VPNs have many uses, and even more types of people that use them.  This guide is for users looking to access blocked sites, download torrents, stream content from other countries, and otherwise make use a VPN SERVICE.  If you’re looking for a tutorial for how to set up a Windows 7 PPTP VPN for connection to your home office or to access YOUR OWN computer network remotely – you’re in the wrong place.

Don’t worry though – I won’t completely ditch you. You can find more information on that stuff at Groovy Post and SOFTLAYER for instructions on how to set up a Windows 7 PPTP VPN for your home office or work network.

If you just want to connect to a VPN because your workplace blocked Facebook, you’re living abroad is China, Egypt, or other places that censor the internet, you wan to access movies, music, and TV from around the world, or are just looking for a private connection on public networks, then you’re in the right place.

Now, lets first discuss why you would want to use PPTP on Windows 7.  I mean, by all means, you CAN, but do you really want to?  The answer is maybe.

Why?

Well, the thing is PPTP is still using the age-old PPP encryption.  This is pretty old school, and if you’re looking for privacy or security, then this isn’t the best choice.  Not everyone is looking for anonymity on the internet though so who might benefit from a Windows 7 PPTP VPN connection?

Someone looking to…

* stream movies, music, and TV from other countries
* download anonymously
* unblock banned sites

So you can see that anonymity and security doesn’t play into these.  It’s basically that you need to change your IP address. After all, Netflix and iPlayer aren’t going to track down you IP, hack you, and steal your credit card information, right?  And your employer isn’t going to spend hours trying find out why he can’t seem to find your computer on the network.  PPTP is cheaper and faster, and widely available.

Best VPN Services with PPTP for Windows 7

Hide My Ass

• + 40 country locations
• + 30 day money back guarantee
• + Torrents allowed

>>> Test Drive Hide My Ass <<<

12VPN

• + Great customer service
• + Military grade encryption upgrades (OpenVPN, also can be used on Win 7)
• + VPN Router options

>>> Test Drive 12VPN <<<

StrongVPN

• + Cheapest ($55 for 1 year of US/UK IP address)
• + Live support
• + SSTP also available (*see below)
• + Torrents allowed

>>> Test Drive StrongVPN <<<

Ok, but lets say that you are looking for anonymity and privacy online. In that case, you should be looking for a SSTP VPN.  Though not many services carry this VPN protocol right now, more will in the future.  Microsoft recently developed this VPN protocol to make use of SSL encryption, which is the “+ s” in the “http” when you sign into your accounts.  Have you ever bought anything online and seen the URL prefix change and a little lock show up? Yeah, same stuff. So if it can protect your credit card, it can protect your identity online.

Though OpenVPN is open source software, and many VPN services offer it, for Windows 7, SSTP might be your best option.  Not to say OpenVPN is bad, but SSTP was developed specifically for Microsoft products (BTW, this works with Vista, but not XP).

So better encryption (SSL) than PPTP (PPP) means more security and more anonymity.  Your Win 7 operating system will of course come ready to use SSTP, so installation is a piece of cake.

Best VPN Services with SSTP VPN for Win 7

StrongVPN

• + Cheap ($55 per year, as mentioned above)
• + Fast
• + Live support
• + 7 day money back guarantee
• + Torrents allowed

>>> Test Drive StrongVPN <<<

PureVPN

• + Free & unlimited server switching
• + 14 country locations in all packages
• + Live support
• + 3 day account available (for those looking for super-short-term subscriptions)
• + Torrents allowed

>>> Test Drive PureVPN <<<

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If you want to enjoy movies on websites like Hulu and Netflix on your iPhone and iPad outside the United States then you are going to need a software to change IP address on iPhone and iPad.

The reason for this is that these websites are inaccessible for IP addresses that are not American and if you want to access these websites from outside the US the servers of these websites will recognize you as a non-US resident and will not allow you access to the website.

This is why changing the IP address is the only way of viewing regional sites like Hulu and Netflix on iPad and iPhone.  The same this goes for other sites like BBC iPlayer, and other local TV sites for different countries around the world.

