2 Years of PIA VPN for ~ $61.55. Seems to be a pretty popular VPN. You'll need a 9to5toys account to apply the discount as you need to purchase through their website. The coupon code is entered just above the green confirm order button.
You receive a gift card code to redeem on the PIA website.
Terms
All sales final
Instant digital redemption
Offer good for new Private Internet Access customers only.
https://specials.9to5toys.com/sales/private-internet-access-…
DAMN.
Unfortunately these deals never stack onto existing subs. So it's a matter of keeping an eye out for a good deal when your 2-year subscription is nearing its end, and then signing up for a new account. Not a biggie, it's easy to do and it's not like there's any existing account history that you want to keep in any case.
I have used PIA for a few years and can vouch that it is a good service. Good speeds for general web browsing and also downloading stuff.
I came to write basically this, other than running your own VPN, that I would highly suggest is only for people who deeply know what they are doing. That PIA is a really good service, I suggest it to anyone asking about VPN's.. and it even wins out over torguard IF you don't require deep packet inspection defense.
Any idea how PIA compares vs IP Vanish?
Sorry, no experience with them, I can address specific points just from checking them out though, if you were asking because you are already with them.. if not, stick to PIA or torguard.
I have used both.
I can say that IPVanish is far superior to PIA in terms of customer support, in that, they actually reply. PIA is terrible at this.
PIA is superior in terms of speed and quality of product. They will have legs bugs in their software, but if you ever do have an issue, you are left out in the cold.
I've been with them for 23 months and they were good up to month 18, since then totally useless. Doesn't matter where I connect, download I get 1.1Mbps whereas before it was ~6-8Mbps.
Without PIA:
aus.privateinternetaccess.com: 14.99Mbps
aus-melbourne.privateinternetaccess.com: 14.98Mbps
us-california.privateinternetaccess.com: 9.12Mbps
us-east.privateinternetaccess.com: 8.83Mbps
With PIA:
aus.privateinternetaccess.com: 1.16Mbps
aus-melbourne.privateinternetaccess.com: 1.16Mbps
us-california.privateinternetaccess.com: 1.17Mbps
us-east.privateinternetaccess.com: 1.16Mbps
VPN is configure on my router.
I explained everything in a support call, sent them config files, and after 8 days I got the following USELESS response:
Please accept my apology for the delay in response time as we are currently experiencing higher than average ticket queues due to recent Customer Support and network changes.
On the first page, you can try changing the ports/protocol being used to see if this helps with the speeds. If you are experiencing the slow speeds while using torrents, you can try using port forwarding:
The Port Forwarding option in our Windows, Mac, and Android software can be used to potentially optimize torrent performance.
In order to enable port forwarding in our PIA app, first please disconnect from the VPN.
For MacOS, Windows, and Linux click on the VPN icon (right click for Windows) and select "Settings". After this, click the "Advanced" button and you'll see the port forwarding feature to the right hand side. Enable it and select "Save."
I just had a look at your site, both it and your product are crap compared to PIA.
You have no real information about privacy (which is why people primarily want to use a VPN), do you collect and store logs? PIA clearly states they don't.
You have a statement of "We don’t keep logs about you" which conflicts with this:
"Acceptable Usage Policy
No illegal activities will be tolerated or permitted on RarezVPN.'"
So how do you know what is illegal and not illegal if you aren't logging and snooping traffic?
Why don't you build a better product instead of "coughing" on ozbargain hoping for some ill informed people to sign up to your below par service?
PrivateInternetAccess:
You agree to comply with all applicable laws and regulations in connection with use of this service. You must also agree that you nor any other user that you have provided access to will not engage in any of the following activities:
Uploading, possessing, receiving, transporting, or distributing any copyrighted, trademark, or patented content which you do not own or lack written consent or a license from the copyright owner.
Accessing data, systems or networks including attempts to probe scan or test for vulnerabilities of a system or network or to breach security or authentication measures without written consent from the owner of the system or network.
Accessing the service to violate any laws at the local, state and federal level in the United States of America or the country/territory in which you reside.
If you break any of their conduct conditions (mentioned above)
Failure to comply with the present Terms of Service constitutes a material breach of the Agreement, and may result in one or more of these following actions:
Issuance of a warning;
Immediate, temporary, or permanent revocation of access to Privateinternetaccess.com with no refund;
Legal actions against you for reimbursement of any costs incurred via indemnity resulting from a breach;
Independent legal action by Privateinternetaccess.com as a result of a breach; or
Disclosure of such information to law enforcement authorities as deemed reasonably necessary.
