{"id":526794,"date":"2022-12-14T14:00:48","date_gmt":"2022-12-14T11:00:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/kicking-the-tires-of-a-dvpn\/"},"modified":"2022-12-14T14:00:48","modified_gmt":"2022-12-14T11:00:48","slug":"kicking-the-tires-of-a-dvpn","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/kicking-the-tires-of-a-dvpn\/","title":{"rendered":"#Kicking the Tires of a dVPN"},"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-6a264b0f5ebae\" 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-6a264b0f5ebae\" 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\/kicking-the-tires-of-a-dvpn\/#%E2%80%9CKicking_the_Tires_of_a_dVPN%E2%80%9D\" >&#8220;Kicking the Tires of a dVPN&#8221;<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/kicking-the-tires-of-a-dvpn\/#Heres_What_We_Like\" >Here&#8217;s What We Like<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/kicking-the-tires-of-a-dvpn\/#And_What_We_Dont\" >And What We Don&#8217;t<\/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\/kicking-the-tires-of-a-dvpn\/#How_Mysterium_VPN_Works\" >How Mysterium VPN Works<\/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\/kicking-the-tires-of-a-dvpn\/#Whats_It_Like_Using_Mysterium_VPN\" >What\u2019s It Like Using Mysterium VPN?<\/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\/kicking-the-tires-of-a-dvpn\/#Mysterium_VPN_and_Netflix\" >Mysterium VPN and Netflix<\/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\/kicking-the-tires-of-a-dvpn\/#Connection_Issues\" >Connection Issues<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/kicking-the-tires-of-a-dvpn\/#How_Does_Mysterium_Pricing_Work\" >How Does Mysterium Pricing Work?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/kicking-the-tires-of-a-dvpn\/#How_Fast_is_Mysterium_VPN\" >How Fast is Mysterium VPN?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/kicking-the-tires-of-a-dvpn\/#Is_Mysterium_VPN_Safe_to_Use\" >Is Mysterium VPN Safe to Use?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-11\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/kicking-the-tires-of-a-dvpn\/#Should_You_Use_Mysterium_VPN\" >Should You Use Mysterium VPN?<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-12\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/kicking-the-tires-of-a-dvpn\/#Heres_What_We_Like-2\" >Here\u2019s What We Like<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-13\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/kicking-the-tires-of-a-dvpn\/#And_What_We_Dont-2\" >And What We Don&#8217;t<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h1><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"%E2%80%9CKicking_the_Tires_of_a_dVPN%E2%80%9D\"><\/span>&#8220;Kicking the Tires of a dVPN&#8221;<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h1>\n<div>\n<div class=\"single-review-card\">\n<div class=\"review-card-heading\" style=\"\">\n<div class=\"rating\" style=\"\">Rating:<br \/>\n<strong><br \/>6\/10<\/strong><br \/>\n<strong class=\"more-info-hover\" data-nosnippet=\"\">?<\/strong><br \/>\n<strong class=\"rating-info\" data-nosnippet=\"\"><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>1 &#8211; Does not work<\/li>\n<li>2 &#8211; Barely functional<\/li>\n<li>3 &#8211; Severely lacking in most areas<\/li>\n<li>4 &#8211; Functions, but has numerous issues<\/li>\n<li>5 &#8211; Fine yet leaves a lot to be desired<\/li>\n<li>6 &#8211; Good enough to buy on sale<\/li>\n<li>7 &#8211; Great and worth purchasing<\/li>\n<li>8 &#8211; Fantastic, <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>roaching best-in-class<\/li>\n<li>9 &#8211; Best-in-class<\/li>\n<li>10 &#8211; Borderline perfection<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><\/strong>\n<\/div>\n<p>Price: <strong><br \/><small class=\"price_starting_at\">Starting At<\/small> $2<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<figure style=\"width: 1200px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"type:primaryImage wp-image-845562 size-full\" data-pagespeed-no-defer=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/www.howtogeek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/mysterium-logo-black.png?width=1198&amp;trim=1,1&amp;bg-color=000&amp;pad=1,1\" alt=\"Mysterium VPN logo\" width=\"1200\" height=\"675\" data-credittext=\"Mysterium\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span class=\"type:primaryImage imagecredit\">Mysterium<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Decentralized VPNs are an interesting evolution of traditional VPNs, letting you pay your fellow users to get access to nodes all over the world. The most accessible dVPN out there is <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mysteriumvpn.com\">Mysterium VPN<\/a>; I took it through its paces to see how it works.<\/p>\n<p>At the time of publishing, it\u2019s hard to recommend Mysterium VPN for anything except getting through to Netflix, something at which it excels, as well as giving people anonymous access to the web at a reduced price. However, if you\u2019re looking for a solid VPN alternative, I don\u2019t think Mysterium VPN, or dVPNs at large, is it. There are just too many issues with speed and security, at least for now.