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How to Unblock HBO GO

October 15, 2014 by

October 15th update: HBO has announced that they will offer a stand-alone online service.  You will no longer need a cable or satellite subscription to access HBO.  The new online service will launch in 2015.  HBO did not announce a specific date for the launch or cost of the service.  We’ll continue to update with the latest info.

With a new season of our favorite series, Game of Thrones, just around the corner we wanted to provide a guide for accessing HBO GO from anywhere in the world.  If you travel outside of the United States then you probably know there are a lot of online services that block access.  Like Hulu, Netflix, YouTube, HBO GO and many more.  Yet those with a good VPN service can access them all from anywhere.  We’ll show you how in a moment.

Have you ever tried to access HBO GO from outside the US?  If so this screenshot probably looks familiar:

Unblock HBO GO

Let’s take a look at how easy it is to get around this geographic restriction.

How can a VPN help unblock HBO GO?

Let’s look at how a personal VPN can help you stream HBO GO from outside the United States:

  • VPN helps you to get an IP address from a server in the United States.
  • Your data is then routed through a secure tunnel to protect your online privacy.
  • A fast connection is important for streaming.  A good VPN can support the speed.

A reliable privacy service will allow you to connect to a server in the US and enjoy HBO GO from anywhere in the world.  Allowing you to view the full selection of movies and shows as if you were sitting in the United States.

Connecting to HBO GO with a VPN service

Personal VPN’s are meant to be easy to use.  You’ll want a fast connection for streaming HD content.  There are quite a few companies out there that are good but just can’t meet the bandwidth needs.  Two of our favorites for fast, reliable VPN access are IPVanish and Hide My Ass.  Both have quite a few US server locations.

We’ll be using IPVanish since they have the fastest VPN connections in the United States.   First you’ll want to sign up for access.  IPVanish offers unlimited VPN from just $4.87 a month which is a great value.

IPVanish coupon

After you become a member, IPVanish will send a welcome email with your account information.  From there you’ll want to visit their site and download the VPN client.  IPVanish has free VPN software for Windows and Mac.  They also provide set up guides for iPhone, iPad and Android mobile devices.

Once you have the IPVanish client downloaded and installed go ahead and fire it up.

IPVanish Windows 2.0 client

From here you’ll want to choose a US server location that provides the best download speed.  We’ve connected to quite a few of the locations.  It depends on where you are located.  IPVanish ha an expansive network of VPN in the United States so you have a lot of options to choose from.  I like using their server in Ashburn, Virginia.

We’ll keep it non technical.  You can connect to any IPVanish server and switch between them anytime.  They offer locations throughout the United States.  If you want an IP from elsewhere they have VPN servers located in 60 different countries.  IPVanish allows two simultaneous connections which is great for mobile devices.

You’ll notice options for OpenVPN, PPTP and L2TP at the top of the interface.  These let you select which protocol is used to access the servers.  Test each of them out to see which one works best from your location.  For streaming services like HBO GO we recommend OpenVPN (UDP).  We enjoy the best results using it.

That’s all there is to it.  An IP in the US will unblock access to Netflix, Hulu, Pandora, YouTube, Facebook and many more sites.  Follow us on Twitter @VPNSP for more how-to guides along with VPN reviews and specials.

Filed Under: Guides Tagged With:

IPVanish iOS 8 App Update

October 9, 2014 by

IPVanish continues to add new features to their popular VPN software.  The latest release of their iOS app adds new functionality.  When Apple released iOS 8 it broke a lot of VPN apps.  The same has happened with major relases of iOS in the past.  VPN providers have been modifying apps to work with iOS 8.  When I first saw that IPVanish released an iOS 8 app I assumed it was just a fix.  To my surprise the app adds new functionality.

IPVanish iOS 8 App

In addition to being fully compatible with the latest Apple iOS 8 release, the IPVanish iOS app adds a number of new features.  Here’s a look at some of the new enhancements for iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch devices:

  • Single-Swipe VPN Connection – You now have the ability within the app to toggle your VPN connection off/on with ease.
  • Visible IP Address and Server Connection – View your publicly viewable IP address before connecting to IPVanish as well as the server location and IP address used once you are connected.
  • Automatic Connection – Using multiple wireless networks on your iOS devices? Using the advanced settings, automatically connect to the IPVanish VPN service while accessing public WiFi or similar networks.
  • Persistent Connection – Stay connected to IPVanish even if your device is in standby or locked screen mode. This feature is also found in the advanced settings.