In order to change the IP address of your iPad or iPhone you will need to get a VPN which is software capable of hiding and changing the original IP address of a user. This software allows you to surf the web with a different IP address of a country of your liking which enables you to assume the identity of a user belonging to a different region.

By getting an American IP address from the VPN a person can assume the identity of an American resident and can gain access to American-only websites like Hulu and Netflix, or a UK IP will even get you access to UK-only websites like BBC iPlayer.

VPNs are safe to use on all Apple products including iPads and iPhones. The operating system of these devices, iOS, allows a user to run a VPN on two types of networking protocols namely PPTP and L2TP. However if you jailbreak your iPad or iPhone you will be able to use a VPN on OpenVPN/SSL protocols as well.

In addition to providing access to geo-blocked websites a VPN can also enable a person to ensure his safety on the web. Because VPNs employ data encryption and make use of many security protocols they are considered the safest options for surfing the web.

No hacker or government organization will be able to get any information about you if you are going to surf the web while using a VPN. This is because the changed IP address provided by the VPN will make it impossible for the hacker to find you on both public and private networks.

Still another advantage associated with the use of VPNs is that they can be used to access blocked websites as well. If on your travels you go to a country where a website of your liking is blocked then a VPN can help you to access that website with ease.

The key to accessing a blocked website in a country is to change the IP address of your computer or phone and to use an IP address of a country where that particular website is not blocked. A VPN gives a person the opportunity to change IP address and unblock most sites by bypassing firewall restrictions.

Best Service Providers For Software to Change IP Address on iPhone and iPad

So if you want to change your IP address, there are a few things you need to consider.

1. Which country do you want your new IP address to be from? (Server Location)
2. Are you going to be download/uploading a lot with your new IP? (Bandwidth Limitations)
3. Are you using torrent software? (Torrent Compatible)
4. Which country are you currently located in? (Software Availability)
5. How much do I want to spend (Price)
6. How long do I need the software (Subscription length)

……….

Hide My Ass

1. 38 countries available, free server switching
2. Unlimited bandwidth
3. Torrents are allowed
4. Currently blocked in  China, Iran, and Kuwait
5. $6.55 to $11.52 per month
6. 1 month, 6 months, 12 months available

>>> Go To HideMyAss.com

……….

12VPN

1. 6 countries available, free server switching
2. Unlimited bandwidth
3. No Torrents
4. Alternate site available for blocked areas (click HERE)
5. $79 – $119 per year
6. Quarterly, Semi-Annual, Annual available

>>> Go To 12VPN.com

……….

StrongVPN

1. 29 countries available, limited server switching (5-12 times depending on package)
2. Unlimited bandwidth
3. Torrents are allowed
4. Blocked in China
5. $55 – $210 per year, $7 – $30 per month
6. 1-month, 6-month, 12-month subscriptions available

>>> Go To StrongVPN.com

……….

Web Based Proxy – SecuriTales

1. No installation necessary
2. Can unblock sites
3. $6-$8 per month
4. 2-month, 6-month, and 12-month subscriptions

>>> Go To SecuriTales.com/Secure

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Internet freedom is not appreciated in all countries of the world which is why people living there have to use software to change IP address on Windows if they are to enjoy the websites that are banned in their countries. Some of the countries where this internet censorship is in effect include China and Iran. In these countries people even do not have access to useful websites like Google and Wikipedia. The Governments there do not want to expose their people to freedom and want to deprive them from learning the realities of the world.

Though in places like The US and Canada, our life is not under threat if we try to access banned sites, our job and reputation may be.  Privacy invasion is a serious issue in some places, whether it be individual hackers looking to cause trouble, or large organizations trying to sell us more stuff.  Changing IP is a solution.

The only way for the people living in countries like China and Iran to access banned websites is by finding a way to change their IP addresses. By doing this will they be able to bypass the Government censors (firewalls) deployed to block off any native IP address from accessing the blocked websites. If you have a different IP address than an Iranian or Chinese IP address then the Government censors will not block you from accessing a banned websites like Facebook and YouTube because it will not recognize you as a native internet user. That is why software to change IP is required to access the banned websites in many Asian and Middle Eastern countries.

