whirlpool

Sounds alright.

I think i'm in a good area in regards to speeds, I seem to get quite healthy speeds all the way to servers in Cali.

Don't use steam ,so don't know about that.

Might have to contact their support team or maybe someone else here has experience.

EDIT: Just got off with support and steam would detect that it was VPN. I'm just not sure if I'd get my account nuked even if I made the last connection appear as though I am still from aus so I wouldn't be bypassing any geoblocked content.

Whirlpool seems to dislike my using PIA, is there any way to stop the 'suspicious activity' warning from appearing?

I have only had that once, maybe because i choose to stay signed in.

Whirlpool seems to dislike my using PIA, is there any way to stop the 'suspicious activity' warning from appearing?

Just fill in the capcha and don't fight it /forum-replies.cfm?t=2441526

Thanks guys, I've been playing around with servers to get the best connection for me and it seems WP dislikes it, fair enough too maybe.

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my issues have been resolved

Awesome, good outcome!

Whirlpool seems to dislike my using PIA, is there any way to stop the 'suspicious activity' warning from appearing?

I'd imagine some servers would work while others would be temporarily blocked, keen to know how Simon's Interwebs blocker works. I just move along if WP blocks me, and try again later.

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Hey everyone,

If you haven't seen my other topics relating to speedtests of VPN providers (I've posted about NordVPN and ExpressVPN), I've been VPN shopping trying to find what I think is the best VPN for me in regards to speeds and price as well as anonymity and I decided to give PIA a go.

Here are my results, testing some of their servers.
Speedtests taken at around 9:30 � 10:30PM, Tuesday 1/09/2015

Oceania:
� Melbourne, Australia: http://www.speedtest.net/result/4626938142.png
� Sydney, Australia: http://www.speedtest.net/result/4626943846.png

Asia:
� Japan: http://www.speedtest.net/result/4627572301.png
� Singapore: http://www.speedtest.net/result/4627576635.png
� Hong Kong (although its showing in USA on speedtest.net :o): http://www.speedtest.net/result/4627581481.png

America:
� Los Angeles, USA: http://www.speedtest.net/result/4627599308.png
� Dallas, USA: http://www.speedtest.net/result/4627603290.png
� New York, USA: http://www.speedtest.net/result/4627607346.png
� Mexico: http://www.speedtest.net/result/4627611605.png
� Brazil: http://www.speedtest.net/result/4627615486.png
� Toronto, Canada: http://www.speedtest.net/result/4627618524.png

Europe:
� Sweden: http://www.speedtest.net/result/4627622941.png
� Netherlands: http://www.speedtest.net/result/4627626588.png
� Ireland: http://www.speedtest.net/result/4627630986.png
� Romania (routing seemed abit messed up): http://www.speedtest.net/result/4627636288.png
� Russia: http://www.speedtest.net/result/4627642500.png
� France: http://www.speedtest.net/result/4627646986.png
� London, UK: http://www.speedtest.net/result/4627652402.png

Middle East:
� Turkey: http://www.speedtest.net/result/4627588341.png
� Israel: http://www.speedtest.net/result/4627595089.png

I had some problems with there client software at first, but once I submitted a support ticket when told to by a support person in the live chat, I got a response that fixed my issues. I do think that PIA could still improve their client software alot though.

I hope these results help!

Thanks.

EDIT: Here is what I get without a VPN: http://www.speedtest.net/result/4630224888.png

Alberto I assume you're on some sort of very fast internet plan? How do you manage nearly 100Mb/s on Aus servers?

Ah ye, sorry I forgot to add my speedtest without a VPN. I added it to the post.

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Has PIA suddenly stopped working for anyone else?

Was connected fine and now it's in a status of 'connecting'.

Have tried other servers with the same results.

EDIT: NVM, has come back on line now. Guess it proves the old kill switch is working correctly.

working fine for me using Sydney/Melb.

working fine for me using Sydney/Melb

Thanks, first glitch I've had in the 3 days I've been using it, can't fault it otherwise.

Has PIA suddenly stopped working for anyone else?
Was connected fine and now it's in a status of 'connecting'.

Several servers, local and some overseas, went dead on me about 2 hours prior to your post. I did reconnect with the UK at that stage and then a short while after I discovered SYD and MEL were back. It would seem to be short and intermittent outages.

Has PIA suddenly stopped working for anyone else?

I think it is sometimes an issue of where you are connecting from as much as where you are connecting to.

Sometimes you will get a very slow connection through a server and others will be fine. It was happening a lot with Toronto recently, because people use Toronto for FTP uploads for websites etc there was much chatter on the PIA forum about how the speed had deteriorated but several users were saying it was just fine. I have been connected through Singapore all morning with no problems.

I have been connected through Singapore all morning with no problems.

Thanks for that, I've been using Hong Kong as its listed under 'port forwarding' which helps with torrents by showing the open port. Plus the speed test shows roughly 7meg down which matches my maximum DL speed which is helpful.

I can handle some intermittment downtime, I'm still getting used to the quirks though and, coupled with getting new modem, not entirely sure where faults lie. :)

coupled with getting new modem

You might be able to configure the VPN client on the modem (depending on make and model) that way you avoid leaks.

You might be able to configure the VPN client on the modem (depending on make and model) that way you avoid leaks.

Still trying to wrap my head around all the things the modem can do (TP Link Archer 9) actually.

I've ran the various leak checks and all seems in order however and the laptop lost all connectivity when the PIA dropped out so I think I'm ok there.

I also only use a private site which helps as well if, on the odd occasion, my info is exposed. I'd be unlucky to get pinged with all of these safeguards in place I think.

Having a bit of a play around with the VPN and I'm not impressed with the speed hit I'm taking.

I understand VPN's always slow things down, but the fastest speed test I got to the Melbourne server I think it was, was just under 4mbps and now I can't even get above 1mbps.

Is there a secret to not taking a 50+ percent speed hit?

I'd be happy with seeing a 3-5mbps speed hit, but not a 6+mbps speed hit.

I'm connected to the Melbourne server on my Windows machine and my Linux machine. I've done a test with the TORGuard torrent file and each machine is getting a different Client IP. The Windows machine is displaying the same client IP as I get from whatsmyip , but the linux IP is completely different. Is this normal? My linux machine is going to be my torrent box, so I don't want it to not be working.

