Do you use a VPN?

[kenny]

Wikisnip:
"A virtual private network (VPN) provides privacy, anonymity and security to users by creating a private network connection across a public network connection."

If you use one, what are your experiences?
Is it reliable?

Does is slow things down?
Any other downsides?
Is yours one of the free ones or paid ones - either way which would you recommend?

If you care to reveal ... what exactly is the main reason you use one?
I assume we have no serial murderers here, or drug dealers who want to hide their evil deeds from prying eyes.
Is it to just fight the dark side of personal data collection by creepy entities like FB apple and Google etc.?

Do you change the settings to simulate being in, say, country X to country Y to gain access to content in country Y?
Which VPN(s) did you have poor or good experience with?
How did you pick yours?
Have you run into websites that deny you access because it can tell you're using a VPN?

 

[Daisys and Diamonds]

A what ?
It sounds like something you might need down at the testing station to get your car a warrant

 

[diamondseeker2006]

I have a friend who uses Proton Mail and they offer VPNs. I am thinking about it.

 

[Arcadian]

I use a VPN on both sides of my work. No choice not to. Both are Cisco products.

 

[Karl_K]

To connect to clients networks every once in a while. Used to be daily.
otherwise no. If i was using the net from sources not in my control like coffee shops I would use one to keep casual snoopers out. Nothing can stop a pro specificaly targeting someone. VPN advertising is a lot of fud mixed with some truth.
Do not think a vpn will shield you from law enforcement tracking.
Many people are sitting in jail because they thought that.

 

[telephone89]

I use one for work, and I honestly dont understand it fully lol. I do find it slower. It has options for canada and us, and I use whichever one seems to work at the time, so I get ads/weather for various places. I had to check which one it is, and mine is also a Cisco. I don't use it for any of your reasons (getting access to US specific info for example). I've never had any websites deny me access because of it that I recall.

ETA - I just checked, and mine is pinging from Kansas. I wish it was actually +21C here like it says on google weather.

 

[yssie]

For work - yes.
For non-work - no. I do proxy all my interwebz traffic through my own home lab but I don't need a full blown VPN for that.

"A virtual private network (VPN) provides privacy, anonymity and security to users by creating a private network connection across a public network connection."
This is the sort of roundabout description that we software people are famed for! If a person doesn't know how a network works or what a network connection is, how on earth should he extrapolate the virtues of a virtual private network connection? Sorry folks. Here's a better explanation from Cisco (leader in the computer networking industry): https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/products/security/vpn-endpoint-security-clients/what-is-vpn.html

 

[GoldenTouch]

I do it comes with Norton which I run in all my devices including my phone

 

[missy]

Greg uses it at work.
We don't use it at home.

 

[chrono]

VPN is required for work. Home use, no.

 

[Luce]

VPN is required for work. I don’t use it for home.

 

[Mekp]

I use one for work. Otherwise, no.

 

[Elizabeth35]

For work I used a VPN when working remotely.
Looking into getting one now for travel, for increased security and so we can access Netflix and Amazon Prime when out of the country.

 

[marcy]

I use one for work and it is slower.

 

[diamondringlover]

not on my personal computer but yeah I do on my work computer

 

[monarch64]

Used to use Viscosity. That was when I was working with a web dev company and the owner insisted. I don’t personally use a VPN anymore.

lol when I saw proton mail mentioned it reminded me of married men who want secret email accounts so they can cheat ahem TRY to cheat without getting caught.

 

[Lookinagain]

I have to use the VPN for working remotely. I don't use one for my personal computer.