VPN advice needed (May 2014)

[Manuel]

Well it may be difficult to download their software, but it may be very good once you have the software.

[gato]

I downloaded the vyprvpn downloaded and started the free 3-day trial, but wasn't able to connect to their servers using any of the protocols (L2TP, OpenVPN, or Chameleon). Getting an "error 6011". So I cancelled. My Astrill account doesn't expire until next year, so I was looking for a backup. Astrill is still working and seems much more reliable than vyprvpn for use from China.

I'm considering trying to set up a DIY VPN on an Amazon Web Service account (Amazon offers a free 12-month trial for their micro instance account).

See here: http://www.sarfata.org/posts/setting-up-an-amazon-vpn-server.md/

Setup your very own VPN server with Amazon EC2

I've tried setting up a mirror proxy on a Google App Server before. It worked ok for browsing sites that didn't require log-in (though didn't quite work for YouTube), but it wasn't a full VPN.

I understand that there is also "goagent" that works off of Google App Server, but I read that the speed is not that great, since Beijing is not too fond of Google.

[imron]

Digital Ocean also has cheap VPSs available.

[ChTTay]

Gato, there is a lot of jargon i don't understand in that post.

How easy do you think it would be to learn it all then set up my own vpn?

I am quite good with most "home computing" issues but have never had to do anything with vpns or the internet beyond port forwarrding.

[gato]

You mean on the sarfata.org site.  It doesn't look too hard for someone who's familiar comfortable with using command mode (DOS-type prompt, though in this case it's Linux on Amazon).  It appears that it just requires installing some scripts that other have already prepared.  I'll give it a try in the next week or so and let you know how well it works.  

[Manuel]

Imron, do you have firsthand experience with Digital Ocean? I like the idea of hourly rates.

[imron]

No first hand experience with them, but have had them recommended from several sources, and am considering using them in the future.

[fabiothebest]

I have 2 accounts on Digital Ocean and I didn't have any problems. VPS instances (they call them "droplets") are created within 1 minute, then you can choose the OS you prefer and the server location. Then you just ssh into it and configure it. Digital Ocean also has many articles for users that explain how to do many things, including setting up an OpenVPN server.

[Snuggles]

I have been using proxy.sh

It has been good for me. Been using it for more than a year.

[ChTTay]

Im not familiar with DOS/command line. I do use Ubuntu Linux but, the way its set up now, i rarely feel the need to use the command line. When i do need to use the command line, i have mostly relied on online guides etc.

Anyway, i'll look into it. Digital Ocean sounds interesting, especially with online guides for their customers.

Good thread.

[imron]

Don't worry, the Linux command line is nothing like the DOS command line.  About the only thing they have in common is that they are both command lines.  Thank heavens for Git Bash, that gives me a decent shell on Windows.

[Manuel]

Snuggles, good luck with  proxy.sh:

 

http://arstechnica.com/business/2013/11/shadowy-vpn-firm-says-theyve-got-industrys-first-transparency-report/

[Manuel]

Recently network speeds have been pretty bad here in Jiangsu. I have spent three days in another city and things weren't any better there either. I know they do it for our own good, but China can forget becoming a "superpower" unless they allow free flow of information, because the world now revolves around the Internet. Several Chinese students had to ask me to help them buy VPN subscriptions so that they could do research for their final year project. I'll refrain from posting a vent with loads of four-letter words and their corresponding gerunds.

 

EDIT: I don't know if I am the only one experiencing slow connectiong speeds, I just realized tomorrow is the 25th anniversary of the Tiananmen massacre, could be something to do with that.

[Manuel]

Thanks for pointing out SSH tunnelling, it is actually a good idea, as it makes it possible to tunnel specific individual connections, so if you use a proxy switcher such as FoxyProxy for Firefox you can configure which websites get tunneled (e.g. youtube, facebook, etc) and which don't (e.g. youku, taobao, baidu, etc), which is probably the way Astrill's OpenWeb works.

[imron]

I've used ssh tunnelling for years without any real issues.

[Manuel]

That sounds good. To be honest I know very little about networking, but Imron you obviously know your stuff, maybe you could share a couple of pointers about your set-up, both server and client side, and your thoughts on running your own SSH server vs using a paid-for service. Thanks!

[Razumihin]

I'm moving to China and this thread seems good place to ask how to get around the great firewall?

 

I've never before used VPN so I don't have any idea how effectively they work... Should I buy one? And do they slow connection? Also, are there any useful programs I should download before leaving my country?

[Manuel]

In theory a VPN would slow down your connection, but in China it will speed it up because you don't need to wait while the robots examine the contents you are trying to download/upload. If you buy the service while you are abroad, you won't know if it's any good, so I'd say get it while you are in China. You can check out Freegate and WebFreer, not as reliable as some VPNs but I have used them several times to get me out of chicken-and-egg situations, e.g. when I need to purchase a VPN connection but the VPN company website is blocked in China.

[imron]

I've mentioned my setup in detail in another post somewhere. I'm on mobile at the moment so can't look for it. If you search for putty, tunnel and my name you can probably find it. If not I'll have a look when I get back.

[imron]

Ok, I detailed it previously in this post here.  For server side you don't need anything except a server that allows you to connect via SSH (i.e gives you shell access) - the digital ocean servers above will give you that, as will any decent web host.  For the client you then SSH in to the server with port forwarding enabled, and finally you configure your browser to access everything through the port forwarding you set up.