<\/p>\n<div class=\"review-card-body-inline fullwidth\">\n<div class=\"text\">\n<div class=\"pros\">\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Heres_What_We_Like\"><\/span>Here&#8217;s What We Like<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>Affordable<\/li>\n<li>Great at cracking Netflix<\/li>\n<li>Accessible<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"cons\">\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"And_What_We_Dont\"><\/span>And What We Don&#8217;t<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>Lots of questions surrounding security<\/li>\n<li>Not all nodes work<\/li>\n<li>Some odd UI quirks<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"reviews-blurb\">How-To Geek&#8217;s expert reviewers go hands-on with each product we review. We put every piece of hardware through hours of testing in the real world and run them through benchmarks in our lab. We never accept payment to endorse or review a product and never aggregate other people\u2019s reviews. Read more &gt;&gt;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<h2 role=\"heading\" aria-level=\"2\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_Mysterium_VPN_Works\"><\/span>How Mysterium VPN Works<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>The way Mysterium VPN operates is fairly typical of <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.howtogeek.com\/823522\/how-does-a-decentralized-vpn-dvpn-work\/\">how decentralized VPNs work, making it an ideal candidate to get an impression of dVPNs as well as just the service itself. Though dVPNs may not be as revolutionary as they like to claim they are, they do change the paradigm of what you expect VPNs to be.<\/p>\n<p>The most important of the many differences between regular VPNs and decentralized VPNs is their structure. When you sign up for a VPN service, you essentially pay a subscription for permission to use their servers. You then use these servers to access the internet, spoofing your location and thus gaining some measure of anonymity.<\/p>\n<p>dVPNs turn this way of doing things on its head. For one, you\u2019re not using servers, but nodes. Nodes are points at which you reroute your connection, and they can be just about any device: a laptop, a smartphone, or even IoT devices can be nodes. Nodes aren\u2019t operated by Mysterium VPN, instead, they\u2019re put up for use by your fellow users.<\/p>\n<p>To use somebody\u2019s node, you pay them a small fee\u2014we go over how small in our <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"#moka_anchor_Pricing\">pricing section below<\/a>\u2014in Mysterium VPN\u2019s own cryptocurrency called MYST. As such, you\u2019re not a customer as much as a member of a network, with the Mysterium Network taking a <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mysterium.network\/faq\">20% cut<\/a> of any transaction for facilitating it.<\/p>\n<h2 role=\"heading\" aria-level=\"2\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Whats_It_Like_Using_Mysterium_VPN\"><\/span>What\u2019s It Like Using Mysterium VPN?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>The nice thing about Mysterium VPN is that all of its processes are happening in the background. When using it day-to-day, it really isn\u2019t that much different from a regular VPN. There\u2019s a list of nodes, you click on one, hit connect, and that\u2019s it.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-845561\" data-pagespeed-lazy-src=\"https:\/\/www.howtogeek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/mysterium-main.png?trim=1,1&amp;bg-color=000&amp;pad=1,1\" alt=\"Mytserium VPN's main interface\" width=\"633\" height=\"596\" src=\"\/pagespeed_static\/1.JiBnMqyl6S.gif\" onload=\"pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\" onerror=\"this.onerror=null;pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\"\/><\/p>\n<p>The client is an intuitive and easy-to-use affair, on par with top providers like <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.howtogeek.com\/839891\/ivpn-review\/\">IVPN. Currently, you can download it for <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mysteriumvpn.com\/download-android\">Android<\/a>, <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mysteriumvpn.com\/download-windows\">Windows<\/a>, <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mysteriumvpn.com\/download-mac\">Mac<\/a>, and <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mysteriumvpn.com\/download-linux\">Linux<\/a>. Downloading and installing it is pretty easy, there\u2019s no barrier to entry like with <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.orchid.com\/vpn\/\">Orchid<\/a>, a dVPN that expects you to do more of the heavy lifting.<\/p>\n<p><strong>RELATED:<\/strong> <strong><em>IVPN Review: Fast as Lightning<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Mysterium VPN offers two types of nodes: regular and residential.\u00a0 Regular nodes are a little cheaper to use and are supposedly used for standard use, so things like web browsing. If you hit the \u201cdownload\u201d tab in the top left of the interface, it will only show you regular nodes, so supposedly these are meant for torrenting. At least, that\u2019s what I gather from the <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.utorrent.com\/\">uTorrent logo<\/a> there.