That's why I use a European based VPN instead of a US one.
Bugger, was hoping a deal would show up in time but I ended up auto renewing it for $59USD fro the 2 years.
I signed up PIA for a year. Found that the speed is slow on most occassions and downloading torrent is even slower. Decided not to continue the subscription after.
How slow was it compared to your regular connection?
Sorry mate. don't have a figure to show/prove. I just know that it is slow to the point it does not make sense to me anymore.
"Slow" is fairly vague. What kind of speeds did you get? I get a constant 30Mb/s with them, which is the max of my connection. That also includes using the highest encryption available.
Oh wow 30Mb/s, that's good to know. I max out my downloads at 1.4MB/s which is the actual speed of my ADSL2 connection anyway, so PIA is definitely no slouch.
[edit] Ah I just realised 30Mb/s is equivalent to around 3.75MB/s, which is still good.
Have you found a faster VPN service? The issue for Perth is there is no local PIA VPN servers.
no. Have not research any other VPN services lately.
There's a correlation between country policy and server location for any good VPN provider, re: local.
I use Buffered, pretty happy with it and get pretty solid speeds.
Found that the speed is slow on most occassions and downloading torrent is even slower.
I interpret this as "general browsing is slower, and downloading via BT is significantly slower."
If your connection is 100mbit down, you'd certainly notice a speed drop with this. If you're on ADSL2+ (or like <30mbit), then it'll be something on your end.
I run PIA via openvpn through some arm devices, and find the CPU on the device is the bottleneck. I could mitigate this by upgrading the devices I'm using, or switching to a different VPN protocol.
As for BT, I haven't used it for years but from memory, you have to forward ports to allow incoming connections. This is ususally handled by UPNP on modern routers, but the VPN probably interferes with this. There's also the fact that you're opening 50+ connections to different peers, which could tax the CPU of whatever device you're routing your VPN through.
Completely agree. I'm cancelling my current PIA subscription in a few months when it runs out. The speeds were great to begin with but have really nosedived this year. Just tested my speeds right now:
No VPN: 4.26 Mb/s down, 0.81 Mb/s up, 124 ms latency.
PIA on: 1.65 Mb/s down, 0.51 Mb/s up, 674 ms latency.
I almost always switch it off straight away now when I start up my PC, because even web browsing is painfully slow (mostly due to the latency).
Weird I get like 70 Mbps.
The torrent download speeds I get on PIA will easily max out my 100mbs cable connection. This is using an endpoint that supports port forwarding, and using the OpenVPN client.
Exactly, if you take the time to check the FAQ on the PIA website, they recommend just this. Also Netherlands seems to be pretty good endpoint for torrents / usenet.
Works just fine for me, will always recommend PIA.
I found torrenting was variable. They offer an anonymous proxy to use if you don't want to use the VPN. Speeds on this max out on my 40Mb/s cable connection (ie. 4.5-5MB per sec)
I find the speed of the VPN in sydney is better than the melbourne one.
Anyone know if this still works for Netflix to get US version? Had this 2 years back and it worked a charm?
No, it won't. Most of the VPN IP address are backlisted by Netflix. If you want US Netflix get a VPN with a dedicated IP address. VPN providers like to guard provide dedicated IP addresses.
Typo: to guard => tor guard
I use it with Netflix and get the US catalogue. SV server
I've looked it up, people say it gets blocked on some but just swap severs until you find one that works. :) Thanks just made me pull the trigger !
Use GetFlix for USA Netflix
It uses DNS spoofing instead of a VPN, so you get full speeds
GetFlix also gives you a free VPN connections: https://getflix.zendesk.com/hc/en-gb/articles/204476204
Went with PIA and it's worked a charm. No issues at all with the speeds so far.
Like most DNS services, Getflix for Netflix unblocking doesn't work for most people anymore. Or it works for a few days and then Netflix blocks it again, and then the cat and mouse game begins anew.
It's been working for me for 3+ years on a daily basis, zero problems, you obviously haven't used it.
GetFlix unblocks more than just Netflix too: https://www.getflix.com.au/channels/overview
Also, with coupons posted here it's about $30/year. So you get DNS unblocking for almost all TV services and a VPN.
