Other VPN's - Thinking of getting one: Opinions?

Wondering about upgrading my Giganews account to Diamond+Vypr VPN.

Any one have an opinion on VPN's?

Do they really protect you how they advertise?
Are they worth the money?
Is the added level of protection really necessary?

Discuss...

 

Guinevere has a good point, VPN's are software. Thread belongs here!

Any thoughts about VPN's then?

 

Well you are talking about software...

 

A VPN is an encrypted link between 2 points making them essentially on the same network over a share means (like the internet).

They stop people snooping on your traffic but your ISP would still be able to see where you've connected the VPN to.

 

I realise that my ISP would be able to see where I'm connected to, but would they be able to see what I'm doing? and, from outside the VPN, would someone snooping my IP be able to tell which ISP I'm with? Obviously without a subpoena to Vypr?

 

They wouldn't be able to see any traffic over the VPN.
They'd just know the IP you've connected to & how much data you're downloading.

 

hm, I'll have to read through the terms of service so check for issues with having a VPN then. The traffic isn't really a problem as I'm on an Unlimited package (Not BT unlimited that isn't really unlimited. An actually unlimited package with another ISP).

Other than my ISP being able to see I'm covering my self; Any other considerations or even anyone with experience using a VPN or even using Vypr?

Thanks for the help btw saspro!

 

I have multiple VPN's running from my home & office to various sites across the world.
They all run fine.

Your ISP shouldn't care as long as you don't start downloading terabytes of data & slowing their network.

Just make sure you trust the guys providing the endpoint as they'll be able to see what you're doing.

 

Before i start & just to be clear, i'm not advising anyone that they should use their internet connection to breach copyright laws.


The one problem with that service is that it's US based so will be subject to the whims of their laws & court system - legally, Diamond+Vypr have to keep records (this is in their Privacy Policy) & obviously this wouldn't provide any protection were a court order to be obtained on the basis of alleged 'illicit activity' on your part (NB the same would be the case with any UK based VPN service & many other countries).

'if' this would be an issue for you, you'd really need to look at VPNs in countries where the rights are balanced more in favour of the user than 'the man' - for example with iPredator (Sweden) or BTGuard (Canada) there is both no obligation for either VPN provider to keep records other than that you've subscribed (certainly to get any further data in Sweden they have to show that an offence that would result in a 2+ year prison sentence has been committed) d.t. the laws of those countries & they actively state that they do not (NB obviously though, you'd need to keep abreast of what's happening with copyright & internet legislation in the country you choose).

Oh, & i'm not recommending either of them btw, simply using them as easy examples...


As to whether you *need* to use a VPN, the easiest example is the 'fun' that people have had with Davenport Lyons & ACS Law in the UK.

Now on my side of the situation (i was actually falsely accused by the former & it took a couple of years of letters from them threatening court action before it died a death) then if i had had a VPN on 24/7 then i could have more easily shown that (along with their 'evidence' being shonky) their information had to be incorrect, or on the other side (if i had been breaching copyright by down/uploading what they'd claimed) the UK solicitors would not have targeted me as the VPN would make it appear that i was in a different country & as they were after easy cases...


As to whether they work, obviously nothing's 100% infallible, but if someone's determined to breach copyright then i'd imagine it would be about balancing the limiting of risk to cost.

& it would then clearly be sensible to keep yourself informed about any vulnerabilities (for example there was something i was reading about using ipv6 for bittorrent making PPTP-based VPNs useless - though obviously this would affect any data sent via ipv6 over a PPTP-based VPN) & then modifying what you're doing to further protect yourself.