VPN's, internet security, and Chromebooks

[MrXxxx]

Hopefully some of you out there that are computer wizz-kids will be able to guide me here; complete Luddite.

I will be doing a bit of travelling and taking a laptop or Chromebook [see below]. I will be using WiFi everywhere and for everything,i.e. social, banking etc, and so have several questions:

1. How easy is it to set-up/use VPNs and are what are the disadvantages of using the free VPN's over the subscription ones?...any recommendations?

2. Although I have a small [12'] laptop it is old and so heavy/bulky compared to a Chromebook, so

a) is it worth buying a secondhand CB off Ebay for ~£50-£100 [don't want to spend much just in case it gets stolen], and recommendations?

b) what are the disadvantages of CB over 'normal' computers?

3. Finally, anything else computer security wise I should consider i.e. I have an access password set-up already but is there any other things for if the laptop was to get stolen.

Thanks

[A_P]

1. Easy if using VPN's softaware. A little more technical if using openvpn

yes there are advantages of using paid for service over free. mostly speed and a few other minor ones

No recommendations. Personally I think for most personal users they're a waste of time.

2.a Probably not if you're a tightfisted dosbods

b. it is a lightweight OS and has severe limitations. too many to list. If all you're doing is web-browsing and youtube it is fine. If you're concerned about security and want lightweight just buy the chromebook.

3. 2 factor authentication. Most other security like antivirus is a load of bollocks. Best practice is doing your own due diligence and not clicking on things/visiting dodgy websites etc. If you're worried about it getting stolen/lost don't put anything personal on the local drive.

[Option5]

I have a personal VPN set up at home on an ASUS router. I log in from anywhere and use it to avoid geolocation restrictions.

However it's not encrypted as I have no need for such security.

I also paid a tenner for a fixed IP address.

[MrXxxx]

14 minutes ago, A_P said:

Personally I think for most personal users they're a waste of time.

Can you expand on this, as I thought the whole bonus of VPN was to avoid criminals 'hacking' your system/computer whilst you were using open wifi systems.

Thanks for your other answers.

[A_P]

Just now, MrXxxx said:

Can you expand on this, as I thought the whole bonus of VPN was to avoid criminals 'hacking' your system/computer whilst you were using open wifi systems.

Thanks for your other answers.

Think of personal VPN's as the <2010 anti virus product. Mostly a high margin thin air product. The main USP is avoiding geolocation restrictions. That now has many issues since the massive uptick in VPN users. Then it is up for debate, how much protection you're really getting, whilst funneling your data through to a random foreign third party who promises not hold/sell/provide your data to anyone else. Do you really think a useful product has to be sold by youtubers at the start of every video?

What you're talking about is quite sophisticated and not for you to be concerned about imho. General sniffing/selling of your data when using free wifi services; If it is a concern hotspot of a mobile/sim card. and then well who cares really about the selling of data now? There is so much tracking going on now you can't stop it. Look at the majority of links posted on this website and they are full of tracking id's, users personal locations etc. But yeah lets pay £50 a year to protect ourselves...

You may benefit from doing what @Option5 does. However, given your usage, I suspect the best thing you can do is make sure you're definitely on the website you need to be on. That the connection (click on the shield in the address bar) is secure and belongs to the correct entity.

[A_P]

Oh and to add. I suspect nearly everyone who installs the standard VPN software will be leaking data. You ideally need to setup OpenVPN.

You can run a test like this https://www.dnsleaktest.com/

[nirvana]

On 01/06/2022 at 09:18, MrXxxx said:

I will be using WiFi everywhere and for everything

what sort of WiFi you using and are you staying in the UK?

easiest way if you're 'mobile' is just to set up a WiFi hotspot on your mobile phone and connect using that...you can get some good Redmi phones for not much which support 2 sims

try and get a cheap sim in whatever cuntry you're in......

