VPN for free -- and decent recommendations? 3

[manhunter2826]

Hello, could u folks here please recommend a freeware VPN - something tried and trusted? I need it to work in the UK and with online banking etc for safety when using wi-fi from a public hotspot. Thank u everyone, as always.

 

[fisheromacse]

i have heard good thing sabout OpenVPN.

http://openvpn.net/

but have no experience personally with it.

 

[Noway2]

I have used open VPN with both Linux and Windows. In my opinion, it was easy to setup and works very well, both in terms of its performance and its reliability.

My one complaint with it, is that it uses a form of pseudo DHCP instead of establishing a connection with your regular DHCP. I am using (lan) dynamic DNS and this creates complications for resolving LAN hosts to which it is attached. Getting it to see other hosts, beyond the connected server is also difficult, but may be easier with Windows than it is with Linux.

 

[manhunter2826]

Thanks both, stars for both. any other alternative suggestions perhaps?

 

[GlenJohnson]

TightVNC is by far the best. You can have more than one person accessing the same computer. I've installed it on servers, and while I was in one town logged on using it on a server in Chicago, a friend in Peurto Rico logged on to the same server. We opened a version of notepad on the server, and typed to each other on it, and worked on the server using tightvnc at the same time. Great software. Good luck.

Be civil to all; sociable to many; familiar with few; friend to one; enemy to none.
Benjamin Franklin

 

[DKHM2]

Windows 7 Professional is meant to be used with Windows Server 2008's VPN in a corporate setting. So I'm confused why you're asking for an additional solution.

If this is a small business, then it's worth it to get the Server license(s) you need. And really it's not much more complicated to manage a server than a workstation, as long as you respect its needs. In the long run, it will be cheaper to spend the money and get the real solution than it will be to try and cobble together a kludge.

If you're just doing this for flexibility in your home computing, then OK, but it's still not advisable to use freeware security software and expect actual security while doing something dangerous like online banking at a public wifi hotspot. It depends how risk-averse you are. If you do go that route, I would advise you to protect your credit in all the normal ways.

 

[Sympology]

DKHM2

I've never heard such utter rubbish in my life!

but it's still not advisable to use freeware security software and expect actual security while doing something dangerous like online banking

So you'd rule out using Linux then? Or the Apache web servers that you banking site is likely to run on?

And where does he say he is connecting to a 2008 server?
You say a 2K8 server license + server is not much more expensive than a cheap 2nd box running Unbunut + Open VPn. Get real.

oh btw, I hardly use Linux, but I know rubbish when I see it.

Robert Wilensky:
We've all heard that a million monkeys banging on a million typewriters will eventually reproduce the entire works of Shakespeare. Now, thanks to the Internet, we know this is not true.

 

[donb01]

If you are asking about VPN between your own server and your remote solution I don't have any comments, although I have TightVNC on my own server and find it works great to give me a login screen like I was sitting at my server, but does not give me the kind of "VPN" like I have at work where I connect with the Cisco VPN client and then I can access any server or IP address on our network that is configured in my profile - just like I was in the office.

If you are merely trying to secure your connection through the public hotspot then I would recommend going to

http://www.hotspotshield.com

and downloading their app. That will give you a secure browsing session through the hotspot using hotspotshield's VPN. I find it also makes an awesome tool for those working in companies who have website filtering on their networks - you simply run the client and it takes you "off" your company's network and puts you on a virtual network that uses different DNS servers and gives you access to all your favorite shopping and social networking sites.... It does stop me from getting my outlook mail and accessing any company resources while I'm connected to their VPN, but I usually just pop on, get what I need and get back off.

 

[DKHM2]

Online banking has to be safe, therefore it's mission critical. Mission critical means that you do have recourse if something goes wrong. You have support, you have somebody to turn to and who takes responsiblity if things go wrong. Freeware VPN software makers aren't going to go to bat for you if something goes wrong. Or am I wrong? Show me I'm wrong. Show me one Freeware VPN software maker who will:

1. Answer the phone 24/7.
2. Take responsibility for flaws in their software that allowed your data to be stolen or misused.
3. Provide constant and regular updates.
4. Help you to decide what to do next in a bad situation.

If you've never had your banking info stolen, maybe you don't know that if something happens and online cybercrime does bite you, then:

1. Police officers are out of their depth.
2. Jurisdiction issues prevent capture of most internet criminals.
3. You can put in report after report, and you will, but getting results will be tricky.

How much help will your freeware VPN provider be in this situation? Often the software company or the bank's internal security will be the most helpful to you, because they have the big picture that law enforcement lacks.

@sympology
Like I said, if you don't have the experience, like me, you don't see the danger until it's too late. Trust your freeware if you want to. But don't flame me because you love some server platform you don't use. That's just a religious war you're trying to start. The real rubbish was that you were trying to pick a fight that had nothing to do with the issue under discussion.

