Vpn

NathanMorgan

how many of you use VPN’s and find it beneficial for online security and also what routers have you all got for it as I’ve been on NordVPN and they all recommend Asus routers but don’t know if they have any affiliates with them so want some non biased views on routers?

System

NordVPN recommend the ASUS ones because they run OpenVPN and can be set up as a VPN client which not many can and they're a decent make.

It is probably easier to just install the NordVPN app on your device and use that, especially if you're not wanting to use the VPN all the time or you want to change your geolocation. When you do it with the router you're always using the VPN which could be a pain in the bum with large downloads and speed and unless you want to be forever logging into the router admin panel to enable/disable it or change the settings to alter the geolocation the NordVPN app is the easier route.

NathanMorgan

Tarambor wrote: »

NordVPN recommend the ASUS ones because they run OpenVPN and can be set up as a VPN client which not many can and they're a decent make.

It is probably easier to just install the NordVPN app on your device and use that, especially if you're not wanting to use the VPN all the time or you want to change your geolocation. When you do it with the router you're always using the VPN which could be a pain in the bum with large downloads and speed and unless you want to be forever logging into the router admin panel to enable/disable it or change the settings to alter the geolocation the NordVPN app is the easier route.

I didn't know you could just download the app on your mobile/smart TV thought you needed a router as well so a router is only required if you want the VPN to be constantly on?

DocQuincy

Tarambor wrote: »

It is probably easier to just install the NordVPN app on your device and use that, especially if you're not wanting to use the VPN all the time or you want to change your geolocation. When you do it with the router you're always using the VPN which could be a pain in the bum with large downloads and speed and unless you want to be forever logging into the router admin panel to enable/disable it or change the settings to alter the geolocation the NordVPN app is the easier route.

This is it exactly.


You can have up to six simultaneous connections with a single NordVPN account. There are a few ways to access it.

1. Router
2. Phone/tablet app (Android, IOS)
3. Desktop app (Windows and MacOS only, .deb Linux)
4. Browser extension

Always being connected to a VPN is not always a good thing; it depends on how you use it. I connect to servers that require a dedicated IP and transfer lots of data. A VPN, even if the IP is static, would make that difficult. So on that machine I use the Firefox extension. But everything else goes through my static IP I have with my ISP.


However, on my phone, I just use the app so all traffic goes through the VPN. I've not had much trouble with speeds from YouTube, etc but the app lets you pause the VPN connection if you need too.


For me, unless I needed my six connections I wouldn't bother with the router and go for apps and browser extensions based on your usage.

PRAISETHESUN

You can configure your router to act as the VPN and then everything that connects to your router is connected to the VPN by default - this can be a plus or a minus depending on how often you want to connect/disconnect as outlined above.

NordVPN (and most other mainstream VPNs) have dedicated desktop programs for windows/mac/linux as well as android/apple apps - outside of that you might struggle, particularly for smart TVs as the example given above. I never come close to 6 devices/users simultaneously so I don't feel the need to configure my VPN at the router level, but it might be a way to go if you start to have that problem.

DocQuincy

how many of you use VPN’s and find it beneficial for online security

I actually didn't answer this bit.

They use a good standard of encryption and you can double-encrypt of use TOR if you wish. The most important part though is that not only do they claim no logging (for privacy) they have been audited by PWC and found to live up to their claims. They are also based in Panama, which means the likes of UK, US have no power over them (not that they store anything personal on you anyway, outside of support tickets).

slinga

When I started using Nord VPN I found it a pain and quite difficult to get to work.


Then I found the Firefox app and after much toing and froing to Nord help desk it started working well.
Nord didn't solve my problems as far as I know but they did continue to try.


I don't keep Nord on all the time but my connection is speedy enough that I could and still download big files quite quickly.
I get nearly 40 Mbps when I'm using Nord.

Marcushouse

I use Windscribe and signed up when it was free, then took advantage of a free upgrade which boosted download limit from 2gb to 60gb. I don’t keep it on all the time but good to know I have it. My free service doesn’t include the Netflix part of the vpn but as I’m not a great fan of Netflix anyway it doesn’t bother me.

RumRat

Didn't take long for the spammers to latch on to another VPN thread....

shaun_from_Africa

RumRat wrote: »

Didn't take long for the spammers to latch on to another VPN thread....

I'm convinced that they must have some sort of a "searchbot" running that advises them when certain words appear on internet forums.

justaquestion

I have found the few times my free Hotpoint shield was left on, and I accessed outlook its caused all sorts of problems with it thinking i was trying to access it from a different location, security reminders to change passwords and asking for passwords when it was logging onto the server.
a right pain.
But VPN's definitely have their place.