Background Hidemyass Software Download
Hide My Ass! (HMA!) Is a firm, with Its claim to fame being its number of readers — it’s more than 400 million, now. This provider has seen its fair share of controversy with regards to consumer privacy. It recently made upgrades to it support in the hopes of winning back the loyalty of its subscribers and redeeming itself. Hidemyass Software Download
We took it To get a test run to see if it is well worth and how much it’s improved the cost.
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What’s a VPN?
It creates an encrypted tunnel to, when you trigger a VPN Guard your data as it moves from the computer to a server. From there, your data releases onto the open internet. It’s a simple idea, but one with enormous consequences for safety and your privacy.
For one thing, it prevents anyone lurking on your neighborhood Network from monitoring or intercepting your activity. Though the airport or coffee shop Wi-Fi network looks safe (it may even be password-protected) it’s not reallysafe unless you’re using a VPN. For another thing, a VPN may stop your Internet Service Provider (ISP) from collecting information about your online activities so it could sell anonymized user information to the maximum bidder.
A VPN also makes it more difficult to correlate your Online activities with your own identity. Because your visitors is exiting in the VPN firm’s server, you seem to have its own IP address, effectively concealing your true location. Additionally, it forces even the most determined attacker to try and sort through all the traffic from other users on the same VPN server to obtain what they’re after. For all these reasons, and much more, you want a VPN on your life.
Be aware that your traffic is only encrypted by a VPN until it exits via the VPN server. Provided that the website your information must be secure all the way along its travel. Additionally, while VPNs can offer a modicum of anonymity, a tool such as the Tor network is much better at concealing your identity.
VPNs have long been used by journalists and political activists To circumvent censorship in countries with repressive net policies. They’re also useful if you are looking to circumvent geographical constraints on streaming content. A VPN can spoof your existing place, providing you with access to geographically restricted content such as BBC streaming or MLB TV. Many VPNs don’t appreciate these actions (which might be in violation of terms of service or even local legislation ) and content providers such as Netflix are breaking down on users who snore their place and the VPN services they use to do it.
There is a good opportunity Which you might have never laid hands on a VPN before. Do not worry, if that is true! We’ve got an entire feature on how to set up and use a VPN. Hidemyass Software Download
VPN Protocols
There are many ways. My Preferred method employs the OpenVPN protocol, which is known for its speed and reliability. It’s also open-source, and consequently has been chosen over for potential vulnerabilities by anyone with the interest to do so.
Hide My Ass utilizes OpenVPN on Windows, with an older variant Of the app that supports PPTP, and L2TP, also. Additionally, there are two distinct versions of the macOS app that, taken collectively, support IPSec (IKEv1 and v2), L2TP, and PPTP. Be aware that these older versions of the app have been phased out by the developer. The iOS version uses just IPSec, and the Android program uses just OpenVPN.
That’s a bit of a hodgepodge, and I am frustrated that Hide My Ass does not offer OpenVPN on all platforms. That said, some of this matter is using the platforms. Apple requires programmers to jump through additional hoops if they want to include OpenVPN in an app, but many are starting to move in this direction. I would like to see Hide My Ass do exactly the same, across the board.
Your Privacy With Hide My Ass
With any safety product, you want to Be Certain that the Business behind it will be working in your best interests. This is especially true for VPNs, which are supposed to increase privacy and safety. If a VPN company is simply as nosey as your ISP, there’s not much point in using it.
When I examine VPNs, I browse the Organization’s privacy policy And talk with representatives to be able to better understand how your information is used and stored. In the case of Hide My Ass, the company should be praised on its privacy policy. It states Hide My Ass logs your username, the timestamp of connection and disconnection, the number of information transmitted, your actual IP address, and the IP address of the server you linked to. This isn’t radically different from what’s offered by other services. In reality, it’s very similar to Golden Frog VyprVPN’s policy.
What is noteworthy is that Hide My Ass Will store this information for two to three weeks, while VyprVPN stores it for just 30 days. Other providers hold less info, or else they eliminate it immediately. Hide My Ass states it keeps this data for this particular period of time so as to enhance performance, prevent fraud, and stop bad guys from using the VPN to send spam. The company, especially, also lists file sharing as one of the illegal actions it requires this information to stop, despite the firm being fine with the use of BitTorrent on certain servers.
It May be possible that this advice could be used To correlate a user’s identity to specific activity on the internet, but it will likely be very hard. Even with this information, an observer would need to know which VPN server to watch then compare that action from 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 Ass privacy policy also clearly states that it Doesn’t monitor or store the real content of your internet activity. So, the support is not looking at your sites or the files that you are downloading. That’s great, and just what you wish 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 does not do that, and goes even further. A business representative explained to me the company does not gain from consumer data at all.
