Apache Labs Community Forum

Hi,

I apologize if this has already been addressed. Tried looking, but I didn't get too many hits.

Note, I don't use VPN to operate remotely. Well, I guess I could say that technically I am operating my amplifier remotely (see below). I do like to have the VPN on at all times.

As soon as I turn the VPN on, both Thetis freezes and so does the Real VNC Viewer. Also, just like the ANAN, I have an RF2K-S amplifier plugged into an Ethernet switch and use Real VNC Viewer to operate the amplifier from my main screen using a mouse. This has worked for me very well for a few years now.

I believe, I need to include both Thetis and Real VNC Viewer as exceptions for the VPN to accept these apps as safe. Furthermore, I assume that it is Thetis.exe that needs to be flagged as safe and also the exe version of Real VNC Viewer, but I tried that to no avail.

Cheers!

Juha
NI2M

You didn't say which VPN software you are using.

You need to enable "split tunneling" in your VPN software. With that enabled, you should be provided a number of options such as "app based", "inclusive", "exclusive", etc. There should be adequate help features in the software to explain these things. Suffice to say they are various ways of deciding which app's go through the VPN and which don't.

With very few exceptions there are no reasons to be using a VPN at home. Any privacy advantages in doing so are minimal to non-existant. It's not the ISPs you have to worry about. It's the big service providers: Google, Amazon, Apple and Meta. Since together they control and/or host 99% of all internet sites they continue to have near total access to anything you might do on the web, VPN or no VPN.

The exceptions for home use are as follows:

- Tunneling from one private LAN to another (e.g. for access to workplace networks, etc.)
- To bypass geo-blocking (e.g. moving your point-of-presence to another place so you can see a website not available in the US)

And when not at home:

- To protect yourself from bad actors on truly public networks (e.g. Wi-Fi at hotels, airports, coffee shops, etc.)

Scott,

I am using F Secure (Total) that includes VPN and I need to bypass geo-blocking (without going into detail) so, yes, I need the VPN. One reason for my electing to go with F Secure is that it is not that well-known here and might just provide additional "protection." I don't know what "split-tunneling" is, but I will study the features of that software more.

Cheers!
Juha

F-Secure doesn't have true split tunneling. I think it's "app bypass" or "app exclude" or something like that. It may or may not work the way you need it to.

There is not any significant difference in privacy between VPN providers in terms of communication protocols and encryption algorithms. What matters, first and foremost, is do they keep logs that can be obtained by law enforcement. F-Secure keeps logs for 90 days. That would make it a non-starter for me. Indeed, F-secure is not highly rated in the world of VPNs.

The other important difference between VPN providers is how many VPN server points of presence they run. F-Secure won't publish a number, ostensibly because of "security", but that's nonsense as any competent cyber operation can easily detect and track those servers.

If you need VPN for any reason I can highly recommend Windscribe. It has true split-tunneling and many other features that can be handy. And they don't keep any logs that involve privacy related information.

Scott,

My question wasn't about Pros & Cons of different VPN products, but what you are writing is interesting.
The VPN I have been using also features other types of protection (I will take a look at Windscribe), including ID monitoring.

Cheers,
Juha
NI2M