I’m actually pretty good with tech for the average person. I’ve built websites, my own PCs, and I regularly work with databases for my job.
But most of what you all are saying here goes over my head.
Do I really need to be a sysadmin to have any chance at good security? And if not, can we make this community easier for beginners? Like, maybe don’t start by suggesting someone build a text interface Linux-based router for their first reply?
Lastly, and this is frustrating - I can’t find a good place to learn about PC networking and security. Did you all just teach yourselves over many years of work and personal interest? If I’m not ready for that, is there any hope
People here can be a bit extreme sometimes, and a lot of what gets discussed isn’t beginner-friendly. But when it comes to security and privacy, it really depends on your personal situation and making decisions based on that. Here are some resources from the Electronic Frontier Foundation:
In the meantime, could you suggest a VPN for me? I currently use VYPR VPN and I like it a lot (it’s Swiss-based, super easy to set up, has great tools, lots of servers and countries, plus options like obfuscation that lets me access Netflix via VPN). But I’m looking for something that logs less. I’m not into any illegal stuff at all (obviously), and really just want a VPN to engage in political and social discussions online, if that helps. Given the political climate in the US, I want to keep my family safe while still talking openly.
I’m finding it tough to sort through the options in the VPN comparison chart and was wondering if you had any suggestions.
Great info thanks. I don’t understand much about the differences between OpenVPN and other protocols, but I always use OpenVPN since it seems to be the standard. However, I’m open to suggestions.
Besides logs, my needs are decent speed, easy installation (I can fiddle with settings, but I don’t really know what I’m doing, just follow guides), non-5 eyes, and ideally mobile clients (I use both iOS and Android, so both would be cool) but those aren’t super necessary. Bitcoin or other anonymous payment options would be nice too, but not crucial if the service doesn’t log IP addresses. Price isn’t a big deal for me; I’d pay for the right service.
This is probably overkill—nobody has a reason to track my online activities, and nobody really cares. Part of it is principle for me, and part of it is wanting to protect against a future where people with my views might get targeted. You know… in case McCarthyism comes back.
@Lyle
With logs, just so you know, there’s really no such thing as a ‘no log VPN’ despite what some providers claim. What matters is what type of data gets logged, how long they keep it, why they do it, and if they share that data with law enforcement.
That said, you’re right to look for a provider outside of the Five Eyes. I usually recommend Freedome VPN for beginners and Algo for those a bit more tech-savvy. There are a ton of opinions about VPNs in this forum, and it seems some users might be paid to promote their favorites. Even the most popular ones can turn out to have serious issues, like NordVPN or HotSpot Shield, which has been known to sell user data.
@Kasey
I’d generally be cautious of anyone recommending specific VPNs, as they might have ulterior motives. I suggest checking out thatoneprivacysite, like you’ve done, to find a provider that meets your needs. Also, look for any complaints about them on here. Don’t forget to read their privacy policy and terms of service! Many providers say one thing in marketing but the fine print tells a different story (like PureVPN and its no logs claim).
@Kasey
Nord has gotten a lot of negative feedback on this forum. Check r/VPN or r/vpnreviews to see more. I don’t have personal experience with Nord to share.
@Valentine
I was really impressed with the Freedome Android app, but I’m worried about it scanning apps before I download them and using a cloud connection for that.
The actual VPN part worked amazingly well, and I liked the tracker-blocking feature in apps, which most other VPNs don’t offer.
I tried Mullvad once because it looked great and met a lot of my needs. However, after a couple of attempts to communicate with their support, I couldn’t get it to work on my computer, so I didn’t go beyond the first month. I’m not tech-savvy enough to figure out if my anti-malware caused issues or not, but I really need something that’s easy to install.
@Lyle
Many companies claim they don’t do things that they actually do. Unless you’re served with a subpoena and everything gets searched, you can’t really be certain. In my workplace, things aren’t supposed to happen, until it comes back to bite us. It has gone on for years without any incidents.