I've been subscribing to Private Internet Access for 3 years now. At $40/yr it's some of the best money I've ever spent. Edit: My first gold ever. Thank you kind Redditor. You've bought my guilding cherry.
Also: To everyone who asked a question but didn't get a response, sorry. There's just too many. If you PM me I'll get to your questions as soon as I can. Thanks.
Regarding your VPN, there are a few options, usually just a matter of buying a subscription and downloading a program. Private Internet Access and NordVPN are popular, but r/vpn could help.
Solidarity, comrade. Please try to stay safe.
> The plans will allow Britain to become "the global leader in the regulation of the use of personal data and the internet", the manifesto claims.
China and North Korea would like a word Mrs May
Shout out to Private Internet Access for anyone looking for a reliable and good value for money VPN
I highly doubt that is Verizon so much as the capabilities of the VPN. VPN services, as a whole, will run slower than a non-vpn connection due to needing to encrypt/decrypt packets of data.
I'd try a new service personally. I like Private Internet Access (and they're super kickass proponents of Net Neutrality to boot). I had some speed issues at first, but after i changed my TAP driver to a different version I can usually manage about 150-190Mbps down. Other services had me around 5-15Mbps down. Without VPN I get around 250Mbps down w/ Comcast.
There's so much shitty technology and cringey stuff at CES. Fortunately the really cool stuff shines through, but there's just so much crap.
I regret not getting a video of the Private Internet Access booth, one of the cringiest things I've witnessed in a while. There's a group of about 13 people in green morph suits stand in a semicircle around a table while a projector shines text on them. Meanwhile around six morph suit people are just sitting on the floor in front of the table. And they're just standing there. While a large group of people are just taking pictures.
Edit: Turns out I had actually saved my snapchat story as a video, so I grabbed these stills from it: and
You could get a VPN like Private Internet Access. Once you connect to the VPN your ISP can't see where you connect to after that or what sites you see. The downside to VPNs though is that they're slower than your internet connection because they make you travel further for the information you're actually trying to get. So, unless you're being throttled a lot, a VPN might not be beneficial, however VPNs are a good way to determine if you're being throttled to begin with.
I've been using Private Internet Access for a year or so now (probably because of Logan, I can't remember), and it's been wonderful. When I was on AT&T uVerse my connection was almost twice as fast over the VPN than normally, presumably because of the whole net neutrality and speed throttling thing AT&T was doing.
So, yeah, +1 for PIA.
Oh and speaking about Internet, Private Internet Access lets you browse the web privately and securely. Get a free trial
If this video sucked you know what to do, but if it was awesome, subscribe, hit that like button, and check out our merch store and our community forum which you should totally join!
Thank you /u/allthefoxes for all of this information. It's definitely helpful for everyone. I also want to give a thanks to Reddit for upvoting this post as it helps spread awareness and will make the House reps think twice on the vote.
This "resolution" is bad, because it begins a slippery slope down a trajectory that none of us want to go.
We're going to fight the good fight together. I have never been so moved by the show of solidarity.
Let's put a stop to this resolution.
Sincerely,
Andrew Lee
Co-Founder Private Internet Access
Ik heb het hier eerder gezegd en ik zeg het nogmaals:
Neem een VPN.
Zet hem tijdens het downloaden op Zwitersland, Zweden of IJsland (Private Internet Access), daar mag je namelijk downloaden.
Als je echt door niemand gevonden wil worden (lees: de overheid), dan neem je er een die niet gevestigd is in een 14-eyes land. Maar om deze boeven en copyright trolls te vermijden is een gewone VPN genoeg, ze gaan namelijk voor laaghangend fruit en als ze jou door zo'n VPN provider moeten gaan opzoeken ben je letterlijk de tijd niet waard.
Zelf vertrouw ik de gratis VPN's niet zo: If it's free, you're the product.
Private Internet Access is going to be suggested a lot for good reason. It's pretty cheap, reliable and easy to use with decent bandwidth. They also took a full page ad in the NY Times to call out congressmen that voted for this so that reflects positively too. Note that it does not get around Netflix's region locking though I've used it for some services like BBC successfully.
