02-17-2018, 02:19 AM
Kraniac wrote:
Are they easy to set up?
VPN's, tell us about it
I've got Tunnel Bear. Some others have found it slow, but I only use it occasionally and only have the free limited monthly account.
Set up is about as easy as I can imagine:
Register online at tunnelbear.com
Then load an extension or app for access. Options:
- browser extension, but only for Chrome
- Mac app which puts an icon in the menu bar
- iPhone app
In all three cases you install, enter your login info once, then it's an "on/off" button. Click on, wait a second or two for the VPN to be established, and you are on. Tunnel Bear offers "auto" for the location (which seems to default to the U.S.), or you can pick one of about 17 countries.
The Mac and iPhone apps set up everything you do online (email, web browsing, etc.) to run through the VPN. I have found that the Chrome extension requires me to log back in again if I haven't used it in some time.
For what I've used it for (mainly access to U.S. accounts when abroad) Tunnel Bear has been great. Have not tried, for example, watching our U.S. Netflix account from abroad.
I assume the other VPN providers mentioned offer something similar.
My iPhone also has a VPN button in the top section of Settings. Going into Settings>General>VPN, it uses the Tunnel Bear settings, but there is also an option for manual setup of a VPN connection. I can also activate the VPN from the Tunnel Bear app.
You can manually set up VPN settings on a Mac in System Preferences>Network by clicking the "+" button at the bottom of the list of network connections, then selecting "VPN" as the interface from the popup. There is a "how to" for Mac VPN setup here:
https://www.howtogeek.com/216209/how-to-...reconnect/
Good luck.
- Winston