Intro Download Hidemyass Vpn Client
Hide My Ass! (HMA!) Is a UK-based company, with Its claim to fame being its huge number of readers — today it’s over 400 million. This provider has witnessed its fair share of controversy with respect to user privacy. It made upgrades in the hopes of redeeming itself and winning back the loyalty of its readers support to it. Download Hidemyass Vpn Client
We took it To get a test run to find out whether it’s worth and how much it’s improved the money.
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What Is a VPN?
It generates an encrypted tunnel to when you trigger a VPN Guard your data as it moves from your computer to a host. From that point, your data releases onto the net that is open. It is a simple concept, but one with enormous consequences for security and your privacy.
It prevents anybody lurking Network from monitoring or intercepting your action. Though the airport or coffee shop Wi-Fi system looks safe (it might even be password-protected) it is not actually secure unless you’re using a VPN. For another thing, a VPN can stop your Internet Service Provider (ISP) from gathering information about your online activities so it can sell anonymized user data to the highest bidder.
A VPN makes it more difficult to correlate your Activities with your own identity. Since your traffic is exiting from the VPN company’s server, you appear to have its IP address, effectively concealing your true site. It also forces even the most determined attacker to try and sort through all of the visitors from other users on the same VPN server to find what they are after. For all these reasons, and more, you need a VPN on your lifetime.
Be aware that a VPN only encrypts your visitors until it exits through the VPN server. Provided that the site your data must be protected all the way along its travel. Additionally, while VPNs can offer a modicum of anonymity, a tool such as the Tor system is far better at concealing your identity.
Journalists and activists have long used vPNs To circumvent censorship in countries with repressive internet policies. They are also useful if you’re looking to circumvent geographic restrictions on streaming content. A VPN can spoof your current place, giving you access to restricted content like BBC streaming or MLB TV. Many VPNs don’t appreciate these activities (which may be in breach of terms of support or even local laws) and content providers such as Netflix are also cracking down on users that spoof their place and the VPN providers they use to perform it.
There is a good chance Which you may have never laid hands on a VPN before. If that’s true, do not worry! We have got an entire feature on the best way best to set up and use a VPN. Download Hidemyass Vpn Client
VPN Protocols
There are many techniques. My Preferred method uses the OpenVPN protocol, which is known for its speed and reliability. It’s also open minded, and therefore has been chosen over for possible vulnerabilities by anyone with the interest to do so.
Hide My Ass uses OpenVPN on Windows, using an older version That supports L2TP, and PPTP, too. There are also two distinct versions of the macOS app that, taken collectively, support IPSec (IKEv1 and v2), L2TP, and PPTP. Note that these old versions of the program have been phased out by the programmer. The iOS variant uses only IPSec, and the Android app uses only OpenVPN.
That is a bit of a hodgepodge, and I am disappointed that Hide My Ass doesn’t offer OpenVPN on all platforms. That said, some of the issue is using the programs. Apple requires programmers to jump through extra hoops if they want to include OpenVPN within an app, but many are starting to move in this way. I would like to see Hide My Ass do exactly the same, across the board.
Your Privacy With Hide My Ass
With any security product, you want to be sure that the Business behind it will be operating on your best interests. This is particularly true for VPNs, which are supposed to improve privacy and safety. If a VPN company is simply as nosey as your ISP, there is not much point in using it.
While I examine VPNs, ” I browse the company’s privacy policy And speak with agents in order to better understand how your information is stored and used. In the case of Hide My Ass, the corporation should be praised on its privacy policy. It says Hide My personal logs your username, the timestamp of connection and disconnection, the number of information transmitted, your actual IP address, and the IP address of the host you linked to. This is not radically different from what is offered by other providers. In fact, it’s quite like Golden Frog VyprVPN’s policy.
What is noteworthy is that Hide My Ass Will store this information for two to three weeks, while VyprVPN shops it for just 30 days. Other services hold even less info, or else they dispose of it immediately. Hide My Ass states that it retains this data for this time period so as to enhance performance, prevent fraud, and prevent bad guys from using the VPN to send spam. The organization, especially, also lists document sharing as one of the illegal actions it requires this information to prevent, despite the firm being fine by means of BitTorrent on certain servers.
It May be possible that this information could be used To correlate a user’s identity to particular activity on the internet, but it would probably be very hard. Even with this information, an observer would have to know which VPN host to watch and then compare this activity against Hide My Ass’s logs, and also be able to parse out the target’s visitors from everyone else using the same server.
The Hide My privacy policy also clearly states that it Does not track or store the actual content of your online activity. So, the support is not looking at your websites or the files that you are downloading. That’s great, and just what you want to hear by a VPN company.
In the past, some VPN companies monetized users by Injecting ads in their web traffic. Hide My Ass states it doesn’t do this, and goes even further. A company representative explained to me the company does not profit from consumer data at all.