If you’re not already using IPVanish then I suggest you give them a try.  They are currently offering our readers a special discount on the service.  You can enjoy unlimited VPN access with up to two connections from just $4.87 a month.  That gives you access to their full network of VPN servers across 60 countries and growing.  IPvanish offers free client software for Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS and Android.  You can read our IPVanish review to learn more about the service.  IPvanish has ranked #1 on our site for the last 18 months and continues to impress.

You can visit vpnsp.com to compare hundreds of VPN services and follow us @VPNSP for the latest deals.

Filed Under: VPN Clients

Help for Belkin Router Users

October 7, 2014 by

Belkin users around the world are having trouble connecting to the Internet.  Belkin has since released a workaround that we’ll share in a moment.  The issue appears to be linked to Belkin routers and perhaps some Linksys routers.  If you’re having trouble connecting to the Internet with a Belkin rouoter then I suggest you try the workaround below.  You can try calling Belkin but their customer service is overwhelmingly busy at the moment.

Belkin router outage

Here’s the workaround provided for Belkin users (original source):

Update – We have identified a workaround that will enable some users to get back online. The workaround requires that you set a static DNS address on the device trying to access the internet. Below are some steps to do this on the most popular devices:

iOS
First, enable WiFi on your device and connect to the WiFi network you want to use. Then, tap the blue arrow button on the right side of the network name to tweak its settings. Now, select the DNS field and enter 8.8.8.8, 8.8.4.4. Separate different DNS addresses with commas

Android
Open the Settings on the device.
Select “Wi-Fi”.
Long press your current network, then select “Modify network”.
Mark “Show advanced options” check box.
Change “IP settings” to “Static”
Add the DNS servers 8.8.8.8 to the “DNS 1”, and 8.8.4.4 “DNS 2” fields.
Press “Save” button, disconnect from the network, and reconnect for changes to take effect.

Windows
Begin by clicking Windows Logo > Control Panel.
Click Network and Internet.
Click on Network & Sharing Center.
Click the name of the connection you wish the edit, to the right of Connections.
Click Properties.
Select Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4) and click Properties.
Click the radio button next to Use the following DNS server addresses:. This will allow you to enter the DNS server addresses.
The DNS addresses are as follows:
Preferred DNS server: 8.8.8.8
Alternate DNS server: 8.8.4.4
Click OK on each of the windows and close the Control Panel. Your computer is now configured to use statically assigned DNS server addresses.

Mac OSX
You’ll need to first head into the System Preferences…
Then click on the Network icon…
Then you’ll want to select your network card on the left—you’ll see in my example that I’ve got an AirPort card—and then select the Advanced button near the bottom right corner.
Once you’re there, switch over to the DNS tab, and you can start adding in DNS entries into the list. If you see entries that are grayed out, just ignore them, and click the + symbol at the bottom to add new ones.
You can add the following two items to the list:
8.8.8.8
8.8.4.4
Oct 7, 10:49 PDT

Investigating – We are aware of reports of an interruption to internet service when using some Belkin routers with several internet service providers. Our team is diligently working to root cause the issue. Our call centers are also experiencing a higher than normal call rate so hold times are longer than normal. Our call centers have no solution to this problem at this time. Please check this status page for further updates.
Oct 7, 09:31 PDT
Filed Under: Guides

FlashRouters Asus 15% Off Sale

October 3, 2014 by

The football season is in full swing and the temperatures are changing fast.  What better time to protect and speed up your network with a custom router.  Our friends over at FlashRouters are celebrating by offering deep discounts on Asus routers.  The FlashRouters Autumn Asus Sale includes discounts of 15% off all Asus routers.  The Asus coupon stacks with their existing sales prices.  Making this weekend a great time to buy.

FlashRouters 15% Off Asus Routers

You can visit the FlashRouters site and browse through their full list of brand name routers from companies like Cisco Linksys, Netgear, Asus and TP-Link.  They’ve discounted quite a few models for the weekend sale.  Remember that all Asus models come with an additional 15% off using coupon code Asus.  Below are some of our favorite Asus models.  Any router you choose will come with custom DD-WRT or Tomato firmware.

  • Asus RT-AC566U AC1200
  • Asus RT-AC68U AC1900
  • Asus RT-AC66U AC1750
  • Asus RT-N66U Dark Knight

If you’d like to learn more about FlashRouters they have an insightful video on the homepage.  The animated video is very well done.  It will walk you through the benefits of a custom router.  In a minute and a half you’ll learn just how much value the custom firmware offers.  Replacing the factory firmware with DD-WRT or Tomato greatly enhances the functionality of any router you choose from their site.  Take a moment to watch the video.

