Are you using a VPN?

[dognose]

I am curious if anyone has been using VPNs at home, not work.

If so what VPN?

What is your primary reason for using a VPN?

What are some of the pro's and con's you have found?

 

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[robertk]

If so what VPN?

NordVPN

What is your primary reason for using a VPN?

Privacy. At least in theory.

What are some of the pro's and con's you have found?

The pro is privacy, knowing that my ISP isn't watching every keyword that goes across the wire to sell to marketing agencies. Of course I don't know that the VPN isn't doing the same thing, though at least they claim they don't, and it would ruin their business if found out otherwise.

The only two things I've run into are:

1. There are some online sites (primarily credit card issuers) that refuse to work while connected through it.
2. Sites that suggest things based on your location (like online shopping sites that say "pick up today in Tortuga" or whatever) will get the location wrong, because it guesses based on the VPN end point instead of your location. I actually take that as a good thing, but it does mean I have to manually tell the site where I am if I want location-based services to work.

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

FYI, many spammers use VPN addresses to hide their country of orgin, spammer ips are reported, flagged, reported by websites, and blacklisted, if a member joins using a vpn ip that has been previously flagged and blacklisted as a spammer they are banned.

 

[robertk]

FYI, many spammers use VPN addresses to hide their country of orgin, spammer ips are reported, flagged, reported by websites, and blacklisted, if a member joins using a vpn ip that has been previously flagged and blacklisted as a spammer they are banned.

I understand and support banning spammers. 100%. But a public VPN end point IP might have many legitimate users behind it, not just spammers. So you're saying that if some lowlife uses the same VPN I do, and happens to wind up with the same end point, they could get me banned, even though I had no part in or even knowledge of their activity?

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

I understand and support banning spammers. 100%. But a public VPN end point IP might have many legitimate users behind it, not just spammers. So you're saying that if some lowlife uses the same VPN I do, and happens to wind up with the same end point, they could get me banned, even though I had no part in or even knowledge of their activity?

I'm saying new members who sign up with a vpn ip that has been reported multiple times for spamming by multiple forums are banned. I have let many go through as tests and they immediately started spamming. It's not an auto ban, but it is major red flag.

Most scammers also use VPNs. There are some forums that do not even allow VPNs at all.

You are in no danger of a ban, you have never spammed here.

 

[robertk]

I'm saying new members who sign up with a vpn ip that has been reported multiple times for spamming by multiple forums are banned.

Ah. That makes much more sense! Thanks for the clarification!

 

[SeabeeRon]

I'm saying new members who sign up with a vpn ip that has been reported multiple times for spamming by multiple forums are banned. I have let many go through as tests and they immediately started spamming. It's not an auto ban, but it is major red flag.

Most scammers also use VPNs. There are some forums that do not even allow VPNs at all.

You are in no danger of a ban, you have never spammed here.

It has really helped limit spammers on the detecting site I moderate on.

 

[pepperj]

I run through Bitdefender's service.
Multi layered protection

 

[bartholomewroberts]

It has really helped limit spammers on the detecting site I moderate on.

Same with me.. I have noticed a dramatic reduction in those as well... NordVpn all the way

Micheal