PIA is good with me. They have desktop and android app, not sure about an iPhone app but I'm sure there's a way to use it on any device. 7 bucks a month or 40 for a year. PIA stands for Private Internet Access. Had them for like 3 or 4 months and it's been great.
You know what goes well with Legal Services?
PIA - Private Internet Access gives you the comfort of browsing the web with ease of mind. Check them out to try out their 30 day free trial and use code LinusTechTips to get 20% off. /s
Private Internet Access (PIA)
I pay annually and it comes out to a little over $3 a month. I can connect up to 5 devices. I use it on laptops/router/android phones. It's been great when we're travelling and we can never trust the access points we're connecting to. For the most part it works great. I can't say I've never experienced a slowdown, but they've been rare.
I know it's really easy to just watch this on DailyMotion/Some Dodgy FB Group but I urge you to please make an effort to watch this on (The Networks Official Website).
You don't need to register.
It's free.
It does require a Proxy - but most free ones will work (I use the Private Internet Access App which costs a couple of bucks a month).
There is a good chance this could be the last season due to ratings (despite the show being brilliant) - but the shows biggest strength is it's online support, so do what you can to support the show by watching it legit if possible.
Get Private Internet Access (PIA.)
$40 a year, desktop clients for os x and windows, mobile clients for iPhone and android. Works really well.
EDIT: Here's a link.
Some VPNs are already blocked on a few ISP's default adult content filter. EE, O2, Sky, Three, Virgin Media and Vodafone's filters are blocking Private Internet Access for example.
Quite when VPNs were added to block lists I have no idea.
Edit: If I was into betting, I'd probably put money on something like this being suggested.
Yeah I could but that would involve setting up a dedicated box there... the VPN service I'm using is a widely available public one: Private Internet Access.
I could probably just switch to a noname VPN as well. PIA might be targetted since theyre so large now, but they have good prices for unlimited data!
I have a one year subscription to Private Internet Access. Its been great. Low ping, never had any downtime, great encryption features, great speeds. I probably sound like a shill but its actually been completely flawless so far.
>they're based in Canada which is a country that's known to spy on its citizens
In one sentence, immediately followed by
>Private Internet Access is a much better alternative.
Which is based in the USA which is even worse. Not to mention the customer support horror stories I've heard about people not receiving their login info even weeks after paying. I would strongly recommend against PIA. If you're interested in a VPN, check out /r/Privacy and /u/ThatOnePrivacyGuy's website, to find a VPN that best suits your needs.
Speaking of affordable, Private Internet Access will allow you to browse the internet anywhere completely anonymously for just a X dollars per month. Use the promotion code Linus to get 50% off for your first 6 months
Personally I use Private Internet Access. You're free to use whatever you want of course. Check out
I saw no negative impact on my speeds. On the contrary, my speeds dramatically improved for Netflix and YouTube. If I turn the VPN off mid video the quality tanks and I get buffering like crazy. I turn it back on and it all goes away (My ISP is AT&T).
This is something you'll likely want/need to pay for. I pay $6 a month. To not have buffering on YouTube and Netflix is worth that (as I can't change my ISP and I'm stuck with whatever crap they give me - like everybody else in America).
The 'Free VPNs' are making money somehow. They only asset they have is your data. You do the math...
Edit: Grammar is hard.
Some websites block popular VPNs like Private Internet Access. The websites block the VPN IP addresses and will tell you to disable it before continuing. Google's captcha also becomes a lot more annoying if you use popular VPNs (i.e. 5 or more different confirmation puzzles instead of just 1).
Be warned, Reddit is full of "Private Internet Access" (PIA) shills.
Just look at /r/VPN. They're a hated company and shady as fuck so you can't trust them. The mods even had to create a "beware of false reviews" thread because of PIA.
The shills will be here in a moment to downvote me to hell and angrily disagree with me. Do you need more evidence than that? No other VPN company has "users" like this. Strange, eh?
EDIT: LOL after I added the bit about the shills downvoting me, they all removed their downvotes.
Yes I would recommend getting Private Internet Access, it's called PIA. Basically it encrypts your traffic by providing anonymous servers to connect to, which is what the VPN is, and it will basically cloak your identity to any websites or IPs you are connecting and interacting with. It's cheap.. It's worth having.
