• Overcome censorship in countries like China, Iran, UAE, etc.
• Access blocked and geo-restricted websites
• Watch Hulu.com, Pandora.com, ABC.com, BBC.co.uk from anywhere
• Protect yourself from snoopers at Wi-Fi hotspots, hotels, airports, corporate offices and ISP hubs.
• Hide your IP address for your privacy online

IPREDator

World’s most famous BitTorrent network ThePirateBay launched in June 2009 its own VPN service. Unlike any other VPN service, IPREDATOR assures that no user activity logs of any kind are stored. The VPN service was designed to give you a private and 100% secure internet access. It uses 128bit encryption to make sure that no one, not even your IPS, is able to peek in your data transfers.

The name of the service mocks the Swedish Intellectual Property Rights Enforcement Directive (IPRED) legislation which empowers copyright holders to get personal details of file-sharing users from ISP’s.

>> IPREDator

HideIpVPN

HideIpVPN was launched in September 2009 and it’s a very popular VPN service, according to Hide-IP-Tools.com. The service hides your IP address (using VPN technology) and exposes UK or US IP addresses instead of your real one. This allows you to unblock a lost of restricted sites and protect your online privacy.

One of the most appreciated features of HideIpVPN service is that it offers 100 free accounts each month.

>> HideIpVPN]

AceVPN

Ace VPN is a VPN service that you can use to privately and securely surf and download on the internet without leaving a trace and/or being tracked. Besides the free version that is by invitation only, Ace VPN offers a premium service for $5/month. AceVPN allows P2P traffic only for premium accounts.

AceVPN requests their users to limit the upload and the download speed to 100kbps so that it does not affect other users on the network.

>> AceVPN

ItsHidden

ItsHidden is a free VPN that works on BitTorrent (BT) traffic including uploading and downloading transfer. Thus, it’s useful for users who torrent traffic been throttled by their ISP, or users who need to hide for anti-piracy organizations from sharing copyrighted materials.

>> ItsHidden

TheFreeVPN

TheFreeVPN is a free service that lets users surf the web privately also allowing them to bypass internet censorship. Unfortunately, it comes with a price: annoying ads. You can choose from 3 US servers (one special for watching Hulu), 3 UK servers and 1 Canada server (this is the only free Canada VPN that I know!).

>> TheFreeVPN – No longer available in the list of VPN services 2009.

HideMyAss

HideMyAss Pro VPN is one of the best VPN services 2009 as it is an easy to use application which anonymously encrypts your entire internet connection. The tool automatically works with any application or protocol including p2p/bit-torrent.

>> HideMyAss

12vpn

12vpn is a reliable VPN service with three server locations for OpenVPN, PPTP, and L2TP setups, based in the UK and US. What I like most about 12vpn is that you can switch servers, if you wish, by logging in to your account area and selecting another, but 12vpn maintains that it auto-selects the best choice for you based on your location.

>> 12vpn

1. Free VPN Services

One method to access BBC iPlayer from the outside UK is to use a VPN service that provides UK IP addresses. Unfortunately, there are not many UK VPN services that are free. One of them is TheFreeVPN [No longer available]. You could also get a free UK VPN from HideIpVPN.

2. Commercial VPN Services

There are plenty of commercial UK VPN services that will enable BBC iPlayer in every corner of the world. Here are several that I have tried and that offer good speed and reasonable prices:

• HideMyAss – from $11.32/month
• NordVPN – from $11.95/month
• ibVPN – $4.95/month

3. Using Tor

Another option is by using Tor. The advantage of this option is that it is free, the disadvantage that you can never be sure what you get. It might work or not.

Here is a complete tutorial on how to watch Formula One live online using Tor [via HubPages.com]:

1. Download and install the latest version of Firefox.

2. Open Firefox, use Firefox to visit and install the Flash plugin for Firefox.

3. Visit the Tor Project.

4. Download and install the “Installation Bundle,” which includes Tor, Privoxy, Vidalia, and Firefox Plugin. (Direct download.)