The actual location of a VPN company also matters, as it Can notify what protections are afforded to clients. Hide My Ass operates under the jurisdiction of England and Wales, also has its business headquarters in London. The UK at large does have compulsory data retention laws. That’s not ideal. Other VPN services function in countries without data retention legislation, or in ones that have privacy protections for consumers. Download Hidemyass Vpn Client
I don’t believe It’s likely to make a determination About the benefits of a business based on its place. However, it is very important to understand policies and the laws at work in a company with such intimate access to some own information. I encourage readers choose a VPN service, and to consider this advice.
Servers and Server Locations
A key differentiator between VPN services is the amount of Servers and their distribution. A great deal of servers means you are more likely to find a server that is not bogged down with other consumers. For its own part, Hide My Ass has a commendable 876 servers in its disposal. That said, NordVPN, Personal Internet Access, and TorGuard VPN have over 3,000 servers. These are my benchmarks for robustness in the VPN server category.
Geographic distribution of these servers can be quite important. Lots of locations means more to choose from for functions that are spoofing, but also ensures that no matter will always be a local server for the performance. Hide My Ass has an extremely impressive server locations across some 220 countries. It’s easily the list among the VPN services I’ve reviewed.
The list of server places offered by Hide My Ass is noteworthy since places often ignored by other VPN companies are covered by it. It’s, as an example, server places that are numerous across the continent of Africa–a rarity among VPN companies. It also maintains servers in China, Russia, and Turkey, that have net policies that are repressive.
Some consumers May Be concerned about a VPN company’s Use of servers. These are servers which produce a single physical server efficiently operate as servers that are several. Virtual servers may also be configured to behave as if they are in 1 state when they are in a different, which is an issue if you are worried about where your information is traveling.
I was told by A company representative that a 225 of the 286 server places are servers. Only 61 of the server places are hardware, and 450 of Hide My Ass’s 876 servers are all virtual. That’s far beyond services. NordVPN TunnelBear, IPVanish, and TorGuard only use physical infrastructure for their server locations.
A business representative explained that bulk of the Company’s physical server infrastructure is located in Amsterdam, Frankfurt, London, Miami, New York, Prague, Seattle, and Singapore. This doesn’t quite jibe with what Hide My Ass lists on its own site. I’d like to see future versions of Hide My Ass be clearer about when you are linked to a virtual host.
Setup and interface
Getting Started with Hide My Ass! Is super easy and the upgraded apps are extremely user-friendly. You’ll be given a license key, once you register for your account. It is possible to use this or your credentials (username and password) to log into almost any app. With the aim of this inspection, we have tested out the Windows client and the iOS app. Download Hidemyass Vpn Client
Desktop
As Soon as You’ve Launched the desktop client and logged in, you will be greeted with the Success! screen. Simply click Got It! To access the app’s main screen. Here you have Freedom Mode: Immediate Mode and three options for modes.
In Instant Mode, you can click on the arrow And you’ll be connected to the fastest server for your location.
In Location manner, that can be chosen by you You connect to. Click Change Location to see your alternatives. There is a drop-down listing which allows you to choose servers based on different criteria. All will show you an alphabetized country listing. Clicking on the arrow will show you special locations within this country.
Speedy Access shows you a list of servers you have Recently linked to, as well as some recommended options. Streaming will provide you a choice of two servers suitable for unblocking popular streaming services like Netflix, one in the US and one in the united kingdom.
Peer to Peer shows You allow filesharing. There’s the Favorites option; to mark a server the center can click to the right of the server name.
Going back To the main screen, the one other option here is Freedom Mode, that is targeted at users who want to bypass censorship. This mode will link you to a host in the closest state that is regarded as free from censorship.
You can Access the Settings by clicking on the menu icon in the top left corner of the main screen and choosing Preferences. Here, you’ll see three tabs: General, Network Security, and Kill Change. In the Generalscreen, you may change your startup options, such as beginning when you turn your computer on or when the app launches.
You also Possess. If you want to hide your history, you can uncheck the box.
Next, We’ve got the Network Security screen in which you can select settings for wifi protection that is automatic. You can also turn on the IP shuffle feature which makes it more difficult for someone to find your location by periodically changing your IP address. One option in this display lets you utilize TCP using OpenVPN. However, this is only recommended if UDP is blocked or throttled. TCP is more stable, but UDP is typically faster.
The Tab is the Kill Switch tab, so that it works for many programs where you are able to toggle on this feature. You could also add software and decide whether or not to use it to people.
This Is a program that is robust and it’s definitely both visually.
Mobile
Many Providers will have a mobile program that’s unrecognizable compared to the desktop version. But, HMA! Has streamlined its product, and the iOS app looks nearly like the Windows version.
