VPNs for visiting Europe (Italy & England)

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gp4jesus
gp4jesus Posts: 1,969
in Electronics
Attention all IT & computer wizards:

VPNs - Nord & Express appear to be the top two per serveral Google approaches w/Sharksurf and Pure following.

Thanks in advance
Samsung 60" UN60ES6100 LED Outlaw Audio 976 Pre/Pro Samsung BDP, Amazon Firestick, Phillips CD Changer Canare 14 ga - LCR tweeters inside*; Ctr Ch outside BJC 10 ga - LCR mids, inside* & out 8 ga Powerline: LR woofers, inside* & out *soldered LR: Tri-amped RTi A7 w/Rotels. Woofers - 980BX; Tweets & “Plugged*” Mids - 981, connected w/MP Premiere ICs Ctr Ch: Rotel RB981 -> Bi-amped CSi A6 Surrounds: Premiere ICs ->Rotel 981 -> AR 12 ga -> RTi A3. 5 Subs: Sunfire True SW Signature -> LFE & Ctr Ch; 4 Audio Pro Evidence @ the “Corners”. Power Conditioning & Distribution: 4 dedicated 20A feeds; APC H15; 5 Furman Miniport 20s *Xschop's handy work
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  • Clipdat
    Clipdat Posts: 12,608
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    Neat.
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  • gp4jesus
    gp4jesus Posts: 1,969
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    Title should read “Which is the best VPN to use in Europe etc?”

    TIA
    Samsung 60" UN60ES6100 LED Outlaw Audio 976 Pre/Pro Samsung BDP, Amazon Firestick, Phillips CD Changer Canare 14 ga - LCR tweeters inside*; Ctr Ch outside BJC 10 ga - LCR mids, inside* & out 8 ga Powerline: LR woofers, inside* & out *soldered LR: Tri-amped RTi A7 w/Rotels. Woofers - 980BX; Tweets & “Plugged*” Mids - 981, connected w/MP Premiere ICs Ctr Ch: Rotel RB981 -> Bi-amped CSi A6 Surrounds: Premiere ICs ->Rotel 981 -> AR 12 ga -> RTi A3. 5 Subs: Sunfire True SW Signature -> LFE & Ctr Ch; 4 Audio Pro Evidence @ the “Corners”. Power Conditioning & Distribution: 4 dedicated 20A feeds; APC H15; 5 Furman Miniport 20s *Xschop's handy work
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  • Clipdat
    Clipdat Posts: 12,608
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    Why do you need to use one at all?

    @msg I think this is above my pay grade.
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  • billbillw
    billbillw Posts: 6,196
    edited February 1
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    There are many reasons to use a VPN, but the average person doesn't need to use one at all. If the OP was newer, I would have suspected this was spam advertising. As is, I'm not sure why he posted.
    Some typical uses:
    -VPN into a private work/office network to have secure access to the corporate servers. It is common for people who are remote working.
    -VPN from from the USA to a European country. Some do this to get certain regional specific programming that is not available in the USA. For instance, Netflix has some shows in England that are on Amazon Prime in the USA.
    -VPN from Europe to USA while traveling. This would be the flip of the previous scenario where you want to watch programming that is not available in Europe.
    -VPN from USA to somewhere with less strict laws for internet piracy. This is for people who like to pirate video, music, software, etc using torrents. The VPN will mask the content from your ISP who typically monitors for protected content.
    There are probably some other uses that more tech savvy people would advocate, but for me, 25+ years of being on the internet, I've still not found a good reason to use one, other than the one that my work provides on my work laptop for connecting to the 'mothership'.
    For rig details, see my profile. Nothing here anymore...
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  • Clipdat
    Clipdat Posts: 12,608
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    Yeah, that makes sense. I'm familiar with the usage and support of the first scenario from my job as a fake IT professional.

    I'm not seeing a lot of reason/rationale with the other use cases personally. I guess if you're really paranoid?
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  • billbillw
    billbillw Posts: 6,196
    edited February 1
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    Clipdat wrote: »
    sic.... my job as a fake IT professional.

