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Can anyone recommend a VPN?

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AlexCA
  2/8/2019 16:36 EST

I came to Colombia with my MacBook Pro and a subscription to Netflix which ain't similar to the US Netflix, nor is it the Colombian language Netflix. Whatever it is, it was OK while it lasted for my COL amor and me. Every show had a 2-way choice, it seems: original English lingo/or Spanish lingo dub; and ditto for subtitles: you pick Spanish or English. Now for whatever reason there is NOTHING for us to watch on this brand of Netflix so I'm quitting. Want to try another streaming video platform, which would indicate: Amazon Prime. Problem there is: I don't wish to pay over hundred bucks for 2-day Prime delivery of packages. I just want choice of movies. Here, another problem: I suspect that since I'm out of country, all the major films I want are "not available in your country." Then they offer--on top of the Amazon Prime mostly sub of around $8.99 a month, you can BUY a season of these films for whatever extra. So like, $20 a month for Amazon Prime movies? WITHOUT SPANISH DUB OR SUBTITLES? Forget it. So if I want to watch these US movies, I guess I need a VPN. These can be expensive. Cheaper one you need 3-year subscription and they bill you over $1,000. I want something for $1.91 per month. Especially if there's no guarantee I have choice of Spanish lingo. Any suggestions? I live in Southern COL, crappy wi-fi with Movistar. No point in splurging on big screen and cable. HELP! Would like to try an affordable VPN, few months at a time, not 100-year subscription please! And what streaming platforms are available here for me and mi novia/esposa?

jooks
  2/8/2019 16:42 EST

I use Nord which is $2.99/mo if you opt for 3 years. More for 2 and more for 1. I recommended it to an acquaintance in Medellin and she loves it - she is able to get youtube videos she wasn't previously able to get.

Beware though, it slows down your Internet speed.

https://nordvpn.com/offer/brand/?gclid=CjwKCAiA7vTiBRAqEiwA4NTO6w6h5UMYmvzy3Ja3aBqh_beCALA2CyYYCAeMkixTBzSsr1IkkLVz0xoC8qwQAvD_BwE

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AlexCA
  2/8/2019 19:37 EST

Thanks. Do you pay $2.99 by the month or do they charge you for the 2 years right off the bat?

AlexCA
  2/8/2019 19:37 EST

Thanks. Do you pay $2.99 by the month or do they charge you for the 2 years right off the bat?

AlexCA
  2/8/2019 19:37 EST

Thanks. Do you pay $2.99 by the month or do they charge you for the 2 years right off the bat?

srhsnh1807
  2/8/2019 19:38 EST

I use TorGuard for a private VPN so I can use for Hulu, Netflix, banking and various other things when I need to mask for a US presence. Speeds have always been great and never noticed any degradation in performance.

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AlexCA
  2/8/2019 19:38 EST

Do you pay by the month or do they charge you for 3 years at one time?

AlexCA
  2/8/2019 19:38 EST

Do you pay by the month or do they charge you for 3 years at one time?

BlueSeas
  2/8/2019 19:54 EST

I've used Nord and Express VPN. We use OpenVPN on a router to connect via UNE in Medellin. Use a standalone PC, apps on the Smart TV or an Amazon Fire TV stick for access.

On the standalone PC it seems more forgiving. That's always worked. But this year the Fire TV and Smart TV apps were intermittent. Switched to Express VPN and everything works.

Express is more expensive, we pay month to month. Nord had some really well priced plans, but for those you pay in advance. Think we did 2-3 years.

It's a moving target. Nord may have fixed the issues we experienced a month ago now.

AlexCA
  2/9/2019 08:26 EST

Much appreciated

AlexCA
  2/9/2019 08:28 EST

Appreciate it thanks!

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suadel
  2/11/2019 17:00 EST

Excuse the ignorance, but, what is a VPN?
I've been here too long.

jooks
  2/11/2019 18:08 EST

My definition - A virtual private network allows you go access the Internet from an IP location anywhere in the world, In other words, anonymously. One benefit is being able to access video or audio that is copyright and not permitted to be accessed in Colombia. In authoritarian countries, it allows one to access sites that are prohibited.

