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Using a VPN to Watch Netflix

Activists rely on VPN services to change their IP addresses and spoof their online activity to get around government censors. Regular people can use VPN services to encrypt sensitive online activity while connected to unknown Wi-Fi networks to foil ad tracking and to spoof their location. This last point means that, in some cases, you can enjoy region-locked content.

What do I mean by region-locked? The Netflix we know here in the US isn't the same Netflix that people in other countries see. Overseas, Netflix subscribers can see HBO shows, and major hit films on the streaming service that don't show up within these United States. That's because Netflix has specific deals to distribute this content in different areas.

Netflix isn't the only service that can be tricked. The BBC and the MLB have different streaming arrangements for different regions. There are numerous others.

It's certainly fun to feel like you're getting away with something when using a VPN to gain access to restricted content, but don't complain if you get caught violating a company's terms of service in the process. Just because you have a Netflix account does not mean you have a legal right to access Netflix content in another country. In fact, using a VPN to watch Netflix has become much harder as of late, because many VPN services render region-locked streaming sites inaccessible, and because the streaming services are fighting back against the VPN services that don't.

Using BitTorrent or P2P on VPN

Let me say two things upfront: I am very well aware that there is nothing inherently immoral or illegal about downloading files through BitTorrent or peer-to-peer (P2P) services. That said, I also acknowledge that (like it or not) exchanging copyrighted material over these services is generally a breach of copyright law.

As a consequence, many companies ban or tightly restrict the use of BitTorrent and P2P services when connected to their VPN servers. For one thing, these services can put a strain on the company's resources. For another, it can put them into awkward legal situations. But people are attracted to the idea because of the privacy protections and location-spoofing VPNs can provide.

Before using a VPN for torrenting, it's a good idea to look through the VPN company's terms of service or FAQ to discover what its policy is for this kind of downloading activity. Be sure to read carefully, because violating the VPN company's terms of service may result in you being banned from its use. In some cases, VPN companies may only allow BitTorrent or P2P on specific servers.

Paid VPN Versus Free VPN

Free VPN services generally fall into one of two camps: ad-supported or restricted bandwidth. Spotflux is one service that uses the ad-supported model, which can be convenient because it doesn't limit your downloading or video streaming. Hotspot Shield also uses ads to make its free version pay, but it goes further by restricting the number of servers you can access with a free account. That's not a deal breaker if you don't need a VPN to spoof a specific location.

Others, such as Steganos Online Shield, place a monthly cap on network bandwidth. Steganos has a limit of 500MB of traffic per month, which is not unusual for services that use bandwidth caps. TunnelBear, a popular and snazzy VPN service, will give you an additional 500MB per month (a total of 1GB per month) when you Tweet about the company. It's an easy way to double your bandwidth each month. Heavy downloaders and video streamers will likely struggle with these plans.

Performance is an important consideration when choosing your VPN service, especially when you're looking at free tools. CyberGhost, for example, has a free version which is ad supported and also restricts performance. Other services may restrict how many devices you can connect at a time on the free version, as is the case for TorVPN.

Also, be sure to note the difference between money-back guarantees, free trials, and truly free software. Most VPN services offer some sort of refund period, but HideIPVPN offers just a seven-day free trial of its product.

NordVPN also offers a free trial of its product, but it lasts for only three days and is rather difficult to find and activate. That's the same as Golden Frog VyprVPN.

VPN technology has become far more accessible in recent years, but there are still some products that will appeal primarily to geeks and those comfortable with less-than-user-friendly experiences. VPNBook, for example, is a free service quite different from the competition. It simply lists available VPN servers, leaving you to figure out the rest. It is completely free, but likely to be a challenge for new users.

Browser-Based VPN

One recent innovation in free VPNs is offering browser plug-in for free. AnchorFree Hotspot Elite Shield offers plug-ins for both Chrome and Firefox and using them is completely free. The Firefox plug-in is offered without any restrictions whatsoever, but the free Chrome plug-in can't connect to either US or UK VPN servers. Still, it's a very good deal.

Similar to Hotspot Elite Shield, Opera now offers a free VPN integrated directly into its web browser. I was pleasantly surprised to find that this VPN service, while limited in the number of servers it offers, provided remarkably good speeds. It's an excellent and user-friendly choice.

One word of caution about the Opera VPN and VPN browser plug-ins in general is that they offer only limited protection. They can only protect data from your browser, any other information broadcast from your computer over the internet won't have VPN protection. That's fine for most people, but it's important to understand the limitations of any technology.

Trust and Technology

As is the case with most encryption technology, verifying the efficacy of a particular VPN's security is very difficult. True, I could monitor traffic to confirm that it's encrypted, but that really doesn't tell us much. If, for example, the fundamental execution of the encryption scheme is flawed (either in how it is set up or how the math works) there would be almost no way to know it. I rely on many companies to act in good faith, and third-party researchers to ferret out the companies that don't.

In general, I prefer providers that use OpenVPN—it's a tested standard, and it's a lot better than the common (and older) PPTP. If PPTP is the only option, or you can't figure out which protocol the VPN uses, that's reason for concern. I also look over the service's terms, conditions, and privacy policy. It's a good way to find out what, if any, information the service collects. Ideally, a VPN company should say that they do not collect any logs on user activity. Make note of where the company is located, too, as location can dictate data retention laws.

VPN Service for Your Needs

There is plenty of variation even among free VPN services, so it's a good idea to try a few and figure out which one you like best. A great VPN service should be easy to use and understand, and shouldn't throw up too many barriers, even when you're using free software. Regardless of your choice, the important thing to understand is that you need a VPN. It's a simple way to make your personal information much safer.