Screenshot: https://i.snag.gy/8LyO2v.jpg
@nobarginsarehere:
I think Getflix won't be around, when I next have to pay for it -
"Expiry Date
Apr 8, 2046"
:D
@nobarginsarehere: GetFlix had a sale right before Netflix started blocking VPNs where you could get a lifetime sub. I bought the deal through ozbargain but I stopped using GetFlix because the US server was constantly getting blocked by Netflix and GetFlix didn't bother trying to unblock any other countries that they offered. Can't recommend the service anymore.
I signed up for Getflix when they had the lifetime subscription deal, so I used it a lot before Netflix started blocking everyone. And yes, I have the correct configuration on my router with the Getflix-specified routes and everything.
You're probably one of the lucky ones whose account is specifically marked by Netflix and not blocked for some reason. Go on the forums and you'll see that the vast majority have major problems using Getflix for Netflix for the past year+. It's not just Getflix, most smart DNS providers are having problems playing whack-a-mole with Netflix's blocking.
Occasionally Netflix US via Getflix does work for me on browser only — but the streaming is so slow that everything is very low res and pixellated. It's just not usable for a lot of people.
Also, Getflix used to offer a variety of different Netflix unblock regions and countries, but now they only offer a single location ("United States 12"). It's a pity but I don't blame them, it takes a huge amount of resources to fight Netflix's blocking efforts.
Anyway, enjoy your trouble-free experience, but people should know that your experience is not the norm.
Getflix USA was on and off for a few months there for me, but seems to work pretty consistently at the moment.
Amazon Prime worked too, until a few weeks ago, now it's dialup quality for some reason (!?)
There's some risk you'll have to weigh if you're considering signing up now, but I've certainly got my money's worth from the lifetime subscription deal…
While a bit expensive ($14 per month) and requiring additional hardware (a Raspberry Pi), if you're serious about unblocking US Netflix and other US streaming sites, the black.box unzoner (http://unzoner.com/) is something to highly consider. I've been using it for months and it's been working flawlessly with a browser & on my Apple TV - and it never gets blocked because it VPNs through dedicated residential IPs.
As it's using residential IP, do you find it's slower?
It has more latency than a conventional VPN, but everything streams in 720 to 1080p!
How does having a VPN like this affect things like Steam gaming? Will I have to deactivate it when I want to play?
You can still game, but may connect to a different server than you usually would without the use of a VPN, thus ping will be higher etc.
It is easy enough to disconnect from most VPNs (I don't use PIA), and will connect you to your optimum server.
Generally you should disconnect VPN for gaming, though in some cases it can help fix bad routing paths. Eg there are sometimes issues where an ISPs Singapore routing goes via USA and going into VPN will avoid that. Some services specialise in providing premium tired but that's not PIAs market.
It is possible to setup automatic routing rules, but it's advanced stuff, the PIA client doesn't do it (though their Android client does).
Thanks for explaining.
Do not leave the VPN on whilst signed into Steam, it is against their ToS to be using one, and whilst they probably won't ban you just for activating it accidentally, they can if they want to.
I agree, but also I'd assume most of their checking occurs at the time of sale. They don't seem to allow them to stop people changing to Brazil and buying a game for half the cost in any other location
FML I bought 12month subscription for A$40 two months ago
how is their service going for you?.. any issues?
Yeah going pretty good. Haven't had any issues yet. I've never used any other VPN before so can't compare but I'm happy with this one
Can I renew with the same price?
No you can't, these deals never apply to existing accounts. Just create a new account when your existing sub is coming to an end.
What about after 2 years, will they charge for full price? and when that happens would I have to wait until another deal again?
yep
only for new customers. sigh.
Use the service and maxes my connection for torrents (isnt the Netherlands server one the only one you should use for this?)
Create a new account then?
It's usually $79.92 USD for context, so a $23 USD saving. (Despite what 9to5 says, which is based on paying once a month.)
I signed up with Stack Social a while back.
Turns out all their servers were being routed via the US. They were not actually located in the place they say they are.
I complained to PIA - no response.
Chargeback with Amex and got a refund.
I have stuck with TG - much more reliable.
Not sure if this is true. MEL and SYD Servers seem local to me.
That just shows the IP block is owned by a US company. Try doing a traceroute.
@sylon: hmm.. Possibly. I'm no longer a member so not sure if it is still the case but there was a big issue with geo locations and abnormal ip addresses. Their forums are littered with complaints.
