Experiences with Nord and Express VPN's in Thailand

[Andy from Kent]

 

 

Anybody tried both?

 

What are yer thoughts about each and which do you think is better?

 

Can either get past geo blocking with banks and credit cards?

 

I'd like one that allows for exceeding the monthly limit of reading newspaper articles for some newspapers.     Does either Nord or Express allow for that?  

[markwhite]

I've been using ExpressVPN for a couple of years on a monthly plan with no complaints. I use TH or SG endpoint normally for speed, and NY, LA or London for getting around geo-blocking. Ping gets higher with the latter ones obviously, but they're all usable. Nord did have the security breach a while back and that's all I can say about them.

 

To exceed the monthly reading limit on sites you probably can clear cookies relating to that domain (and possibly others they use for tracking), or read them using a private browsing window/tab in your browser.

Edited March 30, 2020 by markwhite

[bungcheese]

I use Nord today, and have also used IP Vanish. Ive never used Express, so cannot speak to that product. As far as the banks are concerned, it depends on the bank. Some banks don't block VPNs while others do. I purchased a 3 year plan with Nord for about $100, so far so good. Nord really has the best pricing and the best VPN product as per the reviews. I am not sure what you mean about "monthly limit"? In general, Nord does not have any sort of limiter on anything.

[norfolkandchance]

I use Nord. No problems at all.

[Logosone]

I use Express VPN, excellent results, excellent service.

 

They resolve almost all problems when they occur.

[Andy from Kent]

6 minutes ago, bungcheese said:

I use Nord today, and have also used IP Vanish. Ive never used Express, so cannot speak to that product. As far as the banks are concerned, it depends on the bank. Some banks don't block VPNs while others do. I purchased a 3 year plan with Nord for about $100, so far so good. Nord really has the best pricing and the best VPN product as per the reviews. I am not sure what you mean about "monthly limit"? In general, Nord does not have any sort of limiter on anything.

 

Thanks  bung,

 

I enjoy reading newspapers from around the world and  look at NYT as well as Bloomburg.com.  and other financial sites that have reading limitations.  They do have monthly limits.    The limits I talk about are not from a VPN.

[Surelynot]

Used Express for 5 years. No problems.

[Andy from Kent]

28 minutes ago, markwhite said:

I've been using ExpressVPN for a couple of years on a monthly plan with no complaints. I use TH or SG endpoint normally for speed, and NY, LA or London for getting around geo-blocking. Ping gets higher with the latter ones obviously, but they're all usable. Nord did have the security breach a while back and that's all I can say about them.

 

To exceed the monthly reading limit on sites you probably can clear cookies relating to that domain (and possibly others they use for tracking), or read them using a private browsing window/tab in your browser.

 

Thanks mate,

Don't get me wrong, please, I do subscribe to a consolidator for newspapers so I hope I'm supporting the industry but I hardly have the dosh to subscribe to all of them.

 

I use a Mac and  the clearing of cookies and the cache  looks to also  possibly clear passwords and  "other things" that I would miss.

 

I thought using a VPN with  a purported minimal to none DNS leak would  allow easy continued access to those site I find limiting. 

[Andy from Kent]

28 minutes ago, norfolkandchance said:

I use Nord. No problems at all.

 

Thanks   mate,

I've used Reliable Hosting  and can say  I have really not had problems but  I also know  by  test they have  a genuine  DNS  leak that is not OK for me.

 

Thanks for the vote for Nord.

[KhunBENQ]

Using NordVPN for about one year now.

Works well, does the jobs for me that I need.

Just connected to a US server and ran both DNS leak tests with this site:

https://www.dnsleaktest.com/

 

No leak found.

The only server found is the one that I am connected (right now) from "Total Server Solutions L.L.C.".

 

 

Edited March 30, 2020 by KhunBENQ

[Andy from Kent]

Just now, KhunBENQ said:

Using NordVPN for about one year now.

Works well, does the jobs for me that I need.

Just connected to a US server and ran both DNS leak tests with this site:

https://www.dnsleaktest.com/

 

No leak found.

The only server found is from "Total Server Solutions L.L.C." which is the one that I am connected (right now).

 

 

 

 

Thanks mate,

 

That sounds like boots on the ground intel.

 

Did you ever try ExpressVPN in the past?

[KhunBENQ]

4 minutes ago, Andy from Kent said:

Did you ever try ExpressVPN in the past?

No. Just seen a few #1 tests/reviews.

