{"id":447949,"date":"2022-05-16T21:00:26","date_gmt":"2022-05-16T18:00:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/shadowsocks-vs-vpns-which-should-you-use\/"},"modified":"2022-05-16T21:00:26","modified_gmt":"2022-05-16T18:00:26","slug":"shadowsocks-vs-vpns-which-should-you-use","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/shadowsocks-vs-vpns-which-should-you-use\/","title":{"rendered":"#Shadowsocks vs. VPNs: Which Should You Use?"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_84 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a2e1c5e0ca0f\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a2e1c5e0ca0f\" checked aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-1'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/shadowsocks-vs-vpns-which-should-you-use\/#%E2%80%9CShadowsocks_vs_VPNs_Which_Should_You_Use%E2%80%9D\" >&#8220;Shadowsocks vs. VPNs: Which Should You Use?&#8221;<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-2' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/shadowsocks-vs-vpns-which-should-you-use\/#How_Does_Internet_Censorship_Usually_Work\" >How Does Internet Censorship (Usually) Work?<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/shadowsocks-vs-vpns-which-should-you-use\/#Evasion_by_Proxy\" >Evasion by Proxy<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/shadowsocks-vs-vpns-which-should-you-use\/#What_Is_Shadowsocks\" >What Is Shadowsocks?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/shadowsocks-vs-vpns-which-should-you-use\/#What_Is_a_VPN\" >What Is a VPN?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/shadowsocks-vs-vpns-which-should-you-use\/#VPN_vs_Shadowsocks\" >VPN vs. Shadowsocks<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h1><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"%E2%80%9CShadowsocks_vs_VPNs_Which_Should_You_Use%E2%80%9D\"><\/span>&#8220;Shadowsocks vs. VPNs: Which Should You Use?&#8221;<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h1>\n<div>\n<!-- UNCACHED CONTENT --><\/p>\n<figure style=\"width: 1200px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"type:primaryImage size-full wp-image-796947\" data-pagespeed-lazy-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.howtogeek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/shutterstock_1444616192.png?width=398&amp;trim=1,1&amp;bg-color=000&amp;pad=1,1 400w, https:\/\/www.howtogeek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/shutterstock_1444616192.png?width=1198&amp;trim=1,1&amp;bg-color=000&amp;pad=1,1 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, 400w, 1200w\" data-pagespeed-lazy-src=\"https:\/\/www.howtogeek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/shutterstock_1444616192.png?width=1198&amp;trim=1,1&amp;bg-color=000&amp;pad=1,1\" alt=\"A digital lock and Wi-Fi logo.\" width=\"1200\" height=\"675\" src=\"\/pagespeed_static\/1.JiBnMqyl6S.gif\" onload=\"pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\" onerror=\"this.onerror=null;pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span class=\"type:primaryImage imagecredit\"><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.shutterstock.com\/image-vector\/wifi-icon-padlock-security-internet-private-1444616192\">Illus_man\/Shutterstock.com<\/a><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>If you want to escape internet censorship, you may have wondered whether a VPN or Shadowsocks is the better choice for you. Both are powerful tools that will help you evade any blocks, but each comes with its own strengths and weaknesses. Let\u2019s compare the two.<\/p>\n<h2 role=\"heading\" aria-level=\"2\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_Does_Internet_Censorship_Usually_Work\"><\/span>How Does Internet Censorship (Usually) Work?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Before we get to how VPNs and Shadowsocks work, let\u2019s take a look at the bogeyman they\u2019re trying to defeat. Plenty of places use some kind of internet censorship to control what their population sees online\u2014China\u2019s Great Firewall is one of the strictest examples, though far from the only one.<\/p>\n<p>The way most of these blocks work is relatively simple: they block IP addresses \u2014 each website\u2019s unique identifier \u2014 either specific ones or even an entire range of them. It\u2019s simple but effective.<\/p>\n<p>However, if you have an idea of how the internet works, the solution is equally simple. Instead of going directly to the blocked IP address you want to visit, you first go to an unblocked one, assume that IP address and then go to where you originally intended to go.