Should I use a VPN

[TrebleTA]

Hi all, I have been thinking with the way the net is now should I be useing a VPN? (at mo I use a free VPN but limited). I often go to sites and watch films or download a torrent etc, also i can have 3-4 gamming devices on the go kids.
I have dns over tls setup.
I'm from the UK.
So think I would ask for some advice??

 

[L&LD]

The 'net hasn't changed substantially since its inception. More bad actors, sure. But the mechanics are effectively identical.

The valid reasons for using a paid-for VPN are few, but being 'protected' by using one is just a scare tactic by the same paid-for, VPN providers.

If you don't change your browsing habits, using a VPN won't make you any safer. If anything, you may become more (easily) targeted instead.

Unless you own/control both ends of a VPN connection, all you're doing is shifting your trust to another random IP on the 'net. And, for all you know, it is the one you're trying to avoid in the first place.

Save your money.

 

[TrebleTA]

Thank you

 

[eibgrad]

Frankly, there's NOT enough detail provided to give good advice.

@L&LD makes some good points about why you might NOT bother, but there are use cases for a VPN that are NOT always so obvious. For example, someone using a WISP (wireless ISP) router offered by the landlord. The last thing you want to do is openly share a local ethernet network w/ the rest of the tenants! So the idea is simply preventing MITM attacks (e.g., ARP poisoning) or other forms of eavesdropping by the landlord or other tenants.

Now granted, that's a special case. But again, without really knowing the situation, there might be justifications for a VPN given the right circumstances. Personally, I only use a commercial VPN for obscuring my public IP. Granted, the VPN provider knows it, but I prefer limiting that knowledge as much as possible.

P.S. In the example I provided, an alternative would be to provide your own VPN server on a VPS (virtual private server) hosted w/ AWS, DigitalOcean, etc. NOW you have your own end-to-end connection. Of course, you could make the argument against it by questioning the trustworthiness of the VPS provider as well. Sooner or later, you always end up having to trust someone.

 

[TrebleTA]

It's for my home network with my dsl ax82u. I was thinking of the hiding my ip from prying eyes more so for streaming or sharing torrents but all traffic still travels via my isp.

 

[Tech9]

sharing torrents

Read the user agreement. Commercial VPNs are not to be used for hiding illegal activities.

 

[Smokey613]

I use a VPN with a dedicated IP to circumvent geo restrictions on sports programming. Other than that, I have no real need for one.

 

[TrebleTA]

Read the user agreement. Commercial VPNs are not to be used for hiding illegal activities.

That's the tho hole idea is it not!

 

[cptnoblivious]

That's the tho hole idea is it not!

There are many reasons.
1. Unblock geo-locked content
2. Keep ISP from watching your traffic (for whatever reason)
3. Use on public wifi
etc etc.

What you should not do, is use a _free_ VPN service. Because if it is free, you are the product*

*exception maybe ProtonVPN

 

[TrebleTA]

Proton VPN Free is what I use, I've use then for years free but in the last year or so they now block p2p

 

[Tech Junky]

Nord is probably the most consistent provider when it comes to CYA obfuscation.

They have some added options if you're not savvy enough to run your own protections.

Technology: NORDLYNX - WG @ line speed
Firewall: disabled - if you're not using a FW this might help
Kill Switch: disabled - drops all traffic when the VPN drops
Threat Protection Lite: disabled - can supplement for phishing
Notify: disabled - self explainatory
Auto-connect: enabled - starts when the system boots
IPv6: disabled
Meshnet: disabled - similar to multi site VPN making a LAN out of them over VPN (new)
DNS: 127.0.0.1 - can be set as whatever you want or use their auto provider secure DNS
Whitelisted subnets:
192.168.0.0/24

~$2/mo when you stack some discounts / rebates on top of the purchase and it works well. In Linux though set a cron to reconnect every 30 minutes to switch servers as it speeds up DL's when peers block an IP.

Basically any VPN changes how you appear to remote devices by proxying your IP as theirs. The benefit over a proxy though is traffic is also encrypted so your ISP won't be skimming data for profit.