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-845560\" data-pagespeed-lazy-src=\"https:\/\/www.howtogeek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/mysterium-download.png?trim=1,1&amp;bg-color=000&amp;pad=1,1\" alt=\"Mysterium VPN's download nodes\" width=\"636\" height=\"602\" src=\"\/pagespeed_static\/1.JiBnMqyl6S.gif\" onload=\"pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\" onerror=\"this.onerror=null;pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\"\/><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Mysterium_VPN_and_Netflix\"><\/span>Mysterium VPN and Netflix<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Residential nodes\u2014marked with an \u201cR\u201d in a circle\u2014are nodes associated with residences, places where people live. These are where Mysterium VPN really shines because <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.howtogeek.com\/844409\/how-residential-ips-help-vpns-crack-netflix\/\">residential IPs are a fantastic way to unblock Netflix. They\u2019re a bit more expensive to use than regular nodes, but worth every penny.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-845559\" data-pagespeed-lazy-src=\"https:\/\/www.howtogeek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/mysterium-streaming.png?trim=1,1&amp;bg-color=000&amp;pad=1,1\" alt=\"Mysterium VPN's streaming nodes\" width=\"634\" height=\"594\" src=\"\/pagespeed_static\/1.JiBnMqyl6S.gif\" onload=\"pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\" onerror=\"this.onerror=null;pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\"\/><\/p>\n<p>I tested Mysterium VPN extensively for the article about using dVPNs to crack Netflix, and I have to say it\u2019s one of the best experiences I\u2019ve had. On the whole, residential IPs will do a great job of getting through to Netflix and I made liberal use of it to catch up on some films I can\u2019t get in Cyprus, where I live.<\/p>\n<p>It was a much better experience than with regular VPNs, even Netflix-centered ones like Surfshark or NordVPN, especially since I didn\u2019t have to subscribe to a new service. I just logged in, bought some MYST, and off I went. That said, it wasn\u2019t entirely without hiccups: Netflix will still eject you from time to time, meaning you\u2019ll have to switch nodes every few hours.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Connection_Issues\"><\/span>Connection Issues<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>However, using the Mysterium VPN client isn\u2019t all puppies and rainbows, either. While overall it works really well, there are some issues with connecting to nodes from time to time. You\u2019ll click on a node, hit \u201cconnect\u201d\u2014annoyingly, you can\u2019t double-click a node to connect\u2014and then\u2026nothing. Over the few months I\u2019ve used Mysterium VPN, I got more than my fair share of \u201cconnection failed\u201d messages.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-845558\" data-pagespeed-lazy-src=\"https:\/\/www.howtogeek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/mysterium-connection-failed.png?trim=1,1&amp;bg-color=000&amp;pad=1,1\" alt=\"Mysterium displays a failed connection\" width=\"627\" height=\"593\" src=\"\/pagespeed_static\/1.JiBnMqyl6S.gif\" onload=\"pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\" onerror=\"this.onerror=null;pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\"\/><\/p>\n<p>My guess\u2014and it\u2019s really only a guess as Mysterium hasn\u2019t responded to my requests for information\u2014is that these nodes belong to a user and they just aren\u2019t active at the time of connection. It\u2019s annoying, but I\u2019ve rarely had it happen more than twice in a row; eventually, you will get your connection.<\/p>\n<p>Another issue is that you\u2019re never sure where you\u2019re connecting to. The list of available nodes just gives hashed addresses. All you know when you\u2019re connecting is the country the node is in. This is fine for a country like the Netherlands or Malta, but is problematic with the United States, as connecting to the East or West Coasts could make for a very different browsing experience since <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.howtogeek.com\/825785\/why-does-a-vpn-slow-down-your-internet-connection\/\">distance affects your VPN speed.<\/p>\n<p>Overall, though, I liked the experience of using Mysterium VPN. While it has plenty of kinks to work out, the client has fewer bugs than some established VPNs\u2014looking at you, AtlasVPN.<\/p>\n<h2 role=\"heading\" aria-level=\"2\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_Does_Mysterium_Pricing_Work\"><\/span><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" name=\"moka_anchor_Pricing\">How Does Mysterium Pricing Work?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>One major hurdle for most people trying to get into dVPNs is likely these services\u2019 use of crypto to power their network. Some even go so far as to let users use their machines to <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.howtogeek.com\/771391\/what-is-crypto-mining-and-how-does-it-work\/\">mine for coins when not being used as a node. Mysterium is no different: to use it, you need to buy or mine its own coin, called MYST. It does, however, make it pretty easy even if you\u2019re not big into crypto.<\/p>\n<p>You can buy MYST directly from the Mysterium VPN app, your wallet ID is the same as that of the account you sign into the client with, which makes things easier. You can buy MYST with a credit card, PayPal, or other crypto, so you have plenty of options. Using a credit card or PayPal, you can buy packages of $2, $4, or $8, and you get an indication of what this buys you.