Neither IP is my real IP.

I'm connected to the Melbourne server on my Windows machine and my Linux machine. I've done a test with the TORGuard torrent file and each machine is getting a different Client IP

If you believe PIA , they have 60 servers allocated to Sydney and another 60 to Melbourne. It's not a single IP per city

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PIA have a special for 2 years at the moment.

Anyone know what happens for current subscribers if they were to sign up for this? Do the 2 years get added to your subscription or does it start immediately thus losing the remaining months of our sub?

With the dollar where it is now we are nearly paying double what I paid last year :(

EDIT: I've spoked to them via Live Chat..they've confirmed it is NOT possible and the only way to add the 2 years is to start a new account....I have another 4 months left on my sub so probably best to wait for another special unfortunately :(

Neither IP is my real IP.

That is a fair indication it is working for you

Hi after some research, I have also settled on PIA. Now after some playing around tonight I am a little concerned about speeds. These are my speeds tonight, before and after connecting to a PIA server in Sydney. It is dropping my connection to 1/3 of normal speed on Telstra 4G. All settings are pretty much default, any ideas?

Before:

Test Results from Oz Broadband Speed Test
----------------------------------
Test run on 03/09/2015 @ 08:33 PM

Mirror: Optus
Data: 8 MB
Test Time: 10 secs

Your line speed is 6.61 Mbps (6607 kbps).
Your download speed is 826 KB/s (0.83 MB/s).

After:

Test Results from Oz Broadband Speed Test
----------------------------------
Test run on 03/09/2015 @ 08:37 PM

Mirror: Optus
Data: 3 MB
Test Time: 10 secs

Your line speed is 2.26 Mbps (2263 kbps).
Your download speed is 283 KB/s (0.28 MB/s).

This is my speed on PIA

Test Results from Oz Broadband Speed Test
----------------------------------
Test run on 03/09/2015 @ 11:49 PM

Mirror: Optus
Data: 28 MB
Test Time: 10.02 secs

Your line speed is 23.32 Mbps (23316 kbps).
Your download speed is 2.91 MB/s (2915 KB/s).

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conficker

Still trying to wrap my head around all the things the modem can do (TP Link Archer 9) actually.

Something you might like to do is set your DNS to the PIA servers � on the TP link it it might be in the Network>WAN > Primary and Secondary DNS � it will avoid any of the site blocking rubbish that is being forced on the ISP's
PIA servers
DNS server 1: 209.222.18.222
DNS server 2: 209.222.18.218

There is also an interesting How To on avoiding leaks here

When using vpn its usually smart to check www.whoer.net
Thatll tell u if a vpn server has any evil stuff learking around and if u find one report to pia imidiatly. Im with another provider and found a few nastys. Reported to the vpn ad they did checks and either cleared them or shut the servers down and opened new ones in the same region. Best to check

Black list No
Proxy No
WebRTC N/A

Blacklist should say no

alagenic writes...

Black list No
Proxy No
WebRTC N/A

Blacklist should say no

I just checked it, and I got a yes on Blacklist. Says it is listed in the CBL because "This IP is infected (or NATting for a computer that is infected) with the Conficker botnet."

Does this mean my PC is infected or PIA is?

alagenic writes...

Blacklist should say no

Interesting. I see a few of the IP's I connect to via PIA show yes to the blacklist in Whoer.

Didn't really look in to it or give it a thought. What are the ramifications to using these IP's via the VPN?

Cheers!

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Hi guys. Not really 100% sure . Confikr is the biggest risk as per the wiki artical below. But if u look at the cbl websiye it usually tells u when the server was attacked n so forth. Point it out to pia ad they hav to sort it out. It could be malware or trojan checking out what people are doing.
Pia have to either fix it or shut the server down if its too bad. Thats what happenedwith the vpn im with.

Tested the speeds again on the Melb server and I can only get just under 2mbps, yesterday I tested it later on in the day after 3pm, and I couldn't get above 1mbps.

If these are the normal speeds i'll be seeeing, it is too big of a speed hit.

Unless there's a secret to not taking a 4+ mbps percent speed hit?

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well maybe sign up too another provider for a week. there are a few that u can choose from
and see if its an issue with ur connection , PIA servers . or what ever causes issues with the net..
whats the speeds like without VPN?

edit .. or like i said earlier maybe try UPD UDP.what ever its called..over TCP
might get better speeds..i know i do
sorry dident say that here

said it whrl.pl/Reore3 <-- here

alagenic writes...

whats the speeds like without VPN?

http://www.speedtest.net/result/4635499745.png with VPN

http://www.speedtest.net/result/4635502717.png Without VPN.

or like i said earlier maybe try UPD UDP.what ever its called..over TCP

Tried it with UDP and TCP, same slow speeds.

What remote port should I be using? I currently have it set to auto.

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trial by power writes...

Tried it with UDP and TCP, same slow speeds.

What remote port should I be using? I currently have it set to auto.

yeah thats a big speed loss...
i havent had any experiance with PIA . can someone help this guy out?
i know 443 is good but maybe thats common on PIA..

https://kb.juniper.net/InfoCenter/index?page=content&id=KB5671
maybe try those ports
Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) uses TCP port 443 and works by using a private key to encrypt data that is transferred over the SSL connection. SSL also uses 465 Secure SMTP, 993 Secure IMAP, and 995 Secure POP.

https://www.bestvpn.com/blog/7359/openvpn-tcp-vs-udp-difference-choose/

or maybe google around

Anybody spoke to PIA about the issue?

Bos writes...

Anybody spoke to PIA about the issue?

Which issue would that be?

I just checked it, and I got a yes on Blacklist. Says it is listed in the CBL because "This IP is infected (or NATting for a computer that is infected) with the Conficker botnet."

Does this mean my PC is infected or PIA is?

I just checked it, and I got a yes on Blacklist. Says it is listed in the CBL because "This IP is infected (or NATting for a computer that is infected) with the Conficker botnet."

Does this mean my PC is infected or PIA is?

It is no big problem for users, but if you report it to PIA they will clean it up. I sent a ticket about same thing on Singapore and the response was quick � "Our senior technicians are looking into this. For the time being it is not a matter of immediate concern for you as one of our users." � and now the server comes up clean.

