What subs do you have?

[Zardnaar]

Cheap, yes. 3 years for $125 USD right now.

I can't vouch for it being good, though. Maybe for casual browsing.

All it will be used for is foreign subscription services.

 

[Synobun]

All it will be used for is foreign subscription services.

In theory, they promise 30% less than your current speeds. So if you normally get 100 mbps, you'll get 70 mbps with them. But in my experience it was a much bigger drop, at least for streaming. Depending on my ISP's mood that day, I get anywhere between 30 to 120 mbps, but they throttle me down to ~5 mbps or lower when streaming or downloading. NordVPN usually had me hovering between 3 to 8 mbps when streaming. On a real good day, 12 mbps.

 

[Zardnaar]

In theory, they promise 30% less than your current speeds. So if you normally get 100 mbps, you'll get 70 mbps with them. But in my experience it was a much bigger drop, at least for streaming. Depending on my ISP's mood that day, I get anywhere between 30 to 120 mbps, but they throttle me down to ~5 mbps or lower when streaming or downloading. NordVPN usually had me hovering between 3 to 8 mbps when streaming. On a real good day, 12 mbps.

Lol my net speed is something like 10 times faster than that. It's advertised as gigaspeed but it's a bit lower.

We can download, play game and stream on 3 or 4 devices no problem.

Fibre more or less on top of the exchange.

 

[Zelig]

NordVPN is comically bad, don't use it. Anyone who advertises like them should make you automatically suspicious.

See:

I would avoid any service that either advertises heavily or that has ownership with conflicts of interest.

Read the following:
The Trouble with VPN and Privacy Review Sites
Choosing a VPN
VPN Services

The one VPN product that I can wholeheartedly recommend is Cloudflare Warp, but it needs to be appropriate for your use-case. (edit: Runner-up to Firefox Private Network, but they're still in beta and US-only.)

 

[Synobun]

Interesting. I first heard of Mullvad yesterday and now I see it being recommended as the best VPN available in the Choosing a VPN article.

 

[Zelig]

Interesting. I first heard of Mullvad yesterday and now I see it being recommended as the best VPN available in the Choosing a VPN article.

I would really encourage anyone considering using a VPN to not simply pick a VPN from a "best available" list, but to do the research and understand the relevant criteria. Using a VPN without understanding what it is and how it works is much worse than not using a VPN.

(Even the term "a VPN" isn't clear - for many use cases, you could run a VPN server on your home router and connect to it remotely. For others you could rent a $5/m virtual machine and run algo on it: https://github.com/trailofbits/algo)

 

[cardgame]

The only use I would have for a VPN is accessing foreign Netflix titles, since the library is arbitrarily region restricted. Any speed sufficient enough for 1080p playback would be acceptable. I'm curious what other use cases the average person would have (not you Zelig, you're the definition of a power user here )

 

[IglooDame]

Makes me think I should spool up a Linux box or virtual Cisco router on an Amazon Web Services site and route a VPN through that, since AWS boxes are that cheap.

 

[Zelig]

Well you should generally assume public wifi networks are hostile. I wouldn't suggest using cafe or hotel wifi without a *trustworthy* (e.g. Cloudflare or Firefox) VPN. For the average user, unless you're in a country with hostile mobile ISPs, it's probably easier to just pay for additional mobile data rather than connecting to wifi at all.

Makes me think I should spool up a Linux box or virtual Cisco router on an Amazon Web Services site and route a VPN through that, since AWS boxes are that cheap.

I use algo (linked above) on a Digital Ocean droplet, cheaper than AWS for that use. When I'm staying at hotels or rental locations I connect a VPN-connected travel router to the wifi and connect my devices to the router: https://www.gl-inet.com/products/gl-ar750s/

 

[amadeus]

Of the “fixed” priced memberships, I have internet through the cable company, a gym membership, Skype, and my phone contract.

The phone varies a bit from month to month depending if I make any phone calls. This month will be a little higher because of all the correspondence I’ve had with my dental clinic re: extra appointments to get some things taken care of.

Skype is a fixed plan that allows me to call any number in the U.S., which is useful for talking to my family that aren’t connected online and just have the standard fixed-line telephone. Until I moved here, I really didn’t need a cell phone for anything but now with all the iPhone’s nifty functions I’m practically glued to it.

