And a few DIY VPN options (open source ansible etc. scripts) that have been features on HN recently (in order of popularity)<p><a href="https://github.com/jlund/streisand" rel="nofollow">https://github.com/jlund/streisand</a> (6000+ stars)<p><a href="https://github.com/sovereign/sovereign" rel="nofollow">https://github.com/sovereign/sovereign</a> (6000+ stars)<p><a href="https://github.com/Nyr/openvpn-install" rel="nofollow">https://github.com/Nyr/openvpn-install</a> (3000+ stars)<p><a href="https://github.com/ttlequals0/autovpn" rel="nofollow">https://github.com/ttlequals0/autovpn</a> (1400+ stars)<p><a href="https://github.com/trailofbits/algo" rel="nofollow">https://github.com/trailofbits/algo</a> (1100+ stars)<p><a href="https://github.com/robbintt/popup-openvpn" rel="nofollow">https://github.com/robbintt/popup-openvpn</a> (700+ stars)
If I was the NSA, I'd certainly be looking to launch a VPN company or two - maybe even subsidising their offerings, to get them to the top of the performance and value for money charts.<p>After all, getting users to voluntarily direct their traffic through your network would be much easier than installing snooping hardware at every ISP, backdooring hardware in transit or snooping on undersea cables.
Genuine question: why's OpenVPN so popular over L2TP/IPsec? Configuration on the server side is maybe a little more complicated, but configuration on the client side is super simple, as all major OS, mobile or otherwise, have support built-in.<p>I've read arguments that firewalls tend to block IPsec packets, but there's also UDP encapsulation. And IME, I've never had connectivity issues, from multiple random coffee shop / airport WiFi, in multiple countries. I suspect it's because Cisco's VPN product used to (still?) uses IPsec, just with proprietary authentication schemes, and a lot of businesses use it, so most firewalls are configured to let it through.
That site should have a top 3 pick, tailored for paranoia, torrenting and normal unsecured wifi hotspot hardening.<p>Personally: I use AirVPN because to me it matters the client is open source.
For all others, I guess PIA (Private Internet Access) is fine.
I've seen lots of VPN comparisons that rate VPN providers on what they do and do not log. But who really verifies this? What's to stop VPN provider X from claiming "We don't log anything", while simultaneously streaming a real-time log to any government agency that asks for it?
Surprised not see Pritunl on the list, or here. Its such a nice product.<p><a href="https://pritunl.com/" rel="nofollow">https://pritunl.com/</a>
<a href="http://vpnspeedtest.org/" rel="nofollow">http://vpnspeedtest.org/</a> tests over 20 VPN services to find the maximum speed of each VPN from 8 locations around the world.<p>ThatOnePrivacyGuy should use their open source speed test tool instead as the tests are verifiable (unlike his tests from a single location which nobody can reproduce).
This is terrible. Whoever "That One Privacy Guy" is, should really consider not being a dick and stop pushing VPNs as a privacy tool.<p>And yes, you're a dick if you even kind-of imply that VPNs might be good for privacy without immediately providing a strong disclaimer: if it matters, they aren't.<p>Edit: Oh wow, it's worse than I expected. Check out <a href="https://thatoneprivacysite.net/choosing-the-best-vpn-for-you/" rel="nofollow">https://thatoneprivacysite.net/choosing-the-best-vpn-for-you...</a><p>The vast majority of the recommendations here have absolutely no connection with reality.<p>This entire website is bullshit, here's a few quick quotes.<p>>a. More on Trust<p>>As a lawyer represents your legal interests, a VPN service (among others) represents your privacy interests.<p>>c. Jurisdiction
>In the last few years, certain revelations have been made manifest regarding the mass surveillance programs of various countries around the globe. These countries are known as the five, nine, and fourteen eyes. These countries not only spy on their own citizens where they can get away with it, but they spy on each others, and swap notes to bypass governmental restrictions on power. If a service, or the people who run a service is based in one of these countries, it’s not unreasonable to expect that they may be susceptible to unlawful searches and compromises made in the name of national security<p>Suggesting that NSA & Co. don't spy outside of FVEY (or fourteen eyes if that's what you prefer) countries is utterly ridiculous at it's face and just makes it look like the author hasn't studied this stuff at all.<p>Instead of blogging about mass surveillance and unlawful searches, maybe focus on the more realistic issues like search and wiretap warrants which are ridiculously easy to get in some countries?