Best VPN provider (In your opinion)? (Strictly no referral allowed)

negativzero

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It seems like most of you are using VPN for just hulu and netflix which confuses me.

I paid $5 for a private socks5 proxy, used it with Proxifier and I'm streaming netflix on HD.

socks proxies cannot be used on SmartTV and media players so you're stuck with watching on a computer or phone/tablet. Also, HD content on Netflix is limited to certain titles while viewing on PC or phone/tablet, even if your server is SuperHD ready, max you will get is 720p streaming.

same goes with DNS unlockers.

if you want the highest quality content it is best is still to subscribe to a VPN service.

I'm using privateinternetaccess.com here btw. cheap and fast with no problem streaming HD movies from any source.
 
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stiwipl

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socks proxies cannot be used on SmartTV and media players so you're stuck with watching on a computer or phone/tablet. Also, HD content on Netflix is limited to certain titles while viewing on PC or phone/tablet, even if your server is SuperHD ready, max you will get is 720p streaming.

same goes with DNS unlockers.

if you want the highest quality content it is best is still to subscribe to a VPN service.

I'm using privateinternetaccess.com here btw. cheap and fast with no problem streaming HD movies from any source.

Which server for PrivateInternetAccess are you using? Based on speedest on their website and ping/traceroute, the one in California should perform best (190ms to US).
 

chercm

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I used both VQW FreedomVPN and Unotelly before switching to Astrill VPN.
The difference is very clear for my case.
Using Astrill VPN, I can hit Netflix SuperHD (5800kbps buffer rate) in seconds.
Streaming other websites (Sky Go, BBC iPlayer, etc.) is also much better.
With DNS provider, you have to rely on their supported sites. Using VPN, you can stream from any site you want from their supported countries (which is numerous).

I think at the end, it all comes down to personal usage. Nothing is good for all.

thanks for recommending Astrill . Configured on my AC-66U and all the device at home are on the VPN . Horray and it is pretty fast on the netflix
 

negativzero

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Which server for PrivateInternetAccess are you using? Based on speedest on their website and ping/traceroute, the one in California should perform best (190ms to US).

I only use California or Seattle servers since they are hosted on SoftLayer.
 

rescapind

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UnoDNS does support Super HD as I have been testing them. Not always though, sometimes connection is routed via "Super HD" optimized networks, other times not. What's odd though, whenever it routes via "HD only" networks, I am able to stream up to 15.000 Kbps (yes, checked many times) but whenever it connects via "Open Network" routes for Super HD I can't get decent picture quality and streaming speed is up to 4.000 Kbps.

Are you sure about UnoDNS supported by Netflix Super HD?
I'm tesing on Netflix Windows 8 metro app. The movie tested is '6 Souls'.
With UnoDNS, max buffer rate I can force (using Ctrl+Alt+Shift+S) is 3850kbps.
With Astrill, it is 5800kbps (SuperHD).

What is your "15.000 Kbps" referring to? Max buffer rate by Netflix is 5800kbps if I'm not wrong. Are you referring to actual speed seen on your router/adaptor?
 

rescapind

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thanks for recommending Astrill . Configured on my AC-66U and all the device at home are on the VPN . Horray and it is pretty fast on the netflix

Glad that it also serves you well.
Did you purchase the RouterPro upgrade? I did and I saw some improvement in speed. My router is N66U with Astrill applet installed.
 

stiwipl

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Are you sure about UnoDNS supported by Netflix Super HD?
I'm tesing on Netflix Windows 8 metro app. The movie tested is '6 Souls'.
With UnoDNS, max buffer rate I can force (using Ctrl+Alt+Shift+S) is 3850kbps.
With Astrill, it is 5800kbps (SuperHD).

What is your "15.000 Kbps" referring to? Max buffer rate by Netflix is 5800kbps if I'm not wrong. Are you referring to actual speed seen on your router/adaptor?

I am measuring the speed on my Draytek router when using UnoDNS configured via AppleTV. In my experience UnoDNS support Super HD randomly, sometimes ATV will show Super HD, other time HD - for the same movie. The only problem I have with UnoDNS is that whenever routing goes via "Open Connect" for Super HD, I am unable to stream anything more than 4000 Kbps, while "HD routing" goes up to 15.000 Kbps.