5. Restart Firefox, you should now see a Tor Disabled in red at the bottom right corner of Firefox.

6. Open the Tor config file by clicking: Start Button -> Programs -> Vidalia Bundle -> Tor -> Torrc

7. Once the Torrc text file is opened, add the following at the end of the file:

StrictExitNodes 1
ExitNodes {gb}

8. Save the file then close it.

9. Start (or close it and restart if it’s already running) the Vidalia program at Start Button -> Programs -> Vidalia Bundle -> Vidalia, look at the onion icon near your clock, wait for the icon to switch from yellow to green.

10. Go back to Firefox, right click on the Tor Disabled text located at the bottom right corner of Firefox, then click Preferences.

11. A window name Torbutton Preferences will pop up, click on the Security Settings tab

12. Untick the Disable plugins during Tor usage box (You need this unticked to use Flash under Tor).

13. Next, click OK to close the Torbutton Preferences window.

14. Click once on the Tor Disabled text at the bottom right corner of Firefox; it will turn green and become Tor Enabled.

15. At this point, all the connections you make in Firefox will go through the tor network. (and automatically uses a UK IP as the last exit point because that’s what you put in the config earlier)

16. Finally, visit BBC’s iPlayer site and enjoy the show.

Important Notes:

Your connection will be much slower than usual.  If it lags way too much (over 20 seconds) or it shows errors when browsing through Tor, that means you’re on a slow or broken circuit; you can switch to another circuit by:
1. Double click on the onion icon near your clock.
2. The “Vidalia Control Panel” pops up, click the Use a New Identity button.
3. Visit the BBC iPlayer site again.
4. Repeat the above if necessary.

Do you know other methods to unblock BBC iPlayer and watch Formula One live online?

StrongVPN, the American based company established in 1995, is one of the best and reliable VPN services on the market. The number of servers and locations is imposing. Servers located in US, UK, Germany, Netherlands, Canada are available.

Why would you look for StrongVPN alternatives?

Even if StrongVPN is one of the top VPN providers, you may have your reasons to leave StrongVPN and search for other VPN providers. Some users complain about the support. The response time is long, and some questions are never answered.

How to look for alternatives?

Firstly, you should analyze your experience with StrongVPN and make your mind on what you need. Do you need faster reply to your tickets or faster connection speed? Is the price an issue? If so, you may find cheaper providers.

Secondly, take a look at the list below or just search Google. You will find plenty of StrongVPN alternatives. Do not jump on the first one that looks good! Take your time and look for user reviews and reviews written by bloggers. These will help you make an informed choice.

7 StrongVPN alternatives – Top VPN providers

If you are looking for StrongVPN options, I have selected several VPN services that have an extended number of servers, offer excellent support, and the price is lower that StrongVPN for similar service.

Additional tips

StrongVPN provides access to a large number of servers/locations, and it offers an excellent service. When switching to an alternative provider, it may happen that you are not happy. Or maybe, you are not satisfied with the support or connection speed.

To prevent any hassle, my advice is to create a trial account first (if the provider allows it) or create a subscription for the smallest period available (one or 3 months). Thus, you will be able to thoroughly test the alternative service before committing to a more extended billing agreement.

Please share your experience StrongVPN and its alternatives in the comments below.

UK VPN services provide your computer with a “virtual” connection to a VPN server, and it then behaves exactly as it would if you were actually in the United Kingdom.

What is a VPN with a UK IP address?

If you are traveling outside the UK or you are a UK expat, you may still get access to British TV shows that are streamed online even if they are geo-restricted. By subscribing to a VPN service (yes, you will need a VPN) and connecting to a server located in the UK. Such a server usually exposes a UK IP address, and it is seen as a regular UK Internet user. The good news is that most VPN providers offer access to UK servers. Take a look below at an extensive list of important description details about each provider.

What you can do with a VPN

With a VPN account, you can enjoy a vast array of services with your active VPN subscription; you can easily access Hulu, Netflix, or even use BBC iPlayer wherever you may be in the world! VPN for the UK will readily accept payments in pounds, use Paypal, or even credit card payments for your convenience.