Netflix, etc. I really don’t have any use for. I connect to my wifi and play YouTube videos in the background when I want something to listen to, but I seldom sit down to really watch anything.

 

[civvver]

Not as cheap as it used to be. Price goes up one more time and I'm dropping it. Amazon has a better selection of movies I actually like anyway.

I think netflix has found their niche as an original content producer. You're right all their movie licenses suck now that they are losing disney. Not many new interesting releases come on there. And while there's a huge glut of terrible original shows, they have enough really good ones for me to keep it. While Amazon has maybe 3-4 I'm interested in, Netflix probably has 12?

I completely forgot about costco! While I don't really view them as a discount store (their prices on stuff aren't any better than my local walmart or whatever) the quality of their stuff and service is really good.

 

[Zelig]

I completely forgot about costco! While I don't really view them as a discount store (their prices on stuff aren't any better than my local walmart or whatever) the quality of their stuff and service is really good.

Depends a bit on what you're counting as "stuff" - I haven't seen anyone who matches Costco pricing on passport photos, vaccine injection fees or iTunes gift cards.

 

[civvver]

I mostly buy toilet paper, groceries, electronics, clothing. It's all great quality though. The kirkland brand toilet paper beats the pants off charmin brand. Fruit is really cheap.

 

[Zardnaar]

I think netflix has found their niche as an original content producer. You're right all their movie licenses suck now that they are losing disney. Not many new interesting releases come on there. And while there's a huge glut of terrible original shows, they have enough really good ones for me to keep it. While Amazon has maybe 3-4 I'm interested in, Netflix probably has 12?

I completely forgot about costco! While I don't really view them as a discount store (their prices on stuff aren't any better than my local walmart or whatever) the quality of their stuff and service is really good.

Netflix has a lot if hidden gems and foreign stuff.

Had Disney+ for almost 3 months. Watched the Mandalorian, MCU, some classic stuff and documentaries but there's very little new stuff.

 

[Narz]

But why though?

Yeah I should prolly cancel, I originally got it when I lived in NYC so I can d/l vids to watch while on the subway.

* Costco - Costco is awesome. Both their products and services (of which they have many).

Yeah Costco is great. It's the only store I actually like (well trader Joe's is also ok)

 

[shadowplay]

Amazon prime, Xbox game pass/Xbox live gold, Costco, Bell Fibe TV + gigabit internet.

 

[hobbsyoyo]

Excluding utilities, I subscribe to Netflix, Netflix DVD-by-mail, Amazon Prime and Pandora Premium.

I play a lot of video games but I don't pay for online subscriptions for them. I'd like to take some of them online but I can't justify spending money on it.

 

[MaryKB]

Is using a vpn to circumvent regional licensing restrictions legal?

 

[GoodEnoughForMe]

Sprint Unlimited that's really, really old, and everytime I go in they say to never change my contract, because it's like 50 or 60 bucks a month for unlimited everything; data, roaming, and international, from back in 2007. We have Charter's cheapest wifi at home, no cable or phone. We live in a condo so while we pay for gas and electric, water, sewer, trash, etc., are provided.

Media stuff we've got Prime, Hulu, Netflix, Disney+, HBO, although some of them are family accounts and we might not be paying for one of them that rhymes with Bulu. I also have Amazon Prime Music or whatever their additional music bonus to straight Prime is called. In the past I had Crunchyroll but wasn't using it enough, so I cancelled that a few months ago. I also have Playstation Plus, gamers rise up and all.

We get YMCA membership free via wife's job so we cancelled our Planet Fitness membership. We have a Costco membership, which pays for itself via gas alone, but also cheap Bell's Hopslam.

I pay for Critique Circle and Duotrope for writing purposes, but they're like a super tiny annual fee IIRC. Like $5.

Think that's about it. I've done Blue Apron in the past off and on, but once I got a lot better at cooking I just made everything myself lol.

 

[IglooDame]

Is using a vpn to circumvent regional licensing restrictions legal?

Legality depends on the jurisdiction, and frankly it's a good question, I'm not sure if it would come under some sort of DMCA or computer misuse laws in the US.

I'm sure it is a violation of the service provider's terms of services, though.