Configure your torrent client to use the network adapter generated by your VPN software. I use PIA, it created an adapter called "Private Internet Access Network Adapter" which i called PIA Connect. Here is how you can configure qBittorrent to only use that adapter.
Great information in this thread, thanks for doing this. At what point does being secure move from "safe" to "paranoid"? I save my passwords with LastPass, for instance. Would I be paranoid to quit doing that and try to memorize large strings of random characters for all my passwords? What about surfing the surface web with an anonymous proxy (such as Private Internet Access)?
Also:
Use a trusted ad blocker like uBlock Origin. This will block the cookies, image tracker, and shady JS from ad networks. Also blocks Social media sharing button trackers.
If you want to get extra careful:
Use NoScript or uMatrix (or uBlock in Advanced mode) and restrict all third party content and images and fonts. Whitelist or greylist as needed.
Use a VPN like Private Internet Access so your ISP can’t snoop (but the VPN can so you’re just shifting the risk). I usually recommend PIA because their “no tracking” policy has been tested in court.
Install a DNS filter like PiHole - this will help protect every device in your network. The number of in-app ads amazed me when I’m not at home.
None of these are perfect, but they are all layers that will help protect you.
But most importantly: contact your representatives at all levels and urge legislative protections from this abusive practice.
From a quick google search:
>Congress recently passed the CISA or Cyber Security Information Sharing Act by adding the text into a consolidated spending bill. While the law does not require internet service providers to log and record all internet traffic, it does make it easier for private companies to share information with government agencies regarding alleged threats. The bill also creates a framework for federal agencies to receive information from private companies regarding alleged threats.
>However, this bill changes nothing about the way Private Internet Access does business and the commitment to privacy we have to our customers. Private Internet Access will not participate or take advantage of any incentives offered to private companies to disclose and share user activity with governmental agencies. We will continue to monitor pending privacy and cybersecurity bills and we will stand against any and all bills that fail to protect a free and open internet.
DNS has nothing to do with Wi-Fi, but it actually can have an impact on performance if on the ISP's side they're using a suboptimal route to the CDN.
Source: Comcast got super slow one day, but my friend with Private Internet Access noticed his speed was a lot faster with the VPN connected.
I believe all you need to do is use a VPN service that let's you pick VPN locations and can use England. Private Internet Access, for example, lets you pick from 3 different CucUKed locations.
Spez: I tested it by connecting my VPN to the UK VPN location and created a Twitter account. It asked for a UK phone number that I promptly skipped.
(Did I update my post correctly using Spez? I don't want to get that wrong <grin>)
PSA: Most good ones are not free, and many of the popular free ones have been caught selling their data to 3rd parties. If it's free, you're likely the product.
Edit: I personally use Private Internet Access, which is like $40/year and solid but I think there are a whole bunch of good ones around that price. Also I recommend using an anonymous Visa gift card to buy it - I made the mistake of using my CC and am now certainly on a list (probably not a big deal bc I mostly use it as a workaround for bypassing geographic restrictions to watch sports, but if you're serious about security and/or doing dodgy stuff online you might care a lot more).
I have paid for a VPN through Private Internet Access (the company that runs the website that was linked in the OP) for almost 2 years, and I've been pleased. It's $35 a year, and once I got some support to help tweak the settings so it didn't slow my download rate right down, it's been fine. With it on, I can still get 2 Mbps download, but more commonly it's at least 1 Mbps.
I started paying for it because I had gotten a couple emails from my ISP stating copyright infringement. I've had none since. I usually only have it on when I'm actually downloading, since it used to make loading pictures on reddit slower on my old laptop, but that's about it. 10/10 do recommend.
Edit: Probably meant 2 MBps, not Mbps. Whatever, it's really fast for me, I can download 1 GB of info in a few minutes, so it's great for what I need. All you people having a coronary because I missed a capitalization can calm your tits now.
Well first you most likely want a VPN (Private Internet Access and NordVPN seem pretty good)
Then you want a good antivirus (Windows Defender + Malwarebytes is normally fine)
Then, you need a torrent client (qBittorrent is what I use, and I can't complain)
After that, turn on your VPN and load up your favorite tracker then have at it! (I use Pirate Bay and 13377x, along with FitGirl game repacks)
Make sure you check every file when downloaded with your antivirus programs and viola, you're sailing the high seas.
