VPN vs Proxy Server Pros and Cons

The purpose of VPN and Proxy servers are the same, providing anonymity and security online. Although posses similarities and their pros and cons are also different that you will read ahead.

They assist accessing the websites that are otherwise difficult to browse through.  However, they differ heavily in they way they allow the approach to internet. While proxy server act as an intermediary computer which communicates on behalf of the computer that makes a request, VPN can be termed as an alternative to the private local network connection over the regular internet connection. Below is a detailed description of both the ways just to help you have a settle idea of which one to choose.

Proxy server

Just as you had done a proxy attendance on behalf of your fast friend in the school days, Proxy server resembles the same meaning but in a broader perspective. If you cannot open a website, listen to music or access a file over the internet, switching over to proxy location helps you to do so without letting the other side know about your original IP address. All you need is to explore a proxy web server, enter the site you want to visit, and you are done. The request's recipient will see it as the one generated from the proxy server and not from the real IP hence it will never be able to track its main source.

Pros

Using a proxy server owns some specific advantages such as:

• It is easier to use than a VPN since it is available free of cost
• Can be accessed by merely typing in its URL.
• It helps your browse anonymously
• Plays an effective role in unblocking the geographical restrictions.

Cons

Unfortunately, the demerits its owns, outdo its merits and makes it to be used only occasionally to connect to internet in anonymity. Some of those disadvantages given here:

·         Any information you send via Proxy server is likely to be intercepted in between because there is hardly any encryption that protects your data during its transfer to the other end.

·         Their  slow speed and high bandwidth consumption would leave you restless.

·         Not all the proxy servers you leverage are unfeigned, plenty of them could tend you to invite spams.

·         You would get fed up with the flurry of pop up advertisements they compel you to see.

Virtual Private Network and Providers

There are some prominent names in the VPN industry and the reliable ones include overplay , Vpn tunnel , strongvpn and Hidemyass , A VPN is constructed over a public network infrastructure. It creates a secure connection which is encrypted with the help of highly capable algorithms that vouch for its security both within and outside the intranet. Such a high degree encryption is not possible in case of a proxy server.

Pros

Some of the prominent advantages of using VPN include:

·         VPNs are way ahead than proxies in terms of speed

·         They are preferable if you want to assure safe browsing

·         Advisable for wireless hotspot connection

·         Easily understood VPN software that allow you to connect to internet with just a single click

·         Assure freedom to choose your own server location

·         Can be used on computers as well as on handheld devices

·         Best for accessing blocked streaming websites

Cons

Though most of the times, VPN is preferred over any other mode to bypass filtering, yet it has some of the disadvantages as well, such as:

·         To buy higher quality VPN subscription service, you have to spend a handsome amount. Cost consideration could hamper your decision to opt for a VPN

·         Most of them require installing software. This may be a problem if you are not that much tech savvy person.

Basics Of VPN

Internet needs no introduction in the modern times, almost every person who possess a little bit of interest in technology is expected to know about its utilization. It is undoubtedly a prompt source of knowledge and since it can be accessed worldwide, each day, millions of people get associated with it afresh. However, unfortunately there are many countries that have restrictions on the internet access depending on their respective parameters of censorship. Thankfully, to get away with such limitations there is much talked about technological innovation called VPN or the virtual private network.

Whats VPN??

Put into simple words, a VPN is a internet connection that runs over the normal internet connection and hides the user's identity over the internet. It achieves such a secret task by providing them a new IP address other than the real one, that represents the server of some other country as per requested by the user. The data transferred through a VPN is encrypted by the desired protocols and then is encapsulated by some other protocols. At the destination, the data is deencapsulated and decrypted    to assure the recipient the original message without being tampered by any third party intruder.

Role of VPN in allowing access to blocked sites

 VPN helps to bypass the firewalls and filtering imposed by the respective governments and the website owners to a great extent. Though some of the nations are quite capable of blocking even the widely used VPN protocols, still it is a convenient and much better mode than the others to access the inaccessible part of internet. There are a flurry of websites that have their fan following worldwide, primarily the streaming websites such as Hulu, Netflix and so on. People often don't want to miss the much craved entertainment programs on these websites and make significant endeavors to get glued to them even if they are outside their current location where these web portals are not accessible. With the help of VPN, they can hence carry out their desired activities conveniently. It also comes handy in opening well known social networking websites such as Facebook, Twitter, MySpace and more in the restricted places.
  