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Evasion_by_Proxy\"><\/span>Evasion by Proxy<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>There are several ways to reroute your internet connection in this way, the most common of which are proxies. These are small programs that let you bounce your signal around, so if you\u2019re in the United States for example, you can use a proxy to make it <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/download-scripts-themes-apps\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"9\" title=\"Download Scripts &amp; Themes &amp; Apps\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">app<\/a>ear like you\u2019re in Canada, the UK, or, well, anywhere, really.<\/p>\n<p>However, censors around the world have gotten wise to how proxies work. They <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/general\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"3\" title=\"General\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">general<\/a>ly aren\u2019t very good for anything aside from anything more serious than <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/social-mediaa\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"1\" title=\"Social Media\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">YouTube<\/a>\u2019s copyright blocks. On top of that, proxies offer no privacy, so if anybody is tracking people avoiding blocks\u2014like China is rumored to do\u2014you may find yourself in hot water.<\/p>\n<p>Thankfully, there are several more effective alternatives to proxies, including Tor and SSH tunnels. However, among the most popular are Shadowsocks and virtual private networks; let\u2019s take a look at them now.<\/p>\n<h2 role=\"heading\" aria-level=\"2\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_Is_Shadowsocks\"><\/span>What Is Shadowsocks?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Of the two, Shadowsocks is closest to a proxy, so we\u2019ll start there. In fact, technically it is a proxy, it just uses an improved protocol\u2014a set of rules that lets two or more machines \u201ctalk\u201d to each other\u2014over most proxies. Called SOCKS5, it does a few things better than regular proxies do, like encrypt the connection.<\/p>\n<p>As we explain in our article on what Shadowsocks is, the application was developed initially by a Chinese programmer named \u201cclowwindy\u201d to bypass the Great Firewall. However, he had to abandon the project after being \u201cinvited to tea\u201d by the Chinese police\u2014which seems to be a solid endorsement of how well Shadowsocks work. Since then, the project has been taken over by others, and they have further refined it.<\/p>\n<p>The result is a simple proxy that is easy to set up by anybody with a little know-how\u2014it\u2019s not quite ready to go when you download it\u2014and one that\u2019s indistinguishable from regular internet traffic. We like how stealthy it is, and so far we\u2019ve never heard of anybody getting into trouble for using it.<\/p>\n<h2 role=\"heading\" aria-level=\"2\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_Is_a_VPN\"><\/span>What Is a VPN?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Virtual private networks are a slightly different take on the same foundation. Much like a proxy, a VPN will reroute your connection but encrypts traffic using a so-called VPN tunnel, making it impossible for anybody to figure out what\u2019s going\u2014on unless they have a few billion years to spare to crack the encryption.<\/p>\n<p>VPNs rose to prominence as a great way for torrenters to download copyrighted material. Though the connections to torrenting sites are closely monitored, using a VPN means that copyright watchdogs can\u2019t figure out your location, nor can they see what you\u2019re doing because of the encryption.<\/p>\n<p>Of course, VPNs are useful for a lot more things than just torrenting: you can use them to get around censorship, regional restrictions like those put up by Netflix, and a few other limitations. There are many things you should use a VPN for.<\/p>\n<h2 role=\"heading\" aria-level=\"2\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"VPN_vs_Shadowsocks\"><\/span>VPN vs. Shadowsocks<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>You could be forgiven for thinking that Shadowsocks and VPN seem awfully similar at first glance, and the <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/technology\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"4\" title=\"Technology\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">technology<\/a> is comparable in many ways. However, there are some important differences between the two, especially when it comes to detection. As a general rule, VPN connections are easier to detect but harder to crack, while Shadowsocks is harder to detect but easier to decipher.<\/p>\n<p>In practice, though, the difference seems to be negligible: in China, at least, not too many people get in trouble for tunneling under the Great Firewall\u2014though the fear of getting caught is omnipresent. However, in <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/pressnewsagency.org\/myanmar-junta-using-draft-law-to-conduct-searches-for-vpns\/\">Myanmar<\/a> and <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/video-shows-russian-police-allegedly-stopping-people-screen-phones-1685502\">Russia<\/a>, for example, you can get into trouble for evading censorship.