VPN - yes or no

[Newportnobby]

Does anyone use a VPN and if so, what would be considered a reasonable cost please?

[jpendle]

Hi,

I use one at work, it's free to me 

Why do you want use use a VPN? I used to have a personal subscription so that we could spoof the Beeb into letting us watch the BBC iPlayer, but since they launched Britbox with ITV I subscribe to that instead. I think you shouldn't be paying more than £10 per month, probably nearer £5.

Regards,

John P

[Bealman]

Wots a VPN? 

[strain]

Virtual Private Network

You could try https://store.computeractive.co.uk/p36254-avg_secure_vpn_2021_10-d_1-yr

which is pretty cheap or google many other options

Computer Active is a long established computer magazine so would not likely be risky.

[ntpntpntp]

I also have a VPN for work on my work laptop because the company requires it, but frankly I don't feel the need for a VPN for general home browsing.

[jpendle]

A VPN is essential if you want to read The Economist online while on a trip to China 

John P

[Trainfish]

John, this was @Newportnobby asking. I can't see him reading The Economist or travelling outside Lancashire either.

[railsquid]

A VPN is essential if you want to read The Economist online while on a trip to China 

When I was working there (in China, not at the Economist) the choice of a good VPN was a hot topic among the expat immigrant community. As I wasn't actually based there I ended up running a SOCKS proxy via SSH.

But yeah, unless there's a specific purpose, like setting up an alter ego to spam a web forum without being rumbled, a VPN doesn't seem to be of much benefit.

[Bealman]

I know I shouldn't ask, but wots a SOCKS proxy via SSH?

You may as well be speaking Japanese to me, Ian!

[railsquid]

I know I shouldn't ask, but wots a SOCKS proxy via SSH?

Baically you set up an SSH tunnel to an end point (such a server located on the outside of the Great Firewall of China) and configure your client (e.g. browser) to use that tunnel rather than the default route. Back in the day it also came in handy when dealing with public wifi which wants to charge money for browsing but had less-than-robust filtering of outgoing ports. Does require access to a suitable endpoint, which limits its general usefulness.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SOCKS
https://www.digitalocean.com/community/tutorials/how-to-route-web-traffic-securely-without-a-vpn-using-a-socks-tunnel

Any other questions? 

[Bealman]

Yes.... I've scrolled right through that link (albeit quickly), and nowhere can I see what SOCKS and SSH stand for 

[railsquid]

Yes.... I've scrolled right through that link (albeit quickly), and nowhere can I see what SOCKS and SSH stand for 

SOCKS = SOCKet Secure
SSH = Secure SHell

[Bealman]

Thanks, mate. That's really enlightened me 

[Bob G]

I pay for a VPN on my company laptop in case I am working away from home and I want to feel secure on the internet.
It  up my network at home which struggles with speed issues, and I am already using a booster to get wifi in my garden office (we are in a small village in the Shires) so I have to switch it off at home.

More trouble than it is worth at home.

Bob

[Newportnobby]

Why do I want a VPN?
I don't necessarily but Avast pesters me to buy one. Maybe I should class it as 'junk mail'