Yeah, it's a shame that tech companies that sit on much more money than Private Internet Access don't give a damn about Krita - which is slowly becoming the de facto Photoshop alternative in the open source world. Thanks Private Internet Access.
*DO Not USE A FREE VPN SERVICE !!! *
You may as well be giving your info out.
You get what you pay for. Use a paid one with a dedicated server. Private Internet Access (PIA) is a excellent choice. Same concept with hush mail, you pay.
Also keep in mind, if you're doing something really inappropriate like selling drugs, people, murder, child porn, non of this will keep you 100% safe if an agency really wanted to catch you.
Starts with a small explanation and then goes through many VPNs to help you pick the most anonymous one (keep in mind this is based on the VPN company's answers).
Someone below recommended Private Internet Access. I agree, they've been good, they're supposed to be secure and I can even game over it without any problem.
Edit: Don't pick a free one...
Damn. Why did Tunnel Bear have to be bought by McAfee. Now linus has to run ads for Private Internet Access! PIA allows you to bypass geo-restrictions and censorship by making you appear as though you are connecting from somewhere else and supports up to 5 devices at once. It has apps for Windows, Mac, Android, IOS, and a Chrome extension. So check it out at
Private Internet Access is like $30 a year. It's fast, easy to use, and they don't keep logs of user activity so even if they were subpoenaed they wouldn't have anything to turn over.
Absolutely worth.
I have AT&T gigabit and don't pay privacy fee. I also pay for Private Internet Access VPN. Without the VPN, I can get download/upload speeds approaching 1000 Mbps. With the VPN, I get download speeds approaching 20Mbps.
If you use a VPN, you pretty much might as well not pay for the gigabit speeds.
I'm hardly an expert, but I'm pretty happy with Private Internet Access goes snooping.
Thinking aloud here: I suppose that doesn't really help if the government puts a request to monitor your traffic live, but I wouldn't know the first thing about protecting against that.
Ninja edit: also, I'm pretty sure a VPN can't hide your digital fingerprint, which is a totally different story.
NordVPN or Private Internet Access. They're worth it.
Look for a recent tech video (Maybe Linus Tech tip or his other channels) and use some sort of code from them. Nord and PIA sponsors a lot of these tech channels.
Game accounts in Korea are linked to our equivalent of a social security number, so it's possible to prove if you don't use something like a vpn. Like if you can prove that these different accounts were all accessed by the same computer. People get busted for using multiple accounts to harass people online through these methods already (Korean libel laws are extremely strong).
Plus our surveillance laws are pretty lax compared to US and Europe afaik. I know Private Internet Access shut down their Korean server after being requested for a wiretap.
Private Internet Access is a VPN service that costs around $4/month. It allows you to route all of your internet traffic through a server in a different country. So the website thinks you live in that country.
Once you're logged in and connected to the foreign country's server, you should use an incognito browser window. That way none of your cookies that are on your normal browser are seen by the website.
It appears like your buying your tickets from that foreign country as opposed to from your home country.
Hello, and welcome to the UK!
I'm sure the lovely people in here will be able to suggest a wide range of solutions, including advice about VPN and seedbox providers.
Personally, I used to faff around with this and that, then I just subscribed to a VPN and all my troubles were over.
I bought the one year package with Private Internet Access. It's inexpensive, dead easy to use, and I'm happy with it.
Now I do what I want, when I want, how I want. Except when my cat doesn't agree, but that's a given. Good luck :)
LPT: Pay for a worthwhile VPN, like Private Internet Access, or use something shitty like Hola that uses your connection in the background for potentially shady purposes, and requires a browser extension rather than giving you direct access to the VPN. If you use a streaming box, like Roku or Apple TV, a gaming console, or want to proxy all your network's traffic at once, a true VPN is the way to go.
Redditors seem to pick between Express, Nord, CyberGhost, SurfShark, Private Internet Access and I think ~~TunnelBear~~*. Different pros and cons, with cost, logging, and speeds being main focuses.
*Not anymore due to acquisition by McAfee
PIA reminder via u/spilled_water
Rick Falkvinge, head of privacy at Private Internet Access:
> "Let's be clear: if a common mortal had leaked this data through this kind of negligence, the penalty would be life in prison."