From wikipedia:
VPN connectivity overview
A virtual private network (VPN) extends a private network across a public network, and enables users to send and receive data across shared or public networks as if their computing devices were directly connected to the private network. Applications running across a VPN may therefore benefit from the functionality, security, and management of the private network.

morganstern
  2/12/2019 17:16 EST

I use Hotspot Shield. I can't say it's the best. I think you can try it with no charge....I pay for it every six months and there are other deals too.

Jake0110
  2/14/2019 08:49 EST

I used Express VPN, which has a great interface and is super easy to use. It worked with HBO, but not Netflix for some reason. We got that without a VPN, go figure!

It is a bit expensive at $15 per month, but you can get a 30 day trial. Works on phone and computer easily.

AlexCA
  2/14/2019 14:11 EST

Ayayay caramba. re the VPN: I canceled my great Netflix sub (with English & Spanish subtitles &/or dub; your choice) for me and my novia. . . because we exhausted movies & shows of interest on Netflix. Time to start mining Amazon Prime Video. BEFORE getting my VPN ( not that it should make a difference, IMHO), I subscribed and got "The Man on The High Castle." Other plethora of shows that intrigued me (Malkovitch as Poirot) . . . NONE of those available outside of the USA. Hence I got the Nord VPN ($2.99 a month for 3 years, should be worth something!). Took over an hour to set up over their Live Chat (I have a MacPro laptop) . . . Supposedly it works and I have an IP # that places me in ARIZONA! OK . . . Amazon will only let me watch shows permitted for Colombia, but NOT shows available only for USA customers! What's with that. You mentioned slowness . . .well. . . OK, I can't even get the speedsters.com to show me my speed (the Nord Live Chat guy wanted to know) . . . So forget that! So if Amazon has some Poirot-esque algorithm that can't be fooled by VPN. One day I'm inboxed COL, next day I'm in AZ. What's the POINT of a VPN? I've got 30 days free Amazon Prime test and 30 days free Nord VPN test . . . and I am seriously thinking of giving up. You know, it's a Colombia thing. You just can't beat. I'll give it a few days and if my Arizona VPN still doesn't work . . . I give up.
Maybe I should try more expensive $6.95 a month VPN and see what happens? Bummer.

AlexCA
  2/14/2019 14:11 EST

Ayayay caramba. re the VPN: I canceled my great Netflix sub (with English & Spanish subtitles &/or dub; your choice) for me and my novia. . . because we exhausted movies & shows of interest on Netflix. Time to start mining Amazon Prime Video. BEFORE getting my VPN ( not that it should make a difference, IMHO), I subscribed and got "The Man on The High Castle." Other plethora of shows that intrigued me (Malkovitch as Poirot) . . . NONE of those available outside of the USA. Hence I got the Nord VPN ($2.99 a month for 3 years, should be worth something!). Took over an hour to set up over their Live Chat (I have a MacPro laptop) . . . Supposedly it works and I have an IP # that places me in ARIZONA! OK . . . Amazon will only let me watch shows permitted for Colombia, but NOT shows available only for USA customers! What's with that. You mentioned slowness . . .well. . . OK, I can't even get the speedsters.com to show me my speed (the Nord Live Chat guy wanted to know) . . . So forget that! So if Amazon has some Poirot-esque algorithm that can't be fooled by VPN. One day I'm inboxed COL, next day I'm in AZ. What's the POINT of a VPN? I've got 30 days free Amazon Prime test and 30 days free Nord VPN test . . . and I am seriously thinking of giving up. You know, it's a Colombia thing. You just can't beat. I'll give it a few days and if my Arizona VPN still doesn't work . . . I give up.
Maybe I should try more expensive $6.95 a month VPN and see what happens? Bummer.

WhoaNellie
  2/14/2019 14:35 EST

Since I am not now in COlombia, take this FWIW, the "5 Best VPNs for Colombia in 2019":

https://www.comparitech.com/blog/vpn-privacy/best-vpn-colombia/

WhoaNellie
  2/14/2019 14:37 EST

In the article they alternate the spelling from "Colombia" to "Columbia" several times, so who knows if they can be taken seriously LOL...