The Autumn Asus sale requires a coupon code.  Simply visit their site and browse through the selection of routers from Cisco Linksys, Asus, Netgear and TP-Link.  Once you find something you’d like to buy the discount will be automatically applied.  If you buy an Asus device make sure to enter coupon code Asus to save an additional 15% off this weekend.  You’ll clearly see the special pricing listed throughout their site.  The sale won’t last long though so I suggest you visit FlashRouters.com now to save.

You can visit VPNSP.com to learn more about VPN routers.  Follow us @VPNSP to save on VPN access.

Filed Under: VPN Routers

OverPlay Bowl Promotion

October 2, 2014 by

We’re excited to share a new promotion from our friends over at OverPlay.  They are celebrating the NFL season with a special giveaway.  Enter the OverPlay Bowl promotion for your chance to win a free NFL Game Pass and a year of free OverPlay SmartDNS and VPN service.  You can enter for free by visiting the OverPlay Bowl page.  You can enter from October 2nd through October 17th.  The winners will be notified by email on October 20th.

OverPlay NFL Game Pass Promotion

OverPlay is a leading provider of SmartDNS and VPN services.  We’re particularly fond of their SmartDNS solution.  It’s perfect for watching live events like NFL and college football games.  Along with streaming services like Netflix and Hulu.  While a VPN will work it’s really overkill for that purpose.  You give up some speed when using a VPN versus getting close to your maximum throughput with a good Smart DNS service.

SmartDNS is easy to use.  You simply change your DNS settings to those provided by OverPlay.  If you’re not comfortable doing that the OverPlay team has a client you can use to connect as well.  Either way you’ll have access to content in other countries that would otherwise be blocked.  A good example is BBC content.  If you want to watch BBC programming from outside  the UK you can with OverPlay’s Smart DNS.

The OverPlay NFL Game Pass promotion is currently under way.  They launched the giveaway page earlier today so I suggest you head on over and enter to win.  Along with the chance to win a free NFL Game Pass the OverPlay team is offering some nice discounts on SmartDNS access.  You can enjoy unlimited SmartDNS for $4.95 a month or a full year of access for just $49.95.  Visit OverPlay.com to save on SmartDNS or VPN.

You can visit vpnsp.com to learn more about Smart DNS and follow us @VPNSP for the latest promotions.

Filed Under: Smart DNS

Hide My Ass Network Expands to 100 Countries

October 2, 2014 by

Hide My Ass continues to expand their VPN network at record pace.  This time around the HMA team has added 16 new servers and 9 new countries to their network.  Hide My Ass VPN now spans 685 servers in 198 locations and 100 countries around the world.  Members have access to a pool of over 88,000 IP addresses.  If you’re not already a member you can enjoy unlimited HMA Pro VPN from just $6.55 a month during their promotion.

Hide My Ass 91 network

HMA’s network growth over the last few months is the largest expansion we’ve seen from any VPN provider.  In August HMA expanded to 91 countries.  You normally see companies adding one or a few countries at a time.  HMA added 15 in August and now announced 9 more.  Even more impressive since HMA already had the largest network.  Now they’ve extended their lead over the competition in terms of network size.  As a member of the service you have access to all 685 servers across 100 countries.

Here’s a quick look at the 9 new countries HMA just added:

  • Oman, Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan, Palestine, Bahrain, Bangladesh, and Yemen.

Take a look at our Hide My Ass review if you’d like to see the full list of countries in which HMA has servers.  Having such a large footprint makes HMA an excellent choice for those who travel internationally.  With so many network locations, Hide My Ass is well positioned to provide reliable VPN access regardless of where you happen to be traveling in the world. Remember you can switch between server locations anytime you’d like.

Cheers to the HMA team as they continue to expand their large network.  Passing 100 countries is a huge milestone.  We look forward to seeing where HMA takes the network next.  If you haven’t had a chance to try HMA this is a great time.  As I mentioned above they are currently offering a special promotion.  You can enjoy unlimited VPN from just $6.55 a month.  New customers are covered by their 30 day money back guarantee.

Filed Under: VPN Services

UnoTelly Smart DNS Review

October 1, 2014 by

UnoTelly is a Smart DNS service funded by Unovation, Inc.  Their team is based in Toronto, Canada.  One of my favorite towns.  The Unovation team came up with a solution to help break down the barriers posed by online geo-restrictions.  They created a technology called UnoDNS.  UnoTelly uses the UnoDNS technology to help users gain access to channels like Netflix, Hulu and BBC iPlayer from anywhere in the world.