The actual location of a VPN company also issues, as it Can inform what protections are given to customers. Hide My Ass has its business headquarters in London, also operates under the jurisdiction of England and Wales. The UK at large does have compulsory data retention legislation. That’s not perfect. Many VPN providers operate in countries without data retention legislation, or in ones that have privacy protections for consumers. Hidemyass Software Download
I do not think it is possible to make a determination About a company’s advantages based on its own location. But, it is important to understand policies and that the laws at work in a company with this kind of access to your information. I encourage readers to think about this advice, and choose a VPN service with which they may feel comfortable.
Programs and Server Places
A key differentiator between VPN services is the number of Servers that are Available and their geographical distribution. Lots of servers means you’re more likely to locate a server that is not bogged down with other users. For its own part, Hide My Ass has a commendable 876 servers at its disposal. That said, TorGuard VPN, Private Internet accessibility, and NordVPN have over 3,000 servers apiece. Those are my benchmarks for robustness in the VPN server category.
Geographic distribution of these servers is very important. Lots of places means more to choose from for functions, but also ensures that no matter will always be a server for the performance. Hide My Ass has a very impressive 286 server places across some 220 countries. It’s easily.
The list of accessible server locations Provided by Hide My Ass is particularly noteworthy since regions often ignored by other VPN companies are covered by it. It has, as an instance, server places that are numerous across the continent of Africa–a rarity among VPN businesses. Additionally, it maintains servers in China, Russia, and Turkey, that have net policies that are repressive.
Some customers May Be concerned about a VPN company’s Use of virtual servers. These are software-defined servers which produce a single physical server function as servers. Virtual servers may also be configured to behave as if they are in 1 country when they’re in a different, which is an issue if you’re worried about where your data is traveling.
A company representative told me that a 225 of the 286 server locations are servers. Only 61 of the host places are hardware, and 450 of Hide My Ass’s 876 servers are all virtual. That is far beyond providers. NordVPN, Private Internet Access, TunnelBear, IPVanish, and TorGuard use infrastructure to get their host places.
A business representative explained that majority of the Firm’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 website. I’d love to see future versions of Hide My Ass be clearer about when you are linked to a virtual server.
Setup and interface
Getting Began with Hide My Ass! Is super simple and the upgraded programs are very user-friendly. As soon as you register for your account, you’ll be given a license key. It is possible to use this or your credentials (username and password) to log into almost any app. With the aim of this review, we have tested out the Windows client as well as the iOS program. Hidemyass Software Download
Desktop
Once you’ve Logged in and launched the , you will be greeted with the Success! screen. Click Got It! To get this app’s main screen. Here you have Freedom Mode: Location Mode, Instant Mode, and three options for modes.
In Immediate Mode, you can click on the arrow And you’re going to be connected to the server for your current site.
In Location manner, you can choose which You link to. Click on Change Location to see your options. There is. All will show you an country list. Clicking the arrow will show you special locations within that country.
Speedy Access shows you a list of servers you’ve Recently connected to, as well as some choices that were recommended. Streaming will give you a choice of two servers acceptable for unblocking popular streaming services like Netflix, one at the US and one in the united kingdom.
Peer to Peer shows You all that allow P2P filesharing. Ultimately, there’s the Favorites option; to indicate a server the center can click to the right of the server name.
Going back To the main screen, the one alternative here is Freedom Mode, which is targeted at users that wish to bypass censorship. This mode will connect you to a server in the closest state that is deemed to be free from censorship.
You can Get into the Settings by clicking the menu icon in the top left-hand corner of the main screen and choosing Preferences. Here, you will find three tabs: General and Kill Change. From the Generalscreen, you can change your startup options, such as beginning when the program starts or when you turn on your computer.
You also Possess a Private Privacy department home one option that relates to Quick Access in Location Mode. You can uncheck the box if you want to conceal your recent history.
Next, We’ve got the Network Security screen in which you can select settings for wifi protection that is automatic. It is also possible to turn on the IP shuffle feature making it more difficult for somebody to detect where you are by periodically changing your IP address. One more option in this screen allows you to use TCP using OpenVPN. This is only recommended if UDP is blocked or throttled. TCP is more stable, but UDP is generally faster.
The Final tab is the Switch tab, where you can toggle on this feature so that it works for all programs. You can even add single applications and decide whether to apply it.
This Is a app and it both visually.
Mobile
Many Providers will have a mobile program that is unrecognizable compared to the desktop version. But, HMA! Has streamlined its product, and the iOS app looks almost identical to the Windows version.