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-845557\" data-pagespeed-lazy-src=\"https:\/\/www.howtogeek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/mysterium-buy-myst.png?trim=1,1&amp;bg-color=000&amp;pad=1,1\" alt=\"Buying MYST in Mysterium\" width=\"637\" height=\"592\" src=\"\/pagespeed_static\/1.JiBnMqyl6S.gif\" onload=\"pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\" onerror=\"this.onerror=null;pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\"\/><\/p>\n<p>The exchange rate of MYST to the U.S. dollar seems fairly stable, so you always get the same. I paid $2 and got just under 4 MYST, which has been more than enough. I mainly use Mysterium for streaming and I have watched hours upon hours of Netflix and burned through maybe one to one-and-a-half MYST.<\/p>\n<p>Basically, if you use Mysterium VPN just for streaming and then use a regular but cost-effective VPN that\u2019s not as great at streaming for every other purpose\u2014I recommend Mullvad\u2014you\u2019re getting the best of both worlds, without having to pay the higher rates of a service like ExpressVPN.<\/p>\n<p>That said, if you\u2019re going to use Mysterium VPN to burn through terabytes of torrents, I\u2019m sure there\u2019s a moment when it is no longer effective to do so. The advantage of regular VPNs here is that they offer unlimited bandwidth for subscribers, while dVPNs use a pay-as-you-go model. I\u2019m not entirely sure where the point lies, but I\u2019m guessing it\u2019s at a few terabytes per month.<\/p>\n<p>Alternatively, you could sign up not just as a user, but as a <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mysterium.network\/nodes\">node within the network<\/a>. Though the commission paid to the network prohibits it from being a one-for-one deal\u2014if you have one GB of data go through your node, you don\u2019t make enough MYST to put a GB through somebody else\u2019s\u2014it would still seriously defray the cost of using Mysterium VPN.<\/p>\n<h2 role=\"heading\" aria-level=\"2\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_Fast_is_Mysterium_VPN\"><\/span>How Fast is Mysterium VPN?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>When it comes to speeds, Mysterium VPN is all over the place. Some nodes perform decently, others simply do not. This is likely due to the fact that every node is unique, so you can\u2019t get repeatable results. The only two things I feel I can say with some confidence is that residential nodes seem to perform better than non-residential ones, and that even then results aren\u2019t exactly stellar.<\/p>\n<p>The bottom line is that no matter how lucky you get with your nodes, you\u2019re going to lose a lot of speed. I did a large number of tests and put one each\u2014the best I could get\u2014for four locations in the table below to give you an idea of what you\u2019re up against. Note that unlike in most other VPN reviews, I didn\u2019t connect to New York City but to California since Mysterium doesn\u2019t give you exact locations.<\/p>\n<div class=\"moka-mce-table-wrap\">\n<table class=\"moka-mce-table-styling\" style=\"border-collapse: collapse; width: 99.8571%;\" data-skiptableautocorrect=\"true\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<th style=\"width: 32.4286%;\">Location<\/th>\n<th style=\"width: 16.2857%;\">Ping (ms)<\/th>\n<th style=\"width: 27.5714%;\">Download (Mbps)<\/th>\n<th style=\"width: 23.5714%;\">Upload (Mbps)<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 32.4286%;\">Cyprus (unprotected)<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 16.2857%;\">5<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 27.5714%;\">103<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 23.5714%;\">41<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 32.4286%;\">Israel<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 16.2857%;\">206<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 27.5714%;\">47<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 23.5714%;\">17<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 32.4286%;\">United Kingdom<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 16.2857%;\">148<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 27.5714%;\">40<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 23.5714%;\">18<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 32.4286%;\">United States (CA)<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 16.2857%;\">406<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 27.5714%;\">13<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 23.5714%;\">13<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 32.4286%;\">Japan<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 16.2857%;\">670<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 27.5714%;\">1<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 23.5714%;\">6<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n<p>The best result I got was, unsurprisingly, from Israel, which is just over 150 kilometers (100 miles) away. Even then, though, I lost more than half of my original 100Mbps speed. The connection to the U.K. was surprisingly good, losing my speed by\u201donly\u201d 60%. My connection to the U.S. was pretty awful, though, and we won\u2019t even mention Japan.<\/p>\n<p>The result is that you don\u2019t pick Mysterium VPN if you want a fast VPN. Even the best-performing nodes score a lot worse than those of other services. Even slow VPNs like <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.howtogeek.com\/834790\/fastvpn-review\/\">FastVPN\u2014the irony is palpable\u2014do a lot better than Mysterium VPN does on the whole.