Best VPN

[Gman.45]

I was a 3 year customer for UnblockUS, and had no complaints about their service, however they aren't really a "VPN" per se, as they don't encrypt your data or block your IP from your ISP's prying eyes (torrents, etc), and I found that for the same $ I could get a full VPN.

I tried IPVanish - it was easy to use, lots of servers around the world that opened up Netlix just as UnblockUS did, but the servers were slow.

My account is up for renewal next week, just want to see if anyone here has good VPNs to recommend. Speed/Service is much more important than cost. I've been told Astrill is a decent option, but I've only heard it from one source, same as I did with IPVanish, and it turned out to be one of the worst.

Surely others here are using VPNs. I was going to put this in the computer thread, but it seems more applicable here since it's mainly for TV/Film stuff like Netlix and so on.

[CompletelyNumb]

I've used PrivateInternetAccess for years, no complaints.

[ZenOps]

I'm trying out smartdnsproxy right now because their sibling site getflix seems to be having a $39US for 30 year promo on right now... Haven't got to their VPN, but so far the DNS is working fine (I really don't care about privacy when watching Netflix)

Not that I expect any DNS proxy to last thirty years, but if it does more than one - its still a better deal than many paid proxies.

[pheoxs]

If you mainly want it for torrents then honestly I'd just suggest switching from torrents to newsgroups. Newsgroup provider + SSL (most offer it) and you won't ever get any letters from your ISP, plus you can get way faster download rates without needing to wait for seeders and there are more programs with API tie-ins to automate anything you want.

If it's VPN for doing other stuff on the internet, there's lots of info on reddit.com/r/VPN you could check out

[SmAcKpOo]

Newsgroups are really sucking lately. Tons of stuff are getting removed the second they are uploaded. Torrents are nice for week+ old stuff you can't find indexed on newsgroups.

[UndrgroundRider]

Originally posted by pheoxs
If you mainly want it for torrents then honestly I'd just suggest switching from torrents to newsgroups.

Newsgroups are great for current stuff, terrible for old stuff. Sometimes you have no choice but to use torrents.


Originally posted by SmAcKpOo
Newsgroups are really sucking lately. Tons of stuff are getting removed the second they are uploaded. Torrents are nice for week+ old stuff you can't find indexed on newsgroups.

You need multiple servers from different back-end providers. See here for a list. (http://www.usenet-providers.net/newsgroup-resellers.php)

[pheoxs]

Originally posted by SmAcKpOo
Newsgroups are really sucking lately. Tons of stuff are getting removed the second they are uploaded. Torrents are nice for week+ old stuff you can't find indexed on newsgroups.

Use a secondary block account from a different host (not just a different reseller, an actual different host) and it can grab the missing pieces from the backup server as needed.

I haven't had any issues in a long time not being able to complete a download.

I use tweaknews as my primary, and have Newsgroupdirect as my backup (also have an astraweb account as a backup but theyve been going downhill with takedowns but their 2100 day retention is useful for some older shows)

[CompletelyNumb]

I don't even know how to use newsgroups for downloads :cry:

[nzwasp]

http://lifehacker.com/5601586/how-to-get-started-with-usenet-in-three-simple-steps

[jacky4566]

If anyone is looking to join a private torrent tracker I have invites.

Its much faster because they mandate upload (75% or 3 days) and more secure because the fun police only target the open sites (for now).

Also the content is better since only a select few can upload so low chance of viruses.

[ZenOps]

Well, after a day of using smartdnsproxy I can cross it off the list.

There seems to be some unusual overhead that interferes with a PS3. Not sure how that is possible, but it does.

Good quality DNS and VPN are getting hard to find.

[lee88]

I been using surfeasy vpn for awhile now with no issues

[R!zz0]

I have a question on PIA. Since Telus and Shaw both charging for going over on the internet. Does PIA help with that? I'm paying $15/month extra for unlimited internet bandwidth.

[CompletelyNumb]

No VPN will help with that. Keep your unlimited add-on.

[R!zz0]

^^Thanks man :thumbsup:

[eblend]

VPN for Netflix is kind of stupid, I use OverPlay.net for my SmartDNS. A drop box on the site determines which Netflix you have. Currently ours is set to Japanese so my wife can watch all her stuff.

Then use usenet for all the downloads.

[UndrgroundRider]

Originally posted by eblend
VPN for Netflix is kind of stupid, I use OverPlay.net for my SmartDNS. A drop box on the site determines which Netflix you have. Currently ours is set to Japanese so my wife can watch all her stuff.

Then use usenet for all the downloads.

I'm sorry, I don't follow. "VPN for Netflix is kind of stupid" "I use OverPlay.net for my SmartDNS". You realize that's pretty much the same thing right? Aside from the encryption you're still routing your traffic through a 3rd party to get around geolocation.

[Gman.45]

I think it would be even more stupid to pay for a DNS service like overplay/unblockus/etc AND a VPN when the VPN will essentially allow Netflix access to every country that the DNS service will. Yet, the unblock type services won't hide your torrent activity from your ISP like a VPN will for the most part.

IF the newsgroups didn't suck right now, then I would agree, using them + a 5$ unblock-ish service would be the most cost effective and efficient way to go, but since torrenting has been better for older stuff than newsgroups, and a VPN is a good idea for that, why would anyone pay for the same capability twice?

I've been using Astrill for the last week or so, by FAR the best of the 6 VPNs I've tried - light years faster servers than IPVanish, on my 260 Sasktel fiber I'm getting very high speed tests, same with the 100 Shaw cable, and running Netflix at 5800 bit rate has been consistent in every country Netflix has service that I've tried.