WhoaNellie
  2/14/2019 14:39 EST

You will get a LOT of hits just searching for

vpn that works in colombia

...and I did not explore them all.

vantexan
  2/15/2019 17:46 EST

I'm using Nord here in Bogota and it works fine. They have multiple servers set up across the U.S.. You have to try them until you get one that'll give you access. Now that was my experience with Hulu, might be different for Amazon.

NuevoACol
  2/15/2019 18:04 EST

VANTEXAN,

Ok, part A answered. Part-B: How much a month?.... did you have to buy a 2 or 3 years subscription to get the service?

Also, how long have you had the service?

Thanks.

vantexan
  2/15/2019 19:56 EST

I just got here and wanted to test it so got the one month plan for $11.95. Just checked their website and their 3 year, $2.99 a month plan is billed at $107.55 every three years.

AlexCA
  2/19/2019 18:23 EST

I signed with Nord VPN on their 30 day trial ($2.99 per month, 3 years . . . haha . . which they charged me immediately .). Now I'm dropping them for more effective VPN--SURFSHARK.COM for $1.99 (per month, 2 years, they charged my account immediately, too, but $45 lot better than $107)....Anyway, getting a VPN is no easy task, must have spent altogether 10 hours on "Live Chat" with tech support, do this do that, you need to be a brain surgeon or NASA programmers the stuff that comes up . ..But now it's cool. I don't get these "this item is not available in your country" any more. The Surfshark "Live Chat" people are more patient than Zen monks. Basically, it works and you can't beat the price. Only last thing I want to tend to: When it slows down in its "buffering" mode because Internet bandwidth is too low . . . WTF!? I was seriously thinking at one point to just drop out of the game, it was too crazy and time-consuming.

AlexCA
  2/19/2019 18:23 EST

I signed with Nord VPN on their 30 day trial ($2.99 per month, 3 years . . . haha . . which they charged me immediately .). Now I'm dropping them for more effective VPN--SURFSHARK.COM for $1.99 (per month, 2 years, they charged my account immediately, too, but $45 lot better than $107)....Anyway, getting a VPN is no easy task, must have spent altogether 10 hours on "Live Chat" with tech support, do this do that, you need to be a brain surgeon or NASA programmers the stuff that comes up . ..But now it's cool. I don't get these "this item is not available in your country" any more. The Surfshark "Live Chat" people are more patient than Zen monks. Basically, it works and you can't beat the price. Only last thing I want to tend to: When it slows down in its "buffering" mode because Internet bandwidth is too low . . . WTF!? I was seriously thinking at one point to just drop out of the game, it was too crazy and time-consuming.

jooks
  2/19/2019 18:30 EST

It's good to know it works.

I think everyone has setup pains, but it sounds like you had more than others. I was on the phone or chat with Nord for about an hour to get it set up properly.

CAtoMDE
  2/19/2019 18:38 EST

Would a browser such as TOR work like a VPN? I know so little about IT stuff like this but I too need to be able to access certain things like on-line banking and the like in the USA.

AlexCA
  2/19/2019 19:33 EST

Dunno much but Tor is supposed to be real hardcore VPN to get you "safely" into the world of the "Dark Web" (the Exito of the Underworld). . . .but surprised to hear you're thinking you need it for accessing your bank/checking.. . . I've been doing it for the past 2 years here without any VPN. Just go to your bank's site and log in! Good luck.

morganstern
  2/20/2019 08:04 EST

About VPN and banking. If you originally signed on with your bank without a VPN and then you use one your bank will probably not recognized you and will ask for further proof it is you..ie they will send a code via email. So I do not use a VPN for banking.

carlosduran46
  2/20/2019 08:19 EST

Hi there, I totally sympathize with you on this issue, I had no idea about the importance of USA-based tv for me until I arrived in Colombia, initially, I used those browser-based and "free" options for a VPN but they were pretty much useless, buggy, and slowed down my computer, I then decided to give ExpressVPN a try and it was a game changer, I now have access to USA-based Amazon Prime, Netflix, Roku, and many other sites, here's a referral link: AND(ID19.SG1
carlosduran46
  2/20/2019 08:22 EST

