Can anyone please advice on how I go about getting a VPN for my laptop...is there free VPN or do you have to pay for the service...can you switch between VPN and normal IP address..any advice would be apreciated...also can you get a VPN on an android phone....

I'm using browsec the vpn supplied by google, I've upgraded to the paid service because it's very cheap but it's very good....so far....

There are plenty of free VPNs out their.
As VM mentions, Browsec is fairly reliable.
The free version certainly works better with Google Chrome than any other Browser, with a few Countries as easily enabled server options (UK, USA, Netherlands & Singapore, from memory. It is just an icon on your Browser bar that you turn on or off with a click..

I have used a paid for service called Strong VPN for the last few years. $50 a year, a variety of servers all around the world. Strong tell you how many spaces are left on each server before you pick - that is important as more users = less speed. Strong do not have an free option.

Browsec is as good a place to start as any, but it does depend how you intend to use the VPN. If you want it for 'live streaming' then that will be very hit & miss with any of the free services, if you just want it to read website that might be geographically constrained then a free service is often OK..

I am told that these are the recommended free providers for Google Chrome:
Touch VPN or ZenMate or Gom VPN or Betternet or Browsec or Hoxx VPN
& these for Firefox:
ZenMate or Hoxx VPN

If you try using a VPN & discover that you still can't access a site then you probably have a DNS issue.
This is a pretty easy to follow web site explaining how to resolve that issue..
https://support.hidemyass.com/hc/en-us/ ... -iOS-Linux

I've also been using Strong VPN for over a year. Although I had a few hiccups early on, tech support usually fixed them quickly. The past 6 months, I've had no problems.....stream youtube and netflix over a TOT fiber line without problems.
I can use the same account on my smartphone, tablet or desktop, as I choose.

Hi Bob, the reason I use Browsec is because it's so reliable while streaming, I use it solely for that purpose without any issues. I've upgraded to the $5 a month option because it connects more cleanly but I had no issues with the free version.

Can someone put me in the picture of what and why a VPN is used apart from illegal activities such as downloading,streaming or watching kiddy porn and other nasties,other than that I see no use for it and should be made illegal.if someone has to hide their identity or location then they must have something to hide.

The main reason is so that you can watch iPlayer and UKTV etc and as far as I'm aware streaming is not yet illegal as no hard copy of the stream is being captured, the minute you store the stream you are breaking the law 100%. This is being tested and some streaming services have just been closed down, everyone is waiting the outcome of those cases I think and will act accordingly. Insofar as kiddy porn, a vpn offers no protection from the law, if it were that simple to hide then none of the pervs would ever get caught, but of course they do. People who watch dodgy stuff and deal in guns and drugs etc tend to use the dark web, a highly encrypted part of the internet that's pretty difficult to crack, thankfully the powers that be also have a fair chunk of success there too, hence why so many are being taken to court and sentenced.

Oh and you don't need a vpn to stream movies etc as there's nothing in place to stop it, you just use a regular internet connection for that.

Why Should You Use a VPN?

Businesses small and large use VPNs so they can connect securely to a remote network through the internet. Having a VPN lets your employees access your company’s resources, such as files, apps, printers and more, on your office network securely. You can also set up a VPN for your home network, so you can access it when you are away.

Additionally, a VPN can be used to connect multiple networks, protect your online privacy with an encrypted VPN when you are using WiFi or other public networks, and bypass geoblocking or regional restrictions if you are outside of your country.

So a VPN encrypts the information you send and receive, and hides your physical location, identity and web history while protecting the privacy of your web experience.

Cybercriminals
Public Networks
free wifi hotspot public network

Think twice before connecting to free WiFi hotspots.

One of the main tips that the Stop. Think. Connect. Campaign espouses is to be wary of WiFi hotspots. This is with good reason, as there is a particular type of hacker on these networks that you need to watch out for. They will lurk on public networks, usually in cafes or public offices, and they will use “sniffer software” or set up a fake network with a name designed to trick you. It is estimated that identity theft happens to 5 percent of people each year, and you have the ability to prevent becoming one of those people
a VPN is the best and sometimes the only way that you can protect yourself against this particular threat. The encryption and “tunnel” that the VPN uses makes it so that any hacker using a specialized setup will see nothing concerning your data use. The most that they would ever see is information that says you are using a VPN. At that point nearly any hacker will move on to a different target, and those without any sense would need years before they cracked the encryption..

My reason for seeking advice on a VPN is to hopefully allow me to access my Irish Virgin media Watch Anywhere package here in Thailand...if this is successful it will allow me to watch all the tv and sports channels I have back in Ireland..many thanks to Bob, Vince and Parrot for their advice and comments ...very much appreciated...

vincemunday wrote:The main reason is so that you can watch iPlayer and UKTV etc and as far as I'm aware streaming is not yet illegal as no hard copy of the stream is being captured, the minute you store the stream you are breaking the law 100%. This is being tested and some streaming services have just been closed down, everyone is waiting the outcome of those cases I think and will act accordingly. Insofar as kiddy porn, a vpn offers no protection from the law, if it were that simple to hide then none of the pervs would ever get caught, but of course they do. People who watch dodgy stuff and deal in guns and drugs etc tend to use the dark web, a highly encrypted part of the internet that's pretty difficult to crack, thankfully the powers that be also have a fair chunk of success there too, hence why so many are being taken to court and sentenced.

Got it,done some research,it's not illegal,it not for porn but it helps with hacking and crap like that.thanks.

nmcd1649 wrote:My reason for seeking advice on a VPN is to hopefully allow me to access my Irish Virgin media Watch Anywhere package here in Thailand...if this is successful it will allow me to watch all the tv and sports channels I have back in Ireland..many thanks to Bob, Vince and Parrot for their advice and comments ...very much appreciated...

Said it before but, if you have a Virgin package, you presumably have a box back in Ireland. If so, get a Slingbox. Had mine for 10 years or so and, wouldn't be without it!

Would have to agree with panmotor, nmcd.
To solve the issue you have a Slingbox is the neatest, cheapest & most reliable solution.

http://www.slingbox.com/en-GB

Couple more recent reasons as to why using a VPN might be a good idea for most users - & an absolute necessity for anyone in the USA.

1. The Trump Administration have passed legislation that now makes it legal for your ISP (the people who supply your internet connection) to gather & record their customers' internet web site usage & then sell that data to any third party that wants to buy it..

2. Google have just announced plans (currently USA only) to track & record credit card usages not only on line but also when those cards are used in retail outlets!! It will then use this data to tell online advertisers how successful or otherwise their campaigns are - as long as the are using Google, obviously..

I try not to get paranoid about these things (honest ) but I do like to take reasonable precautions to ensure that people I have never met do not know more about me than I know!!
I do think using a VPN is one of those sensible precautions!!

Buddy, first of all, avoid free VPN because they are not reliable and IPs which are given by free VPN are already blacklisted.
Now come back to the point, nmcd1649 nowadays there are plenty of VPNs are in the market, I cannot advise you single VPN.
I personally using ExpressVPN for my laptop & it gives me excellent results more than my expectation. To check out more VPN services you'll be able to visit this resource: https://www.reviewsdir.com/best-vpn-services/