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Re: Mac VPN Recommendations

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On 4 Mar 2025 at 17:13:08 GMT, Jaimie Vandenbergh wrote:

> On 3 Mar 2025 at 16:13:04 GMT, "RJH" <patchmoney@gmx.com> wrote:
> 
>> On 27 Feb 2025 at 09:48:18 GMT, Theo wrote:
>> 
>>> RJH <patchmoney@gmx.com> wrote:
>>>> On 26 Feb 2025 at 10:00:36 GMT, Theo wrote:
>>>>> 
>>>>> What do you need a VPN *for*?
>>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> Hide my identity and/or location.
>>> 
>>> VPNs don't really hide your identity.  Everything is encrypted via TLS these
>>> days - all your hotel/etc can see is your DNS.  They can see you connect to
>>> google.com, facebook.com, youtube.com which doesn't tell them very much.
>>> Maybe there's a tiny bit of profiling they can do if they see you are
>>> connecting to bank.com, but not very much.
>> 
>> It's not so much my identity, as what I'm accessing/downloading.
> 
> Accessing/downloading will still be trackable at the server side.

Ah. Didn't know that. So the server knows my 'real' IP address and ISP even
while using a VPN? And by extension my ISP knows which server I've accessed?

I'd always thought that information was concealed - the 'private' in virtual
network. And checking Nord, they say that the ISP 'loses access to':

"The websites you visit
The specific web pages you browse and the time you spend there
Your browsing and search history
The files you download from or upload to unencrypted websites
The info you type on unencrypted websites"

That's incorrect?

> 
>>  I'm assuming
>> a VPN conceals that from everyone except (potentially) the VPN.
> 
> Not really. Various tracker things (like all those fb/twitter/etc
> clickables you see everywhere, let alone all sites with advertising)
> will attempt to ID you at the client, not caring at all that your route
> from client to server is disguised.
> 
> If you're resolutely blocking all that as well, then you're probably
> doing okay.
> 
>> Yes, mimicking a location has been useful from time to time.
> 
> The real use of VPNs.
> 

I'd suggest some people use a VPN to conceal certain activity - downloading
copyrighted video and audio files from torrent sites, say. Or at least they
were under that impression given what the VPNs tell them.

Mid-stage capitalism eh, what can you do :-)

> As an alternative I tend to bypass such region limitations by just
> torrenting media. If they chose to make it unavailable they clearly
> don't want my money anyway.
> 

Which may well be illegal?

Of course, I know my ISP knows I use a VPN. I'd always thought that's as far
as it goes, and not what went on 'inside' the VPN. Seems I've got that wrong .
. .

-- 
Cheers, Rob, Sheffield UK

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Thread

Mac VPN Recommendations RJH <patchmoney@gmx.com> - 2025-02-26 06:44 +0000
  Re: Mac VPN Recommendations Theo <theom+news@chiark.greenend.org.uk> - 2025-02-26 10:00 +0000
    Re: Mac VPN Recommendations RJH <patchmoney@gmx.com> - 2025-02-27 00:06 +0000
      Re: Mac VPN Recommendations Theo <theom+news@chiark.greenend.org.uk> - 2025-02-27 09:48 +0000
        Re: Mac VPN Recommendations RJH <patchmoney@gmx.com> - 2025-03-03 16:13 +0000
          Re: Mac VPN Recommendations Jaimie Vandenbergh <jaimie@usually.sessile.org> - 2025-03-04 17:13 +0000
            Re: Mac VPN Recommendations RJH <patchmoney@gmx.com> - 2025-03-05 08:35 +0000
              Re: Mac VPN Recommendations Jaimie Vandenbergh <jaimie@usually.sessile.org> - 2025-03-05 16:14 +0000
                Re: Mac VPN Recommendations Graham J <nobody@nowhere.co.uk> - 2025-03-05 16:54 +0000
                Re: Mac VPN Recommendations Theo <theom+news@chiark.greenend.org.uk> - 2025-03-05 21:28 +0000
                Re: Mac VPN Recommendations RJH <patchmoney@gmx.com> - 2025-03-06 09:02 +0000
  Re: Mac VPN Recommendations Chris <ithinkiam@gmail.com> - 2025-02-26 19:35 +0000
    Re: Mac VPN Recommendations RJH <patchmoney@gmx.com> - 2025-02-27 00:06 +0000
    Re: Mac VPN Recommendations Alan B <alanrichardbarker@gmail.com.invalid> - 2025-02-27 09:42 +0000
  Re: Mac VPN Recommendations snipeco.2@gmail.com (Sn!pe) - 2025-02-27 00:20 +0000
    Re: Mac VPN Recommendations RJH <patchmoney@gmx.com> - 2025-08-28 07:38 +0000
      Re: Mac VPN Recommendations "David B." <BD@hotmail.co.uk> - 2025-08-28 09:01 +0100
      Re: Mac VPN Recommendations Alan B <alanrichardbarker@gmail.com.invalid> - 2025-08-28 08:17 +0000
        Re: Mac VPN Recommendations Hans S <john.doe@myemail.invalid> - 2025-08-28 16:33 +0000
          Re: Mac VPN Recommendations Alan B <alanrichardbarker@gmail.com.invalid> - 2025-08-30 08:13 +0000
        Re: Mac VPN Recommendations Mark <captain.black@gmail.com> - 2025-09-01 10:26 +0000
  Re: Mac VPN Recommendations Martin S Taylor <hogwash@mRaErMtOiVnEstaylor.TcHoImS> - 2025-03-01 11:25 +0000
  Re: Mac VPN Recommendations jbrennand <brennand@ntlworld.com> - 2025-03-01 17:43 +0000

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