap insurance for peace of mind.
My point is even if you aren't 100% committed to paying for a VPN keep looking for deals. I've been with Torguard for almost 2 years now, they had a couple of glitches mostly software related. But they do have a responsive customer service and a forum if you post a problem an employee answers you within hours tops. That doesn't happen for any free service I know of.

 

[fccinvest]

Hi,

Which VPN provider do you use?

vanish

 

[philalethes]

SurfShark last two years.

 

[DVDR_Dog]

SurfShark last two years.

Good choice but bizarre pricing. I guess they want you to get onboard for 2 years. Good price then. Looks like they like having you around for awhile.
To be honest Nord freaks me out, too popular and you know law enforcement has had to pay them more than a few visits. There are some things that you can't do on the Internet period and I would bet those folks attracted by the ads flock to Nord. Always pays to get with a smaller provider with a good rep and good pricing. Check the trusted reviews from sites you know not those shell sites set up to promote a few products.