VPN service expats use in Thailand

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

20 minutes ago, Iamloki said:

 The following is from Google: Yes. You can put a VPN on your smart TV – if the manufacturer and operating system are right. If your smart TV has an app store that features VPN apps, it'll be really easy to set up. In other circumstances, you might need to put in some extra work, like setting up a VPN on a router.

I use both Amazon Fire TV and Android TV streaming devices at home.

 

These days, even Amazon's app store has VPN apps from most of the major VPN providers... And the few that Amazon might not have are certainly available directly from the Google Play Store...and likely can be sideloaded as well onto Amazon Fire devices.

 

I think what the above Google comment is getting at is that some individual television manufacturers (as opposed to streaming device makers) have their own company-specific app stores that often are very limited and often have relatively out of date apps, because the TV manufacturers aren't focused on keeping them up to date....

 

That's a good reason to avoid relying on TV manufacturers that insist on using their own app stores instead of either Amazon or Google.

 

 

[likerdup1]

Amazon AWS ssh socks 5

[advancebooking]

Mullvard for sure. Pay with bitcoin. 100% anonymous. They dont want your email address or anything. 

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

11 hours ago, Pilot3Boz said:

Been using StrongVPN for 9 years with a VPN router for the house na clients on my iPhone and iPads, upgraded to their VPN accelerator last year with a ASUS mesh router setup..

 

I have other VPN providers I find to be more effective for the things I want to do...including because Strong is based in the U.S. and subject to more intrusive data laws there.

 

But, I keep a Strong subscription because, when I originally signed up with them, customers got essentially a free subscription to the Cloud backup service SugarSync covering 250 GB of content at no extra price. Strong and SS are owned by the same parent company.

 

But I checked today, and all mention of SugarSync is now gone from the Strong website... And customer service, in chat, told me they're continuing that past SS benefit for continuing Strong customers, but no longer are offering it for new Strong subscribers....  ????

 

 

 

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

7 hours ago, RocketDog said:

I used Express VPN for 15 years but moved to Trust.Zone because express changes the IP address so often

That also can be an issue with some streaming services, which when you sign up, they note your original IP address and its geolocation... And then down the road, if you change the IP address and/or location too many times, it can create problems.

 

Hulu with Live TV from the U.S., for example, only will allow 4 IP address changes on your account per year... And after that, they'll only allow you to use their service with the last and final of the 4 IPs you registered on their system. And at that point, you're locked out of being able to use their service with any other IPs for the rest of the year.

 

[liddelljohn]

i have windscribe its OK   ,, was using NORD  but it was too slow

[Soondae]

I subscribe to two different services on account my need for DNS in use on my Apple TV box. For my IOS devices (iPad and iPhone) the Express VPN APP is great. I use it while walking in the mornings to listen to my San Francisco radio talk shows that I wouldn't be allowed to listen to without the VPN. Express VPN also offers a Media Streamer DNS which works well but isn't configurable for use with other than USA services such as Hulu, Sling and Fubo TV.

 

For a better DNS which is fully configurable for different country services I recommend "Getflix" an Australian company. They have numerous channels that you can configure for various country streaming services much more flexible than Express's DNS service. Also much less expensive, they offer VPN as part of the package as well though I haven't had as much success with their VPN APP on IOS devices.

[Soondae]

55 minutes ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

That also can be an issue with some streaming services, which when you sign up, they note your original IP address and its geolocation... And then down the road, if you change the IP address and/or location too many times, it can create problems.

 

Hulu with Live TV from the U.S., for example, only will allow 4 IP address changes on your account per year... And after that, they'll only allow you to use their service with the last and final of the 4 IPs you registered on their system. And at that point, you're locked out of being able to use their service with any other IPs for the rest of the year.

 

Yes I ran into that issue with Hulu Live TV, it wasn't on account of my DNS IP changing using Express VPN's media streamer service, but was on account I was on the move alot that year so I dumped them for Fubo TV which I really like but it is more expensive.

[10years]

For what it’s worth, Microsoft Edge now comes with, not only AI, but also its own VPN baked in. No need to set it up or find a server to connect to. All you need to do is turn the feature on.

 

It has 2 modes. One is for only those select websites that you designate in advance. The other is for optimized coverage. I found that I couldn’t get through to a website blocked by the government while using the optimized mode but had no problem accessing the website using the select site mode. So I change from optimized mode to select mode when viewing that website, then change back to general protection when I’m finished.

 

Note that the optimized mode routes video and streaming content outside of the secure network due to the data limit of 5GB/mo.