I just signed up with PIA and I'm pretty disappointed by the speeds I'm getting. Is this normal? It's significantly slower to the point I'm about to cancel.

Before VPN:
Test Results from Oz Broadband Speed Test
----------------------------------
Test run on 05/09/2015 @ 02:59 AM

Mirror: Optus
Data: 106 MB
Test Time: 10 secs

Your line speed is 89.29 Mbps (89287 kbps).
Your download speed is 11.16 MB/s (11161 KB/s).

With VPN on using Sydney server
Test Results from Oz Broadband Speed Test
----------------------------------
Test run on 05/09/2015 @ 03:00 AM

Mirror: Optus
Data: 8 MB
Test Time: 10.1 secs

Your line speed is 6.68 Mbps (6679 kbps).
Your download speed is 835 KB/s (0.83 MB/s).

Yes, try a different server

screenwall writes...

It's significantly slower to the point I'm about to cancel.

You shouldn't lose that much, if you can get 11.16 MB/s normally you should be able to get a connection that only drops that by 2-5mbps. If other servers don't give better results contact the PIA chat support line, they are very helpfull.

Right now on an NBN 25/5 Fixed Wireless connection I get:
23.54mbps down with the VPN off
19.84mbps down with the VPN on and connected through Melbourne
12.7mbps down with the VPN on and connected through Singapore
4.7mbps down with the VPN on and connected through Toronto
7.8mbps down with the VPN on and connected through London

Those are the sorts of variations on different servers at different times of the day � sometimes you have to try different locations to get the best result.

PIA has this webpage on their site for checking speeds to different servers,
https://www.privateinternetaccess.com/pages/network/#

PIA has this webpage on their site for checking speeds to different servers,
https://www.privateinternetaccess.com/pages/network/#

So I shouldn't be seeing such massive speed drops?

The speed to the two AU servers is very healthy, yet I see a very bad drop.

I'm thinking of canning my sub and trying another VPN company.

Worst comes to worse, I'll use tor for all my privacy needs when data retention kicks in

Those are the sorts of variations on different servers at different times of the day � sometimes you have to try different locations to get the best result.

I've played around with a few servers and ports which only made it slower even after asking the PIA chat support. Pretty lost but cheers anyway. Looks like I'll have to find another VPN. Hmm

Not sure why so many people seem to use PIA. All the reviews in my opinion are paid adverts and operating out of USA it is hard to believe anything is private. Probably sufficient to get through the data retention issues but no more.

Personally i would never go with them. To well known now.
The one im with is getting busy too but still get good speeds. Its good to see a live update on their program says how many Gbps they are pumping out.

screenwall writes...

I've played around with a few servers and ports which only made it slower even after asking the PIA chat support. Pretty lost but cheers anyway. Looks like I'll have to find another VPN. Hmm

If your using Win 10 have you downloaded the latest client version V.47?

screenwall writes...

I've played around with a few servers and ports which only made it slower even after asking the PIA chat support. Pretty lost but cheers anyway. Looks like I'll have to find another VPN. Hmm

I've upgaded to win 10 today and just run this test. I'm happy with the speed. PIA seems fine with me.
[URL=http://www.speedtest.net/my-result/4645601351][IMG]http://www.speedtest.net/result/4645601351.png[/IMG][/URL]

I tried PIA for about an hour after I gave up on BoxPN (quite sad as they were really good at the start but now useless throughput). As far as I could tell they are wholely american utilising an address space aligned with a US company. Plus had issues with getting L2TP/IPSEC running on my router so I cancelled and got a refund.

Just tested my speeds on Melbourne node to speedtest.net

TPG without vpn : 12.5mbs
With vpn : 11.4mbs

If you want to avoid having your meta data saved should you not use an end point in the USA instead of using an endpoint in Australia? US laws have no laws to track your usage while Australia will this includes end points in Australia.

So I am wondering people using Australian VPN servers will not hide there activity when meta data retention comes into place. Or am I missing something?

well, it's not really clear. The retention laws are for ISPs ... not VPN providers.

https://www.privateinternetaccess.com/pages/slickdeals-labor-day-special-offer

So I am wondering people using Australian VPN servers will not hide there activity when meta data retention comes into place. Or am I missing something?

What I have been able to figure out (and I am only a low grade nerd when it comes to this) is:
Once the VPN connection has been established your ISP will only be able to record something that looks like a whole lot of this � OIFjds098fsj9f8F#PM98fjfsdv98dshj938j09cejc0983209834238904hcdsfj*(&$#jfsdf8j)FJd0DS09f8h09 � When you have exited the VPN's server and go to the destination URL the IP of that server is a shared address and will be assigned to many users at the same time and the VPN is not logging that information (unless it is a dodgy VPN provider). At this point your ISP knows you are on line but could only tell what you are doing, to a limited degree, by using DPI (Deep Packet Inspection) software which would be able to establish the different signatures of a bittorrent stream as opposed to netflix or web browsing but the content is still encrypted.

This is a good description of DPI
Think of it like this � if you wrap a bicycle and mail it to someone, the post office knows it's a bicycle. They don't know what brand it is and they can't see the serial number to determine if it's stolen, but they know you're sending a bike from your house to the destination address. This is obviously true if somebody is sending the bike from their house to yours too. You can avoid the issue of DPI by using OpenVPN obsfusaction It would be like breaking the bike up into individual parts, then puting each part into a nondescript box, then wrapping and mailing those parts at random intervals.

The likelihood of an ISP bothering to DPI your data is not a huge worry in Australia but if you are a journalist in China or Iran then yes it is and they will block VPN traffic if they find it and you will be in trouble.

It is worth mentioning if your VPN is leaking DNS i.e. windows decides it is going to bypass the VPN to ping a DNS server (windows has no respect sometimes) that will get logged by your ISP, so if you are very serious about protecting your identity you need to switch on DNS leak detection on your VPN client and or take other measures Or you can install the VPN on your router but that is another story.

Using a VPN should protect your Identity and data from the mettadata logging requirements and it is just good practice when you are online to use a VPN to protect against hackers, it's just another level of security like virus protection. A VPN will not stop mettadata being logged about your mobile phone and landline only your web activity.

Sammy1 writes...