Moreover, you do not need to be an internet geek to configure a VPN service online and unblock British TV. The VPN service provider will give you a step-by-step guideline for you to set up your VPN connection, and you will have your PC connect to any website you wish (including blocked sites), in as little as 5 minutes!

Besides unblocking streaming channels a VPN (Virtual Private Network) also provides increased online security, will protect you from ISP (Internet Service Provider) tracking, will help you stay secure while using public Wi-fi networks, will hide your online activities. Thus, using a VPN is a must these-days. But also keep in mind the VPN disadvantages.

United Kingdom VPN downsides

You may have imagined yourself watching UK TV shows or programs on the web from a remote country in the world, and you think to yourself this is just impossible! Currently, you can do that, but there are several downsides, which in mind aren’t that burdensome. They are as follows:

• Buffering. You will experience video buffering half-way through your streaming. This is normal, however, if it persists try contacting your VPN service provider and ask for a new IP address on a new server that has a faster connection.
• Connection dropping. If you happen to encounter an abrupt stop on your internet connection, reconnect your VPN, or refresh your connection. It may happen occasionally, but you should not worry about it as you can always contact your VPN service provider for technical support.

Although these are not somewhat technical problems, you can somehow carry on with your viewing and ignore such temporary nuances from time to time. Imagine all the amazing benefits you will get if you can conveniently access British TV shows and programs wherever you are? It is reason enough to continue and persist with your VPN monthly subscription account.

What channels can you access using UK VPN services?

It is very probable that you already know what site you want to unlock. Anyway, I am going to list several of the channels that I follow. If you know others that worth mentioning, please share them in the comments.

• BBC iPlayer – Great for watching Formula 1, Master Chef, EastEnders, Louis Theroux, Poldark, Ordinary Lies, and many more.
• ITV – Champions League, Saturday Night Takeaway, Emmerdale, Coronation Street, TOWIE, etc.
• Sky Go – Arrow, Game of Thrones, Blacklist, and many more.
• UTV – Britain’s Got Talent, Big American Food Trip, Vera, etc.
• Channel 4 – Indian Summers, The 100, Supernatural, PokerStars.com, Raised by Wolves, Gogglebox, etc.
• BlinkBox – Latest movies: Paddington, Interstellar, The Hobbit, Better Call Saul, etc.
• Wuaki TV –  The most popular UK TV series, and the best films from independent filmmakers.
• 4Music – For thosewho love music and pop culture.
• AbsoluteRadio – Live music, Rock ‘N’ Roll Football.

List of VPNs with UK servers

After some extensive search, I have found 15 good United Kingdom VPN services (probably the best VPNs) that offer UK IP addresses. If you are interested, take a look below and don’t forget to share your experience with us after you try one.