\u00a0Police may even stop people on the street to inspect phones for VPN software.<\/p>\n<p>Overall, the choice between the two seems to hinge on what you\u2019ll use it for. If you need to avoid blocks first and foremost and you have the technical know-how to set up Shadowsocks, it\u2019s a great option. It\u2019s free to use and nobody should be able to figure out what you\u2019re doing, either by analyzing your traffic or looking at your phone.<\/p>\n<p>However, if you have the money to spend, VPN services are interesting because they can not only bypass censorship but also do so much more. That said, the chance that your traffic can be identified\u2014in other words, that internet monitors could notice you\u2019re using a VPN\u2014is a little concerning. If that\u2019s a worry you may want to check out services like <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/redirect.viglink.com\/?key=204a528a336ede4177fff0d84a044482&amp;u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.vyprvpn.com%2F\">VyprVPN<\/a>, which claim to have developed VPN protocols that aren\u2019t identifiable.<\/p>\n<p>The upshot is that both VPNs and Shadowsocks should do a good job of avoiding censorship blocks, though both come with a risk of detection. Shadowsocks\u2019 risk of detection is just smaller. The fact that, once detected, you can be identified is a little scary, though. If that is a major concern for you, maybe trying a VPN with custom protocols, like the aforementioned VyprVPN, is a good idea.<\/p>\n<p>If, however, evading blocks is just a minor consideration for you, then VPNs are the much better option as they\u2019ll also let you torrent in peace as well as get around Netflix\u2019s restrictions. We also like that even if detected, it\u2019ll be a lot harder to figure out who you are.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><script>\n setTimeout(function(){\n  !function(f,b,e,v,n,t,s)\n  {if(f.fbq)return;n=f.fbq=function(){n.callMethod?\n  n.callMethod.apply(n,arguments):n.queue.push(arguments)};\n  if(!f._fbq)f._fbq=n;n.push=n;n.loaded=!0;n.version='2.0';\n  n.queue=[];t=b.createElement(e);t.async=!0;\n  t.src=v;s=b.getElementsByTagName(e)[0];\n  s.parentNode.insertBefore(t,s) } (window, document,'script',\n  'https:\/\/connect.facebook.net\/en_US\/fbevents.js');\n   fbq('init', '335401813750447');\n   fbq('track', 'PageView');\n  },3000);\n<\/script><\/p>\n<blockquote><p><strong><span style=\"color: #ff6600;\">If you liked the article, do not forget to share it with your friends. Follow us on\u00a0<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><a style=\"color: #ff0000;\" href=\"https:\/\/news.google.com\/publications\/CAAqBwgKMLG0nwswvr63Aw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\">Google News<\/a><\/span>\u00a0too, click on the star and choose us from your favorites.<\/span><\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">For forums sites go to <span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/forum.buradabiliyorum.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Forum.BuradaBiliyorum.Com<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>If you want to read more like this article, you can visit our <span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/technology\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Technology category.<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"color: black;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.howtogeek.com\/795925\/shadowsocks-vs.-vpns-which-should-you-use\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Source<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&#8220;Shadowsocks vs. VPNs: Which Should You Use?&#8221; Illus_man\/Shutterstock.com If you want to escape internet censorship, you may have wondered whether a VPN or Shadowsocks is the better choice for you. Both are powerful tools that will help you evade any blocks, but each comes with its own strengths and weaknesses. Let\u2019s compare the two. How&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":447950,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.howtogeek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/shutterstock_1444616192.png?height=200p&trim=2,2,2,2","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[18],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-447949","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-technology"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/447949","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=447949"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/447949\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/447950"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=447949"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=447949"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=447949"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}