Not sure if it was just released today, but I got the email update about it just now. I’m pretty excited about this because I mostly just want VPN for web browsing, and the linux app kinda sucks.
Ngl, I’m very surprised and very pleased proton has lasted. They seem to be on track to remaining sustainable and true to their stated goals.
I haven’t run their paid tier VPN yet, because of the linux issues, but the free tier always worked well when I was between providers and deciding who to go with.
In a recent e-mail they mentioned an open Linux dev position, so hopefully the Linux client will catch up soon enough!
What Linux issues are those?
No wireguard. Unable to launch on login for some DE.
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Wireguard is up. Cannot speak to the other instances.
the proton VPN client on linux is unfortunately absolute garbage and lacks a ton of features and takes forever to connect
You already got the answers I was going to give lol.
What’s the advantage of using the VPN via the browser extension instead of the VPN app (in my case, the MacOS app)?
VPN can sometimes be unreliable. I’ve gotten disconnected from zoom meetings when using the zoom app and a system wide VPN. Also have lagged during online gaming. The extension could be useful if you are only looking to increase web browsing privacy, while keeping a better network connection for other programs.
Isn’t this what split-tunneling is for though?
Pretty neat. Paid plans only, though.
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I only use paid VPNs, but I generally want all traffic to go through them because it’s hard to not have “random” stuff go out otherwise.
Providing a VPN service isn’t free. If the VPN service is free then you’re the product and privacy isn’t what you’re looking for.
How does Proton VPN compare to Mullvad? I’ve been using them for years and they really are anonymous. You don’t even provide an email to create your account.
If you’re satisfied with mullvad, i would stick to it. The main problem it runs into is that it doesn’t support port forwarding which is an issue if you use torrents a lot. That’s the main advantage that proton reserves.
If Proton cared about privacy for VPN for clients, they would remove the login requirement and make ProtonVPN an anonymous services.
If there are concerns about abuse for the network, that’s way the login, how could they figure that out without seeing people’s traffic.
I use RiseupVPN and CalyxVPN for being open source and anonymous.
Until ProtonVPN removes login in their free client, it is not an option.
You are looking for Tor in those cases not a centralized VPN service. A centralized VPN service is good for reduced visibility with the understanding that they can be more easily compromised (the more you pay the more they can work to make that not the case).
Counter argument, if your VPN is free, you’re the product
There’s a lot of trust involved when using a VPN. Besides accessing things that are region blocked when you use a VPN you’re basically say “Here VPN company, look at all the connection im making” and you just have to hope they’re not logging anything. They might even tell you they’re not logging anything but how can you really know? And what is their intention is to not log anything but they fuck up and don’t implement that correctly?
It’s great to be critical, but if at the end you throw up your arms and go without a VPN you’re significantly less private.
You don’t need to stop every single attack vector - not even browsing on Tails will do that. But to go with a good VPN provider who has a history of not handing over data when subpoenaed is good
I don’t like proton products. It feels like a false sense of security