A VPN is capable of supplying a user a different IP address which belongs to a different country. With this changed IP address a user can access any website he wants because the website firewalls will not block him. The use of a software to change IP address on Windows will allow us to access region-restricted websites too like Hulu and Netflix in America and BBC iPlayer in Britain. However, for this the changed IP address of the user must be American or British.

The VPNs also have an excellent reliability and safety record. The VPNs make use of security protocols that keep the conversations between a user and an accessed website absolutely private. No one other the user gets to know about the accession of the banned websites that is why VPNs are very secure to use. In addition to this a VPN can be installed with utmost ease on all the versions of Windows.

You will find no problem in configuring it on computers that use Windows as their operating System. The only downside in using a VPN is its speed.  Some users report a slow download speed for OpenVPN, in which case you may want to try PPTP or L2TP.  Encryption and tunneling protocols means there’s a whole lot more going on behind the scenes.  Web based proxies are also an option, but lack of security and the fact that many countries block proxy usage means not everyone will be able to access the proxy site.  Some websites like Hulu and Netflix also block proxy access, adding to the disadvantage of signing up for this kind of service.

*For general browsing, web based proxies are great.

Despite the minor problems that might occur in the use of the VPNs they are surely the best when it comes to finding a software to change IP address on Windows.

Best Service Providers For Software to Change IP Address on Windows Operating Systems

So if you want to change your IP address, there are a few things you need to consider.

1. Which country do you want your new IP address to be from? (Server Location)
2. Are you going to be download/uploading a lot with your new IP? (Bandwidth Limitations)
3. Are you using torrent software? (Torrent Compatible)
4. Which country are you currently located in? (Software Availability)
5. How much do I want to spend (Price)
6. How long do I need the software (Subscription length)

……….

Hide My Ass

1. 38 countries available, free server switching
2. Unlimited bandwidth
3. Torrents are allowed
4. Currently blocked in  China, Iran, and Kuwait
5. $6.55 to $11.52 per month
6. 1 month, 6 months, 12 months available

>>> Go To HideMyAss.com

……….

12VPN

1. 6 countries available, free server switching
2. Unlimited bandwidth
3. No Torrents
4. Alternate site available for blocked areas (click HERE)
5. $79 – $119 per year
6. Quarterly, Semi-Annual, Annual available

>>> Go To 12VPN.com

……….

StrongVPN

1. 29 countries available, limited server switching (5-12 times depending on package)
2. Unlimited bandwidth
3. Torrents are allowed
4. Blocked in China
5. $55 – $210 per year, $7 – $30 per month
6. 1-month, 6-month, 12-month subscriptions available

>>> Go To StrongVPN.com

……….

Web Based Proxy – SecuriTales

1. No installation necessary
2. Can unblock sites
3. $6-$8 per month
4. 2-month, 6-month, and 12-month subscriptions

>>> Go To SecuriTales.com/Secure

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You may see that a VPN dedicated IP be referred to as a static IP address as well. This are the same thing.  Static, or dedicated IP addresses are in comparison to “dynamic”, or “shared” IP addresses.  Both are common ways to browser/download anonymously on the internet, and you’ll find a variety of combinations available at different VPN service providers.  Not all VPN services offer dedicated IPs, or at least not all are explicit about offering them.

Having a dedicated IP address is good for a number of things. If you’re using a VPN for gaming or business online, you may find that sharing an IP address, or having a dynamic IP (frequently changing) can present a number of problems.  For one, an IP addresses your identity online, and when your identity changes every ten minutes or so, it can set off some red flags.

1. You may get banned from servers (gaming)
2. You may cause mistrust with other users and their machines (business)

Depending on what your security needs are, some users prefer to have dynamic IPs, as it’s harder to trace and spy on.  But for reasons of trust and reliability, it may be necessary to use a VPN dedicated IP address.

Here are the best services for dedicated IP addresses.

