{"id":462644,"date":"2022-06-14T15:00:00","date_gmt":"2022-06-14T12:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/what-can-you-use-besides-a-vpn\/"},"modified":"2022-06-14T15:00:00","modified_gmt":"2022-06-14T12:00:00","slug":"what-can-you-use-besides-a-vpn","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/what-can-you-use-besides-a-vpn\/","title":{"rendered":"#What Can You Use Besides a VPN?"},"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-6a292055192d8\" 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-6a292055192d8\" 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\/what-can-you-use-besides-a-vpn\/#%E2%80%9CWhat_Can_You_Use_Besides_a_VPN%E2%80%9D\" >&#8220;What Can You Use Besides a VPN?&#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\/what-can-you-use-besides-a-vpn\/#How_VPNs_Work\" >How VPNs 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\/what-can-you-use-besides-a-vpn\/#Things_Only_a_VPN_Can_Do\" >Things Only a VPN Can Do<\/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\/what-can-you-use-besides-a-vpn\/#Why_Would_You_Want_to_Use_VPN_Alternatives\" >Why Would You Want to Use VPN Alternatives?<\/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\/what-can-you-use-besides-a-vpn\/#The_Best_VPN_Alternatives\" >The Best VPN Alternatives<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/what-can-you-use-besides-a-vpn\/#Proxies\" >Proxies<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/what-can-you-use-besides-a-vpn\/#Shadowsocks\" >Shadowsocks<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/what-can-you-use-besides-a-vpn\/#SSH_Tunnel\" >SSH Tunnel<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/what-can-you-use-besides-a-vpn\/#Tor\" >Tor<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/what-can-you-use-besides-a-vpn\/#Decentralized_VPNs\" >Decentralized VPNs<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h1><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"%E2%80%9CWhat_Can_You_Use_Besides_a_VPN%E2%80%9D\"><\/span>&#8220;What Can You Use Besides a VPN?&#8221;<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h1>\n<div>\n<figure style=\"width: 1200px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"type:primaryImage wp-image-802649 size-full\" data-pagespeed-no-defer=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/www.howtogeek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/shutterstock_175643372.png?width=1198&amp;trim=1,1&amp;bg-color=000&amp;pad=1,1\" alt=\"A stylized world map with connection nodes linking it together.\" width=\"1200\" height=\"675\" data-crediturl=\"https:\/\/www.shutterstock.com\/image-vector\/world-map-global-technology-social-connection-175643372\" data-credittext=\"Macrovector\/Shutterstock.com\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span class=\"type:primaryImage imagecredit\"><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.shutterstock.com\/image-vector\/world-map-global-technology-social-connection-175643372\">Macrovector\/Shutterstock.com<\/a><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>VPN providers would have you believe that VPNs are a one-stop cybersecurity shop that will solve all your worries about being tracked or hacked while browsing. That\u2019s not entirely true, though. VPNs aren\u2019t your only option when trying to cover your digital tracks, either.<\/p>\n<h2 role=\"heading\" aria-level=\"2\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_VPNs_Work\"><\/span>How VPNs Work<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>To better find and understand VPN alternatives, we need to quickly go over how a VPN works. A virtual private network lets you reroute your connection so that your IP address, and thus virtual location are changed.<\/p>\n<p>This is great if you want to get around regional restrictions or blocks, whether put up by a government (like China\u2019s Great Firewall) or something more mundane, like Netflix locking its regional libraries. VPNs also come in handy when you\u2019re on vacation and your bank only allows domestic IPs to access its site.<\/p>\n<p>Besides rerouting your connection\u2014which is a far from unique ability, as we\u2019ll soon see\u2014VPNs also encrypt the connection in what\u2019s called a VPN tunnel. This is what really sets VPNs apart from similar <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/technology\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"4\" title=\"Technology\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">technology<\/a>, as the VPN tunnel lets you mask that you\u2019re changing your IP and thus makes the connection harder to detect.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Things_Only_a_VPN_Can_Do\"><\/span>Things Only a VPN Can Do<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Because of the way they work, there are things only VPNs can do. For example, unlocking streaming services like Netflix or Hulu can only be done by a VPN. No other method will work. Much the same goes for torrenting, too.<\/p>\n<h2 role=\"heading\" aria-level=\"2\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Why_Would_You_Want_to_Use_VPN_Alternatives\"><\/span>Why Would You Want to Use VPN Alternatives?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Of course, if VPNs can do all that and have unique abilities, to boot, you may wonder why you would want to use anything else. The best reason is also the simplest: money. While some VPNs are pretty cheap\u2014there are also free ones, though most of those are scams. Even at the lowest price point, you\u2019re going to be spending at least $40-$50 per year to use one. It can also go higher than that. For example, ExpressVPN costs $100 per year.<\/p>\n<p>The other reason is that VPNs are a bit of a black box and it\u2019s hard to gauge exactly what h<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>ens with your data. Though most services claim to be no-log VPNs that don\u2019t keep any of your data, there\u2019s been enough cooperation with law enforcement over the years to make even the most trusting among us a bit leery of such claims.