1. NordVPN – Probably the best VPN on the market with plenty of server locations. It is fast, reliable, and it offers great value for the money. Additionally, you may benefit from the 30-day money-back guarantee policy.
2. HMA –It provides access to over 800 servers in 300+ locations in 182 countries. More, HMA VPN offers over 113,309 VPN IPs, keeps changing between them, and you need never appear in the same place for long. For only $11.32 per month. About 100 servers in the UK.
3. ibVPN – One of my favorite VPN providers (take a look at my extensive ibVPN review)., probably the best VPN for torrenting. The guys that handle the support are very friendly and helpful. You may try the service for 24 hours for free (no credit card required) and, even after you subscribe, you benefit from 15 days money-back guarantee. Prices start from $4.95 per month and offer access to about 10 servers located in the UK. More than that the service includes Smart DNS access, advanced technology for unblocking websites, including the ones mentioned above. Also, you may benefit from 5 simultaneous connections, DNS leak protection, WebRTC leak protection, Stealth VPN, Double VPN, and Tor over VPN.
4. PureVPN – Great VPN provider with a lot of servers and many add-ons that can help you do a lot of VPN related stuff. There are plenty of UK servers to choose from and 5 simultaneous connections. Thus the access to UK channels is ensured. The starting price is $9.95/month with lower rates for annual and semi-annual plans. You may choose from various payment options.
5. StrongVPN – One of the oldest players in the VPN market, provides access to hundreds of servers all over the World and more than 20 in the UK. StrongVPN is somehow expensive, starting from $15/month.
6. HideIPVPN – HideIPVPN is a smaller provider, with a limited number of servers and locations. But it provides excellent access to UK servers for $5.99 per month. Also, Smart DNS is included in more expensive plans. The support is excellent and the server speed is quite good.
7. VyprVPN – It is one of the biggest VPNs, advertised as the World’s fastest VPN. With 700+ servers and 200,000+ global IPs, connections are always available. Prices start at $6.67/month. It may be a good choice for those looking for a specific location for their UK server.
8. TunnelBear – Probably the nicest VPN service with great design and wonderful site. Simply great! It is built with love for those that prefer a very friendly and funny service. The apps are so easy to use that even computer illiterates are capable of using them without any issues. No much to say about the number of servers, as you are only allowed to choose the country, not the exact server location. You can even get a free (but limited) version of the service, but the premium packages start at $4.99/month. Highly recommended for those looking for an ON/OFF VPN button.
9. IPVanish – With 10 VPN servers in the UK you can surely access the sites you want. IPVanish offers access to the Tier-1 VPN network, and the server speed is excellent. They provide access to hundreds of servers all over the World. All for $10/month.
10. BoxPN – BoxPN is a good provider, with a limited number of UK IP servers. From $9.99/month.
11. ExpressVPN – Important VPN service with a high number of servers. High speed, ultra-secure, and easy to use. Instant setup. 30 Day Money Back Guarantee. It starts at $12.95/month.
12. Witopia – It can bypass blocks from UK content providers, but they only offer annual plans for $49.99.
13. CyberGhost VPN – Very modern provider with excellent looking applications, good servers, and great support. CyberGhost VPN also offers free access to traffic limitations. Premium subscriptions are available starting at $6.99/month. Highly recommended for German speakers.
14. Private Internet Access – Another big player (take a look at my PrivateInternetAccess review), with several unique payment methods like Ripple, Stellar, Gift Cards. The PIA VPN apps are user-friendly and offer strong encryption. It is quite popular these days. Available for $6.95/month.
15. VPN Tunnel – The Swedish VPN is an excellent provider with several servers in the UK. The accessing price starts at 9.99 Euro per month.

Of course, there are several free VPN providers that also offer access to servers in the United Kingdom. However, most free VPNs are already blocked by popular streaming channels. So, they are of no use when it comes to watching your favorite streaming website.

Conclusion

To sum up, most of the sites that stream British shows can be unblocked from the outside UK using United Kingdom VPNs. The only condition is to choose a provider that offers servers located in the UK. Further, if you are not happy with the speed provided by the VPNs, you may also consider a SmartDNS service like the one offered extra by ibVPN, PureVPN, or HideIPVPN.

Enjoy!

HideIPVPN hides your IP address (using VPN technology) and exposes UK or US IP addresses instead of your real one. This allows you to unblock a lost of restricted sites and protect your online privacy.

HideIPVPN Features

HideIpVPN main features:

• No logs are kept.
• It provides high-speed internet connection
• Encrypts and compresses all traffic including Email, IRC, FTP, DNS, VOIP, instant messengers.
• Bypasses your ISP’s traffic shaping.
• Hides your tracks from internet monitoring or web filtering apps like Websense, Barracuda, etc.
• Your IP is hidden while using HideIPVPN.com.
• Works on Microsoft Windows, Apple Mac, Linux, etc.
• Easy to install and use.

Why is HideIPVPN special?

• It is, as far as I know, the only  free VPN service that offers both UK and UK IPs
• Unblocks Hulu (I just checked) and other restricted US sites
• Unblocks BBC iPlayer (also checked) and other restricted UK sites

How to start using HideIPVPN free?

In order to get your IP hidden with HideIPVPN you need to create an account. Go to the free VPN page and access the link to the account creation page.

The setup is very simple as the VPN services use PPTP protocol. To see how to do it for your operating system go to Howto/Setup page.

