Did I Make It To Connecting to a Free VPN? Check it out!

This is a follow-up of an article about testing a free VPN service. Learn about how I tried a free VPN connection.

Free VPN connection

So I configured my VPN connection as per the instructions here. Now I launch my VPN connection on my Windows 7 PC and get this:

Error connecting …

After  connecting and verifying my credentials, Windows came out with this dialog box:

Surprise. Windows is complaining that it couldn’t verify the identity of the server. Notice that we don’t have a credential issue here (otherwise I expect I would have received a message similar to “wrong username or password”).

Since I’m a free user, I’m not supposed to have access to support, so I’m left with consulting any available documentation on freeusvpn.com. Let’s dig into it then, although I’m pretty sure most of the regular users would have abandoned at this stage, especially when they know that a VPN is supposed to secure a connection and that their computer is warning them that it couldn’t verify the authenticity of the remote server.

Use Google DNS to avoid hijacking

But anyway, I’ve decided to go to wherever I can for this case study, so let’s move to the troubleshooting section. This troubleshooting section strongly advises I use Google DNS services to avoid hijacking. Let’s do it then:

So now let’s connect again and see the results

Yeah, I am now connected.

Verify the IP address of the server

So let’s see if we actually have an IP address that is somewhere else than in my country. Let’s verify it on whatismyipaddress.com or xmyip.com.

Not bad. Here I’m supposed to be in New Jersey (while I am in Madagascar- thousand miles away from New Jersey-  Bruce Springsteen’s home )

So I tried another IP geolocation  (hostip.info) service who would confirm that IP address, and guess what: confusion

Ok, let’s get a piece of third advice. So I tested the IP address on whatismyip.com, and guess what? I am now in Utah in the US …

Cool, that’s a great and quick trip: New jersey-Moscow-Utah in few seconds

Hmmm, so am I Bruce Springsteen’s neighbor, or am I supposed to wander somewhere in Moscow?

Anyway, let’s try to do things I wouldn’t have been able to do if I used my Madagascar IP address. So I launched hulu.com, and … and …. And, yes hulu.com doesn’t restrict my access. So much for accessing a website.