Not sure why so many people seem to use PIA.

Allowance for 5 logins in standard package
Port forwarding available
Nodes in Australia as well as major countries of interest

Those things are important to me and nobody else was offering those at a competitive price. If I were a terrorist or cyber criminal I would probably look elsewhere, but I'm not, so i dont.

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so 5 logins they give you, that is pretty generous I can see people almost eliminating the cost of the vpn service to peanuts per year.

Can someone elaborate on this if it is true or not.

Spoke with PIA live chat today. I asked about if legislation in Australia required them to data log on Australian servers would they have to comply.

I was told no, that they are not based in Australia and would not have to comply to any Australian rules/laws.

True or False?

USA servers = 3mbit
AUS servers = 16mbt

So would rather go with Aus servers but the question above??

Only telecommunication providers and isps are required to follow it. Do vpn providers fall into this category?

As of now I know, but what stops that from changing. Just wondering from a legal standpoint if the answer I was given is correct.

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Is this the best price?

Dunno if I want to sign up for 2 yrs or not though...

Also it says 5 devices does that mean I could split the cost with my brother if he is interested? I would only use this on my pc and maybe a laptop or mobile so the 2-3 other devices would be wasted.

Also on the speedtest page

https://www.privateinternetaccess.com/pages/network/#

I am only seeing like 3-4Mbps for US servers. Is that normal? Would I need far higher speeds to watch quality video? 4K? I want to use it to get around geoblocking mainly and steam in Full HD and 4K when I buy my new monitor.

Aussie ones cap out at about 31

Seems very slow when other people are saying I should be losing about 2-3Mbps on aussie servers so I should be getting 80+ easily.

My regular internet gives me 93+

http://www.speedtest.net/my-result/4655011924

http://i.imgur.com/wzVuK21.png

As of now I know, but what stops that from changing. Just wondering from a legal standpoint if the answer I was given is correct

And what about if it's the same as in the USA where there is FISA court ordered logging of VPN's but it's illegal for the vpn to divulge they are logging. We would never know

Yeah 5 devices means exactly that you can split it with your bro.

Issue with their HK servers (hk.privateinternetaccess.com) at the moment. They have reassigned some IPs and it's going to take up to 10 business days to complete. They weren't able to offer any alternative/direct connection methods.

Guys just quickly, are there any anonymous payment methods that you know of? Gift cards with fast turn around. Walmart etc

It's not illegal, just use PayPal or credit card.

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Brandis and the Gov't have been totally unclear whether PIA or any other VPN operators offering their services in Australia would have to provide some kind of logging of users activity under the data retention laws. The AFP, Brandis and others are all saying different things.

http://www.zdnet.com/article/telstra-hands-over-browsing-history-in-current-warrantless-metadata-regime/

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/aug/08/asio-and-federal-police-seek-to-clear-up-confusion-over-metadata-collection

I think anyone using any of these mainstream public VPN services are kidding themselves if they think they are out of the reach of authorities. And don't forget the type of Malware being developed and deployed to spy on civilians by various Gov't and Law enforcement agencies would bypass the VPN settings on most devices.

Some bedtime reading

http://www.cheatsheet.com/technology/how-the-cia-fbi-and-nsa-are-attacking-your-iphone.html/?a=viewall

http://www.wired.com/2015/07/fbi-spent-775k-hacking-teams-spy-tools-since-2011/

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2015/01/07/china-police-inadvertently-admit-to-buying-malware-to-spy-on-citizens/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_government_mass_surveillance_projects

PS: make sure your browser is not leaking WebRTC requests

What is a "WebRTC leaks"?

WebRTC implement STUN (Session Traversal Utilities for Nat), a protocol that allows to discover the public IP address. To disable it:

Mozilla Firefox: Type "about:config� in the address bar. Scroll down to �media.peerconnection.enabled�, double click to set it to false.
Google Chrome: Install Google official extension WebRTC Network Limiter.

https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/webrtc-network-limiter/npeicpdbkakmehahjeeohfdhnlpdklia

You can test your setup for DNS and WebRTC leaks here
https://ipleak.net/#dnsleak

tlearyus writes...

Brandis and the Gov't have been totally unclear whether PIA or any other VPN operators offering their services in Australia would have to provide some kind of logging

PIA do not keep logs about customer activity � the only data they keep about customers is billing info and contact email and given that it is not illegal to use a VPN that information is of little consequence.

For the moment VPN's are legal and will not be subject to Data logging, Turnbull has stated on his blog that The Copyright Act does not make it illegal to use a VPN to access overseas content.

See also this article about VPN's and their future Turnbull's piracy crackdown and the fate of VPNs

Under the new Telecommunications (Interception and Access) Amendment (Data Retention) Act 2015 that comes into force on Octobere 13th, a VPN is not considered an "internet carriage service" because it is not a service that enables end-users to access the internet i.e. you still need and RSP/ISP to access the internet before you use a VPN. Also it only applies to services that are owned and operated in Australia.

It works like this:

It states in the new Data logging amendment division 1 � Obligation to keep information and documents

(3) This Part applies to a service if:

(a) it is a service for carrying communications, or enabling communications to be carried, by means of guided or unguided electromagnetic energy or both; and

(b) it is a service:
(i) operated by a carrier; [My Emphasis] or
(ii) operated by an internet service provider [My Emphasis] (within the meaning of Schedule 5 to the Broadcasting Services Act 1992);* or
(iii) of a kind for which a declaration under subsection (3A) is in force; and
( c) the person operating the service owns or operates, in Australia, infrastructure that enables the provision of any of its relevant services;

but does not apply to a broadcasting service (within the meaning of the Broadcasting Services Act 1992).

*It gets a bit silly here but to define what an internet service provider is you need to follow the trail

first; Schedule 5 to the Broadcasting Services Act 1992' says

"internet service provider " has the meaning given by clause 8.

in clause 8 it says
Internet service providers
Basic definition
(1) For the purposes of this Schedule, if a person supplies, or proposes to supply, an internet carriage service [My Emphasis] to the public, the person is an internet service provider .
Declared internet service providers
(2) The Minister may, by legislative instrument, declare that a specified person who supplies, or proposes to supply, a specified internet carriage service is an internet service provider for the purposes of this Schedule. A declaration under this subclause has effect accordingly.

