ross549 Posted June 23, 2013 Share Posted June 23, 2013 I've been playing around with a VPN provider today, and the concept is interesting to me. The problem I run into is that my uploads to youtube are being throttled by my ISP, and considering the uploads are completely legitimate, I don't like that they are doing this. Also, bittorrent is filtered and if they detect me uploading above a certain threshold, I am throttled across the board to sub DSL speeds. My first test today was uploading the weekly sermon video from my local church. Using the VPN, it is cruising along at about 3-4 mbit/sec, so pretty good. Later, I will disconnect from the VPN and see what happens. However, the VPN service I am playing with basically says they will not and cannot guarantee that my bandwidth will be anywhere near what my ISP provides, and I don't think this is unreasonable. However, I should be able to upload somewhere above 15mbit/sec. So, has anyone used VPN providers before? What are your experiences? Adam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest LilBambi Posted June 23, 2013 Share Posted June 23, 2013 Not yet, but I can see one in most everyone's future... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ross549 Posted June 24, 2013 Author Share Posted June 24, 2013 http://www.vpnbook.com/ was mentioned. I am not using them right now, but they have comparable service to the one I am using right now- proxpn.com Adam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crp Posted June 24, 2013 Share Posted June 24, 2013 http://www.vpnbook.com/ was mentioned. I am not using them right now, but they have comparable service to the one I am using right now- proxpn.com Adam You have proxpn and you have it working? what OS are you using? I tried it on my W7 and it was a disaster. It blanked out the gateway ip address so of course nothing would work properly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redmaledeer Posted June 26, 2013 Share Posted June 26, 2013 (edited) I use Hotspot Shield. It's fast and free. Any opinions about how this compares with vpnbook? Thanks. For a review of free anonymous surfing services: http://www.techsupportalert.com/best-free-anonymous-surfing-service.htm Edited June 28, 2013 by redmaledeer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ross549 Posted June 26, 2013 Author Share Posted June 26, 2013 You have proxpn and you have it working? what OS are you using? I tried it on my W7 and it was a disaster. It blanked out the gateway ip address so of course nothing would work properly. I am using it on my mac. So far, everything has worked except for one application that I use that normally connects with the ipad. Aside from Google complaining profusely for a couple of days due to my supposed change in location, Google has finally calmed down. Adam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest LilBambi Posted June 26, 2013 Share Posted June 26, 2013 LOL! That's funny Adam (RE: Location and Google) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ross549 Posted July 1, 2013 Author Share Posted July 1, 2013 Quick update on my experience with ProXPN..... so far, the service has been stable. Also, I have discovered quite definitively that my ISP and the ISP used by my church both filter and throttle uploads to youtube. However, I have lost some functionality on the computer- mainly things that seem to use Apple's Bonjour service. I cannot AirPlay from my computer or use a remote control application. If I disable the proXPN client, all is restored. I have submitted a support ticket and will see what kind of response I get. Adam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest LilBambi Posted July 1, 2013 Share Posted July 1, 2013 Yeah, Bonjour may well be the service that is the problem. Something else interesting is that Bonjour breaks Cisco VPN software (could just be an older version though. No further responses on the topic so not sure). Disable Bonjour to use VPN (Wheaton College) The Bonjour service which is packaged with iTunes for Windows is not compatible with the Juniper VPN. As such, Bonjour must be disabled before using the Juniper VPN. Could any device break the vpn encryption? - StrongVPN Forums (interesting conversation) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest LilBambi Posted July 1, 2013 Share Posted July 1, 2013 This is part of what we were talking about with VPNs during the show Saturday: Prevent Bonjour Announcements Over OpenVPN We have an OpenVPN server at work, which I use frequently to access private work resources. When I do, the "Shared" listed in Finder populates with all the automatically announced servers/resources at work, but the reverse is also true. My local resources appear to anyone at work, and/or on the VPN as well. Ideally, I would like to prevent my announcements from going over the VPN link, but would like to have the shares physically at work available to me while on the VPN. If the only method is to disable Bonjour (temporarily), I'll be fine with that, but is there a way to make it only one-sided? And of course the master question: How do I accomplish this, at all, in the first place. BOLD emphasis mine Usually, Bonjour only works on the local network and only its extension Wide-Area-Bonjour works through VPNs. Did you configure your Computer to use that or did you setup your router to handle that? Also, which other resources appear for the others at work? But anyway, you don´t have to have File Sharing "turned on" on your computer (which will then cause the broadcasting of your computer´s name over Bonjour) to access others, so just turn off the services you don´t want others to see and you should be good. The whole conversation is very interesting. And the ebtables (note, not iptables, but ebtables) info at the bottom is also intriguing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crp Posted July 1, 2013 Share Posted July 1, 2013 anyone have experience with vpnbook ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ross549 Posted July 4, 2013 Author Share Posted July 4, 2013 Correct. My data is encrypted on the laptop and sent to a server where it is decrypted and sent out "unencrypted" on the public internet. I put that in quotes, because so many site use HTTPS now that my data is already encrypted before leaving the computer. In that case, the data is encrypted twice hiding the destination to my ISP. The ISP I have at home, and the other ISP I use at church are both throttling uploads to YouTube, for example. Now that the traffic leaving my computer is encrypted, my ISP has no idea where my data is going, and cannot shape it. Adam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