But I have no need to spend more than for NordVPN.

 

For years I had used CyberGhost but was unhappy with speed.

A short episode with PureVPN which is considered "suspicious" by some reviewers.

Edited March 30, 2020 by KhunBENQ

[Andy from Kent]

1 minute ago, KhunBENQ said:

No. Just seen a few #1 test reviews.

But I have no need to spend more than for NordVPN.

 

For years I had used CyberGhost but was unhappy with speed.

A short episode with PureVPN which is considered "suspicious" by some reviewers.

 

 

Thanks mate.

[sandrabbit]

Not quite what you're asking for but give Epic browser a try, it has a built in free vpn and I use it to watch UK tv plus for internet banking if I want to be really secure. Epic also claims to be the most secure browser on the market so give it a try as it's 100% free. Obviously only the browser pages are going through a vpn not any programs but I did use Identity Cloaker for a number of years and that was successful in bypassing censorship in China, Egypt & Iran, only stopped using it through retirement.

 

ps it's compatible with 90 day reporting.

Edited March 30, 2020 by sandrabbit
ps

[tweedledee2]

I don't believe there is a VPN that will allow free access to online paid subscription services such as newspapers, magazines and streaming services. 

[Mutt Daeng]

I've used StrongVPN, HideMyAss and now use NordVPN. Got a good 3 year deal (70% off I think) and also bought subscription via Quidco.co.uk and earned £55 cashback. I get good speeds and geoblock restrictions removed for BBC iPlayer etc and are P2P friendly. They don't keep logs and being based in Panama, are outside of the "14 eyes"  jurisdiction. Well worth a look IMHO.

Edited March 31, 2020 by Mutt Daeng

[Langsuan Man]

I am currently using Express VPN since it allows me to pick a city near my US residence, thus allowing me to view geographically restricted media

 

Used Tunnel Bear for free for years and if you only need occasional VPN for banking or other restricted sites it worked fine.  They give you 500 MB free per month but you can make as many accounts as you have email addresses  

[marquess]

I have been using NordVPN for 3 years now. A great service, allows up to six devices to be connected at the same time and to different servers. Excellent speeds, so much so that I always browse behind a VPN. Help desk is pretty good too. I was with StrongVPN for 9 years prior, have found Nord to be far superior.

[Pilotman]

Express VPN works well for me, use it every day and it never lets me down. Can run two simultaneous movies on it, no problem. 

[stouricks]

Had Express for 15 months @ $99 which expired last month and they asked for $100 for 12 months, so thought I would give Nord a go @ $125 for 37 months. I use it mainly for UK telly and so that my boys in Dubai can keep contact. After one week I realised that Nord was not as reliable as Express so got my refund from them, got Express with a different email so was a new customer @ $99 for 15 months. All back to normal, no problems. The user interface for Express is much better as you can put bookmarks on the page. OK, back to the Beeb!

Tried UK Expat VPN $ 6 a month...useless.

[Andy from Kent]

40 minutes ago, Langsuan Man said:

I am currently using Express VPN since it allows me to pick a city near my US residence, thus allowing me to view geographically restricted media

 

Used Tunnel Bear for free for years and if you only need occasional VPN for banking or other restricted sites it worked fine.  They give you 500 MB free per month but you can make as many accounts as you have email addresses  

 

 

Overall great info, mates.     Thanks you.

Langsuan Man, you passed on yer good idea of using a pay  VPN  and having another free one as a secondary go to site.  Well done.

[MJCM]

On 3/30/2020 at 1:46 PM, KhunBENQ said:

Using NordVPN for about one year now.

Works well, does the jobs for me that I need.

Just connected to a US server and ran both DNS leak tests with this site:

https://www.dnsleaktest.com/

 

No leak found.

The only server found is the one that I am connected (right now) from "Total Server Solutions L.L.C.".

 

 

+1

 

NordVPN user here as well, even has a simple to use Firefox add-on script.

 

Use that site, @KhunBENQ linked to all the time and never had an issue of it discovering multiple DNS servers.

 

What also is important to disable WebRtc

 

Read more here: https://www.vpnunlimitedapp.com/blog/how-to-disable-webrtc-in-chrome-and-other-browsers/

[prism]

I've used Express VPN and it has the best speeds for streaming. You'll have to hunt through their USA IP addresses to find one that's not blacklisted. Great service and easy set up.  