[NanLaew]

11 hours ago, Digitalbanana said:

Just looking at today's VPN prices at one provider.. an example below where the first 25 months are half the price it seems.

 

* So are people opening new accounts every 25 months to avoid the doubling of fees by simply extending? Whats the business model here, why would VPN companies expect people to pay more for being a loyal customer and extending membership?

 

 

Their business model is based on the premise that most subscribers are on auto-renew and are either too busy, inattentive or mostly satisfied and aren't shopping around.

 

My consumer model is to never use auto-renew and let the subscription get into "11th-hour" status or even lapsed, whereupon they email a heavily discounted annual renewal offer that I accept (still declining auto-renew).

[Mutt Daeng]

2 hours ago, NanLaew said:

Their business model is based on the premise that most subscribers are on auto-renew and are either too busy, inattentive or mostly satisfied and aren't shopping around.

 

My consumer model is to never use auto-renew and let the subscription get into "11th-hour" status or even lapsed, whereupon they email a heavily discounted annual renewal offer that I accept (still declining auto-renew).

I have the same policy as you. I always disable auto-renew. Easy enough to add a reminder in your diary a couple of weeks before the product expires, giving plenty of time to find the best deal available.

[RocketDog]

9 hours ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

That also can be an issue with some streaming services, which when you sign up, they note your original IP address and its geolocation... And then down the road, if you change the IP address and/or location too many times, it can create problems.

 

Hulu with Live TV from the U.S., for example, only will allow 4 IP address changes on your account per year... And after that, they'll only allow you to use their service with the last and final of the 4 IPs you registered on their system. And at that point, you're locked out of being able to use their service with any other IPs for the rest of the year.

 

Ah. Thanks for that info. Trust.Zone has an option, at a small fee I think, to get a permanent OP, but I don't like that idea either.

I use a 'manual' steaming service. From tracker to torrent to memory stick to TV. TV disconnected from internet completely.

 

I know, I'm a tin foil hat guy who values his privacy. I can live with that moniker. I have done all I can to virtually disappear from the web.

[recom273]

11 hours ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

Dunno about that... One of the disadvantages of various "Smart DNS" services is that they'll only work with the specific streaming services/providers enabled/configured by that DNS provider...

 

Whereas with a traditional VPN, which gives you an IP address in a particular geo-location, that's going to be recognized as being there by ANY and ALL providers a person might use, regardless.

 

Idk, a few guys I know use them, but they are solely connecting to UK servers. I think @xylophone picked up on a previous comment I made and seems happy with I think, https://dns4me.net - They aren’t for everyone, I’m not interested because they seem systemwide, I’m not interested in going into the router settings everytime I want to change location. 
 

Couldnt agree more with you regarding your comment on free VPN, posters need to catch a wake up, up to them if they want to use them or not but do plenty of research first.
 

11 hours ago, SingAPorn said:

Ok thanks for the feedback. So Nord seems the best alternative. So you need to pass through a computer to watch TV via a VPN ? Or can a smartTV directly connect via VPN ?

The easiest method seems to be to install the “helper” app on your smart tv or android box, and just change the server when you need to change country. I had the surfshark app on my firetv and it would auto start into UK server every power up so I could watch iplayer. 

[Digitalbanana]

5 hours ago, NanLaew said:

Their business model is based on the premise that most subscribers are on auto-renew and are either too busy, inattentive or mostly satisfied and aren't shopping around.

 

My consumer model is to never use auto-renew and let the subscription get into "11th-hour" status or even lapsed, whereupon they email a heavily discounted annual renewal offer that I accept (still declining auto-renew).

Agreed. I posted this question on the official Reddit VPN forum and the question got banned.

 

>>Sorry, this post has been removed by the moderators of r/(insert name of your favorite VPN service company here).
>>Moderators remove posts from feeds for a variety of reasons, including keeping communities safe, civil, and true to their purpose.

 

I was simply asking what I asked here? Prices are only 3$ / month for first 25 months then move to 8$ if you extend each year. I prefer to re-sign with a new email account to counter the deception.

 

 

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

16 hours ago, Soondae said:

For a better DNS which is fully configurable for different country services I recommend "Getflix" an Australian company. They have numerous channels that you can configure for various country streaming services much more flexible than Express's DNS service. Also much less expensive, they offer VPN as part of the package as well though I haven't had as much success with their VPN APP on IOS devices.

I saw an ad from them a few days back, a provider I'd never heard of before, so I took some time to check and inquire....

 

Curiously, on their ad, they have in big letters at the top of their graphic "NETFLIX" as one of the services they claim to unlock. But then down at the bottom of the ad in small print, there was a footnote saying "No U.S. Netflix access."