As Soon as You’re You’ll get to the screen, which is exactly like the main display in the background program. Here you can Pick from Freedom Mode, Location Mode, or Instant Mode.
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The Only real difference is that if you select Location Mode, your options are presented in a different manner. You have three tabs: Countries, Cities, and Favorites, but lacking are Quick Access, and the options found in the desktop client, such as Streaming, Peer to Peer.
To Access the streaming servers in the app, you’ll have to visit the Cities list and find the Liberty Island server beneath US, New York. Even the UK Town server may be located on this listing for access to BBC iPlayer and UK Netflix.
Moving on, The settings to the program can be accessed by clicking on the menu icon in the upper left-hand corner of the screen and selecting Settings. There you’ve got two choices: solitude and Connection Rules.
In The Link Rules segment, it is possible to adjust wifi security settings and choose whether to auto reconnect when wifi or cellular connections are interrupted.
The Personal privacy section has 1 option: Share usage data with third parties for analytics, which is your consent to”allow app and apparatus use data to be shared with third parties for analytics.” Bear in mind that this is permitted by default so that it may be one of the things you want to turn off.
Overall, This is a slick and intuitive program, but many users might be missing extra features such as a kill switch and the choice to change protocols.
Servers and functionality
The Hide My Ass! Network includes more than 850 servers. Some of these are virtual servers, but a consumer support representative was unable to tell us how many. Download Hidemyass Vpn Client
As we Discussed previously, HMA offers several choices for choosing the ideal server, such as distinct modes and the ability to indicate servers as favorites. Servers that allow P2P are marked using a P2P emblem.
We tested Various servers for functionality in terms of surfing browsing, and downloading. Besides there being a noticeable lag in page loading times when connected with a UK server, when browsing, there were no issues. This is not unusual for geographically distant servers (the evaluations were carried out in Toronto, Canada), but might be frustrating, particularly for users with already slow net rates.
We didn’t See any lag or buffering whilst streaming 1080p with any of those test servers and were able to play online games with no difficulties.
HideMyAss! and Netflix
Hide My Ass! unblocks Netflix! But do not expect to simply link to some Waiter and go. We had no luck when we analyzed random servers using US Netflix with the client. However, if you choose the Streaming option from the dropdown within Location Mode, then you will see two choices: a US host (USA, New York, Liberty Island) along with a UK server (UK, Donkey Town). Note that in the program, you’ll have to find these within the Cities list in Location Mode.
Connecting Server gave us access without difficulty to Netflix. Connecting to the UK one enabled entry to UK Netflix as well as BBC iPlayer. Many providers just focus on providing US Netflix accessibility, so it’s refreshing to see one which strives to give entry to the UK library also. What’s more, BBC iPlayer is breaking down on VPN use, so the ability to unblock this support is a wonderful perk.
If you are On the lookout for Amazon Prime Video, you might have to go everywhere. HMA! Is having trouble unblocking this service at this time and a customer care representative advised us that there isn’t any estimated time for when it might be working .
HideMyAss! in China?
Hide My Ass! Doesn’t work reliably in China. It used to, but HMA! Responses in service forums have indicated that the service will work for some users. You can try your luck, but should you need a trusted China VPN, you’d best look elsewhere.
HideMyAss! Speed test performance
For any VPN That is compatible with our test methods, ongoing speed tests which have been designed to be as empirical as possible are run by us. We utilize a test server to connect to VPN servers in Germany, the UK, Australia, Hong Kong, and the Usa. For each and every location, we download a test file (50MB in size) in the US server. This is done four times every day. The average speed for every test is listed along with the aggregate data is displayed.
You can view From the Simple chart below HMA! Compares to the other VPN services we have been analyzing. It’s near the front of the package when it comes to download rates while it doesn’t have the fastest speeds.
You can see that the spread in results is not as tight as some of the evaluation VPNs by clicking the comprehensive tab. This usually means when it comes to speeds that you may see some inconsistency.
It is Important to be aware that these tests aren’t definitive and can serve as an overall indication of the performance you may see. The internet’s volatility adds a factor of randomness. What’s more, you see wait times with a slow link, and smaller or disagreements. Download Hidemyass Vpn Client
Customer service
If you need Any aid whilst setting up or using the support, HMA! Has a couple of alternatives for you. Clicking the Help tab you’ll find a Knowledge Base and a Getting Started section. These each home posts associated with setting up queries. There’s some crossover so before seeking other alternatives, that you may want to explore both.
In addition, You’ll locate. This can be segregated into different subjects; while some are active, some seem to be out of date. Under that, there are a number of general FAQs.
If you don’t Discover what you’re searching for, or you just want a quick reply, you can click the live chat button in the base right-hand corner of this screen. The service is educated and prompt, and agents were able to resolve. At one stage, there was a representative unable to answer some security questions and advised he would escalate the issue. This has been responded to in.