I'd go with Private Internet Access or BTGuard.
Hidemyass isn't a bad choice either but they do however keep usage logs and have helped the authorities before (it's how a few Lulzsec hackers got busted). This has caused privacy concerns for some users.
I use Private Internet Access, it's recommended by a ton of reliable sources and I believe at one point they were ordered to hand over a users download history but they couldnt because they dont track or store what you do when connected.
If the service is free, you are the product.
For under $50 you can get a quality VPN that doesn't keep or hand over logs and records, has consistent (as in 100%) uptime, and has connections in dozens of countries in North America, Europe, Asia, etc. All from a taskbar app that lets you also mask torrent traffic, or alternately, directly from your router, to work on your entire home network.
I'd recommend Private Internet Access. You can either do $6/month or get a discounted rate for a longer term.
At this time, the United States is one of the few countries that has not enacted a mandatory data retention law.
We do not log, period. However, it is our position that CISPA is a highly intrusive and vague bill that will increase the surveillance power of the government at the expense of the privacy and freedom of internet users.
Private Internet Access has a contingency plan in place in the event CISPA is passed and enacted in the United States. We maintain our commitment to protecting the privacy of both our users and all netizens in the world.
Thank you for your continued trust and support, and let's keep up the good fight!
Private Internet Access
Really? I just switched to NordVPN from Private Internet Access because I ~~was hearing bad things about them~~ heard it was bad to have a US based VPN. Guess I can't win...
Edit: In the first article linked it even says "there is no proof or allegation that NordVPN is a botnet reselling user bandwidth – nobody is claiming that." So it seems that things are being blown out of proportion with the controversy.
I've found it mostly depends on the file you're downloading. I used to torrent a ton without hiding my IP or anything. I finally got an email from my ISP (Verizon) about one file I downloaded. All it said was that they had received notice of copyright infringement from the copyright owner (in this case, HBO) and that if there were repeated cases, there might be consequences in terms of my internet service or legal consequences. After that I invested in a VPN (virtual private network), which hides my IP address and makes torrenting effectively anonymous. If you're interested, check out Private Internet Access. It's only $40 per year, super easy to set up, and hasn't slowed my download speeds at all. If you look into other VPN's, make sure that they don't have any restrictions on P2P usage.
If it's free, you're the product being sold. I wouldn't risk using a free VPN, especially after the nonsense Hola VPN pulled by using its users as exit nodes.
Private Internet Access has been pretty good to me so far and it's reasonably priced.
I use Private Internet Access. It's solid, and very fast.
However, some websites & services block their IP's. For example, I cannot login to Starcraft on Blizzard or login to OkCupid, while using their VPN.
> when I use Private Internet Access I still get full speed.
I mean, VPN overhead is in the 10% range I believe, so it is pretty unlikely you are really getting full speed. Probably close enough for most use cases, though.
I also use PIA on a 100mbit line through spectrum. Throughput for me gets dropped down to 20-30MB, which would still be fine, but latency jumps quite a bit. I have to disable whenever I play games, which makes it pretty cumbersome. I tried to use some policy based routing rules to get around the VPN just for games, but it just didn't work quite well enough. So, now I just use proxies on traffic I care to hide. Proxies get much closer to full speed, but are much less secure. There are trade-offs to everything.
ALWAYS use a VPN any time you torrent. Private Internet Access is another alternative. It costs some $ but you get what you pay for. I've never had any connectivity issues and they are fast. Buying a seedbox is good as well. C'mon guys get this shit up so we can dive in. 119 hours worth of material to roast corrupt libfucks.
You need a VPN. PIA (Private Internet Access) is stupid simple to setup and use, and even has IOS / Android apps too to protect your phone. It's like 5$ a month, but the piece of mind you'll have is priceless. They're also fast as fuck if you connect to a server close to where you live. I got over 100mbps in Seattle.
You should NEVER, EVER just download "content" on a naked, unprotected connection.
VPN's, one of those times when "Best" and "Free" can't be used in the same sentence. A good trustworthy vpn is one of those services you have to pay for.
I have been using Private Internet Access for several years. Reliable and not overly expensive.
it's only $39.95 per year.
