VPN suggestions

I'm thinking of trying a VPN since I want to access some European websites that I otherwise can't from the US. Is Surfshark any good? I've heard some pretty good things about it and the price is reasonable. Better options?

Surfshark is topnotch, but I prefer NordVPN. IMO, it's the best available VPN - and it's reasonably priced.

allan said:

Surfshark is topnotch, but I prefer NordVPN. IMO, it's the best available VPN - and it's reasonably priced.

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I think @allan's right, and this table supports his claim.

I personally buy Kaspersky Premium for $20 a year, I get Antivirus/Firewall and VPS software included, I don’t use the included Password Manager software.
It works really well.

Thanks for the suggestions, allan, Wizewiz & antspants. NordVPN is definitely something I'd be looking at if this was more serious, but it's just for fun. I can get Surfshark for nearly $33 less for 2 years. As for Kaspersky, afraid I'm a bit wary about dealing with a Russian company.

larc919 said:

Thanks for the suggestions, allan, Wizewiz & antspants. NordVPN is definitely something I'd be looking at if this was more serious, but it's just for fun. I can get Surfshark for nearly $33 less for 2 years. As for Kaspersky, afraid I'm a bit wary about dealing with a Russian company.

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@antspants

Not sure I would recommend kaspersky at all for anything these days -- in any case (another issue though) IMO -- and I'm by no means alone in this view -- for home (not corporate / SME users) Windows defender is as good as it gets and is updated regularly. Don't rely on any magazine / internet "comparative tests" -- as those are inevitably out of date -- a new threat could occur at any time. Fortunately serious hackers have more lucrative targets than typical home computers to target.

@larc919

Nordvpn is great -- one feature often not mentioned for VPN's is the Tunnelling feature -- e.g you can have VPN ignore specific apps e.g accessing your local LAN, office apps e.g email etc. Another good one is that nordvpn works on Android phones so when wanting to access world wide radio stations (the FTA kind) via a brilliant free Android App (Radiogarden) radio stations aren't blocked

Note in the UK Radiogarden is blocked for accessing FTA overseas Radio stations -- even though the normal Websites are available. (Shades of N.Korea there ??? -- not sure what blocking content of freely available non UK classical music stations etc does to corrupt young morals -- but who knows).Much nicer to use a dedicated radio app on a phone with blue tooth head phones rather than mess about with zillions of web sites festooned with ads and the like.

I have to use it to get local Iceland news too -- While in the UK I want to know about volcanoes back home -- not sure why FTA Iceland news should be blocked as well -- it's just plain BONKERS. The stuff is FTA,no copyright etc etc -- still it's the UK's problem -- VPN though is very fast, connects to almost any server anywhere --they have loads and it runs on Windows, Linux, Android, probably Iphone and Apple computers too, and is a synch to install and use. Belgian, USA, German, French and Dutch servers particularly fast too for European users - but they have servers worldwide as well - probably just as fast.

For the BBC you'll have to use the BBC sounds app as they've changed the radio streams from the std format used by tunein etc. Works OK though.

Cheers
jimbo

larc919 said:

but it's just for fun.

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If you only want to use it on one device, Proton, which is open source, offer a free unlimited plan...

I ran NORDVPN for 3 yrs.. then I went with HotSpotShield for 3 yrs, and just now started this year on a 3-yr PIA plan, all of which were based on the best deal available. PIA is US-based, the others are not. Never has a problem with any of them.
They all support tunneling, but none support IPV6.
PIA uses it's own filtered DNS servers (or you can bypass). I run my own Pihole DNS server locally for other devices on my network.

I went with PIA based on price and unlimited # of connections.. the other 2 (IIRC) are limited to 6 devices.
I did plenty of research before choosing each time.

S0C9 said:

I ran NORDVPN for 3 yrs.. then I went with HotSpotShield for 3 yrs, and just now started this year on a 3-yr PIA plan, all of which were based on the best deal available. PIA is US-based, the others are not. Never has a problem with any of them.
They all support tunneling, but none support IPV6.
PIA uses it's own filtered DNS servers (or you can bypass). I run my own Pihole DNS server locally for other devices on my network.

I went with PIA based on price and unlimited # of connections.. the other 2 (IIRC) are limited to 6 devices.
I did plenty of research before choosing each time.

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Works on my NAS machine -- no IPV4 here. !!!



cheers
jimbo

jimbo45 said:

Works on my NAS machine -- no IPV4 here. !!!

View attachment 91454

cheers
jimbo

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Is that Nord? They've probably added it since I last used it.. 3.5 yrs ago.
Plus, ain't that a 'nix NAS box?

S0C9 said:

Is that Nord? They've probably added it since I last used it.. 3.5 yrs ago.
Plus, ain't that a 'nix NAS box?

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It's a NAS 'nix box !! but Nordvpn works just fine on it --plus also on Windows etc with IPV6.

Cheers
jimbo

Proton VPN gives my computer special powers, and it's the fastest VPN I've ever used in fifteen years. The Romulans never see me coming, then, BAM it's all over!

trevo said:

If you only want to use it on one device, Proton, which is open source, offer a free unlimited plan...

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Thanks very much for the info, trevo. That would at least tell me if I want to get more involved.

Just to add something to the mix... I use MalwareBytes Privacy for my non work VPN and it seems to work well. If I recall correctly, it is only about $40 CDN. I can get to any region I want with no issues, but I don't know if I would use to "hide". I'm not sure how that works, or if it works all right.

For work, we use a Cisco VPN. I don't suggest that one, because it is rather expensive.

larc919 said:

I'm thinking of trying a VPN since I want to access some European websites that I otherwise can't from the US. Is Surfshark any good? I've heard some pretty good things about it and the price is reasonable. Better options?

Click to expand...

I recommend one of two - Proton VPN and Norton VPN. They both work with Microsoft PC Manager and this site ; no others do so far.

WindScribe free.

Proton VPN free no longer lets you choose your IP location, just gives you what it says is fastest. You'd have to go paid for that now

A Guy

Tried Proton free VPN. It showed me the usefulness of a VPN, but was too limiting. Finally cancelled that and signed up with Surfshark for 2 years of their Starter plan at only $59.75 total. I'm well satisfied with it so far.