VPN Providers with Custom Clients for Linux (Updated)

Virtual Private Networking providers and company are more than you can shake a stick at these days. While there's always installable client software for Windows, Android and usually MacOS and whatever the mobile version is called not all are offering desktop clients for Linux distributions. Even if they do it's usually non-GUI, you know, with the excuse that Linux nerds love and want the power of the command line, with stripped-down functionality, or even a browser extension only which might work on a Chromebook but not on any other OS if you actually want to channel your entire traffic. And no, a proxy is not a replacement for a proper VPN.

Consider Using a VPN: More Privacy for All Your Traffic

One option for anonymous browsing and privacy for other types of network traffic is using the Tor network which has been covered in a few articles here before. But although traffic is encrypted within the network when bouncing between relays, plain text over Tor is still plain text. Other problems are the slow speed and connectivity issues users may be facing with a volunteer network, user-unfriendly configuring of exit nodes and switching them on demand, and the fact that Tor is not suited to stream large files and video content, if only not to abuse donated bandwidth.

Staying Anonymous with Tor: How to Specify Exit Nodes by Country

This update draws on an older article but is pared down to the basics of specifying exit nodes when routing traffic through the Tor network for people who for various reasons want to be in control of where they seem to come from. As you will be aware, Tor bounces traffic between three different nodes and randomly rotates exit points. You may prefer to appear to be located in a particular country.

Trying the CompTIA Network+ 2009 Prepkit from uCertify

I've recently been approached to review one or more of this vendor's training and so-called PrepKits, and having obtained the CompTIA Network+ 2009 certification myself thought this would be a good start, as this is making it possible to compare with other solutions and methods of learning.

Using Tor to View Restricted Video Sites Internationally

Disclaimer: Streaming movies and videos over the Tor network can slow it down significantly as capacities are donated and bandwidth varies hugely. You may get better performance by investing in a VPN.

How many times have you been stuck in another country unable to watch your favorite shows and channels? Or perhaps you don't reside there and want to watch them anyway, expat or other? Hulu, Spotify and BBC iPlayer all check IP addresses to ensure you are connecting from the country they are serving, in the BBC's case because they don't want you to get a free ride without a TV license.