I only use a VPN for torrents....and in the past I HAD to use it to say get to tpb.party or else I couldn't even connect, since fibre I can connect without a VPN.......you can use a DNS proxy instead

I still use it to try and hide my IP address cos I don't want the ISP cunts logging my info but they probs still do in any case

but probs I log a different IP to the rebels/scalliwags I'm sharing with lol

Bon voyage wherever you go!

PS oh yeah I have a couple of chromebooks that I hacked to run linux lol....getting a bit old now and one of em the sound doesn't work bummer, actually I might look see if I can get a newer CB for dirt cheap to hack instead

PPS this is hacking geezer your mate mrchromebox lol https://mrchromebox.tech/

Edited June 5 by nirvana

[Snake Plissken]

Arent chromebooks designed to be used wth internet connection as in not much is store locally on the computer ? If so, might not be the best choice for travelling. (i've not used one though so don't know how it actually works in practice)

 

[The XYY Man]

11 hours ago, nirvana said:

I only use a VPN for torrents....and in the past I HAD to use it to say get to tpb.party or else I couldn't even connect, since fibre I can connect without a VPN.......you can use a DNS proxy instead

I still use it to try and hide my IP address cos I don't want the ISP cunts logging my info but they probs still do in any case

Same for me. There was some legal case in the UK a while back which forced ISPs to block torrenting sites. That's when I started using a VPN.

Since getting full fibre to the house last August, I too can now visit the "planet's most resilient bittorrent site" without a VPN, despite my ISP being UK based.

The annoying thing is that when I download a file using a VPN I don't get much more speed than I used to with my BT broadband - but if I close the VPN once I've got the torrent link, it fucking flies down to my PC. 

 

XYY

[A_P]

From what I understand (and I don't know much), NZB's utilize SSL and obfuscation, subsequently, no need for VPN's, thus one would get full download speed. No need to upload any data either which could be where any issues arise?

[eek]

1 hour ago, The XYY Man said:

Same for me. There was some legal case in the UK a while back which forced ISPs to block torrenting sites. That's when I started using a VPN.

Since getting full fibre to the house last August, I too can now visit the "planet's most resilient bittorrent site" without a VPN, despite my ISP being UK based.

The annoying thing is that when I download a file using a VPN I don't get much more speed than I used to with my BT broadband - but if I close the VPN once I've got the torrent link, it fucking flies down to my PC. 

 

XYY

Take it you are on youfibre now?

[The XYY Man]

7 hours ago, eek said:

Take it you are on youfibre now?

Correct-a-mondo.

My internet is faster than a monkey running through fucking Hartlepool...!!!

 

XYY

[nirvana]

13 hours ago, The XYY Man said:

The annoying thing is that when I download a file using a VPN I don't get much more speed than I used to with my BT broadband - but if I close the VPN once I've got the torrent link, it fucking flies down to my PC

aye I've seen that too captain....I might have just bagged a 1gig connection for 10 yuros a month.....GET IN!!!

 

[MrXxxx]

On 05/06/2022 at 20:25, nirvana said:

what sort of WiFi you using and are you staying in the UK?

easiest way if you're 'mobile' is just to set up a WiFi hotspot on your mobile phone and connect using that...you can get some good Redmi phones for not much which support 2 sims

try and get a cheap sim in whatever cuntry you're in......

I only use a VPN for torrents....and in the past I HAD to use it to say get to tpb.party or else I couldn't even connect, since fibre I can connect without a VPN.......you can use a DNS proxy instead

I still use it to try and hide my IP address cos I don't want the ISP cunts logging my info but they probs still do in any case

but probs I log a different IP to the rebels/scalliwags I'm sharing with lol

Bon voyage wherever you go!

PS oh yeah I have a couple of chromebooks that I hacked to run linux lol....getting a bit old now and one of em the sound doesn't work bummer, actually I might look see if I can get a newer CB for dirt cheap to hack instead

PPS this is hacking geezer your mate mrchromebox lol https://mrchromebox.tech/

Most of that reads like a different language to me!...but thanks for the link, I will go and investigate.