Premium HideIPVPN

For those that need more security, HideIpVPN offers a premium service:

• Offers complete privacy and anonymity by using OpenVPN (more secure and stable than PPTP)
• Anonymous US and UK IP addresses!

In order to maintain the quality of their service, the number of both free and premium accounts is limited. So, hurry up, to get your US/UK VPN account!

Super Premium VPN Package

HideIpVPN proposes the Super Premium Package with 20 servers located in United States, United Kingdom, Germany, and the Netherlands, all allowing PPTP, L2TP, OpenVPN and Proxy connections. It’s an excellent choice for those interested in different connection options and wants to use servers from a different location.

HideIpVPN P2P/Torrent VPN Package

Another new package is the one that allows P2P/Torrent connections with servers located in the Netherlands. This is for those looking for more anonymity downloading from torrents.

How can you benefit from a HideIPVPN German VPN?

Firstly, you may secure you Internet while traveling in Germany. Consider the case of free WiFi hotspots from airports. Surely, you don’t want to connect to such a free hotspot without the protection of a VPN. By connecting to a server located in Germany you will get acceptable Internet speed.

Secondly, you can access German restricted content. With such a VPN you can watch Das Erste, DSF, KI.KA, 3sat, ARTE, NDR (with regional options) and even Zattoo Germany with 94 Live FREE Streaming Television and Radio Channels.

Zattoo.com/de has developed a software program that allows you to watch TV on your computer. The service is legal and free of charge.

With their German version, Zattoo offers 94 live FREE streaming television and radio channels; these include Das Erste, DSF, KI.KA, 3sat, ARTE, NDR (with regional options), WDR (with regional options), MDR (with regional options), Bayerisches Fernsehen, SWR, RBB, SR, Phoenix, Das Vierte, DMAX, BR Alpha, EinsPlus, EinsExtra, EinsFestival, ZDF, TV Gusto, LUXE.TV, TIMM and many more.

Thirdly, you may protect your downloads while accessing torrents. When you connect to a VPN all your Internet traffic is encrypted and your IP address is hidden. If you are located in Germany you should consider using a German VPN while downloading torrents.

>> HideIPVPN

If you are not willing or you don’t have sufficient rights to install software on the computer you use for browsing there are only 3 options you can use to hide your IP address and browse anonymously. Learn how to hide your IP address without installing any software.

1. Web Proxies

A web proxy is basically a website that acts as an intermediate between you and the site you visit. You enter the address/URL of the site you want to visit in a text box, press the Submit/Go button and then the proxy asks for the site/page to the webserver where the site/page is located. This way the site you visit is not able to log your real IP address, but the IP of the proxy.

This method is very useful to unblock sites like MySpace, Facebook, Orkut, etc., in schools or at work where such sites are filtered.

There are plenty of proxies you can use. Just google “free web proxy“, “unblock myspace“,  “unblock facebook“, etc. and you’ll get what you need. 

2. Proxies

The second solution involves some manual configuration. You need to set up your browser to use a certain proxy. The configuration is not difficult. Here is how to do it for Firefox, IE, Chrome, and Safari:

• Firefox 3.0: How To Manually Hide Your IP
• How To Manually Hide Your IP Using Internet Explorer 8
• How To Hide Your IP While Browsing Using Google Chrome
• How To Manually Mask Your IP Using Safari 3.x

Now, you need a proxy. There are a lot of sites that list fresh proxies, but finding a good one is a difficult task. Here are several sites where you can start looking:

• SamAir.ru
• Proxy4free.com
• ProxyList.net

3. VPN Services with PPTP protocol

The third option is to look for VPN services that use PPTP protocol, such that they do not require any software installation, just some Windows configuration (you may not have sufficient administrative rights to be able to do this). Here is how to configure Windows XP and Windows Vista.

Some VPN services that use the PPTP protocol are:

• HideMyAss
• ibVPN
• PureVPN

Are you using HideIPVPN and you are not completely happy with it? This post lists seven good HideIPVPN alternatives for unblocking websites and browse the Internet anonymously. If you know other good VPN providers, please share them in the comments.