>Some VPNs log information about what you're doing so be careful, do your research, and don't get caught.
Private Internet Access does not log anything and allows torrents. They also have really strong encryption options and have lawyers to scrutinize any subpoena.
I use Private Internet Access or just "PIA". It's not free but works well.
Edit: Smacks head you'd think I'd recognize they wrote this. Anyways there's some good info on the /r/VPN subreddit, the sidebar there has a lot of helpful info too.
PIA (Private Internet Access). It's cheap, it's simplistic, and you can set up a failsafe so if your VPN drops it will kills your internet. I have very little speed degradation, they accept gift cards depending on how paranoid you are, and you get access to both a VPN and a proxy service. They don't keep logs, so there is nothing for them to turn over if they were ever solicited for information.
I use a VPN called Private Internet Access - Netflix £7 per month, and I get the year VPN and it comes out just a little over £2 per month. I don't have a TV License or cable TV, saving me £11 + ~£25 per month, and I have never been happier because there are no ads 3 minutes in to a show starting like on TV.
To use Netflix in a different region I just switch my VPN to whatever country I want and then watch away! Away being the key term at this point, away from Theresa May and her bloody Snooper's charter.
10/10 would recommend to a random stranger on Reddit!
> Having a VPN provider in fourteen eyes means regardless of ANY OTHER METRICS, the fourteen eyes can still spy on them.
That's why I don't get how Private Internet Access is the most recommended VPN on reddit whenever there's a "what VPN to choose" question. PIA is not a bad VPN provider, but it's still US based, and there are hundreds of other providers to choose from, use something else.
I use Private Internet Access (PIA) because Comcast seems to throttle torrents without concern as to whether they're legitimate; as in, World of Warships updates grind to a crawl, but through PIA they're fine.
PIA is great and even has a quite functional Android app.
FYI, Private Internet Access is US based. If data retention laws become a thing in the US (as they might with the TPP), they would be obliged to comply.
See the following article for more info:
Just like we choose to close the blinds on our windows, I choose to close the blinds on my internet history.
I highly recommend that everyone in this thread starts getting into the habit of using a VPN - right now. Just install and have it running by default. Nothing's changed for me - except if I torrent, I don't get warning emails anymore. Download speeds etc are the same.
My best-informed recommendation is Private Internet Access for a number of reasons. It's cheap, offers encryption and a kill-switch on your internet if it fails (i.e., if the VPN disconnects and your true IP is exposed, it kills the internet so no harm done, until it reconnects to the VPN).
Plenty of other options though, but this one was among the top five in a few different independent blogs, based on stuff like whether they log your traffic etc.
Private Internet Access is pretty good. It's probably worth getting the $15 tier for a years subscription to PIA alone.
Heard good things about SpiderOak as well, but am unfamiliar with them. Same with ProtonMail for the most part. Prey, I think, has a free tier which has good reviews, so I'm not to sure about the subscription.
Dashlane looks good, but I prefer 1Password.
Don't know anything about the others.
Free is never free. They have to pay for their work somehow and that most certainly will mean ads and ads track. I pay for Private Internet Access which has a great Android and iOS app. There are other great VPN providers out there but they are all gonna charge. Stay safe.
Anyone actually used this? What's the speed and latency like? Some VPNs are much better than others on that. Also do they store any data?
Edit: Historically I have viewed PIA (Private Internet Access) as the gold standard in personal VPN.
Private Internet Access: They don't keep logs and don't mind torrenting either. I've been using it and it's so freaking awesome! If you buy a year for $40 it's $3.33/month.
I use Private Internet Access on all my devices (an iPad, iPhone, and two MacBook Pros) and it works really well. Sometimes it cuts out, but it's super rare. Doesn't slow down my connection at all. The first VPN I've used and I'm liking it so far!
Sonarr - Automatically grabs TV shows when they're released on NZBs or torrents
CouchPotato - Automatically grabs movies when they're released on NZBs or torrents
PlexPy - Monitors Plex server statistics, user viewing history, and sends playback notifications.
Pushover - Notifications from PlexPy, CouchPotato, and Sonarr sent directly to my phone
Deluge - Free and open source BitTorrent client without all the ads, viruses, and cryptocurrency miners.