[Andy from Kent]

2 hours ago, prism said:

I've used Express VPN and it has the best speeds for streaming. You'll have to hunt through their USA IP addresses to find one that's not blacklisted. Great service and easy set up.  

 

Thank you mate.     I went ahead with the Express option and all seems fine but Firefox which times out trying to load.    Have you experienced that?

 

And if possible,  would you please take a moment  and try a gold standard of a test and see if you can load the site in the USA  called www.giftcard.com.    I'm starting to think no VPN can get past their VPN detection block.     

[Langsuan Man]

1 hour ago, Andy from Kent said:

 

Thank you mate.     I went ahead with the Express option and all seems fine but Firefox which times out trying to load.    Have you experienced that?

 

And if possible,  would you please take a moment  and try a gold standard of a test and see if you can load the site in the USA  called www.giftcard.com.    I'm starting to think no VPN can get past their VPN detection block.     

Got it with Express VPN 4/1/2020 12:20 PM

 

 

[Sambora]

Hello everyone,

 

ExpressVPN recently replaced their physical Thailand server with a virtual one - not good. Previously, the physical server was hosted by TOT but now it’s „Security Firewall Ltd.“. There’s also an updated blog post now showing Thailand as a virtual location Link

 

What I would really like to know is the speed you guys are getting on the NordVPN servers. I am on a 100/50Mbit connection and most Thailand servers only deliver a throughout in the single digits according to speedtest, regardless of the device or protocol being used. The fastest servers seem to be Thailand #10 and #11 where I reach around 50% of my baseline speed.

 

 

Edited April 5, 2020 by Sambora

[Pib]

I've had ExpressVPN now for about three weeks and PureVPN for several years.  Both work fine for streaming, bank logons, etc., where you want to have an IP address for a certain country.    Express is significantly faster (at least double most times) than Pure from Thailand to the US....but Pure is still plenty fast enough.  Like I can get around 150-200Mb VPN speeds to the US on Windows and around 50-100Mb on Pure.  Now on my "Android" phones Express is much faster than Pure....like 10-12 times fast.  Where I might get only around 10-15Mb with Pure, I get 100-120Mb with Express from Thailand to the US

 

Now Express costs significantly more than most all VPNs.  Like on my Pure plan I'm paying just a hair over $1/month on a 5 year plan for a plan I got several years ago....but they still have similar plans today.  Express does not offer long term plans like 2 or more years.  However, Express's current 1 year plan does provide an additional three months free for the first year only making the first year cost to $6.67/month...but after the first year it's back to  $8.33/month for 12 months.

 

Now the ExpressVPN Windows app does have some problems.  Like currently if using the IKeV2 protocol the Express Windows app can/will delete your DNS server settings after disconnecting from the VPN connection.  It does on all three of my computers.   Like if you had Google and/or Cloudflare DNS servers set in your Windows IPv4 settings an Express Windows app IKeV2 connection will delete them once you disconnect from the VPN connection.  This does not happen if using the Express UDP, TCP, or L2TP protocol.  I prefer using IKEV2 on Windows because it provides significantly faster speed than UDP/TCP/L2TP...at least on my Windows computers.  Express technical support confirmed with me this week they are aware of the Express Windows app DNS deletion problem when using IKEV2 protocol.  I also can not connect to my wireless printer during a Express VPN connection using any VPN protocol unless deactivating the Internet Kill Switch within the app....once again, Express is supposedly working this problem affecting some wireless printer connections.  I have neither of these problems with my PureVPN Windows app or when not using any VPN app/connection.  Summary: the ExpressVPN app does have it's problems but most people will not notice the problems like if they use the Automatic protocol setting which will almost always selects UDP or TCP for a VPN connection vs IKEV2 or L2TP.  And I expect few people use wireless printers.

 

Anyway, Express is fast from Thailand...but Express is expensive compared to most all other VPNs.

 

 

Edited April 5, 2020 by Pib

[Langsuan Man]

Here are my speeds just done now using Express and I see no degradation of signal:

 

[Pib]

 

With ExpressVPN Connection to Same Seattle Wowrack Speedtest server as LSM used above.  I'm on an AIS Fibre 700/50 plan. 

 

And now with a PureVPN Connection

[simitaktas]

I've used ExpressVPN, Tunnelbear, PureVPN and Surfshark. All work great but some are expensive some are cheap. The best value is given by PureVPN and Surfshark in terms of money and service. PureVPN currently has a discount and a 7-day trial as well.