UnoTelly

One of the first things you’ll notice when you visit the UnoTelly site is their free trial offer.  If you’re new to UnoTelly they offer an 8 day premium trial.  The free trial will give you full access to the Smart DNS service.  The only thing you won’t have access to is their VPN service.  The gold plan which includes VPN is available for $7.95 a month.  The Premium plan which is Smart DNS without the VPN is available for $4.95 a month.  We’ll be covering the Premium (Smart DNS) plan in our review.  You can compare both plans at unotelly.com.

UnoTelly pricing

Once you sign up for the free trial you’ll receive a confirmation email.  Simply click the link to activate your account.  From there you’ll receive a welcome email.  The email makes it clear that you can use the service free for 8 days during the trial period.  From there you can either purchase a membership or let the trial expire.  There is no commitment necessary for the trial.  You just need to provide an email address to set up the account.

When you first log into the UnoTelly site with your new trial account it will walk you through the process of updating your DNS settings.  I tested Unotelly on Windows 8.  Changing DNS settings is very simple.  UnoTelly offers step by step guides for several platforms including Windows, Mac, Linux, iPhone, iPad, Android, Kindle Fire HD, gaming consoles, smart tv’s, media boxes and several router brands.  Just to name a few.

Now that I’m logged in and switched my DNS settings let’s take a look at the UnoTelly quickstart screen:

UnoTelly QuickStart

As you can see my account status shows that everything is good.  Meaning that I set my DNS servers to point to UnoDNS servers in the US and Canada.  Here’s a brief explanation of some of the other quickstart options.

  • Global Servers – view a full list of UnoDNS server addresses.  You can select any two servers.  In general you’ll want to choose servers near your current location for the best performance.
  • Channels – full list of channels around the world that UnoTelly will help you unblock.
  • Devices – list of supported devices along with step by step set up guides for each device.
  • Channel Request – this is where you can request a channel that’s not already on the list.
  • Dynamo – this feature let’s you set the region for services like Netflix.  Giving you access to different content based on the country you select.  They offer 20 UnoDNS Dynamo region settings for Netflix.

Once you get the DNS settings in place you can fire up your favorite web browser and connect to your desired channel.  For testing purposes we used BBC iPlayer.  Here’s what iPlayer looked like when we tried to use it without the UnoTelly UnoDNS service.  As you can see we’re blocked since we’re outside the UK.

BBC iPlayer blocked

Now take a look at iPlayer after I set my DNS to the UnoTelly UnoDNS server addresses.  As you can see iPlayer is no longer blocked.  I’m free to watch BBC content using the UnoTelly service to unblock iPlayer streams.

BBC iPlayer unblocked

That’s really all there is to using the UnoTelly Smart DNS (UnoDNS) service.  You simply sign up for the free trial and change your DNS settings as instructed.  From there you can access sites like Netflix, Hulu and BBC iPlayer.  Along with media sites from around the world.  Don’t forget about the Dynamo feature if you’d like to check out Netflix content in other countries.  The Dynamo page has some other channel options as well.

I enjoyed testing the UnoTelly Smart DNS service.  It was very straight forward and easy to use.  In the days to come I’ll test out their VPN service and share the results.  In the meantime you can visit unotelly.com to learn more.  Remember you can sign up for the 8 day free trial without any payment information.  No obligations.  A perfect way to test UnoTelly.  From there you can sign up for $4.95 a month or add VPN for $7.95 a month.

You can visit vpnsp.com to learn more about Smart DNS and follow us @VPNSP for the latest news and deals.

Filed Under: Smart DNS

China Blocks Access to Instagram

September 30, 2014 by

It’s always disappointing when a country decides to block citizens access to social networks like Instagram.  That’s exactly what China is doing right now.  They are blocking access to Instagram since protesters in Hong Kong are using the site to share images and to help spread their pro-democracy message.  Many of the Instagram images include police using tear gas and pepper spray on the crowd protesting.

Instagram

If you’re currently being blocked from Instagram or any other social network I would suggest a VPN service.

How does a VPN help unblock Instagram?

Let’s see how a VPN can help you access sites like Instagram from anywhere in the world (including China):

  • VPN allows you to acquire and use an IP address in the United States.
  • All traffic is routed through a secure tunnel to help ensure your privacy.
  • By accessing sites through the VPN server you can avoid blocks like the current Chinese Instragram block.
  • A fast connection is necessary for streaming.  VPN can help you achieve the best performance.

