Q: what is the best vpn for OS 10

Hello brad951 and others,

I know this is an old thread, but I have some useful information.

I am not going to debate the relative merits of VPNs. I am talking only about how to use one. OS X has VPN software built-in. Go to System Preferences > Network > Click the + in the lower left corner > and add your VPN information. Any legitimate VPN service will have instructions on how to setup their service with your Mac.

However, as the developer of EtreCheck, I keep track of new software so I can categorize it as either legitimate or adware. Any time a file shows up in EtreCheck's "Unknown Files" section, the user can chose to report that to me. Then I can investigate it. I have notices an explosion of online cloud, backup, and VPN software. While this type of software is legitimate, I find it highly suspicious. In most cases, you don't need any extra software to connect to a legitimate VPN system. The only exception would be the OpenVPN protocol. Apple cannot include OpenVPN due to its restrictive, open-source license.

But unless you are required to use OpenVPN for your work, always use the OS X built-in VPN technology. If you install some VPN software, you are giving the owners of that VPN full control of your machine and everything in it. They have access to all your data on your hard drive and in the cloud. They could easily extract all of your passwords if they wanted to. What is the point of using a VPN to be "anonymous" on the internet when it requires handing over every last shred of your privacy? That doesn't make sense to me.

etresoft wrote:

 

They have access to all your data on your hard drive and in the cloud. They could easily extract all of your passwords if they wanted to. What is the point of using a VPN to be "anonymous" on the internet when it requires handing over every last shred of your privacy? That doesn't make sense to me.

Ayup.   And certainly at the VPN end-point in the cloud, which the VPN provider has complete access to, and can simply log, or can copy, or can choose to modify the traffic, whether to inject advertising or worse.  They're inherently providing the ability to concentrate more than a little of the coffee shop and hotel and school Wi-Fi network traffic across the net into one easy-to-tap spot, after all.

With regards to what VPN service provider is best, I cannot answer as I have not used any of them. Apocryphally some/many/all may themselves be guilty of monitoring your traffic. I therefore run my own VPN server.

It is possible to use OS X Server.app as a VPN server but it only supports PPTP and L2TP which are the two oldest types of VPN and both now suffer from known vulnerabilities. It is also the case that neither PPTP or L2TP can be used as part of a VPN on Demand solution. Some internet routers include a VPN server capability so check your router.

With regards to which type of VPN is best here are my comments about each type.

• PPTP - oldest and weakest security, does not support VPN on Demand, built-in client in OS X and iOS
• L2TP - a bit better than PPTP also does not support VPN on Demand, built-in client in OS X and iOS and Windows
• Cisco IPSec - more advanced than either PPTP or L2TP and can be used as with VPN on Demand, built-in client in OS X and iOS
• Cisco AnyConnect - Cisco proprietary client might use Cisco IPSec or SSL as actual connection method, can be used for VPN on Demand, not a built-in client, notorious for breaking when Apple issue an upgrade to their operating systems
• SSL VPN - can be auto deployed to clients by VPN server complete with settings but doing so typically involves using Java in a web-browser which has its own major security issues, can be used for VPN on Demand, not a built-in VPN client
• IKEv2 - newest and allegedly most secure VPN system, can be used with VPN on Demand, built-in to OS X 10.11 or later and iOS 9 or later

Based on the above I would say IKEv2 is the 'best' and then I would say Cisco IPSec is next best - purely because I don't like installing additional VPN client software. By using the built-in VPN client provided by Apple I avoid any compatibility issues that might otherwise occur.

I currently use StrongSwan5 software running in a Linux virtual machine as the VPN server, this supports both Cisco IPSec clients and IKEv2 clients.

Apple Mac computers are enjoyed throughout the world because of their stable operating system. These days, Mac OS (El Capitan) and iOS users who desire digital privacy, anonymity, and net neutrality, are often left asking: What is the best VPN to secure a Mac or MacBook?

With governments throughout the world so eager to snoop on your web browsing history it is essential that you take the necessary steps to protect your Mac’s data.

Does Mac VPN will allow me to unblock any restrictions placed by your government, ISP. Will it also help overcome geo-blocks so that you can watch streaming channel, can anybody tell me how to pick the best VPNs for Mac and choose confidently in 2016.

Hello Peter,

This thread is several months old. I suggest you start your own question.