Netflix states that you need at least 5-7Mbps connection for Super HD, but I am sure that whenever there is fast changing scenario in the movie, it can go up to twice than that.
 
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chercm

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Glad that it also serves you well.
Did you purchase the RouterPro upgrade? I did and I saw some improvement in speed. My router is N66U with Astrill applet installed.

managed to installed the Astrill applet on my Asus Router and man it is the best VPN around whereby i can exclude device not to use the VPN service
 
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deweylim

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SmartDNS

Hi Guys,

Anyone got smart DNS to work? I'm trying to watch BPL online but this is the message from overplay.

Thank you for contacting OverPlay.net

ISPs in your country use transparent proxies which prevent SmartDNS from working.

In order to connect, you will need GlobalVPN subscription.
 

stiwipl

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Hi Guys,

Anyone got smart DNS to work? I'm trying to watch BPL online but this is the message from overplay.

SmartDNS, UnoDNS etc don't work with 3 major telcos as they use transparent proxy. VQ & MR doesn't.
 

ak6110

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Glad that it also serves you well.
Did you purchase the RouterPro upgrade? I did and I saw some improvement in speed. My router is N66U with Astrill applet installed.

Hi,

I was checking around on VPN solution which is able to setup on my existing router, so far most of them need to either buy the router from them or change the firmware to DD-WRT, now I can see that you manage to get N66U to work with Astrill VPN.

Could you guide me through on how you did it, thanks

Cheers
AK
 

crewcutboy

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there's an applet for asus n66 merlin firmware. check the astrill wiki pages for installation instructions.
 

ak6110

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there's an applet for asus n66 merlin firmware. check the astrill wiki pages for installation instructions.

Thanks I manage to get it done, but there are some setting I am not sure about, especially on the OpenVPN UDP, or TCP and RouterPro TCP or UDP, which one should I choose?
 

stiwipl

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I only use California or Seattle servers since they are hosted on SoftLayer.

Can you tell me which ISP do you use in SG and what sort of speeds are you getting from PIA on speedtest via their desktop client?

managed to installed the Astrill applet on my Asus Router and man it is the best VPN around whereby i can exclude device not to use the VPN service

This is a nice feature. I am wondering what are the speeds like via router on either newer rt-ac56u or older rt-ac66u?

Also on Astrill screenshot presenting the applet it shows "protocol: routerpro UDP VPN", what is is exactly? Is it possible to use OpenVPN protocol?
 

rescapind

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Thanks I manage to get it done, but there are some setting I am not sure about, especially on the OpenVPN UDP, or TCP and RouterPro TCP or UDP, which one should I choose?

Test them all to see which one provides best speed.
RouterPro (for router) and StealthVPN (for PC) are Astrill modified version of OpenVPN. It's mainly for getting into China great firewall. It may provide better speed too.
For me, RouterPro TCP provided best speed to US server, which is more than enough for Netflix SuperHD.
 

rescapind

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This is a nice feature. I am wondering what are the speeds like via router on either newer rt-ac56u or older rt-ac66u?

RouterPro TCP on N66U gives me 20+Mbps.
StealthVPN UDP on my PC gives me 100+Mbps.
Both are referring to US server.
 

richneo

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any good vpn to china for pps?

am using flyvpn but its slow and need to buffer.
 

stiwipl

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RouterPro TCP on N66U gives me 20+Mbps.
StealthVPN UDP on my PC gives me 100+Mbps.
Both are referring to US server.

Can you change on your Asus router connection type from RouterPro to OpenVPN and check? From what I read on other forums N66U should be capable of 60-80Mbps speeds via VPN. I don't think there is a need of using StealthVPN or RouterVPN mode in SG unless you are with one of the three major telcos.

Apart from that we should make a template so that everyone can provide as much details as possible to help other choosing appropriate VPN for his ISP.

ISP: ViewQwest 150Mbps
VPN: Astrill (LA servers)
Device: Mac OS X with Astrill app installed
Connection type: OpenVPN
Speedtest: 172ms, 30-70 Mbps
Max Speed: 150+ Mbps (15 MB/s)

I am testing Astrill on 7day trial and I am surprised of being able to max out my ISP connection speed via VPN.

How to check max speed?
1. Download Firefox and DownThemAll addon.
2. Open this page in Firefox and download one of the file on the left side using DownThemAlll (e.g. 1000MB file).
 
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