XPost: alt.comp.os.windows-10, alt.comp.microsoft.windows
From: ollie@invalid.net
On Fri, 23 Feb 2024 09:08:26 -0500, Newyana2
wrote
> Thanks for the explanation. This is mostly new to me. Sorry
> to be thick, but I'm still confused about how it all works. If I'm
> understanding correctly, openVPN is the software commonly used
> for the actual data transfer between servers, as well as between
> client and server.
There are many "protocols" used for VPN where "openvpn" is just one of
those protocols. That the client is also called "OpenVPN" is just a
coincidence, although they certainly chose the name for that reason.
> VPN is a masking service offered by mostly commercial
> servers that offer to let you connect to them as a pass-through
> in order to prevent tracking of your location and to encrypt your
> web activities. Most such servers charge for the service.
> Freeopenvpn seems to be some kind of non-profit running on
> donations, providing free VPN service.
Remember in the olden days you'd look up 'screenshot' software and you'd
get a billion hits (all shills, all ads, all scams) since everyone wanted
it and nobody knew there was a "print screen" key on your own keyboard?
It's the same with VPN.
Nearly 100% of what you find in a search on VPN on the net, is a shill.
Don't believe a word they say.
> Thus, the scripts are about avoiding software rather than using
> a different kind of VPN setup. I don't see any advantage there,
> but to each their own.
What's the advantage to you of two things.
1. You can choose any IP address you want
2. Your traffic through your ISP is encrypted
Most people don't care so much about the latter.
But it's useful to have the choice of an IP address that isn't yours.
> Is all that about right? Yet freeopenvpn is not listed on any
> sites that run articles such as "The Top VPN services of 2024".
> I feel like I'm missing a piece of the puzzle here.
See above.
All the VPN hits you're going to find in a basic search are shills.
If shills are where you're getting all your data, you may as well be
getting all your information about gasoline from Chevron ads, and all your
information about cigarettes from Marlboro ads, and all your information
about soda from Pepsi advertisements.
> I tried downloading a config file from freeopenvpn. I see a long
> base-64 key. So the deal is that one must install the openVPN client,
> then that uses the downloaded .ovpn keys? So you're using
> freeopenvpn as a service and skipping the GUI? But I assume
> the script doesn't obviate the need to use some kind of
> server -- free or paid. It's just bypassing a GUI?
Huh? This isn't rocket science. It works the same on Android and Linux and
Mac as it does on Windows. All you ever need are the same things for all.
1. The openvpn client
2. The openvpn text configuration file
The only difference with the OP's suggestion is the former is a batch file
that calls the openvpn client executable (and not the openvpn client GUI).
> Then, what are all the various server options in different countries?
> Are those all non-profits, like the way that universities often
> host Linux packages?
You're making it sound like having the option of Germany or the UK or Spain
or France or the USA is a bad thing? Why? It's a good thing.
The only difference between Japan and Korea is the text file.
> In other words, if I set up free Proton it shows me a list of
> server options in different countries. In freeopenvpn presumably
> you pick one such server, download the key, then feed that to
> the openVPN software, and away you go. I'm curious about the
> financial aspect. And how the client service relates to the various
> server choices.
There is probably no more complicated subject on this planet than how to
truly get effective "protection" from the likes of the five eyes out there.
If you stole a helicopter and are now hiding from the three Russian
intelligence services, then I don't think these free VPNs are for you.
If you're doing anything even remotely nefarious, then I don't think these
free VPN services are for you either.
But if all you want to do is the two things listed above, then these free
VPNs could be for you, especially if you connect and disconnect from them
frequently as you might with sending out a usenet post or sign into a web
page to access some content (or just to run a google search in Firefox).
> With email, for example, you either pay money for the server
> access or you pay in spyware (as with gmail, yahoo, etc).
I think you are unduly influenced by advertising because there are free
mail servers (such as protonmail by the way) which say they don't do that.
> I'm curious how this works with VPN. Your link says to watch out for
> free VPN because it's sleazy spyware. But then they recommend
> some free VPNs. So, something like freeopenvpn -- is that a
> politically motivated, non-profit, legit free VPN server? Or is it
> reasonable to assume they're selling data to pay the bills? Their
> website is very limited in terms of information.
If you get all your information about drugs from your local drug dealer's
advertisements, then you're not getting the real scoop on the drugs.
You need to use technical sources. Not advertisements for your data.
Look up the technical aspect of the openvpn protocol for example.
All you need to implement it, on any platform, is:
1. a text config file
2. an openvpn client (which can be an executable run from batch)
> And what exactly does the VPN service provide? The first jump
> into the network of VPN servers? That seems to imply that unlike
> email, VPN communication itself is mainly provided by non-profits.
If you're Osama bin Laden and you have the five eyes after you, then I
don't think these free VPN services are going to work for you.
But if all you want to do is run a google search from native Firefox where
you don't want Google to know what IP address you came from, then running a
batch script that pulls out a random IP address, could be useful to you.
--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)
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