If you then go back to the definitions it says;
"internet carriage service" means a listed carriage service that enables end-users to access the internet.
"carrier " means the holder of a carrier licence. (unless the VPN also holds and Australian carriers licence it is exempt)

I think anyone using any of these mainstream public VPN services are kidding themselves if they think they are out of the reach of authorities.

This is true to an extent, if your are using OpenVPN client provided by a quality VPN like PIA then your web browsing activity is highly encrypted and not viewable by your ISP (DPI will distinguish types of data streams but not the data itself) You can see more on PIA VPN Encryption settings here
A VPN will not cover metadata that is recorded from your mobile phone, smart phone or landline � if you have a VPN on your smart phone it is only covering your web activity not your calls and texts etc.

Thanks for your excellent reply. I just read this post as well.

https://www.privateinternetaccess.com/blog/2013/11/do-vpns-fall-under-the-data-retention-requirements-of-the-stored-communications-act/

So it all depends of whether VPN's are considered a carriage service under the law. I would bet good money that Brandis & Co are busy trying to find a way to include them or propose a change to the legislation.

This is worth reading as well
https://www.bestvpn.com/blog/5653/data-retention-vpn-logging-and-internet-surveillance-in-europe/

"The position of VPN providers depends on how each country has transposed the directive into national legislation (where they have). While many countries do include VPN providers in the legislation and require them to keep logs (see list), a number of counties (discussed below) either do not require VPN providers to keep logs, or have rejected the legislation outright.

Counties in full compliance with the EU DRD (including VPN services in the legislation) include:

Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Latvia, Lichtenstein, Lithuania, Malta, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland and the UK."

PS: Any thoughts about Gov't agencies using Malware to get around use of VPN's?

tlearyus writes...

Any thoughts about Gov't agencies using Malware to get around use of VPN's?

Possibly as a targetted attack � wouldn't be viable to try to do it to everyone.

It could be via router firmware pushed out by major Telcos like Telstra and Optus.

tlearyus writes...

It could be via router firmware pushed out by major Telcos like Telstra and Optus.

Wouldn't work � if the VPN is on the PC then the router cannot intercept it.

Also a lot of people use non ISP routers (myself included).

Has anyone paid for their subscription via the android app? Is it possible to use Telstra Billing via Google Play?

Thanks for any answers.

Edit: Google Wallet is listed as a payment option so I like my chances.

sween64 writes...

Has anyone paid for their subscription via the android app? Is it possible to use Telstra Billing via Google Play?

Yes but i did when Telstra had the $20 limit so i was paying month to month but they have changed there limit to $100 now

1. Is it better to have PIA at the PC level or the router level?

2. Does PIA significantly affect gaming pings � eg LOL?

3. I have 2 computers on my home network and a work computer at work. Can they all be protected by the one PIA VPN account?

1. Is it better to have PIA at the PC level or the router level?

Depends on your requirements.

2. Does PIA significantly affect gaming pings � eg LOL?

Depends on the server you choose to connect to.

3. I have 2 computers on my home network and a work computer at work. Can they all be protected by the one PIA VPN account?

Yes, up to 5 simultaneous logins allowed on the one account.

Yes, up to 5 simultaneous logins allowed on the one account.

So one for mum and dad, one for work and 3 for my home network?

Does it matter that they're not all at one physical location?

Does it matter that they're not all at one physical location?

Pretty sure it doesn't matter.

Does it matter that they're not all at one physical location?

No they are linked to the device and not the location � you could put the client on 10 devices (laptops , phones, PC's, tablets) and as long as only 5 were online and any one time that would be OK

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anyone having issues authenticating tonight?

- nevermind, turns out my password magically changed in the last 24hrs..... odd

Under the new Telecommunications (Interception and Access) Amendment (Data Retention) Act 2015 that comes into force on Octobere 13th, a VPN is not considered an "internet carriage service"

Bro you don't understand how A vpn can be blocked. It can be blocked under the new legislation as it will allow the downloading of pirated material. In the same way as piratebay will be blocked.

If a vpn is warned by the goverenment that they must block piratebay as they are facilitating the downloading of pirate material, and that if they do not block piratebay then your ISP will block the servers or infringing server so you won't be able to connect. So a vpn can be blocked but not directly the way you thought There's nothiing in the legislation stopping that from happening. I don't care what politicians say, if they tell me NO VPN will be blocked I would onlybelieve if it says that iin the llegislation

There's a lot wrong with your post.

Your home network is one IP so that counts as 1 device. You can have a 100 devices at home running via the VPN and they will count as 1.

Your home network is one IP so that counts as 1 device. You can have a 100 devices at home running via the VPN and they will count as 1.

Is this the case if the VPN is at the PC level rather than at the router level?

As in does each PC behind a router have a different IP?

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Bro you don't understand how A vpn can be blocked. It can be blocked under the new legislation as it will allow the downloading of pirated material.

What you say is not entirely correct but not impossible. There are three separate things happening to internet access at a similar time and people are getting them confused

First, this legislation is already in place � The Copyright Amendment (Online Infringement) Bill 2015 and this makes it possible for a media company to apply to a court to obtain and injunction to have a web site that facilitates the illegal downloading of copyright material � i.e kickass or the pirate bay etc � blocked by an ISP (a carriage service provider)

Thus far no media company has attempted to obtain an injunction but some are in the process and the likelihood of them attempting to obtain and injunction against a VPN provider is low. If they were to succeed you can circumvent it by doing this: If VPN Sites Are Blocked In Australia, You Can Always Build Your Own If they just block websites you can get around that by changing your DNS on the router PIA is DNS server 1: 209.222.18.222 DNS server 2: 209.222.18.218 or google is 8.8.8.8 and/or 8.8.4.4 (if you have PIA installed on your router go with the PIA DNS)

The second piece of legislation that will log internet, mobile and landline metadata is the � Telecommunications (Interception and Access) Amendment (Data Retention) Act 2015 and that comes into force on the 13th of October. That does not require a VPN to log your data because as I previously mentioned a VPN is not a carriage service provider.

