Good proxy service help?

[radioman]

I'm currently in a country that blocks access to Skype which is what I use for chatting to my friends and family back home. Trying to search info on possible solutions is also difficult since such sites seem blocked as well. Is there a solution?

[kamui]

Free proxy services wouldn't help much, because free proxies are almost probably too slow for Skype.

 

Anyway the best known free proxy service is Hotspot Shield. You might give it a try first, but of course it might be blocked.

 

I would recommend to try use a paid VPN services like VyprVPN**.

 

Here are some more VPN services:

Five Best VPN Service Providers.

 

**VyprVPN isn't the cheapest provider, but I use it to download movies frequently (torrents), since it makes it impossible for the authorities to track me down. And it can be installed on the iPhone as well, which makes much more secure on public W-LANS.

[radioman]

Thanks kamui, will look into these. In the meantime I have a workround in that live messenger seems to work okay, go figure.

 

Cheers

 

 

[Pom Michael]

ooVoo is also an alternative when Skype is blocked.

[kamui]

Thanks kamui, will look into these. In the meantime I have a workround in that live messenger seems to work okay, go figure.

 

Cheers

 

 

In countries like China as well as in the Middle East the government monitores all internet communication. VPN offers a very secure tunnel for all data in/out to a Western country (as offered by the provider).

[radioman]

I have no problem with anyone monitoring any of my communication, it is all boring innocuous stuff but I do object to these services being blocked for monopolistic purposes. Just my position.

 

Tried ooVoo but that is blocked too. Live Messenger seems the only free solution for the moment provided I can get it installed on the remote machine. I am writing a little step by step that hopefully a TG can follow.

 

[radioman]

I just wanted to update this following some frustration with both gmail chat and messenger, both of which I can fix but not easily from here.

 

Having read the information on the VyprVPN page I signed up for a month. I figured that if it worked as it said then the $15 would be saved in phone calls from being able to use Skype.

 

There is essentially no installation, well no software as such anyway, just a new connection configuration that runs on top of the existing one and over the last day nearly, right from first connection, it has been flawless with essentially no loss of speed from the already throttled hotel connection.

 

Have had several Skype video chats and all at the same degree of performance as when it originally worked before the blocking. I can also accesss 'any' site, there appears to be no restriction or popping up of 'morality' notices.

 

If you are considering a proxy I would add my voice to those who recommend this one.

 

www.goldenfrog.com

 

 

Cheers

 

[kamui]

I can also accesss 'any' site, there appears to be no restriction or popping up of 'morality' notices.

 

If you are considering a proxy I would add my voice to those who recommend this one.

 

www.goldenfrog.com

 

Cheers

 

That's the beauty of VPN. *No one* is able to access the data stream between your PC, the entry point of the secure tunnel, and the VPN server in a more free country, the exit point of the VPN tunnel. (Depending on the country, all internet communications is routed through servers which are monitored by the government 24/7...)

 

Since GoldenFrog (VyprVPN) has servers in HongKong, UK, Netherlands and the USA, you are free to chose where to leave the tunnel and to access _any_ site, while the authorities in the country you are staying in don't have _any_ idea what you are doing online.

 

This of course means as well, that using VPN will circumvent any internet censorship in certain East Asian countries.

:content:

 

And there is more: Every PC online can be identified through a unique IP address, that's how file sharers or political activists are being caught. But using VPN you receive a random IP by the VPN provider which can't be traced back to you. Moreover the physical location of you PC will be faked as well, since your VPN IP will give as place of stay the VPN exit server...

Which means, you can access any website around the world and the sites owner will get fake data as well. Which is extremely helpful, if you don't want to give the websites owner your real IP address and your physical location.

 

 

 

PS: The only way that local authorities could learn about your online activities would be to access your PC directly, either with an online (pishing) attack or by accessing your PC when you are out of your room. Both happens frequently to high interest targets around the world. China is currently making headlines for its extremely sophisticated attacks against governments, political activists/NGOs, high tech industries and (US) military.

 

[alanturing]

try cyber ghost vpn

[Wallenda]

Is it ok to ask in which country you were being blocked?

 

If not ok here, then Private topic would be fine.

 

And not answering would also be fine, if you prefer.

 

Myself, I have some websites blocked, not many. VOA is one. Amnesty and HRW I've noticed also. And for some reason they block certain free or cheap hosts, like geocities or doteasy.

 

thanks