Re-read my post and you'll see that I was saying the problem was that maybe they were NOT using Server 2008. Which, has a builtin VPN solution that is easy to use and robust, and fully supported.

 

[DKHM2]

So just as one example, from the terms of service in Hotspotshield, which is a perfectly fine company for all uses that are not mission critical:

"14.2 "As is" and "As available" and "With All Faults". YOU EXPRESSLY AGREE THAT USE OF THE SERVICE AND HOTSPOT SHIELD SOFTWARE IS AT YOUR SOLE RISK. THE SERVICE, HOTSPOT SHIELD SOFTWARE AND ANY DATA, INFORMATION, THIRD-PARTY HOTSPOT SHIELD SOFTWARE, SERVICES, OR APPLICATIONS MADE AVAILABLE IN CONJUNCTION WITH OR THROUGH THE SERVICE ARE PROVIDED ON AN "AS IS" AND "AS AVAILABLE", "WITH ALL FAULTS" BASIS AND WITH NO ASSURANCES THAT THE HOTSPOT SHIELD SOFTWARE OR SERVICE WILL WITHSTAND ATTEMPTS TO EVADE SECURITY MECHANISMS OR THAT THERE WILL BE NO CRACKS, BUGS, DISABLEMENTS OR OTHER CIRCUMVENTION. ANCHORFREE, ITS SUPPLIERS, LICENSORS, AFFILIATES, AND PARTNERS DO NOT WARRANT THAT THE SERVICE WILL BE UNINTERRUPTED OR FREE OF ERRORS, VIRUSES OR OTHER HARMFUL COMPONENTS AND DO NOT WARRANT THAT ANY OF THE FOREGOING WILL BE CORRECTED."

Again, all uses of this type of software is perfectly valid and fine. Except when you're talking about online banking. For that, just wait until you get home. Or find an ATM. Seriously is it that hard?

 

[strongm]

>TightVNC

VNC (in any of its variants) is not a VPN

>online banking

Why on earth would I be using a VPN to do online banking? I'd be using a browser. Or are you suggesting that no-one should be using any of the free browsers that are available for Windows - you know, IE, Firefox, Chrome, Opera ... ?

>Windows 7 Professional is meant to be used with Windows Server 2008's VPN in a corporate setting

This is just nonsense. On what do you base this statement? The fact that Windows 7 Pro happens to include the necessary client software out of the box? Heck, it includes Wordpad - so clearly we are meant to use that as our wordprocessor rather than any alternative product.

>it's still not advisable to use freeware security software and expect actual security

There is plenty of freeware security software that has been tested to destruction by the security community. And plenty of paid-for security products that have not.

As for your quoted disclaimer, this is pretty standard, and similar disclaimers exist on well-respected commercial software, eg:

THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS" AND XxXxxx MAKES NO WARRANTY AS TO ITS USE OR PERFORMANCE. EXCEPT FOR ANY WARRANTY, CONDITION, REPRESENTATION OR TERM THE EXTENT TO WHICH CANNOT BE EXCLUDED OR LIMITED BY APPLICABLE LAW, XxXxxx, ITS SUPPLIERS, AND AUTHORIZED PARTNERS MAKE NO WARRANTY, CONDITION, REPRESENTATION, OR TERM (EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, WHETHER BY STATUTE, COMMON LAW, CUSTOM, USAGE OR OTHERWISE) AS TO ANY MATTER INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, NONINFRINGEMENT OF THIRD PARTY RIGHTS, MERCHANTABILITY, SATISFACTORY QUALITY, INTEGRATION, OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. YOU ASSUME RESPONSIBILITY FOR SELECTING THE SOFTWARE TO ACHIEVE YOUR INTENDED RESULTS, AND FOR THE INSTALLATION OF, USE OF, AND RESULTS OBTAINED FROM THE SOFTWARE. WITHOUT LIMITING THE FOREGOING PROVISIONS, XxXxxx MAKES NO WARRANTY THAT THE SOFTWARE WILL PROTECT AGAINST ALL POSSIBLE THREATS OR BE ERROR-FREE OR FREE FROM INTERRUPTIONS OR OTHER FAILURES OR THAT THE SOFTWARE WILL MEET YOUR REQUIREMENTS.

 

[ken07734]

Bottom Line:

If you are looking for security in any type of software product and require support and a guarantee, then you should be looking towards a known trusted provider not freeware or something you downloaded for free.


Just my two-cents....

 

[kjv1611]

If you want to be able to control your own computer via VNC or RDP, and sync files remotely, all over VPN , then Gbridge is a great FREE tool to use - if you're using Windows. I don't think (that I remember) they have a version for Linux.

I've been using Gbridge for >= 1 year.

But for strictly a VPN for using in hotspots, as the OP asked, I'd try what donb01 suggested,

http://www.hotspotshield.com.

I'll try to remember that, myself, when I'm at home, so that I can take a closer look at it, and see about putting it on my laptop for any time I might get online away from home. Thankfully, so far, for me, that's been pretty rare.