HideIPVPN is an excellent VPN (Virtual Private Network) provider. Here is what I appreciate the most to HideIPVPN:

• The simplicity of the VPN apps. They do what is supposed to go smoothly for the primary operating systems.
• The speed of the VPN connection and unlimited traffic.
• The Smart DNS option that easily accesses blocked websites.
• The fact that it offers access to SoftEther VPN protocol.

Why would you look for HideIPVPN alternatives?

HideIPVPN (Hide IP VPN) offers access to servers located United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Netherlands, Germany, Poland, and France. If you are looking for more locations or more sophisticated options like DoubleVPN, TorOverVPN or Stealth VPN you need to look somewhere else.

How to look for alternatives?

Take a look at the list below or search Google for “alternatives to HideIPVPN.” You will find plenty of HideIPVPN alternatives. Do not jump to the first one that looks good! Take your time and look for user reviews and reviews written by bloggers. These will help you make an informed choice.

7 HideIPVPN alternatives – Top VPN services providers

I have selected seven excellent VPN alternatives that easily hide your IP address and may offer what you need: an extended number of servers, excellent support, simultaneous connections on multiple devices, and good connection speed.

Additional tips

HideIPVPN provides a smooth VPN service for a reasonable price. When switching to an alternative provider, it may happen that you are not happy with the one you picked.

My advice is to create a subscription for the shortest period available (one or 3 months). Thus, you will be able to thoroughly test the alternative service before committing to a more extended billing agreement.

Please share your experience with HideIPVPN and its alternatives in the comments below.

What is a DE IP address?

Every device connected to the Internet uses an IP address to be identified in the large network that forms the Internet. Every ISP (Internet Service Provider) or hosting provider has assigned a range of IP addresses that it distributes to its subscribers. Next, the assignment of an IP block is done geographically, thus, the location of every device connected to the Internet that uses a certain IP address is known with a fair precision.

A DE IP or German IP address is an IP that is assigned to an ISP or hosting provider that provides Internet services in Germany. The most common German IPs have the following format:

• 2.160.0.0 to 2.175.255.255 (Telekom Deutschland GmbH)
• 31.224.0.0 to 31.255.255.255 (Telekom Deutschland GmbH)
• 37.80.0.0 to 37.95.255.255 (Telekom Deutschland GmbH)
• 46.80.0.0 to 46.95.255.255 (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• 53.0.0.0 to 53.255.255.255

If you are interested in finding more info regarding the DE IP blocks you should check this post.

Why would you need a DE IP from your VPN provider?

There are several reasons one could consider when searching for a DE IP. Let’s take them one by one.

Protecting online privacy while browsing

While traveling or when accessing the Internet from public places or even at home it is recommended to protect yourself from hackers by encrypting the traffic data that comes and goes to/from your devices. VPN services are doing exactly that and you should always have one at hand.

Why connect to a server in France? Why not to one in the United States or Canada, for example? First of all, you should know that what you win by encrypting the data you lose to the connection speed. And the distance to the server you are connecting to is also important. Thus, if you are located in France you should choose a server that is closed to your location and minimize the speed loss.

Accessing streaming sites that are only available for German users

That is probably the main reason users need a DE IP for unblocking sites. There are a lot of streaming channels that are restricted to users located in France. By connecting to a VPN service with German IP the restricted sites are tricked and the access is allowed.

Here are several Germany restricted channels that can be unblocked by VPNs, like Das Erste, DSF, KI.KA, 3sat, ARTE, NDR.

List of VPN providers with servers located in Germany

Finally, you may find below a list of several such DE IP VPN services:

Do you know other DE IP VPN / German IP VPN services? Feel free to share them in the comments.

If you are seeking total online anonymity then VPN services are the right way to go. There are several free such services, but as anything free, they come with significant drawbacks (a lot of ads, slow connection speed, etc.).

What if you decide to pay for a premium VPN service? What are your options if you don’t have a credit card as most of the internet users from China, India, etc. don’t. Then, you should use PayPal. Here are the steps you could follow. This is not going to take you 5 minutes, maybe 1 week or 1 month, but it’s a working solution.

