Hi All,
I will be traveling to China for business trips. They have Gmail access banned which is unthinkable for my work.
Can you please recommend some safe Vpn services where I can use for business purposes—access gmail, google map etc. ? Willing to pay. Just secure and reliable.
Thanks in advance.
Thanks Kipps!
China are pretty good at detecting VPNs, and actively block them, which makes the VPN market different in China than the rest of world. Many of the best VPNs for users in Australia simply don't work from within China. Most expats I know use Astrill from within China, using the "Stealth VPN" option which costs an extra US$2 per month and is free with 12 month plans. They have multiple Australian servers, along with practically every other country. I've used them for years, speeds are very fast and reliable. Free 7 day trial avaialble. I would probably use a cheaper VPN if I didn't visit China, but Astrill seem to be the best in that particular space.
Thanks Jon! With Astrill, If I need to access Gmail on my phone, can I do that without using external routers?
Yes, that's no problem. They have a simple app for Android and iPhone, just connect to any server with your phone app, (e.g. Melbourne), and your phone will think you're in Australia for internet content. Just look up Astrill in the Appstore or Google Play to install. You'll need to have an account with Astrill to use the app. Phone app also supports Stealth mode in China. Astrill have all the info on their site and their customer support is fast if you need any help. Live chat/skype available.
Sounds like a sales pitch, I honestly have nothing to do with them, just find they are very good at evading the China crackdown on VPNs.
Pro Tip: If you want to access geoblocked content in Australia, such as ABC iView, pick an Australian server with the App. But otherwise, you should chooose a server like Hong Kong (China optimised). That way you'll get better performance due to lower latency/physical proximity. Any server that says "Optimised for China" or similar should have good performance within China.
Jon I trust you and sincerely appreciate the suggestions.
Just tried livechat but the rep is nowhere as helpful as you are and said bye while theres still questions unanswered..
Do you know if I can share the access with my wife, so both laptops can use Gmail? or I have to buy two subscriptions?
I normally use the email support, I've found it good, although obviously it takes more time.
The limit is 2 devices and one has to be a mobile/tablet, the other a laptop/pc, so that won't work for your wife.
Right now you get a free 1 month "gift" account if you sign up for a paid account, so that might be OK for your wife depending on how long you need it.
Or it may be easier to get the "Home" add-on for your account, which costs an extra $5 per month, and increases the limit to 5 devices simultaneously (of any device type).
https://greycoder.com/best-vpn-china/ seems to have some current, detailed advice as to things you should consider if you want to use a VPN from China.