<\/p>\n<h2 role=\"heading\" aria-level=\"2\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Is_Mysterium_VPN_Safe_to_Use\"><\/span>Is Mysterium VPN Safe to Use?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Before we wrap up, let\u2019s also go over how Mysterium VPN protects you and your data. Here is where we encounter some issues, and it\u2019s a big reason why I would recommend using Mysterium VPN mainly for everyday browsing and <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.howtogeek.com\/830642\/how-to-unblock-netflix\/\">unblocking Netflix, not for torrenting or anything else that can get you into real trouble.<\/p>\n<p>This is because there are a lot of blanks in our knowledge of how dVPNs operate. On paper, they\u2019re a lot more secure than regular VPNs, but that\u2019s only if we take dVPN operators at their word. It should be said that Mysterium VPN is more open than most, but there are still some issues.<\/p>\n<p>The first is the eternal question of VPNs and logs. Technically, dVPNs shouldn\u2019t even be able to keep logs because there\u2019s no central place to do so. This rings true, but it does raise the question of how much a node operator can see. They shouldn\u2019t be able to see what you\u2019re doing while connected, but it\u2019s hard to verify.<\/p>\n<p>This is a big issue with Tor, a very similar technology to dVPNs, and other services have admitted it could be an issue with them, too. When we asked Mysterium VPN about it, all we heard were crickets.<\/p>\n<p>According to the <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mysterium.network\/faq\">company\u2019s FAQ<\/a>, Mysterium uses the highly secure WireGuard protocol, making Mysterium one of the few dVPNs that makes clear which VPN protocol it uses. However, it\u2019s unclear if this hides your activity from node suppliers or not. Tor solves this issue by hopping to different nodes, but since Mysterium can\u2019t multi-hop, that won\u2019t work.<\/p>\n<p>Having this many question marks around how a service works gives me a bad taste in my mouth. While I want to give Mysterium the benefit of the doubt, for now, I would recommend you not use Mysterium for anything that can land you in trouble.<\/p>\n<h2 role=\"heading\" aria-level=\"2\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Should_You_Use_Mysterium_VPN\"><\/span><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" name=\"autotoc_anchor_7\">Should You Use Mysterium VPN?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>There\u2019s a lot to like about <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mysteriumvpn.com\/\">Mysterium VPN<\/a>. Its payment model means you could effectively use it for free, which is nice for people of limited funds, and it\u2019s the best Netflix buster I\u2019ve used. However, thanks to its security issues, if you need more than just get through to Netflix you\u2019re better off checking out our selection of the best VPN services, at least for now.<\/p>\n<div class=\"single-review-card border\">\n<div class=\"review-card-heading\">\nRating: <strong><br \/>6\/10<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Price: <strong><br \/><small class=\"price_starting_at\">Starting At<\/small> $2<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"review-card-body\">\n<div class=\"text\">\n<div class=\"pros\">\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Heres_What_We_Like-2\"><\/span>Here\u2019s What We Like<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>Affordable<\/li>\n<li>Great at cracking Netflix<\/li>\n<li>Accessible<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"cons\">\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"And_What_We_Dont-2\"><\/span>And What We Don&#8217;t<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>Lots of questions surrounding security<\/li>\n<li>Not all nodes work<\/li>\n<li>Some odd UI quirks<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\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>\n<\/p><\/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\/845555\/mysterium-vpn-review\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Source<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&#8220;Kicking the Tires of a dVPN&#8221; Rating: 6\/10 ? 1 &#8211; Does not work 2 &#8211; Barely functional 3 &#8211; Severely lacking in most areas 4 &#8211; Functions, but has numerous issues 5 &#8211; Fine yet leaves a lot to be desired 6 &#8211; Good enough to buy on sale 7 &#8211; Great and worth&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":526795,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.howtogeek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/mysterium-logo-black.png?height=200p&trim=2,2,2,2","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[18],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-526794","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\/526794","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=526794"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/526794\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/526795"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=526794"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=526794"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=526794"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}