 

They also seem to fudge a bit on their various supposedly enabled channel listings, as for the U.S., I noticed several that they claimed were free to access just by subscribing to GetFlix, when in reality, several of those (Acorn TV,  Hulu, and Philo among them) in fact require paid subscriptions to the services themselves.

 

 

 

 

Note: the graphics above are from their product listing on the 3rd party software site StackSocial.

 

Edited October 14, 2023 by TallGuyJohninBKK

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

7 hours ago, recom273 said:

 

The easiest method seems to be to install the “helper” app on your smart tv or android box, and just change the server when you need to change country. I had the surfshark app on my firetv and it would auto start into UK server every power up so I could watch iplayer. 

 

Various of the major VPN providers are getting better with their software applications these days...as regards your comment above.

 

Typical nice features the better VPN providers are offering in their software these days include:

--split tunneling, which allows you to select individually which apps you want to go thru the VPN vs which ones you want to go thru your regular ISP.

--automatic launch on boot, meaning the VPN will launch and connect to a chosen server when the device is turned on.

--automatic kill switch, which will disable your internet connection if your VPN connection drops suddenly for some reason.\

and of course Wireguard protocol connections, which is a faster and simpler successor to the longtime standard Open VPN protocol.

etc etc etc.

 

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

5 hours ago, Digitalbanana said:

I was simply asking what I asked here? Prices are only 3$ / month for first 25 months then move to 8$ if you extend each year. I prefer to re-sign with a new email account to counter the deception.

 

That's a standard marketing deal in the VPN industry... Offer discounted plans to get new first-time subscribers in... and then when the initial plan ends, they auto renew people to their higher priced standard plans.

 

I do the same thing as you mention... 1. ALWAYS turn off/disable "auto-renew" where it's allowed to do so (some don't allow it!).

 

2. And, I tend to keep TWO different accounts for each service I use with different email IDs. So just before one plan expires, I'll then subscribe to a discounted package to the same VPN with the other lapsed email. Then repeat next time with the other email, etc etc.

 

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

7 hours ago, recom273 said:

Idk, a few guys I know use them, but they are solely connecting to UK servers. I think @xylophone picked up on a previous comment I made and seems happy with I think, https://dns4me.net - They aren’t for everyone, I’m not interested because they seem systemwide, I’m not interested in going into the router settings everytime I want to change location. 

The other problem you run into with DNS workarounds is while they MAY work for the streaming services a person might want to use, they're not going to work at all, AFAIK, for the other NON streaming things a person might still need a VPN for, such as home country online banking access and similar stuff... So at least in my experience, you end up needing some kind of VPN regardless.

 

 

[KannikaP]

On 10/13/2023 at 10:22 AM, Jimjim1 said:

Express VPN is based in South America, does not keep any records of it users and puts two fingers up to the feds.

It also has full coverage servers in around 75 countries and rising, and essentially a knock out switch which ensures your security if you get kicked out.

Streaming is a breeze and UK companies including the BBC have not noticed me nor has Amazon Prime.

Problem solving is by email or real time chat in English 24/7 including any setup difficulties.

99 US per year and for me worth every cent.

If you use a recommendation when you buy both of you will get 3 months usage free and you also get a free trial period.

I used Express for 2 years renewing it with a different emails.  But because they wanted $120 per year for renewal I went onto NORD now at $80 for 2 years. Both seem to work OK, with BBC detecting it occasionally.

[KannikaP]

19 minutes ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

The other problem you run into with DNS workarounds is while they MAY work for the streaming services a person might want to use, they're not going to work at all, AFAIK, for the other NON streaming things a person might still need a VPN for, such as home country online banking access and similar stuff... So at least in my experience, you end up needing some kind of VPN regardless.

 

 

I do my online UK banking from here, no VPN, no problems at all.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

3 minutes ago, KannikaP said:

I do my online UK banking from here, no VPN, no problems at all.

Until the U.S. or U.K. bank contacts the person informing them that, based on their online banking usage with foreign IPs, they appear to be living in a foreign country and as a result, the bank is going to be closing their account.

 

Or, the bank suddenly locks the person out of online banking access, after seeing multiple foreign IP log-ons and they presume that someone nefarious is trying to hack into the account.

 

 

Edited October 14, 2023 by TallGuyJohninBKK

[Mavideol]

3 hours ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

I saw an ad from them a few days back, a provider I'd never heard of before, so I took some time to check and inquire....

 

Curiously, on their ad, they have in big letters at the top of their graphic "NETFLIX" as one of the services they claim to unlock. But then down at the bottom of the ad in small print, there was a footnote saying "No U.S. Netflix access."