<\/p>\n<h2 role=\"heading\" aria-level=\"2\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_Best_VPN_Alternatives\"><\/span>The Best VPN Alternatives<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Thankfully, there are plenty of ways to make use of VPNs\u2019 most important functions\u2014as much as we appreciate entertainment, it\u2019s not exactly vital to life\u2014for either free or at least at a much lower cost. Data collection is also a lot less likely with these solutions.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Proxies\"><\/span>Proxies<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>The most basic of all VPN alternatives is the proxy, which is a very simple program that relays your connection and that\u2019s about it. When comparing proxies vs. VPNs, the biggest difference is the complete lack of encryption in proxies, which makes them vulnerable to interception.<\/p>\n<p>While they\u2019re useful to unblock <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/social-mediaa\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"1\" title=\"Social Media\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">YouTube<\/a> and other low-security sites, they do a pretty poor job of anything else. Their biggest asset is that they\u2019re free to use, though be careful which ones you use as some may be used for data collection. As for suggestions, our favorites are <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.hidemyass.com\/en-eu\/proxy\">HideMyAss\u2019 proxy<\/a> or <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/redirect.viglink.com\/?key=204a528a336ede4177fff0d84a044482&amp;u=https%3A%2F%2Fhide.me%2Fen%2Fproxy\">Hide.me\u2019s proxy<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Shadowsocks\"><\/span>Shadowsocks<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>A step up from regular proxies is Shadowsocks, which through the use of a specific type of encryption can be a great way to escape censorship. Though it\u2019s mostly used as a way to get past China\u2019s Great Firewall, it can also be used to avoid other blocks. However, it usually fails to get past Netflix\u2019s blocks and should never be used for torrenting as its encryption isn\u2019t suited for that.<\/p>\n<p>Shadowsocks isn\u2019t entirely free, though: to set up Shadowsocks, you\u2019ll need to have some kind of server of your own. However, using a program called <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/getoutline.org\">Outline<\/a>, you can share the server with your friends, which should hopefully help defray the cost a little.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"SSH_Tunnel\"><\/span>SSH Tunnel<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>The third VPN alternative is an SSH tunnel, which is interesting because it can encrypt your connection much the same way a VPN can, but won\u2019t change your IP address like proxies or Shadowsocks do. Because of that, it won\u2019t let you crack any blocks, but it\u2019s a solid way to transfer data securely if your VPN isn\u2019t working\u2014which is just one of the cool things you can do with an SSH server.<\/p>\n<p>The big downside to SSH tunneling, besides not changing your location, is that it can be tough to set up, especially if you don\u2019t have any experience with networking tech. Still, though, it\u2019s something to keep in mind if you ever need to secure a network on the cheap.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Tor\"><\/span>Tor<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Our penultimate, and in some ways best, VPN alternative is Tor, The Onion Router. Unlike a VPN, which routes all your internet traffic to a single server, Tor uses a massive network of servers around the world to bounce your connection around, making it so no single server has all your data.<\/p>\n<p>As each server is shielded from the next, Tor is a great pick for anybody worried about VPNs\u2019 possible data collection, yet still wants the security of VPNs. A big downside to Tor, though, is that it still struggles with blocks like that of Netflix\u2014and the fact that bouncing your connection around slows it down considerably. There\u2019s no way around it: Tor is <i>slow<\/i>.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Decentralized_VPNs\"><\/span>Decentralized VPNs<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Our last entry is an interesting hybrid of VPNs and Tor.\u00a0Called decentralized VPNs, they would combine the security and speed of VPNs with the anonymity of Tor. However, currently very few are operational, so right now they\u2019re a bit of a hypothetical. However, if decentralized VPNs end up being like what is promised, then we may end up with the perfect VPN alternative; only time will tell.<\/p>\n<p>Until then, you can either use one of the alternatives we\u2019ve outlined above\u2014or, for those who like streaming or torrenting, use a VPN.<\/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. 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That\u2019s not entirely true, though. VPNs aren\u2019t your only option when trying to cover your digital tracks, either. How VPNs Work&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":462645,"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_175643372.png?height=200p&trim=2,2,2,2","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[18],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-462644","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\/462644","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=462644"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/462644\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/462645"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=462644"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=462644"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=462644"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}