V.T. Eric Layton Posted July 5, 2013 Share Posted July 5, 2013 Mastercard and Visa Start Banning VPN Providers? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crp Posted July 5, 2013 Share Posted July 5, 2013 Mastercard and Visa Start Banning VPN Providers? Hard to say, as the payment processor is just pointing fingers based on hunches. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest LilBambi Posted July 5, 2013 Share Posted July 5, 2013 They should not be allowed to disallow VPNs. Many people that work from home must go through their company's VPN not their own connection directly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ross549 Posted July 5, 2013 Author Share Posted July 5, 2013 The ISPs are not disallowing VPNs... the credit card companies may be blocking some payments, much in the same way that Wikileaks donations were blocked. I am not saying that it is right, but it is happening. Considering we are in a free market, they can do whatever they like, and we can take our business elsewhere. In any case, I've had an almost-completely-useless conversation with ProXPN support regarding what I think is a Bonjour issue on my machine. Here is what they oh-so-unhelpfully said...... Good Evening, I have been enjoying the service. Hoever, since I have enabled the app on my computer, the AirPlay functionality and a remote controll application ar not working properly. I think these applications are using Bonjour to advertise the service available, but when ProXPN is enabled, I cannot access these services. This is on a MacBook Air, running a fully up to date Mountain Lion. Is there something I can do in order to regain functionality? Thanks, Adam Hi there, If those functions require a specific IP location to function, then they will not work. If possible, see if you can white-list or add an allowance in the program to function with proXPN. Best regards, Team proXPN Good evening, How do I whitelist or add an exception? I don't see the option in the main window. Thanks, Adam Hi there, You would need to check into how to add it to the Airplay, That is not a configurable option with proXPN Best regards, Team proXPN I generally try to be helpful when I answer a question at work that is asked of me, and these replies are almost the complete opposite. I am now somewhat dissatisfied. Adam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
V.T. Eric Layton Posted July 8, 2013 Share Posted July 8, 2013 i was talking to bell south (then) and during a pause in the, er, "support call" i commented that it was snowing, quite unusual in the deep south. the east indian girl said, "ok sir, i have noted that in your record, but you must first do what i say!" I'm sure I've told this story around here somewhere before, but... When I was doing tech support for Philips America back in '07-'08, we had a backup facility in the Philippines that normally handled support for Philips in Asia, but would take some of our spill over during our peak times. We were briefed on their policies and procedures so we would be familiar with them when we had to take a call or answer some query from them. In their call centers, supposedly, there was a pink poster board with Anglo/America type girls' names and a blue poster with boys' names. Everyone in the center was supposed to use their Anglo/American aliases when dealing with calls from Europe or the U.S./Canada. When they first went to work there, they were instructed to pick a name from the appropriate list. One evening, I received a transfer call from the Philippine center. This is a call originating in the U.S. or Canada that was routed to the Philippine call center due to overload in our center or just a screw up. Anyway, I clicked on the incoming line for the next call which was ID'd on the screen as an xfer from the Philippine center. This deep voiced obvious male type person said to me, "Hello, this is Brenda with the Philippine call center. I have a transfer for you." I told the fellow that he had picked a name off the wrong list. He laughed and thanked me saying that he would immediatedly pick another name. I hope he used the blue poster board the next time. This is quite possibly a true story. I'm not saying one way or the other. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crp Posted July 21, 2013 Share Posted July 21, 2013 I am using it on my mac. So far, everything has worked except for one application that I use that normally connects with the ipad. Aside from Google complaining profusely for a couple of days due to my supposed change in location, Google has finally calmed down. Adam What is/was the setup of your ip configuration? I could not even get to the ISP proxpn assigned me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ross549 Posted July 21, 2013 Author Share Posted July 21, 2013 Well, I am not sure what information you are looking for so, here goes.... stop me if you've heard this before. At home, I am on Cox Cable in Hampton Roads. When I need to upload to YouTube, I tell ProXPN to connect to the New York server. It takes a minute, goes green, and I can fire away. It is using OpenVPN to connect. At the other location (church) we're on Verizon FIOS. I can connect to the New York server right away there too. I am using wifi/gigabit ethernet depending on the moment, with DHCP enabled. Adam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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