Anyway, just my own opinion - may be neither fact nor fiction.
Actually I just tested and it does appear the Melbourne servers are being routed through US. Sydney seem local.
I am getting over 200ms ping to Melbourne but Sydney are about 20ms.
EDIT: It looks like it depends. If i ping Melbourne from their Sydney servers its local <20ms ping but from another Aussie IP its being routed through US. Seems it depends on the ISP's routing and not really PIA's fault.
@sylon: It wasn't just Melb I found the problem with - NZ and Canada too.
I did like the fact you can torrent on PIAs AU servers. TG you cannot - which is annoying!
Was coming up to my yearly renewal. Now I have two years instead and I was paying $39.95 USD a year before. Thanks !
I was waiting like forever for another pia vpn deal. mine expired in june and missed out on another similar deal. I think all deals would be around this price.
thanks op!
Signed up to PIA just then and installed openVPN on my Xiaomi Mi Box 3. Got US east config installed and now running US Netflix. Perfecto!
that's about as good as it gets. I have a 30AUD/YR sub. I haven't tried pushing the renewal to see if PIA offer a renewal discount on this sub. the 35aud gets a renewal discount if you keep delaying
Anyone know how to set this up with a My Republic's router to allow tv's etc to use the VPN
You will need to add another router between them. ISP provided routers are locked down and don't normally offer much in the way of features.
Anyone know if there's an expiry on the gift card through purchased? Got 3 months left on my current PIA subscription and not sure whether to pull the trigger on this deal or wait.
I got the code must be redeemed in 30 days but don't know about stacking as i wasnt a member already.
Rito, thanks very much.
Has the price changed? I'm getting $59.95 USD when I click on the link to 9to5toys.com
https://specials.9to5toys.com/sales/private-internet-access-…
Think you need an account, then use the code on checkout to get the correct offer price.
Thanks.
Thanks OP,
Great speeds for me so far. Here's my speed test result http://beta.speedtest.net/result/6554579388
How do i go about connect to Netflix USA?
Does anyone else have issues connecting to PIA with a kaspersky internet security on their computer? Mines connects at fast speed for around 1 minute, then becomes extremely slow.
Kaspersky is probably taking up your bandwidth uploading intel to the motherland: https://phys.org/news/2017-07-kaspersky-software-russia-ties… :P
Did anyone really get caught for torrential pirated stuff in aus? Can't see real need for VPN really..
All the good streaming sites will be blocked soon.
Just change your DNS server to an overseas one or run your own locally.
I literally signed up to PIA about 2h ago. Doh!! That'll teach me.
http://www.speedtest.net/result/6554694544.png
Not sure how people manage to get such terrible results with PIA. Been using them a couple years now with zero issues. I get similar results on a speed test whether I'm connected or not, over multiple different test sites. I test PIA and my ISP regularly to make sure I'm getting the service I'm paying for, and aside from the odd hiccup with MyRepublic, I really can't complain.
Same here.. I've had it setup on my router for years, and have almost all of my traffic route over it. Never had any issues what so ever.
http://beta.speedtest.net/result/6326796964
This result was achieved via the PIA Desktop app on Windows 8.1 for me, and I can really vouch for PIA's service - it's great.
Not sure how people respond to the service being owned by a US based company (five-eyes etc.) but I'm not too worried, considering their overall rep and commitment to not storing logs.
Their promise not to keep logs has actually been tested in court, which makes them one of the most trusted options. If you're doing something that has you trying to evade five eyes though, you're already screwed.
Pia dont store the logs…. NSA do… (but they are unlikely to care about you downloading GoT)
I currently have getflix and user their VPN service. How would their speeds compare to this? Getflix is quite slow.
perfect timing, thanks op
I've used PIA for over a year and am quite happy with them.
Decent website, decent app, OpenVPN support and plenty of servers.
The Melbourne server occasionally craps out, but then you can just use the Sydney server (or any of the international ones).
Thanks, been meaning to grab one of these accounts for quite some time now. Quite useful in my line of work to have connections from various places around the globe.
Some IP geo-location issues with the new IP range but otherwise all good
I've fixed browsing speed issues by following these instructions. LINK
However, I am getting slow torrent speeds with qBittorrent. Do I need to change and settings to fix this?
To use in CHina?
Anyone know if you can stack this on top of an existing subscription to PIA?