The third piece of internet control is the "three strikes" anti-piracy regime which, if all the service providers manage to reach an agreement, will become and industry code of conduct (not a piece of legislation / law) which will be a ratified and binding agreement to send users three notices before they shop you to the companies like Sony and Fox etc i.e. after you get caught three time your details will be handed over and you could be prosecuted a la Dallas Buyers Club.

Blocking VPN access would cause a big stink because they are a perfectly legitimate tool that business use every day. The media companies use them as a matter of course so they would be saying that they should be allowed to have a service that the general public should not have.

As in does each PC behind a router have a different IP?

I thought it worked like this (but I might be wrong)
The DCHP on the router gives each device a different IP and that is what the VPN provide would look at not the IP address given out by your ISP. If the VPN is on the router then the VPN provider only sees one device IP (the router) and everything behind that is actually protected by the VPN.

Your home network is one IP so that counts as 1 device. You can have a 100 devices at home running via the VPN and they will count as

No, only if you used vpn via the router.

If you had 10 computers all using the pia app, only 5 would work simultaneously.

I just installed the PIA client on my Windows 10 PC.

Initially my internet was very slow but its getting better now. Is this normal?

My new IP is 168.1.6.xx.

Does that mean I'm all protected now?

Does that mean I'm all protected now

No, not really. A little bit maybe

No, not really. A little bit maybe

1. Can I P2P safely?

2. Do you say this because PIA is no good or all VPNs are no good?

3. What do you suggest I do?

Check what results this site shows with your PIA connected � https://ipleak.net/

Yeah, sorry should have stated behind router level VPN all devices count as 1.

I ran some speed tests yesterday and the results were interesting

Telstra adsl2 connection

No VPN � 15.8 Mbit
VPN via PIA APP � 3.4 Mbit
VPN via PTPP via PC � 3.4 Mbit
VPN via Router � 12.13 Mbit

All tests done one after another via speedtest.net

If VPN is enabled at the router level, does internal LAN traffic (eg between PCs or a NAS) bypass the VPN? This would seem to be sensible but I'm not sure.

Mr Gimlet writes...

If VPN is enabled at the router level, does internal LAN traffic (eg between PCs or a NAS) bypass the VPN? This would seem to be sensible but I'm not sure.

Yes. VPN is not used on LAN traffic.

1. Can I P2P safely?
Test your connection, as Trin Tab said check your connection at https://ipleak.net/

2. Do you say this because PIA is no good or all VPNs are no good?

PIA has a good reputation and they take their customers privacy seriously

3. What do you suggest I do?

There is probably more but this is a good start

If you want to thoroughly protect your IP from disclosure learn about how to stop a DNS leak There is a box to tick on the PIA app under the advanced tab and also a link to some PIA info.

Follow the instructions on ipleak on stopping your web browser from leaking WebRTC.

Install the PIA proxy on your torrenteng software (some people think it sux others don't, make up your own mind) see here How to use uTorrent Anonymously

Window 10 is a privacy nightmare so adjust the privacy settings Privacy settings you need to change

Periodicity check ipleak or other IP test site to what is showing up.

So what is the verdict in regards to torrents? VPN is enough on it's own or do you really need to enable SOCKS5 in the client?

Seems like everyone has a different opinion.

or do you really need to enable SOCKS5 in the client?

My assumption is that SOCKS5 in the client gives an added level of security, so if the VPN client on the PC drops the the VPN connection you are not exposed (but you can always use the kill switch on the app). Some people reckon it slows things down too much but if you configure it properly it is not too bad.

My assumption is that SOCKS5 in the client gives an added level of security

I'm sure it isn't advised, but out of curiosity, can you use just SOCKS5 and no VPN and have some level of protection?

Seems like everyone has a different opinio

I just use the VPN and have Vuze torrent client bind all torrent traffic to the VPN Tap adapter.
Has worked flawlessly for months.

sween64 writes...

I'm sure it isn't advised, but out of curiosity, can you use just SOCKS5 and no VPN and have some level of protection?

I think you can but I wouldn't believe me check � ask PIA live chat

can you use just SOCKS5 and no VPN and have some level of protection?

check this video for the info on vpn vs socks5
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQQZXMxqHDs

check this video for the info on vpn vs socks5

Very informative

I'll make this prediction here. The block list is implemented, piratebay and the like is added. Village roadshow or the like make a complaint about being able to access block list content via PIA, claiming within the legislation PIA is just the same as piratebay and must be blocked.

Governmennt won't want to do this obviously as there are legal activities carried out with PIA, then comes an amendment whereby VPN's that connect to gelocated Austraians must implement the Australian government block list for those customers or the VPN it'self will be added to the block it'self.

You heard it here first. I called it on 17th Sep 2015

check this video for the info on vpn vs socks5
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQQZXMxqHDs

Thanks!

then comes an amendment whereby VPN's that connect to gelocated Austraians must implement the Australian government block list for those customers or the VPN it'self will be added to the block it'self.

That'll be massive.

The Government has too much power if it comes to that.

That'll be massive.

The Government has too much power if it comes to that.

Why would that impact Australian users when the company is US based? They dont need to worry about our laws. Its not like the pirate bay is possible to be blocked anyway now they have upgraded their site.

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You heard it here first. I called it on 17th Sep 2015

Yeah cool story but no, government has no control over US based company. They don't need to comply with shit from our ridiculous government... And if the government blocks the VPN ip? Good, I'll buy another vpn to access my vpn. Or are they going to ask all other vpns to block every other vpn? Doubt it.

government has no control over US based company. They don't need to comply with shit from our ridiculous government... And if the government blocks the VPN ip? Good, I'll buy another vpn to access my vpn.

They would have to comply with Australian law if they wanted to do business with gelocated Australians.

So there would be 2 situations. Non compliance = vpn blocked by all Australian ISP's. Compliance = business as usual except impossible to connect via the vpn to any site on the block list, including vpn's not in compliance.

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Yeah cool story but no, government has no control over US based company.

I doubt they would bother trying to get a VPN to block IP addresses as you say no government has no control over US based company. PIA's DNS servers are not located in Australia, and are used by people from all over the world so they are beyond the reach of Australian law. The would have to actually block the access to to all the VPN providers and then it is just a matter of Build your own personal cloud VPN and tunnelling out and buy another VPN . Bypassing the IP blocking in Australia is as simple as 8.8.8.8

I doubt they would bother trying to get a VPN to block IP addresses as you say no government has no control over US based company.