Private Internet Access - Popular VPN with SOCKS5 proxy included
No need for filebot since both Sonarr and CouchPotato can handle naming formats.
And I now have a yearly subscription for Private Internet Access VPN is worth it for a whole year's worth of protection from these unfair laws
Here's my speed without VPN.
Here it is with VPN, connected to a close server.
I use Private Internet Access.
Obviously ping takes a a hit, so I don't game on it, but besides that it's near the same speed. I pay around $30-40 a year, depending on sales.
TL;DR for VPN's - Private Internet Access seems to be the general consensus most times. I got it a year or so ago, and for $40 for the year I'm happy with it. Also works on mobile which is sweet, but it EATS up data on your phone when you're not on wifi.
Lavabit and Private Internet Access.
Lavabit shutdown instead of handing out encryption keys to the govt.
PIA has had logs subpoenaed and failed to supply anything on the basis that they have no logs.
If it's an important service to you, pay for it. I don't know if Private Internet Access is the best, or even good (EDIT: compared to the field), but I've been paying $3 a month for it for a few years. I need a VPN, they seem to be good, and $3 each month is absolutely reasonable.
I appreciate you putting together a list, and everybody loves free stuff, but sometimes it's worth paying for a service.
EDIT: I did extensive research on VPNs prior to paying for PIA. Everything I found indicated they were one of the best. I have no reason to doubt that (after a few years of using them). My hesitance in crowning them the king of security is only because all of the credible VPN reviews I've read do not vouch 100% security and they are much more knowledgeable than I am.
Private Internet Access (PIA) is pretty easy to set up, there is a guide online I used, and is only $6/month or $40/year. They don't keep logs at all and you can set it up on up to 5 devices. I had 2 strikes with Verizon Fios before I decided it was time to finally bite the bullet and get a VPN. I haven't noticed any slow down really in torrenting speed using their proxy servers and the PIA client and haven't received any more letters in the last year I have been using it.
From Memory
Tunnelbear: Tunnelbear is the simple VPN app that lets you privately browse a more open internet. Try it for free with 500 megabytes and with no credit card required at the link in the video discription.
PIA: Private Internet Access...... Forgot the Rest...
I'd recommend either Private Internet Access or NordVPN, they are closer to $4 a month instead of $10 a month and are still really good providers. If you're technically inclined I'd recommend installing OpenVPN and using RamNode, Digital Ocean, or similar. It's pretty easy to do and you'll get way faster speeds than in any public VPN. Also you could install PLEX and stream everything via a seedbox if you are so inclined.
edit: You should always look around for providers. There are literally dozens of people that provide VPN services, see this list to get some kind of a good start.
For the people who are looking for a real alternative.
EDIT: If you're looking for alternatives to PIA that are more likely not to be affected by the NSA, take a look at this.
When I get a chance to log into my VPN later I'll give it a try and report back. Any chance you've got a link to the place where you get your access free? Just to make sure I go to the right place..
Edit: Just confirmed. Connected using Private Internet Access and told it I was in Norway (I'm in US) and was able to access UpToDate freely. Disconnected my VPN and refreshed the page and it told me I needed a subscription.
The company that owns this domain also owns a company which sponsors freenode and employees freenode's head. Also, this will not be competing with freenode anyway so there's no need to move from freenode
London Trust Media own Private Internet Access who sponsor Freenode
The good ones already charge. Private Internet Access at $40 a year is a great deal, and they're an extremely reliable company.
Edit: Apparently they're running a deal, $69.99 for two years.
Keep in mind folks, this goes on your computer, it can go on your phone, It's compatible with pfSense, DD-WRT OpenVPN, you can have network-wide protection with 's a great way to stay safe on the internet, especially if you're fond of using public WiFi.
$40 a year for Private Internet Access. That's $3.33 a month. I've never had speed issues with them, but they have a "Slow Speed Complaint" option so you can bring their attention to slow speeds and they can fix it.
Even better, they've proven they don't keep logs. Investigators issued a warrant to get information about a user, but they couldn't provide it because they didn't have it. The argument that cheap VPNs suck has become invalid in the past few years, as long as you use the right VPN.