Sorry, here's the correct referral link: https://www.expressrefer.com/refer-friend?referrer_id=16836529&utm_campaign=referrals&utm_medium=copy_link&utm_source=referral_dashboard

carlosduran46
  2/20/2019 08:22 EST

Sorry, here's the correct referral link: https://www.expressrefer.com/refer-friend?referrer_id=16836529&utm_campaign=referrals&utm_medium=copy_link&utm_source=referral_dashboard

caseyproject
  2/20/2019 10:10 EST

Surfshark is a good choice for streaming. Regarding your "internet bandwidth" problem you should check what plan you have with current ISP (internet service provider) and see if the speeds are enough to support the quality that you're watching TV show on. You can expect a 10-20% speed drop while on VPN servers, this is unavoidable, but with it you can access ANY Netflix region you want. Just select the server in the country you want to access or select a server that would be closer to that country (and closer to you) for better speeds (Netflix will redirect you to appropriate content). Surfshark is a relatively new VPN so they are offering lots of discounts to build a community, atm it costs 1.99$/MO for a 2-year plan, I have a working coupon for the discount

https://surfshark.com/deals?coupon=greatshark

Comparing to some better known VPN providers the amount of servers is a bit low, but it's enough to cover whole Netflix and the speeds compensate,

caseyproject
  2/20/2019 10:15 EST

You might google best VPNs for streaming too, there's lots of reviews what works best :)

SunsetSteve
  2/20/2019 15:22 EST

Data point: I use NordVPN routinely on my desktop computer for my daily work, including banking. My internet banking was established years before I knew what a VPN was. No issue.

Blakstarn12
  2/21/2019 07:50 EST

I have maintained my US Netflix account and while there are shows you can not view in Colombia, I have had no problem using it. The same for Amazon, I still have my account with them, but with Amazon they limit of shows you can view in Colombia a get deal. With these two accounts VPN is useless, they have controls that let them know if a VPN is in use and your ability to access them is almost impossible while the VPN is engaged. As far as I can tell VUDU is the only TV/Movie service that VPN actually works well. Any other question you might have.... Just message me.

IZPZ
  2/21/2019 12:41 EST

I've been using various vpn for 20 years. I'm currently using NordVPN. It's good and cheap. Works well here in Colombia and really anywhere there's net access. Also has an app for cell phone. It's easy to install and to use and allows 6 simultaneous connections for multiple devices. Enjoy :-)

AlexCA
  2/21/2019 14:28 EST

Yes, I went through that. Of course online bank wouldn't automatically recognize new IP number especially if one minute it's in Florida, next time it's Georgia. But they popped the personal questions, answer those and no more problemas.

AlexCA
  2/21/2019 14:28 EST

Yes, I went through that. Of course online bank wouldn't automatically recognize new IP number especially if one minute it's in Florida, next time it's Georgia. But they popped the personal questions, answer those and no more problemas.

AlexCA
  2/21/2019 14:33 EST

Surfshark is good, poorer quality is due to ISP internet service provider, in my case this being Movistar. Even before I got VPN, Movistar not only sucked, it was an insatiable vampire . . . Schitzy wi-fi, affects my MacBook . . . I type one thing on a page, BS comes out the other end. It convulses, throws up pages I never signed on to. AVOID MOVISTAR LIKE THE PLAGUE. Terrible terrible non-service. They are the curse of Internet. Horrible Movistar! Stay away!

Felipe58
  2/24/2019 12:18 EST

I use AVG VPN cost £46 for three years payable in advance, but I think I got some discount having their free apps installed.

Can I make a suggestion if it is Films and TV Shows you want to see, try 'Tea TV', it's free to download and use, has most of the current films, and provided you have a good internet connection, little or no buffering.

seoulguy
  2/25/2019 20:22 EST

PureVPN based in Hong Kong; $9.95 monthly via PayPal. Had it for years, and, yes, there have been glitches and login uses an inconvenient captcha, but PC mag rates it in the top.