Their capitulation has nothing to do with jurisdiction of Australian law overseas, It's just one of what makes the best business sense. If PIA's servers are blocked by Australian ISPs it will cripple them in this country, especially PIA, which is maybe the vpn with the highest amount of dumb people aka non technicaly computer literate plebs. Them and ProXpn

So what makes the best business sense, to be blocked in Australia or to implement The rules of the Great Australian firewall [for Australian people]

I need you peopole to realise what could happen based on current legislation. You deniers need to be ready

https://ipleak.net/#webrtcleak

https://ipleak.net/

I got asked to install WebRTC Network Limiter to Chrome.

Is this safe or a scam?

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Their capitulation has nothing to do with jurisdiction of Australian law overseas

Their capitulation is necessary if they are to block IP's on their DNS servers, to block PIA outright is a different matter

If PIA's servers are blocked by Australian ISPs it will cripple them in this country, especially PIA, which is maybe the vpn with the highest amount of dumb people aka non technicaly computer literate plebs.

How will that happen and what is your solution? At this point in time a good VPN is the best show in town for protecting your privacy. If you are not one of us "dumb people aka non technically computer literate plebs" what about sharing some of your knowledge to enlighten the less fortunate.

Personally I get the fact that an RAS 2048 handshake and Blowfish (128 bit) encryption in CBD mode is not a 100% guarantee against the NSA cracking open your data log. But for most of us it means that what comes down the line or over the air waves is not just exposed and raw data that your ISP is going to be easily able to see and our IP address is for all intents and purposes is obscured. Personally I like the fact that if an online crime gang look at my data stream and an unencrypted one they will take the unencrypted. The more people who use VPN's the harder it is to ban them.

If the government of the day decide to introduce a Great Firewall approach as they have in China then we can assume that we are now living under a totalitarian regime and we will best be organising our selves to take up the fight against such a oppressive system. Putting on a tin hat (or even a heavy-duty copper helmet) and trying to frighten people is not the answer. If you have evidence or information about PIA or if you know of better VPN providers then let us in on the secret, if you have other information to offer then help us understand what to do better, I am sure your input would be welcome.

I need you peopole to realise what could happen based on current legislation. You deniers need to be ready

I refer you to my posts on the thread I started here Heads-up, digital privacy ends on October 13 and in particular the post I put up tonight to assure you that personally, I for one am no denier of what is going on.

I got asked to install WebRTC Network Limiter to Chrome.

Is this safe or a scam?

It doesn't work properly. Don't use Chrome to fully protect your self unfortunately.

I got asked to install WebRTC Network Limiter to Chrome.

It is a fairly recent addition to attempt to resolve the problem. The fix for Firefox works.

If you are not one of us "dumb people aka non technically computer literate plebs" what about sharing some of your knowledge to enlighten the less fortunate.

I just meant you gave possible solutions to connecting to a VPN after it's been blocked by Australian ISP's, but as PIA likely has the most mainstream non technical users the government block would be very effective but I can't imagine that happening more likely PIA mirrors our isp block lists & in doing so stays out of the list itself
I agree a VPN is still effective at securing your connection except against the 5 eyes countries which includes NSA , Australiia & others. They are in the VPN's so encryption won't protect you.

Don't use Chrome to fully protect your self unfortunately.

What browser should I use then?

What browser should I use then?

firefox or chrome based browser Slimjet ( has disable webrtc option built in) http://www.slimjet.com/en/
also has lots of options that chrome doesn't have.

It doesn't work properly. Don't use Chrome to fully protect your self unfortunately.

Does the same go for router based VPN? Or is it only the PIA Program that has this vulnerability while using chrome?

I am surprised Google has not resolved this in a chrome update.

Don't use Chrome to fully protect your self unfortunately.

My understanding is that WebRTC reveals your IP to the website you are visiting.

Is it important to hide your IP to the website you are visiting?

Anyway, I installed the WebRTC Network Limiter and https://ipleak.net/ suggests that I am now safe.

You guys could just use Tor if your really worried.

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before i buy a new router im wondering how i should setup my vpn connections...

i want to have my own private vpn so i can connect my phone/ laptop to my home network so its as if i was connected via wifi if i want to print remotely access stored items off my NAS etc (i currently have an old DD-WRT router doing it through PPtP but it doesnt work half the time) and then get PIA for my home network.

would it be best to run this on a router to do all the traffic?
or is it better to run on each device i want?

is there any sites i would have issues with? i have seen whirlpool has a captcha is this going to affect online banking etc?

if running it on the router is there a way to turn it off if needed? would i ever need to?
can i have traffic not run through the vpn on the router if required?

can i run certain sites through a different vpn IP. eg normal traffic use the australian IP but any sites that are blocked can i use a different one ie US netflix, hulu etc

what would the best router to do this be? is the asus rt-ac68u good?

B-Man writes...

and then get PIA for my home network. would it be best to run this on a router to do all the traffic?

Yes. I use the netgear r7000 flashed with tomato.

f running it on the router is there a way to turn it off if needed? would i ever need to?

Yes it takes only a few seconds to activate/deactivate. By setting up good firewall rules there are probably no real reasons to need to deactivate.

can i run certain sites through a different vpn IP. eg normal traffic use the australian IP but any sites that are blocked can i use a different one ie US netflix, hulu etc

By creating firewall rules using iptables you can achieve this.

To those who are running OpenVPN using the PIA provided configs on windows (7).

Im getting an error which pops up after 2hrs of being connected saying that the vpn has been disconnected. The disconnect button disappears but in reality the vpn is still connected, just the gui thinks its not.

Anyone know whats going on with that and how to fix it?

Windows 10 issue, I have a new PC and PIA does not load when PC starts up I have to click icon ever time to connect. Is this normal and is there a fix for it.

are you using the latest client V47 ? its been out for a couple of weeks.
https://www.privateinternetaccess.com/forum/discussion/18386/new-windows-client-v-47-released

1) Released an updated startup task setup, to correct the automatic startup of the application on Windows 10

are you using the latest client V47 ? its been out for a couple of weeks.

Thanks i must of just missed this release by a few days all good now. Cheers

WhoCares writes...