    Be careful, a statement like that could come back to haunt you. The internet never forgets...
    :D
    For rig details, see my profile. Nothing here anymore...
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  • Clipdat
    Clipdat Posts: 12,608
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    Hey, fake it till you make it, right?! I learned that from Kex.
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  • gp4jesus
    gp4jesus Posts: 1,969
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    Nord or Express?
    I’ll tell them to flip a coin
    Samsung 60" UN60ES6100 LED Outlaw Audio 976 Pre/Pro Samsung BDP, Amazon Firestick, Phillips CD Changer Canare 14 ga - LCR tweeters inside*; Ctr Ch outside BJC 10 ga - LCR mids, inside* & out 8 ga Powerline: LR woofers, inside* & out *soldered LR: Tri-amped RTi A7 w/Rotels. Woofers - 980BX; Tweets & “Plugged*” Mids - 981, connected w/MP Premiere ICs Ctr Ch: Rotel RB981 -> Bi-amped CSi A6 Surrounds: Premiere ICs ->Rotel 981 -> AR 12 ga -> RTi A3. 5 Subs: Sunfire True SW Signature -> LFE & Ctr Ch; 4 Audio Pro Evidence @ the “Corners”. Power Conditioning & Distribution: 4 dedicated 20A feeds; APC H15; 5 Furman Miniport 20s *Xschop's handy work
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  • Jetmaker737
    Jetmaker737 Posts: 1,009
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    When I traveled in the past to Asia I needed VPN to access my Amazon video (or maybe it was Netflix) because they wouldn't let me access from outside my region. So I would VPN through a USA server. This was about 5 or 6 years ago. Don't know if that's the case anymore.
    SystemLuxman L-590AXII Integrated Amplifier|KEF Reference 1 Loudspeakers|PS Audio Directream Jr|Sansui TU-9900 Tuner|TEAC A-6100 RtR|Nakamichi RX-202 Cassette
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  • msg
    msg Posts: 9,466
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    Clipdat wrote: »
    Why do you need to use one at all?
    @msg I think this is above my pay grade.
    mine too? :D

    I would probably look into it if I were traveling, but I'd have to read up more to know which are the better services. Reliability, speed, how they secure your connection, is there any monitoring, data protection policies, etc.

    If I were on vacation overseas, I'd probably try not to be online much, but for the service, I would look into using whatever the current equivalent is of a MiFi, or the mobile hotspot on my phone I wouldn't trust any public WiFi at all. I acknowledge that a good part of that posture is based on old info.

    I have fourteen complete and unique burner identities I've been building over the years, with others in the works, so I'd probably travel under one of those, and also use its contact info, financial accounts, and health and life insurance policies, etc. Just in case the identity was compromised, or involved in some international crime.

    There are (at least) two other guys here who would know more about this kinda security, but I'm not gonna out them, because they've done a lot of work to disappear themselves. Maybe they'll chime in.
    I disabled signatures.
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  • billbillw
    billbillw Posts: 6,196
    edited February 2
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    Sounds like the OP is asking advice for a friend who is about to travel? I doubt the choice will mater that much. Perhaps this Toms Guide will help: https://www.tomsguide.com/best-picks/best-us-vpn

    Unless they are needing the best speed or the best security for some sensitive work, I'd just find the the least expensive choice (among the recommended ones).
    For rig details, see my profile. Nothing here anymore...
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  • Irrenhaus
    Irrenhaus Posts: 1,082
    edited February 2
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    Hi,

    I have been using VPN Express for years. Works everywhere Europe, Asia even in China at least when I was going there before 2020, I was able to use Gmail, Chrome,Netflix and Facebook from there.

    Tip of advice every time I posted from the VPN connection to the forum it will block my account.

    Cheers
    HTAVR-Pioneer SC99XPA-DR3 Differential Reference AmpPolk R-700Rear- RT150Side- RT150Center-CSi5Sub-Rythmik audio F25Player- Panasonic DP-UB9000Projector- Optoma CinemaX P2Screen- Silver Ticket Products STR Series 6 120"Audio Room 2ch rig.Cary AE-3, Onkyo M-504, Marantz SA8005, Azur 851NWharfedale - Linton, SVS SB12-NSDMinis Forum PC (streamer) and Panamax MX5105Headphone rig;Schiit JOTUNHEIM and different headphones.Samsung 42" flat screen TV.
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  • Kex
    Kex Posts: 4,939
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    Irrenhaus wrote: »
    …I was able to use Gmail, Chrome,Netflix and Facebook from there…

    I was able to use all of those without a VPN. 🤷‍♂️

    Haven’t tested Netflix recently though. 🤔
    Alea jacta est!
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  • Irrenhaus
    Irrenhaus Posts: 1,082
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    Kex wrote: »
    Irrenhaus wrote: »
    …I was able to use Gmail, Chrome,Netflix and Facebook from there…

    I was able to use all of those without a VPN. 🤷‍♂️

    Haven’t tested Netflix recently though. 🤔

    Sorry let be more clear I was able to use all of them from China. As for Europe you can get the local US content with the VPN.

    Cheers
    HTAVR-Pioneer SC99XPA-DR3 Differential Reference AmpPolk R-700Rear- RT150Side- RT150Center-CSi5Sub-Rythmik audio F25Player- Panasonic DP-UB9000Projector- Optoma CinemaX P2Screen- Silver Ticket Products STR Series 6 120"Audio Room 2ch rig.Cary AE-3, Onkyo M-504, Marantz SA8005, Azur 851NWharfedale - Linton, SVS SB12-NSDMinis Forum PC (streamer) and Panamax MX5105Headphone rig;Schiit JOTUNHEIM and different headphones.Samsung 42" flat screen TV.
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  • treitz3
    treitz3 Posts: 18,342
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    Many forums and forum sofware will block or have the option to block the use of VPN's. Probably due to the sheer amount of spamming that is typically associated with them.

    Tom
    ~ In search of accurate reproduction of music. Real sound is my reference and while perfection may not be attainable? If I chase it, I might just catch excellence. ~
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