AlexCA
  2/25/2019 20:44 EST

Thanks! I got the VPN from Surfshark, So far so good, $1..99 per month for 2 years. I'm in the south of COL so I have slow bandwidth frequently....My advice to everyone: STAY AWAY FROM MOVISTAR. They suck suck suck.
Hong Kong? Wouldn't mind being there at the moment instead of Amazonia. But I'm heading for Cartagena and then Medellin!

caseyproject
  2/28/2019 11:36 EST

Glad to see another satisfied Surfshark user. I started using it about half-a-year ago when it was totally fresh and the user base has grown since then and so did the VPN itself. At first I bought it just because 1.99$/MO is really cheap to try it out, but right now I'm following the development closely. IMHO they will be big in the near future, considering the demand for VPNs is rising with all the censorship around.

AlexCA
  2/28/2019 11:51 EST

No regrets except slow bandwidth which they're not responsible for--HORIBLE MOVISTAR, STAY AWAY, AVOID LIKE PLAGUE, their wi-fi is the wi-fi of The Wasteland . . . Anyway Surfshark's all to willing, knowledgeable, patient tech support got me through problems that other VPN providers had no idea how to solve. Surfshark, venga!

guestuser
  5/23/2019 05:31 EST

I have a question about VPN services like nord or the others, it says i have to flash my router. is there a way to use a vpn with " flashing" changing my router ? to make it look like i am in the US

LocoOso
  5/23/2019 06:22 EST

I pay $30/year for Dashlane, which by nature is a password vault, but they offer a ton of other personal security features with their annual package, including a VPN. Using, it is PC specific so no messing with your router, and you can turn it on and off with one click.

Check it out: https://www.dashlane.com/cs/GmExmsPgOKvG

morganstern
  5/23/2019 07:32 EST

I use Hotspot Shield when I need to appear as if I am in the U.S. It doesn't work with all streaming services but otherwise has served me well...banks, radio shows, and other services that won't let you in if outside the states.

AlexCA
  5/23/2019 13:30 EST

Surfshark.app. Cost you ONE US dollar ($1.00) per month, but you gotta pay 2 years in advance; what's that, fifty-something? The techs are super-helpful and patient, I'm a tech idiot. Otherwise beware of scammers with "polite good intentions." You buy their service (one year), usually for malware, cleaning, all that kosher stuff you can't live without: "Beware this web site! It is toxic!" Then they offer you FREE VPN for one year, and then I suppose for the rest of your life at the topmost price.

On related subject (I'm still rankling at the waste of time and energy, never mind money, it happened yesterday); I've had this essential (for my trade) software package for DECADES, it seems. I remember back old simple minded EFFECTIVE DAYS (today it seems, the more "tech & sophisticated we get, the more Pan's Labyrinth it gets): You'd buy, you'd DOWNLOAD, and you're in business 30 secs later. All, bound to happen, my original company sold their product to mega-criminal corporation who quadrupled the price and CANCELLED my software unless I kissed their Don Corleone ass. My mistake: Out of panic, I went SHOPPING on that criminal site eBAY. I thought they vetted their vendors. I entered auction (what was I thinking?) with this merchant in MOROCCO. Jajaja, I made offers for this latest & greatest and will last forever. I grilled the guy: "I'm NOT paying unless you GUARANTEE I pay, 30 secs later, I download, and I can work." Sure, no problem, gringo idiot! I bought the thing, it was a download via THREE vendors. Then guess what? I get message: "How do you like the SAMPLE you just bought? It's for fun and EDUCATION only!!!! Jajaja. Send the American company/manufacturer US $99 and enjoy the whole thing." Too bad I don't believe him. I'm launching a thing on Kickstarter for a ticket to Morocco and someone with a nice steady hand and a motorbike." I can't believe human nature is SO LOW! But then again, look at Trump. My latest joke: What's the diff between Adolf Hitler and Dimwit Trump? Hitler was an Evil Genius. Trump is an Evil Moron. Unfortunately, I have a feeling his deathbed will be his escape limo. Now to work, writing my bank and doing the Merchant Dispute Form. I don't trust eBay, I don't trust PayPal .. . .

Mikepcon
  5/24/2019 12:03 EST

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