1. Create a PayPal account

Go to PayPal.com and create an account. Choose the Personal account and fill in the required info. My advice is to use an email address that you plan to use for a longer period of time. After your account is ready to proceed to the next step.

2. Fill your PayPal account with money

This is the most difficult step, but with a little bit of effort, you should be able to do it. The idea is that you need money to pay for the service and you have to work for them.

There are plenty of forums that offer simple online jobs that can be performed by (almost) anyone. Go, for example, on DigitalPoint forums, to the Services section, and browse for threads with the subjects containing WTH (Want To Hire) string. If you find something interesting that you think you could do, create an account, send a message to the job poster and … start working.

You should be able to easily do $10-20/month that would be enough to proceed to the next step.

3. Find a VPN service that accepts PayPal

There are VPN services that do not accept PayPal payments like Relakks, IPredator, BananaVPN, etc., but others do. Here are 6 such services:

• HideMyAss – from $11.32/month
• ibVPN – from $4.95/month
• NordVPN
• ExpressVPN
• PureVPN

That’s it! Good luck and keep me up to date on your progress!

A lot of very popular websites are blocked in China. These well-known websites include popular sites like Facebook, YouTube, and Blogspot, which were used regularly by millions of Chinese internet users. Learn how to get a free China VPN.

Sites blocked? Use a VPN!

These websites are still blocked, and the Chinese are now scrambling to get a piece of their favorite websites by bypassing the restrictions with the help of free China VPN, short for Virtual Private Networks. It is obvious that while the censoring authorities want the citizens to stay away from the ‘corrupting’ influence of these commercial sites, the average Chinese internet user cannot do without these sites, and is looking at various alternative methods to get a daily dose of the same.

This is essentially a struggle between the close-minded authoritarian Censorship and the open-minded Netizens who are essentially global citizens thanks to the internet. The freedom of the average Chinese Netizen has been compromised by the aptly named Great Firewall of the un-trusting censors.

Are you looking for a free China VPN?

Therefore, looking for free VPNs seems to be a good alternative to preserve this freedom of choice. However, there are certainly some roadblocks on the free VPN highway. These include:

1. The Government authorities can easily block free VPNs, including their main website, the site that is providing the free VPN service in the first place.

This was the case with several sites like Hotspot Shield and Alonweb, two very popular sites that provided VPN connectivity.

2. There are technical obstructions after the installation phase.

After installing OpenVPN or other such application systems, the next step is to find the essential files required for further processing, like client.ovpn, which can be tricky with VPN. However, this is only true for free VPN, while paid VPN does not have this setback. Also, the connectivity of free VPNs in China can be frustratingly unreliable at times.

3. The technical support for free VPNs is essentially missing, and therefore one has to source help from unreliable and often not very helpful sources, like online forums and free advice on the web, which can be useless and mundane, apart from posing the additional language barrier and communication block problems.

This is especially true in the Chinese context, as most Chinese Netizens are not very comfortable with Non-Chinese languages. Using only Chinese language forums greatly depletes the potential information available online.

4. For speed and efficiency, most US servers on the West Coast are considered the best for the East Asian countries.

These are also the most commonly and widely used servers for this geographical region, at least until they were blocked by the censoring authorities. Now, the Chinese Netizens are left with useless VPNs that will not function unless they are altered to connect with other servers that are still available, but which might not be as fast as the previous servers like HotSpot Shield.

Chinese Internet users are now left with several free VPNs, which are:

• AlonWeb (Update 2/7/2010:  It’s not available anymore!)
• The Free VPN (Update 5/16/2010: No longer working)
• HotSpot Shield
• ItsHidden
• HideIpVPN (currently not offering free accounts)

There is, of course, still left the option of paid VPNs like (NordVPN, HideMyAss, ibVPN or ExpressVPN), but as these require PayPal or MasterCard or at least Visa credit cards, it is still an impossibility for a large number of Chinese netizens who do not own any of the aforementioned payment tools.

Are you a Chinese Netizen? What are the free China VPN that you can access?