Welcome to RVForums.com

  • Register now and join the discussion
  • Friendliest RV Community on the web
  • Modern site for PC's, Phones, Tablets - no 3rd party apps required
  • Ask questions, help others, review campgrounds
  • Get the most out of the RV Lifestyle
  • Invite everyone to RVForums.com and let's have fun
  • Commercial/Vendors welcome

Question VPN to secure data and avoid ISP snooping. I.E monetizing your web surf information.

Welcome to RVForums.com

  • Register now and join the discussion
  • Modern secure site, no 3rd party apps required
  • Invite your friends and let's have fun
  • Commercial/Vendors welcome
  • Friendliest RV community on the web
Status
Not open for further replies.

Joe Hogan

RVF Supporter
Joined
Nov 3, 2019
Messages
2,730
Location
Florida
RV Year
2024
RV Make
Newmar
RV Model
Dutch Star 4311
RV Length
43
Chassis
Spartan
Engine
Cummins
TOW/TOAD
2018 Ford Flex
Fulltimer
No
Does anyone effectively use a VPN to avoid security risks of open connections or attempt to avoid Carrier snooping and throttling when tethering a cell phone? Typically I use Private Internet Access VPN at home and when on the road. Some sites will not allow you to connect while using a VPN but that is becoming less of a problem. There are ways to mask, obscure, the use of a VPN from your ISP and still protect your activity.

Using a VPN has become more common. Apparently if a Cell carrier, I have read and experienced, 'sniffs' a VPN when using their data connection, odds are good they will throttle the connection. There are times when my iPhone will not connect to data even with a strong signal until I turn off the VPN.
In response some VPN's are offering a way to obscure the VPN data to look like typical traffic while maintaining encryption. This technology is way above my pay grade.
It is nice to have a relatively secure connection at times. For messaging there are alternatives to a VPN with some planning.
 
I don't and wonder if you're surfing over HTTPS (encrypted) as almost everything is going to then is a VPN really necessary overhead? VPN AFAIK is really a point to point system, i.e. for me to connect to my business or home, etc. through a secure tunnel. As for general Internet surfing I'm not sure how it benefits or even works for you. I'm not well versed on VPN's FYI.
 
To your point HTTPS appears to be sufficient for known point to point communication.

The reason I use a VPN is to obscure my IP address from sites that come up in a web search, avoid my ISP and others from monetizing my web searches.

As we all have discovered, ads tailored by your web searches magically appear on your screen. Look for a tool online and ads magically appear for dozens of tools.

That said there is a "cost" to using a VPN and that is speed. A standard connection may have a Latency of <20 ms and VPN may be >100ms. Consequently you may turn the VPN on and off as necessary.


How does HTTPS really work,

How HTTPS (SSL) Works ? & Differs From HTTP


Paranoid, probably yes.
 
Try just talking to your phone for a day (around your phone) and then see if youtube or online ads reflect what you were saying. I had a developer friend that actually discovered this. He never searched on a topic of his discussion, he had a phone call with a fellow programmer about something new they wanted to develop. He then saw ads on that very topic! There is no escaping it. Embrace the exposure :)
 
Don't you know all the snooping is supposed to make your life easier, like Neal said Embrace ?
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Latest resources

Back
Top