VPN provider recommendations?

[Ray Tackett]

I had been a happy customer of Nordvpn for years. Now, they've started pushing ads through their software. I find that unacceptable in any paid-for software product. In a privacy-oriented product, such as a VPN, it is egregious.

I would appreciate recommendations for another VPN provider, one which works on Windows, Linux, iPadOS, and iOS. Thanks.

P.S. Adware is why I have not gone beyond Windows 7, and have mostly migrated to Linux.

[Russell Holton]

No recommendation, but I remember reading about Mullvad VPN. When the Swedish police raided them, they left empty handed. It turns out that they were serious about not collecting user information.

[Terry Carraway]

I use Express VPN. I had been using Strong VPN on the advice of one of our IT folks. But when I was in China, there were issues. All the locals told me the Express stays ahead of the Chinese gov.

I use it on Win machines, plus iOS phone and tablet. Don.t know about Linux.

[Bill Bridges]

I use Proton.

[Stephanie Belser]

I use Proton.

I like it enough that I might unhinge my wallet and pay for it.

[Russell Holton]

I think a good question is what is the usage case. Typically the only need is when using public/hotel Wi-Fi because you don't know who is listening in. Likewise when traveling abroad since you don't know who is listening in. VPN is a trade off between better security on the local network and routing all your traffic though your VPN provider. It's a question of who is more trustworthy.

That and trying to fool websites (like Netflix) on what country you're in.

Anyone using a work VPN needs to be aware that some systems will only VPN traffic going to the workplace. All other traffic goes "local" even when the work VPN is active.

[Ray Tackett]

Thanks, all. I've signed up with Proton, and have it working on all platforms, though I had to resort to a non-Proton website to get installed on Ubuntu Linux.

Russell, My usage cases are public wifi and laptop through tethered iPhone*. Also, some Google facilities do not like the fact that I have DNS-blocked theiranalytics, doubleclick, etc. Via the VPN exit point's DNS, I don't care so much what Google sees. It is seen only once.

*I ride Amtrak a good bit. Their wifi is very slow, arbitrarily censors some innocuous websites, and forbids VPN. It also cuts in and out, and logs me off every few minutes. In the NE Corridor, my own phone is a much better internet connection. I use VPN just because it's none of the telco's business what I do when on my unlimited data plan. It also stifles wifi packet sniffing if some clown on the train has Wireshark or some such.

That all may seem overly paranoid, but I was once a very well-paid data paranoiac

[Russell Holton]

Ok, just checking assumptions. I've seen some claims of magical security powers regarding VPNs. I had to show our security person that our work VPN system wasn't protecting traveling admins as it only took the office-bound traffic and not the whole internet connection.