Leading VPN Provider Selection

 Before choosing for a particular VPN provider, it would be good to consult with any of the peers or friends who have been already availing of the services of any such VPN. In addition, looking out for review websites and forums that give detailed information of the pros and cons of several VPNs would also be a suggestible task. There are websites and blogs specifically dedicated to the VPNs and the distinct quality that separated them from the others in the industry, considering them as a source for selection of the best one could also prove to be efficient in allowing safe and secure internet access.

The most recently updated list by a reliable vpn reviews webiste BestVPN lists top 10 VPN services for 2012 consisting of HMA VPN, IBVPN, PureVPN, Hotspotshield VPN, Express VPN, cyberghost, IAPs, Liberty VPN, Private Internet access and iVPN services.

Best SSH VPN Services

SSH VPN or Tunnel or the Secure Shell has proved its mettle as a concrete filter bypassing tool in locations where the concerned authorities have blocked even VPNs. Specifically, the newly introduced SSH2 protocol has played an eminent role in allowing the exchange of duly secure and encrypted data from source to destination servers.
With the help of these SSH protocols, you can easily deal with the internet censorship provided that you get a capable service provider in this domain. Sensing its importance on a global platter, legions of VPN providers have also barged their way into providing efficient and effective SSH tunneling services.

SSH Tunnel

The Secure Shell (SSH) tunnel protects your selected applications from being blocked by keeping them inside a tunnel and leaves the other occasionally used applications outside.  To execute such a significant task, it leverages the assistance of a program called SOCKS5 Proxy.
This exclusive feature gives the SSH a substantial edge over the other protocols that are used by the VPN. However, for successful functioning of the SSH tunnel, it is connected to a VPN client.

SSH Tunnel Security

Using SSH protocol assures high-level security to your confidential data. While using it, even if the internet connection breaks in between, there would be no further transfer of data from your end. This would put an immediate break to the traffic until the connection is reinitiated.
If you are using any other protocol to establish a VPN connection, you may have to rely on a firewall or a third-party product that could obviate the transfer of data in case of VPN connection failure.

SSH VPN Benefits

Leveraging SSH to bypass filtering allows you to avail of multifarious advantages. To start with, it keeps you totally anonymous over the internet despite of the fact that it is not a regular VPN protocol. Additionally, it can be set up on any network all across the word and is perfectly compatible with the readily used operating systems such as Windows, Linux and Mac.
It provides you with a unique IP address from your preferred server location and allows you to access all the blocked streaming websites without hassles; the fact that it runs on TCP Port 22 helps this cause. If VPNs are giving you cold vibes owing to the apprehensions of internet threats such as IP spoofing, source routing, DNS spoofing, SSH is a feasible choice to opt for.

Best SSH VPN Services

In the already established market of VPNs, those offering SSH VPN services may have found it hard to make a mark in the initial stages. However, due to the rapidly increasing cases of internet censorship in different parts of the world including Middle East, Asia, China, Australia and more, that block even the VPNs, users worldwide have turned their heads towards the SSH protocol to get even with the internet restrictions.
This has in turn fuelled the popularity of this useful protocol among the service providers that have been offering services related to only VPN till now. Below mentioned SSH VPN are among the prominent ones to offers flawless services of SSH tunnel to help you access the blocked websites without bothering about being tracked.

Provider	Starting Price	Details
IAPS VPN	$14.95/Month	View Details
TuVPN	$12/Month	View Details
Tunnelr	$5/Month	View Details
TorVPN	$6.70/Month	View Details

There are currently not many VPN Services that also offer SSH tunnels, however, many have promised to launch it in the coming months. We will keep adding more and more SSH tunnels in this list, so stay tuned and bookmark this page for the industry wide list of commercial and personal SSH VPN Services.
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