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Communications Connecting - internet cafes, laptops, smart phones - how to connect, use, which one, and intercom/radio systems.
Photo by Alessio Corradini, on the Salar de Uyuni, Bolivia, of two locals

I haven't been everywhere...
but it's on my list!


Photo by Alessio Corradini,
on the Salar de Uyuni, Bolivia,
of two locals



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  #1  
Old 5 Mar 2016
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Recommended VPN services

Quote:
Originally Posted by Neavey View Post
It's always a good idea to use a VPN when on public wifi, in which case Skype etc. should be fine.

That's of course until they start blocking VPNs.
I guess my earlier suggestion doesn't bypass the local telecomms monopoly company unless the internet connection happened to be via a satellite.

Do you have suggestions - best brand - from among the dozens of VPN services, many of them free?
(For an Op system, sometimes I am using Android, otherwise Win7 but gradually switching over to using Linux in place of Windows).
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  #2  
Old 5 Mar 2016
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I bought a lifetime subscription to TigerVPN on offer for about £30 so thats what I use and have no complaints. I have never tried using Skype from Morocco though :-). Best thing to do is try a few, like you say there are free ones, and if they work then great though they do tend to be restricted in some way.

If you then find yourself using the service a lot then you may consider it worth paying to remove any restrictions.
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  #3  
Old 5 Mar 2016
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Neavey View Post
I bought a lifetime subscription to TigerVPN on offer for about £30 so thats what I use and have no complaints. I have never tried using Skype from Morocco though :-). Best thing to do is try a few, like you say there are free ones, and if they work then great though they do tend to be restricted in some way.

If you then find yourself using the service a lot then you may consider it worth paying to remove any restrictions.
Thanks.

It's something I have looked at in the past and never bothered with.
FWIW and from my latest reading today, this is one of the many freebies that also provides a paid-for service.
https://www.hotspotshield.com/
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Old 5 Mar 2016
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Walkabout View Post
Thanks.

It's something I have looked at in the past and never bothered with.
FWIW and from my latest reading today, this is one of the many freebies that also provides a paid-for service.
https://www.hotspotshield.com/
So, the feedback is that the free version of hotspotshield is "supported" by adverts and some form of limited bandwidth, proving that there is no such thing as a free lunch.
I am now using their free trial full version which will revert to ads from tomorrow, so I am now invisible to the HUBB or something like that
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Old 5 Mar 2016
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I use privateinternetaccess.com, it's great. All my devices under one account, many endpoints to connect to and should bypass any traffic restrictions like this Skype ban.

I'd suggest to anyone that they should only ever touch the Internet via a VPN. Get more people to do the same. Its the first step in keeping it a free, unmonitored, unrestricted information path.
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  #6  
Old 5 Mar 2016
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I bought a 1 year subscription for ExpressVPN...I've got it installed on my Android phone and it works like a charm. Read many reviews before I paid up and ExpressVPN got top marks in terms of security and number of servers abroad you can hook up to.
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  #7  
Old 6 Mar 2016
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There is a lot of choice in the souk

This thread could well be in the communications sub-section which doesn't get a great deal of attention week to week.
- it's of wide application outside of the specific country of the OP.
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  #8  
Old 7 Mar 2016
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Recommended VPN services

See this thread:
http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...-telecom-86356
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  #9  
Old 7 Mar 2016
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I have used StrongVPN for many years, it has always worked for me in all sorts of out of the way places (Russia, India, Bangladesh, Morocco, etc.). Not the cheapest, but very reliable and easy to use / set up / switch servers, etc.

Michael
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Old 7 Mar 2016
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Chris Scott View Post
I've used Hotspot shield for all of two days - as per the reference thread.
It works fine, is easy to use - a simple interface - and it is free.
There is a paid version advertised on their website (for a couple $ per month or thereabouts) which does away with advertisements but so far I am still on the trial version which doesn't send adverts to me.
The free version is supposed to lack some of the bandwidth that the paid-for version has but I haven't noticed significant impact so far.
It provides access to servers in many countries; 20 I have just counted.

From memory, I don't think hotspot shield is compatible with Linux but it is supposed to be OK for Android systems as well as Windows.
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Last edited by Walkabout; 7 Mar 2016 at 10:59. Reason: 20 countries counted
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Old 7 Mar 2016
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Rafke View Post
Betternet is a free VPN service and works well at the moment to make VoIP calls from Morocco. First hand experience.

Cheers
Raf


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
So, this VPN is OK for the Apple OS.

There is a new thread in the comms section thanks to a mod.
http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...services-86393
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  #12  
Old 7 Mar 2016
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Walkabout View Post
I don't think hotspot shield is compatible with Linux
Top five VPN`s for Ubuntu Linux/Mint

BolehVPN looks to be a good choice out of that lot for Linux users.

Mezo.
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  #13  
Old 8 Mar 2016
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Mezo View Post
Top five VPN`s for Ubuntu Linux/Mint

BolehVPN looks to be a good choice out of that lot for Linux users.

Mezo.
Gracias.
At first glance it looks like a good technical article about Linux and I am experimenting with Ubuntu.
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  #14  
Old 10 Mar 2016
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Walkabout View Post
;
I've used Hotspot shield for all of two days - as per the reference thread.
It works fine, is easy to use - a simple interface - and it is free.
There is a paid version advertised on their website (for a couple $ per month or thereabouts) which does away with advertisements but so far I am still on the trial version which doesn't send adverts to me.
The free version is supposed to lack some of the bandwidth that the paid-for version has but I haven't noticed significant impact so far.
It provides access to servers in many countries; 20 I have just counted.

From memory, I don't think hotspot shield is compatible with Linux but it is supposed to be OK for Android systems as well as Windows.
As an update, my free trial "full" version expired and the VPN immediately stopped offering their service routing via a choice of some 20 countries.
I can now route only to their server based in the USA which makes me wonder what difference that makes for my current intended use - to be more secure when using public access wifi?

On the upside, I haven't noticed any intrusive adverts while I continue to test it on my own wifi.
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Old 14 Mar 2016
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Hi Walkabout

How you getting on with this? I have been on the same journey, having tried hotspotshield as it was recommended on one of the pcmag type sites.

The brief trial of the full kit seemed ok but the US only version is proving a PITA.

Most my cafe browsing is done in Starbucks (Uk) and i am struggling to get into many sites at all. Others (e.g. Bbc it wants to take me to the global rather than uk site). However most of the time im getting "Hmm, we can't reach this page".

I'm happy to pay for the full fat version but not sure if this will fix my issue.

Cheers
Andy
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