Why would I want a private VPN?

[Craig234]

I think I understand pretty much what it does.

There's one included in a humble bundle and trying to think of a use for it.

The main uses I can think of are people who want to cover their tracks more, or to impersonate a user from another region to get around limitations on content meant to be limited to another region.

I'm not all that concerned about that level of privacy/anonymity and don't want to do what seems to me defrauding, so I'm not seeing a need for it. Any other benefit?

 

[Red Squirrel]

Do you have curtains on your windows? You're not doing anything illegal in your house are you?

Same idea.

 

[BarkingGhostar]

I think I understand pretty much what it does.

There's one included in a humble bundle and trying to think of a use for it.

The main uses I can think of are people who want to cover their tracks more, or to impersonate a user from another region to get around limitations on content meant to be limited to another region.

I'm not all that concerned about that level of privacy/anonymity and don't want to do what seems to me defrauding, so I'm not seeing a need for it. Any other benefit?

Is this what you think that most VPN-using users are doing, defrauding? How about just not wanting to let one's ISP know what we are doing because they are using deep packet inspection to SNOOP on your business.

 

[XavierMace]

To be fair, I'd suspect a high percentage of individuals paying for VPN service are torrenting.

 

[BarkingGhostar]

When AT&T started deploying U-verse based Internet service, there was a stink about the use of DPI. AT&T's response, in public, was any data traversing their U-verse platform was theirs and they were at liberty to do whatever [the hell] they wanted with it. That was enough for me to decide that if I ever had U-verse based Internet that I would be using VPN (and other means) to prevent their snooping eyes. It doesn't mean I have something to hide, but I also have nothing to share.

 

[Craig234]

Is this what you think that most VPN-using users are doing, defrauding? How about just not wanting to let one's ISP know what we are doing because they are using deep packet inspection to SNOOP on your business.

Your reading comprehension is lacking.

I specifically said the thing you say I didn't say as one of the two uses.

 

[Red Squirrel]

To be fair, I'd suspect a high percentage of individuals paying for VPN service are torrenting.

The funniest thing is that ISPs pretty much KNOW that's why people want faster internet. My ISP even advertises the speeds based on how fast you can download a HD movie lol.

 

[XavierMace]

Downloading an HD movie doesn't automatically mean torrenting. LOL. I've got a variety of movies from Amazon and iTunes.

 

[pete6032]

It's a good security step if you use unsecured WiFi connections frequently, such as at coffee shops or airports.

 

[KMFJD]

The funniest thing is that ISPs pretty much KNOW that's why people want faster internet. My ISP even advertises the speeds based on how fast you can download a HD movie lol.

Yeah, i'm pretty sure i've been seeing those kinds of advertisements way before you could legally purchase that content online

 

[rh71]

The funniest thing is that ISPs pretty much KNOW that's why people want faster internet. My ISP even advertises the speeds based on how fast you can download a HD movie lol.

Before FIOS came here, we only had Cablevision (Optimum) and they were capping "excessive downloaders". They knew we were grabbing content and their only course of action was to slow us to a crawl. They even set aside rules and we abided by them yet they still capped us days at a time. Then FIOS comes along and takes their customers... all of a sudden they aren't worried about our activities anymore and stopped capping people. Prioritie$ I guess.

Downloading an HD movie doesn't automatically mean torrenting. LOL. I've got a variety of movies from Amazon and iTunes.

Yup and Netflix now that they allow it.

 

[Grooveriding]

I think there have been ample disclosures in the news over the past several years that warrant the idea of using one. I think the above example of curtains on your windows is an apt one. We do so much on the internet that relates to our private lives, why not have a curtain over it all ? The encryption makes the traffic unidentifiable, and then the remote IP makes your location anonymous. I've been using them for a few years now.

 

[ponyo]

Anyone recommend good VPN?

 

[WelshBloke]

It's a good security step if you use unsecured WiFi connections frequently, such as at coffee shops or airports.

This.

There's no way I'd connect to public WiFi without using a VPN.

 

[Yakk]

It's a good security step if you use unsecured WiFi connections frequently, such as at coffee shops or airports.

Yup, that's why I use a VPN on my phone by default. Can get in a whole lot of trouble otherwise.

 

[pete6032]

Anyone recommend good VPN?

Private Internet Access (PIA).

 

[rh71]

Private Internet Access (PIA).

I use TorGuard but I've discovered some sites blacklist a few IPs I've been assigned... like Slickdeals for example. Any case of this with PIA?

Also, do you guys connect to servers only near your region? Because connecting to a server in Las Vegas when I'm in NY affects some websites in terms of time zone and the like. I find myself stuck with selecting among the 4 servers on the east coast and then get the IP blocks occasionally. Also my local library site will block IPs outside of the state.

 

[Sonikku]

I need a VPN for reasons.

 

[Staples]

The most legit case is for unsecured WIFI. I use Opera VPN for iOS when I am connected to an untrusted network. It is free.

 

[Newbian]

If you don't know why you would need one then you clearly are not doing internet right.

 

[slayer202]

I bought this shitty bundle because I wanted to try out the VPN but it's fucking garbage. It's an app (I just dled the windows version) and there is NO customization available. You can't get ANY information, no server information, it's a fucking program that you can turn on or off and that's it. No idea if it even works but it's worthless, not a real vpn

 

[Craig234]

I bought this shitty bundle because I wanted to try out the VPN but it's fucking garbage. It's an app (I just dled the windows version) and there is NO customization available. You can't get ANY information, no server information, it's a fucking program that you can turn on or off and that's it. No idea if it even works but it's worthless, not a real vpn

Check out PCWorld's recommendations for VPN.

This one got a mixed review, they recommended getting their editor's choice picks instead. But the price is low for this.

 

[Hugo Drax]

I have a private VPN its called a cisco ASA 5506-x and I connect to it using the anyconnect client so I can access my stuff,private synology shares,security cameras,trading system,etc.. works great.

 

[shortylickens]

 

[foghorn67]

Hotel, coffee and municipal WiFi hot spots. Totally worth it.