Security and privacy
Hide My Ass! Is based. The UK is also a Five Eyes (and Fourteen Eyes) country, so it’s part of an alliance that enables monitoring by external authorities. Plus, it’s home to the Charter which imposes regulations on British ISPs that greatly affect user privacy of the Snooper.
For many Data retention legislation in their home country aren’t really an issue. That is because they function using a real policy that is no-logs whereby no connection or traffic logs are kept by them. If they do maintain link logs, they can not be tied to a single user.
Regrettably, HMA! Is not one of these VPNs and has a privacy policy that users will find off-putting. For one, while you can expect that your IP address will be logged, along with the amount of data and timestamps used. This is a big no-no for VPNs generally. Although an IP address is not universally considered to be information, the fact is that information can and has been used to track the action of individuals. IP addresses are used in countless cases to help find and convict offenders. While we do not condone criminal actions, we’re pro-privacy, also it simply doesn’t cut. Download Hidemyass Vpn Client
Moreover, Hide My Ass! Telephones the VPN IP address Attached to a session. This is the IP address when it is visited by you that a website operator can view and record. Since the real and VPN IP addresses are logged, between the VPN and finish website logs, it might be possible to piece together all of an individual’s internet activity. You might have seen news of a 2011 FBI case involving HMA! Where it passed over logs that were utilized to track down a LulzSec hacker. Clearly, this can be a black marker for solitude.
1 way to Make this less of an issue and to confuse matters a bit would be to make the most of this IP address shuffle attribute. When enabled in the Network Security screen of the program, this transforms your IP address outside to get a different one. It would not cause you to squint but may put in a layer of obfuscation.
Privacy Issues on the safety front, Hide My Ass! Fares well. It utilizes 256-bit AES encryption, which is considered military-grade. This perfect forward secrecy and is in conjunction with RSA keys. It employs the OpenVPN protocol over UDP by default, however you can switch to TCP within the client. PPTP, L2TP, IPSec are available, depending on which app you’re using.
The versions boast an Integrated kill button which can be tailored To work for particular programs. A kill switch will kill the internet connection should the VPN link drop for a certain reason. This attribute isn’t available from the mobile apps
A live chat Customer service representative advised us that there’s not any DNS leak protection. But a different firm representative promised us that there is in fact DNS and IPv6 leak protection, but no WebRTC escape protection. When the service was tested by us we didn’t see any DNS leak issues other than leaks that are WebRTC. HMA! Whereas private ones will be preferable from a privacy standpoint does use DNS servers.
One handy Attribute that Hide My Ass! Offers is automatic wifi security, which can be customized at the in the Network Security section of the desktop client or the Connection Rules tab of the app that is mobile settings.
Characteristics and pricing
Hide My Ass! Offers one product with prices varying depending on the length of term you register for. It’s definitely not one of the cheapest providers available. A 12-month planwill put you back $6.99 per month, which can be higher than the average cost for a similar duration. What’s more, a great deal of VPN suppliers will supply an extended plan; for example, a two- or three-year term with even steeper discounts. Download Hidemyass Vpn Client
If You are not prepared to sign up just yet, HMA! Does provide a turn-key program for $7.99 a month or you can cover a monthly basis for $11.99 per month. These rates are a little above average when you compare to competitors.
Payment Choices include credit cards, PayPal, and UnionPay. For much more privacy-conscious users, other and bitcoin cryptocurrencies aren’t viable payment methods. There’s a money-back guarantee, so if you’re not entirely satisfied with the support, you’ll have your payment refunded.
So what do You get for the money? Hide My Ass! Has a community of over 850 servers in over 180 countries. Some are dedicated to accessing streaming websites and certain servers permit P2P filesharing (read: torrenting). All plans have unlimited bandwidth and you may connect up to five devices simultaneously. Programs are available for Windows, MacOS, iOS, and Android. The VPN may be manually configured with Linux and some routers. Pre-configured routers can be found as an alternative.
From a Security perspective, HMA! Offers encryption, perfect forward secrecy, automatic wifi security, and the programs come with a kill button. On the other hand, the coverage issues that plagued the ceremony in the past stay, so privacy is a problem.
Summary
For the most part, HMA! Provides a fantastic support. It’s unlimited bandwidth, fast speeds, and an adequate network of servers. It’s in a position to unblock streaming services such as Netflix UK Netflix US, and BBC iPlayer. Additionally, it gives powerful security, intuitive programs, and superb customer support.
On the Surface, it feels like HMA! Would be a good alternative for torrenters, without a data Caps and a few servers acceptable for P2P. The problems with the solitude Policy are any other, as well as an issue for those seeking to torrent privacy-conscious users. Indeed, this is the only for this Provider, but it is a big one. Other concerns include the inability to operate Reliably in also the price tag along with China. Download Hidemyass Vpn Client
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