 

They also seem to fudge a bit on their various supposedly enabled channel listings, as for the U.S., I noticed several that they claimed were free to access just by subscribing to GetFlix, when in reality, several of those (Acorn TV,  Hulu, and Philo among them) in fact require paid subscriptions to the services themselves.

 

 

 

 

Note: the graphics above are from their product listing on the 3rd party software site StackSocial.

 

But then down at the bottom of the ad in small print, there was a footnote saying "No U.S. Netflix access."

 

 

That's why they always tell people to read the small or very small print 555

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

3 minutes ago, Mavideol said:

But then down at the bottom of the ad in small print, there was a footnote saying "No U.S. Netflix access."

 

 

That's why they always tell people to read the small or very small print 555

 

There are other country-based Netflix content libraries besides the U.S. one... including one for Thailand...

 

But the U.S. Netflix library is by far the largest one (most titles) among all of them.

 

So if someone wants to use GetFlix for Netflix, at least know what they're signing up for.

 

[recom273]

3 hours ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

The other problem you run into with DNS workarounds is while they MAY work for the streaming services a person might want to use, they're not going to work at all, AFAIK, for the other NON streaming things a person might still need a VPN for, such as home country online banking access and similar stuff... So at least in my experience, you end up needing some kind of VPN regardless.

Exactly, I use a pi-hole - a system wide smart DNS would render that useless.

[Seppius]

Good test for a UK VPN is try and log into the national lottery site, great at detecting VPNs

[Bunny Silverhand]

Mullvad or Proton are the two best VPNs out there.

[Mutt Daeng]

11 hours ago, Bunny Silverhand said:

Mullvad or Proton are the two best VPNs out there.

I would be interested to know in what ways you think Mullvad/Proton are better than other popular VPNs such as ExpressVPN, NordVPN & Surfshark. Do you have personal experience of any of the 3 I listed?

Thanks

[bobbin]

My issue has not been addressed here yet and I'm hoping someone can point me in the right direction...

 

All I want at present is a VPN for Android mobiles... that does not require using a credit card to enroll. Just don't want to do that..

 

Options include, purchasing through Lazada for cash, purchasing from Google Play Store paying with my AIS balance, or purchasing at a phone shop with the assistance of staff, i.e. they purchase and install on my behalf. The Lazada option is not as promising as you might think.. lots of options for computers but few for Android mobiles.

 

The other problem I'm encountering, on Play Store is when I review the main contenders, most mentioned here, is the amount of negative reviews. People saying that battery management is continually killing the VPN or it just doesn'tt work often. The Tech supports for the various companies answer often but usually just saying to contact them.. Often getting replies saying they have already done that..

Not very confidence inspiring.

[Bunny Silverhand]

4 hours ago, Mutt Daeng said:

I would be interested to know in what ways you think Mullvad/Proton are better than other popular VPNs such as ExpressVPN, NordVPN & Surfshark. Do you have personal experience of any of the 3 I listed?

Thanks

A mix of price, reliability and speed. Both Mullvad and Proton offer great value for money, top-notch security features and are very fast. I'm currently using Mullvad because it costs only 5€/m (flat rate) and recently added a protection against quantum attacks on their Wireguard servers but frankly if you want an all-in-one offer (vpn, encrypted mail, encrypted cloud, etc...), Proton would probably be a better option.

 

As for my experience with the 3 you mentioned. I've been with ExpressVPN and NordVPN. ExpressVPN is too expensive for what it has to offer and NordVPN has pretty average performances and is too big for its own good.

 

Just my opinion though.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

17 hours ago, Bunny Silverhand said:

Mullvad or Proton are the two best VPNs out there.

 

What's REALLY the best is going to depend on the individual user, and whether any particular VPN actually accomplishes what that particular user wants to use it for, because what exactly each user wants is going to tend to vary.

 

Lots of issues -- does a particular VPN have servers where the user wants them to be? What VPN protocols do they offer? Do they actually unlock the particular streaming services a person uses, or will you get the dreaded "VPN error" when you try to play some content? Etc etc....

 

It's hard to make blanket statements like the one you make above. The best VPN out there is the one that accomplishes what the user wants from it....hopefully at a fair price, good speeds with reliable servers and decent customer service.

 

For example, I have a Proton account, and can connect to one of their servers in the U.S. But when I do, it doesn't actually work with a number of the different U.S. streaming services I use... So for me, it's a NO GO that I have, but rarely use.

 

 

Edited October 15, 2023 by TallGuyJohninBKK