A VPN is a good idea, I suggest Private Internet Access. Their client is super easy to use. If you're using a separate laptop to click links and all that then just fire it up on the laptop and you're good to go.
The problem with blacklisting words related your personal info is that you're defining what is related to your personal info. Example of why this is bad:
I want to figure out your name
I write a script that sends common names to your chat and records which ones get censored
I wait until you go offline and run the script
I now have your name.
Its just software that changes your ip address to look like youre somewhere else. If your computer can stream to your tv you just need to set it up on your computer or phone. I think you can set it up for your router too, but im not sure. Private Internet Access is having a big sale on their 1 year plan right now if youre interested in a very good one. ;utm_campaign=1476017901&utm_adgroup=72520212884&keyword=private%20internet%20access&gclid=Cj0KCQjws4aKBhDPARIsAIWH0JUBuG4W9d_yMobntNpmEOmd3UPLQFFLEpr_y-7PBCcSwqK_df6YWHwaAi2fEALw_wcB
I wouldn't go with tunnelbear any more. Bought by McAfee, which has a history of, er, unreliability.
Private Internet Access or NordVPN are probably your best bets right now.
Also, install HTTPS Everwhere, and be sure you manage custom lists for sites it doesn't automatically work with.
Hey, I've been using PIA (Private Internet Access) for two years now and it works great. No logs and i believe you can pay in bitcoins. They're not putting as much money on marketing as, say, NordVPN or other competitors, but their service is great.
RSS Reader: Inoreader
Social Networks: Twitter, Facebook (in Brave browser, not the app), Chan Burauza (for viewing multiple chans), Boost for Reddit, Quora
Google: Calendar, Clock, Assistant, Phone, Messaging, Gmail, Camera, Youtube, Keep
Music: Amazon Music, Google Play
Utilities: Mute all widget, Datally, Private Internet Access, Duck Duck Go (for search), Files Go, ES File Manager, SD Maid, Pushbullet, Pocket, Protonmail, Wikipedia, Wunderlist, Weather, Weebly
Messaging: Kakao Talk, Google Messenger, Messenger by Facebook (I don't use it much), Slack
Photos: Google Photos, Prisma, Instagram, Snapseed, VSCO
Video: Youtube, Vimeo, Netflix, Amazon Prime Video
Games: Mahjong, Solitaire, Uno, Word, Tasty Blue
It's not really a gray area, it is straight up copyright infringement. That being said, I have Private Internet Access and it's worked great. I use it for Popcorn Time, but it will work for all torrenting activities.
I'd like to start using a VPN, but I have no idea which one or whatever, you got any recommendations?
EDIT: Thanks for all the recommendation, Private Internet Access looks good, I'm gonna look into it!
Well Done, In regards to another search engine you can use there is Startpage.
> alternative to microsoft office
Yep, there's Open Office and Libre Office. I believe one of these is installed by default on Ubuntu and most distributions.
> I can't pay for anything online.
I'm not familiar but is this because of trade restrictions with Iran?
> free VPNs for Linux
Free VPNs are funded by selling data about the user. In your case it is more than likely being bought by foreign governments. I would avoid them if possible. Maybe try Private Internet Access as a VPN provider? If that's not possible you could also try using Tails as an secondary operating system off a bootable USB drive.
Private Internet Access is a solid VPN who took out an ad naming all the senators who voted for this bill. You can purchase their VPN with gift cards, which when bought with cash, provide a good level of anonymity.
To answer the OPs question, I use and recommend: Private Internet Access. Fairly cheap, and they don't keep logs. keeps a regular roundup of their favorites. Check them out. I'm not associated with them, just a happy customer.
Here's the thing, people have known that Hola was using users as exit nodes for a long time; anyone who didn't know this isn't someone that you should be taking security advice from. That said, you probably shouldn't use Hola even though the chances of it getting you arrested for someone else's downloading is unbelievably small (especially in Canada), and if you did I really doubt they would be able to get a conviction. There are a lot of much better options out there and if you're going to be using a VPN to either torrent or to bypass Netflix / Pandora / ~~Hulu~~ / etc. then you really should just bite the bullet and get something like Private Internet Access that is not going to fuck you over and only costs like $3 a month. Peace of mind is worth $36 a year.
edit: apparently Hulu doesn't work with PIA