A good privacy service will allow you to tunnel to a server in the US and enjoy social networking sites like Instagram, Facebook and YouTube from anywhere in the world.  Allowing you to view the social sites as if you were sitting in the United States.  The same is true for online services like Netflix that have geo-restrictions.

there are a number of VPN options out there.  I’d start with our top 5 VPN services and read some of the reviews.  China works hard to keep citizens from getting around the great firewall.  The VPN companies have to play a game of cat and mouse with the Chinese censors.  For that reason I would test a couple VPN providers and see which works best in your location.  You might also want to email their support with any pre-sales questions.  Some companies have separate client downloads for users in China.

Filed Under: Privacy News

LiquidVPN DNS and IPS Features

September 24, 2014 by

The LiquidVPN team is hard at work creating a full suite of security products to compliment their growing VPN service.  Today we’ll talk about their new LiquidDNS and LiquidIPS features.  Along with the addition of Liquid Viscosity.  LiquidVPN members can download Viscosity for free.  The popular VPN client is available for both Windows and Mac.  Thanks to LiquidVPN for offering our visitors 20% off the first billing cycle of any term.

LiquidVPN Security Features

Let’s take a quick look at the new LiquidVPN features:

LiquidDNS

LiquidDNS is a zero logging DNS service.  Most people rely on their ISP for DNS resolution.  That means when you type in www.liquidvpn.com your ISP takes the URL and translates it into the corresponding IP address.  Some may also use free DNS services like Google to avoid their ISP logging.  The trade off is that Google logs as well.  With LiquidDNS your DNS queries are not logged.  Providing you with an extra layer of privacy while using the service.  LiquidDNS is available to all LiquidVPN members at no additional cost.

LiquidIPS

LiquidIPS is an add-on feature that can be added to any LiquidVPN member’s account.  IPS stands for intrusion prevention system.  Think of IPS as an extra layer of protection beyond the VPN.  When you connect to a website or click on a link in your email there’s always the chance the result will include malware or other harmful attacks.  LiquidIPS will help protect your system from these attacks by preventing them from happening.  Like everything else IPS isn’t a catch all but the system learns as it goes which improves the results.

Liquid Viscosity

Viscosity is a popular VPN client.  I still prefer custom software but Viscosity is easier to use than the native OpenVPN client and additional scripts.  LiquidVPN users can download a free copy of Viscosity for Windows and a free copy for Mac.  That’s a nice addition since Viscosity is a premium third-party client.  The LiquidVPN team has additional scripts for advanced features like Internet kill switch, application kill switch, DNS leak protection, advanced routing, proxy support, traffic stats and more.  All are available to members.

There’s another area of LiquidVPN that’s continuing to spur growth.  They have greatly expanded their account offerings.  With monthly, semi-annual and annual subscriptions.  Along with no subscription plans and dedicated IP accounts.  We’ll touch on the new accounts in a future post.  For now head on over to their site and try out their new advanced LiquidDNS, LiquidIPS and Liquid Viscosity features.  Remember to use our 20% off link to save on your first billing cycle for any term including the already discounted annual plan.

Filed Under: VPN Services

New TunnelBear Mobile Apps

September 22, 2014 by

TunnelBear has been one of our favorite VPN providers for a long time now.  They don’t have the network size to make our list of top services but they are one of the best around at designing great looking client software.  The TunnelBear team is at it again.  They just released new versions of both the TunnelBear iOS and Android apps.  As you can see below the interface design is nice.  You can select any server location from the map to connect.

TunelBear iOS and Android apps

The TunnelBear team continues to add new server locations and refine their popular VPN apps.  They now have server locations in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Germany, Japan, Australia, France and The Netherlands.  As a paying member you’ll have unlimited access to every country except Australia where data rates are much higher.  What we like best is the client.  It’s so simple to use.  Pick a county and toggle the switch On.  When your finished toggle it Off.  That’s all there is to it.  The iOS and Android apps are just as easy to use.

Here’s a quick look at TunnelBear’s pricing:

The only difference between the Giant and Grizzly accounts is the term.  They are offering discounted pricing on the Grizzly plan which is their annual term.  To take advantage of the promotion you can visit their site or click the Upgrade button inside the TunnelBear client.  The discount is regularly offered on the annual plan.

Visit VPN service providers to learn more about VPN.  Follow us @VPNSP for the latest VPN news and deals.

Filed Under: VPN Services
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