Once you’re Logged in, you’ll get to the display, which is the same as the screen in the desktop program. Here you can choose from Freedom Mode, Location Mode, or Immediate Mode.
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The Only real difference is that when you pick Location Mode, your options are presented in another manner. You’ve got three tabs: Countries, Cities, and Favorites, but lacking are the extra options found from the client, such as Streaming, Peer to Peer, and Quick Access.
To Access the streaming servers in the app, you’ll have to go to the Cities list and locate the Liberty Island server under US, New York. Even the UK, Donkey Town server may be found to UK Netflix and BBC iPlayer.
Moving on, The settings to the program can be retrieved by clicking the menu icon and select Settings. There you’ve got two choices: Personal solitude and Connection Rules.
In The Link Rules segment, you can correct wifi security preferences and choose whether to auto reconnect when wifi or cellular connections are disrupted.
The privacy section just has 1 option: Share utilization data with third parties for analytics, which is your consent to”enable app and apparatus usage information to be shared with third parties for analytics.” Keep in mind this is enabled by default so it may be among the things you wish to flip off.
Overall, This is a slick and intuitive program, but many users may be missing extra features such as a kill switch and also the choice to change protocols.
Servers and functionality
The Hide My Ass! Network comprises over 850 servers. A number of these are virtual servers, but a customer service representative was not able to tell us just how many. Hidemyass Software Download
As we Discussed earlier, HMA presents several options for selecting the ideal server, including different styles and the ability to indicate servers as favorites. Servers that allow P2P are marked with a P2P emblem.
We analyzed Servers for performance in the UK and the US in terms of surfing browsing, and downloading. Aside from there being a noticeable lag in page load times when connected with a UK server, overall, when surfing, there were no significant issues. This is not unusual for distant remote servers (the tests were carried out in Toronto, Canada), but could be bothersome, particularly for users with already slow net rates.
We didn’t See any lag or buffering whilst streaming 1080p using any of the test servers and were able to play online games without any difficulties.
HideMyAss! and Netflix
Hide My Ass! unblocks Netflix! But do not expect to link to some Server and proceed. We had no chance whatsoever, when we tested servers with US Netflix using the desktop client. But if you select the Streaming choice from the dropdown within Location Mode, you will see two options: a US host (USA, New York, Liberty Island) along with a UK server (UK, Donkey Town). Be aware that in the program, you will need to find these within the Cities list in Location Mode.
Connecting To the US server gave us access without issue to Netflix. Connecting to the UK one enabled entry to BBC iPlayer as well as UK Netflix. Many suppliers just concentrate on supplying US Netflix access, so it’s refreshing to see one that strives to give entry to the UK library also. What’s more, BBC iPlayer is seriously cracking down on VPN usage, so the capability to unblock this service is a wonderful perk.
If you’re Looking for Amazon Prime Video, you might need to go elsewhere. HMA! Is having difficulty unblocking this support at this time and a customer care representative informed us that there is no estimated timeframe for when it may be working again.
HideMyAss! in China?
Hide My Ass! Doesn’t work reliably in China. It used to, but recent HMA! Responses in service forums have suggested that the service will work for some users. Should you need a China VPN, you’d best look elsewhere, although you could try your fortune.
HideMyAss! Speed test functionality
For any VPN That is compatible with our evaluation procedures, we conduct ongoing speed tests that were designed to be as empirical as you can. We use a evaluation server to connect to VPN servers in Germany, the UK, Australia, Hong Kong, and the Usa. For every location, we download a test file (50MB in size) in the US server. This can be done four times every day. The average speed for every test is recorded and the data is displayed.
You can view From the Simple chart below how HMA! Compares to the other VPN services we have been analyzing. It’s near the front of the package in regards to download speeds, while it does not have the fastest rates.
By clicking on the Detailed tab, you can see that the spread in outcomes is not as tight as some of the test VPNs. This usually means that you may observe some inconsistency in regards to speeds.
It is Important to be aware that these tests aren’t definitive and can serve as an overall indication of the functionality you may see. The volatility of the internet adds a factor of randomness. What is more, you see smaller or larger discrepancies, and wait times using a slow link. Hidemyass Software Download
Customer service
If you need Any help whilst establishing or using the support, HMA! Has a few alternatives for you. Clicking the Help tab you’ll find a Getting Started section and also a Knowledge Base. These each house posts associated with setting up questions. So before searching for other options that you might choose to explore both there is some crossover.
Additionally, You’ll locate a Community button which contributes to a discussion section. This can be segregated into different topics; some appear to be out of date, while some are active. Under that, there are some general FAQs.