Windows 10 issue, I have a new PC and PIA does not load when PC starts up I have to click icon ever time to connect. Is this normal and is there a fix for it.

Have you ticked the box under settings that says "start application a logon" and "auto connect when app starts"

is it better to setup via the router or on each pc?

B-Man writes...

is it better to setup via the router or on each pc?

I would go with router if wanting to get everything behind the VPN Plus in my small test I saw much better speeds with VPN on router.

B-Man writes...

is it better to setup via the router or on each pc?

It really depends.

If you do it at router level, and then login to things like social media, or google mail etc with your VPN IP Address, technically you're no longer anonymous. Whereas doing it at client / pc level, you can turn on / off as you please.

There's arguments either way depending on your level of anonymity required

I would go with router if wanting to get everything behind the VPN Plus in my small test I saw much better speeds with VPN on router.

Does anybody else have problem finding VPN section on Billion 7800NXL? I think it may not support this feature having looked on OzCableguy (http://www.ozcableguy.com/review.asp?router=7800NXL).

So far I installed v.47 PIA client and using at its default settings (enabled VPN kill switch/DNS leak protection/IPv6 protection).

Do I need to do anything else? I use qBittorrent and Chrome/Firefox/Operah to browse torrent sites.

I seem to be finding a few websites that I come across are blocking access while I am on VPN. Are people finding this? For example can't view carsales.com.au reuqest has been blocked.

For example can't view carsales.com.au reuqest has been blocked.

It worked for me through pia.

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For example can't view carsales.com.au reuqest has been blocked.

working fine here, even tried u.s .france and aussie servers. All let me onto the site no problem.
If your accessing using a bookmark try access thru google search.
edit, i haven't come across any sites blocking access, but i do primarily use the Aussie servers.
Maybe try clearing your cookies,cache and site preferences on your browser.

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I seem to be finding a few websites that I come across are blocking access while I am on VPN. Are people finding this? For example can't view carsales.com.au reuqest has been blocked.

You get that, for instance you can't post an ad on gumtree or you can't view content on iview etc. because they're region specific Sometimes changing to the PIA Aus servers will do it other times you just need to disconnect the VPN. Also sometimes Whirlpool will block you and make you fill in a capcha box.

I am using the Melb servers so geo locking should not be an issue. Will try the suggestions posted, thanks boys.

Tried all that and still no go. I could get onto carsales a couple days ago today nothing. I'll see if this persists.

i'm guessing you have tried / tested more than one browser ?

i'm guessing you have tried / tested more than one browser ?

yeah I have and tried mobile devices. no go might change the melb server to another melb server as I think there are 2.

Well changing the server to the other melb one fixed the issue. But it is no good that it happens at all.

But it is no good that it happens at all.

Welcome to the wonderful world of geo blocking

Where did you find the 2nd Melbourne server? I only see one on the PIA server list.

The other one is listed in the PIA APP.

PIA only list two AU servers, on the website they appear as
Australia (AU VPN)
aus.privateinternetaccess.com
aus-melbourne.privateinternetaccess.com

But it the app version I have they are listed as one in Sydney and the other in Melbourne

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PIA doesn't have a Server in China. Is it true that no VPN providers have reliable and usable VPN servers to China these days, given the upgraded Great Wall?

Edit: add comment FROM EXPRESS VPN CONSULTANT WITH PERMISSION: I think there are other VPN providers who have servers in China � as for their usability � we do not have accurate information about the other VPN providers.
We do know that China does not allow VPN services in China and frequently try to block VPN services. So it would make sense that they would not allow any VPN service to actually setup a VPN server in their country.

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Utelcoguy writes...

FROM EXPRESS VPN

Watch out for the Terms of servercs at Express VPN

"In addition, we may collect the following information: times when connected to our service, choice of server location, and the total amount of data transferred per day. We store this to be able to deliver the best possible network experience to you. We analyze this information generically and keep the data secure."

PIA dont do that.

I seem to be finding a few websites that I come across are blocking access while I am on VPN.

i must have logged onto whirlpool forum initially when i was on sydney's server. now when i use melbourne server whirlpool blocks me saying dued to suspicious acitivities on this server!!!??? it still let me in with sydney server however.

I have a FritzBox 7490 and want to configure PIA at the router level.

Have read mixed reviews that it is and isn't possible.

Has anyone been successful is using this router and PIA?

I'd prefer to not buy another device just to get a VPN.

Auto connect always connects me to Sydney and it's so slowww. To the point that Facebook and Youtube home page will take nearly a minute to load.

No problems when I'm not on the VPN.

iSoul writes...

Auto connect always connects me to Sydney and it's so slowww.

right click on the app icon and choose another server as your default rather than auto connect, try Melbourne or Singapore, if a server is slow try swapping around till you find a faster connection. If that doesn't help it might be in your setup so contact the live help.

Been meaning to ask for a while but keep forgetting so here goes: How do you get PIA to auto start with Windows 10?

The box is ticked in PIA, it's in the windows startup section but it doesn't start until I manually click the icon.

Whilst not a big issue, is there a simple fix to this?

The box is ticked in PIA, it's in the windows startup section but it doesn't start until I manually click the icon.

Whilst not a big issue, is there a simple fix to this?

There's been a few posts saying that you need the latest PIA client to re enable the auto feature. This post here links to the software you probably need. /forum-replies.cfm?t=2340617&p=98#r1943

The box is ticked in PIA, it's in the windows startup section but it doesn't start until I manually click the icon.

It might be a glitch in the app but I know that some people miss the fact that you need to have both boxes in the setting ticked i.e. < start Application at Logon > AND < Auto-Connect When App is Started>

Thanks for the above, both of those are ticked so no luck there.

There are reports of others having the same issue but there doesn't appear to be a definite fix as yet.

both of those are ticked so no luck there.

Have a talk with PIA the 'live chat' is pretty good.

I fixed it creating a "At Login" task in Task Scheduler. Loads fine every time using that method.

Pikey18 writes...

I fixed it creating a "At Login" task in Task Scheduler. Loads fine every time using that method.

are you using the latest client V47 ? its been out for a couple of weeks.
https://www.privateinternetaccess.com/forum/discussion/18386/new-windows-client-v-47-released

1) Released an updated startup task setup, to correct the automatic startup of the application on Windows 10

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