If you do not Find what you’re looking for, or you simply want a reply, you can click on the live chat button. The service is knowledgeable and prompt, and representatives were able to solve most problems we encountered. At one stage, there was a representative unable to answer some security questions and advised he would escalate the problem. This was responded to in.
Security and privacy
Hide My Ass! Is based. The UK can be a Five Eyes (and Fourteen Eyes) country, which means it’s part of an alliance that enables monitoring by external governments. Plus, it’s home to the Charter which imposes regulations of the Snooper.
For many Data retention legislation in their home country are not really a problem. This is because they function with a real policy whereby no traffic or link logs are kept by them. They can’t be tied to a single user, even if they do keep connection logs.
Regrettably, HMA! Is not one of these VPNs and contains a privacy policy that most users will find off-putting. For one, when utilizing the service, you can expect your IP address will be logged, along with the amount of data and timestamps used. This is a for VPNs generally. The fact is that this information can and has been used to track the action of people Though an IP address is considered to be information. IP addresses have been used in countless cases to help find and convict offenders. We are pro-privacy while we certainly do not condone activities, and it simply doesn’t cut. Hidemyass Software Download
Moreover, Hide My Ass! Telephones the VPN IP address Attached into a session. Here is the IP address that a site operator can see and record when you visit it. Considering both the actual and VPN IP addresses are logged, between the finish and VPN site logs, it might technically be possible to piece together each of an individual’s internet activity. You might have seen news of a 2011 FBI situation involving HMA! Where it handed over logs which were utilized to track a hacker that is LulzSec down. Clearly, this is a black mark for privacy.
One way to Make this less of a problem and to confuse matters a bit is to take advantage of this IP address shuffle feature. When enabled in the Network Security screen of the desktop app, this switches your IP address out. 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 uses 256-bit AES encryption, which is considered military-grade. This perfect forward secrecy and is in combination with 4096-bit RSA keys. It employs the protocol over UDP by default, but you can switch to TCP within the desktop client. PPTP, L2TP, IPSec are available, depending on which program you are using.
The versions boast To work for apps. The connection will be killed by A kill button if the VPN connection drop for a certain reason. This feature isn’t available in the mobile programs
A live chat Customer service representative advised us that there’s no DNS leak security. However, another firm representative promised us that there is in fact DNS and IPv6 leak protection, but no WebRTC escape protection. Indeed, when the support was tested by us we did not observe any DNS leak issues other than WebRTC leaks. HMA! Whereas personal ones will be preferable from a privacy perspective, Does utilize DNS servers that are public.
One handy Feature that Hide My Ass! Provides is wifi security, which is customized at the from the Network Security part of their or the app’s Connection Rules tab settings.
Features and pricing
Hide My Ass! Provides one merchandise with prices you sign up for. It’s definitely not one of the least expensive providers available. A 12-month planwill put you back $6.99 per month, which is higher than the normal price for a similar duration. What is more, a lot of top VPN suppliers will offer a protracted plan; for instance, a two- or – term with even steeper discounts. Hidemyass Software Download
If You’re not prepared to sign up just yet, HMA! Does offer a turn-key program for $7.99 per month or you could pay on a monthly basis for $11.99 per month. These prices are a bit above average when you compare to competitors.
Payment Options include UnionPay, PayPal, and major credit cards. Regrettably other along with bitcoin cryptocurrencies are payment methods. There is a money-back guarantee, so you’ll have your payment deducted, if you are not satisfied with the support.
So what do You get for the money? Hide My Ass! Has a network of more than 850 servers in over 180 nations. Some are dedicated to accessing streaming websites and certain servers permit P2P filesharing (read: torrenting). All plans have unlimited bandwidth and you may join up to five devices concurrently. Apps are available for Windows, MacOS, iOS, and Android. The VPN can be configured using a few routers and Linux. Routers are available as an alternate.
From a Security perspective, HMA! Provides perfect forward secrecy, encryption wifi security, and the desktop apps come with a kill button. However, the coverage problems that plagued the service in the past stay, so privacy remains a problem.
Conclusion
For the most part, HMA! Provides a service that is great. It’s a community of servers, unlimited bandwidth, and fast speeds. It’s able to unblock streaming services like Netflix UK Netflix US, and BBC iPlayer. Plus, it offers powerful security intuitive apps, and superb customer care.
On the Surface, it seems like HMA! Would be a fantastic alternative for torrenters, with no data Caps and some servers acceptable for P2P. However, the issues with the privacy Coverage are any other, as well as an issue for those seeking to torrent privacy-conscious users. This is the only for this Provider, but it’s a big one. Other issues include the inability to operate Reliably in China and the price tag. Hidemyass Software Download
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