StrongVPN

One of the most trusted names in VPN services, all of their OpenVPN servers are dedicated IP addresses. You’ll notice that many services offer free and unlimited server switching, while StrongVPN does not. This is probably why. Each time you sign into an OpenVPN server, you’re assigned a static/dedicate IP, which will not change until you do so manually. Even signing out of the VPN server and signing back in will result in you having the same (still anonymous) IP.  There are options for PPTP and L2TP static IP addresses, but much fewer.

There are a large variety of plans available, which can be overwhelming to a new user.  Take your time.  a “Lite OpenVPN” package will cost you $10 per month, which isn’t a bad price for 5 city locations in The US (170 VPN servers), and you can get more server location options (as well as more server switches) with upgrades of $15, $20, or $30. There are of course discounts for signing up for one year.  You can actually save somewhere between $30 and $130 dollars per year depending on which package you sign up for.  There is also a deal for $85 per year for USA/UK OpenVPN.

My head is already spinning just listing all the option, so take a look for yourself.  There’s 24/7 live support to answer any questions. You can’t go wrong with StrongVPN

Go To StrongVPN

……….

PureVPN

PureVPN is another good service to go with.  They’ve simplified the sign-up process to make it much easier to find what you’re looking for, which may appeal to some customers.  They don’t offer OpenVPN however. Their dedicated IP addresses are for PPTP and L2TP.  Though they do offer SSTP, they don’t have dedicated IPs for this VPN protocol.  Their dedicated IP plan is $145 for the year (or $15 per month).  There is a 30 GB bandwidth limit, but that will only affect torrent freaks.  Even an average amount of browsing and downloading (yes, they allow P2P) won’t even come close to 30 gigabytes in a month.  There are also other plans available, including an unlimited bandwidth one, but they are for dynamic IP addresses.

They offer live support, which is very friendly, and I had a great experience with both their PPTP and L2TP VPN, even from China.

Go To PureVPN

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Having a private IP address on the internet can keep your online activity anonymous.  What sites your visit, what you download/upload, who you chat with, the contents of your emails, and even your physical location can be discovered and hijacked while you surf the net with your real IP, especially on public networks.  A private IP from a VPN service does a couple of things.

1. It replaces your real IP with a VPN IP
2. It passively protects you against deep packet searching, spying, and identity theft by making you anonymous online
3. It actively protects you against full-on hacks with VPN tunneling and SSL encryption
4. It can bypass firewalls, unblock sites, and even speed up you internet connection on restricted networks

Virtual private networks are a monthly service, and there are a variety of companies, with a range of packages. Each services has unique features and servers in different locations. Server location will affect the type of IP you have – for example, if you sign into a VPN server in The USA, you’ll get an American IP address. The same would apply if you signed into a server in The UK – you’ll get a British IP address.  Prices will vary from less than $10 dollars a month, to more than $20, depending on the service you choose.  Number and reliability of servers, as well as customer support will of course influence this price.

Best VPN services

……….

+ Hide My Ass for Privacy and Features

Hide My Ass is a very popular VPN service because it takes care of just about everything. First off, it has lots of free stuff for being anonymous online.

• Free Web Based Proxy
• Free Link Cloaker (for anonymous site linking)
• Free Anonymous Uploading
• Free Open Proxy List

They’ve of course got a ProVPN service as well.  With 37 country IP address, over 200 VPN servers, and 22500 IP addresses, they’ve got the most comprehensive network of private IP addresses I’ve ever come across.  They allow P2P and torrents, have their own Wiki forum for troubleshooting, and even a 30 day money back guarantee if this is your first time signing up. You can choose servers based on speed, or based on how many users are signed in.  You also get free server switching, unlimited bandwidth, and VPN protocols or iOS/Android/Windows/Mac/Linux.  It’s easy to see why I’ve got HMA listed for features.

As for privacy, they’re also very clear.  They DO NOT monitor your online activity. They’re clear about that, and they’ve reiterated that point over and over on their blog, public forums, and even commenting on personal reviews and blogs.  They’re pretty cool about communicating with people reviewing their service.  However, they’re also clear about not supporting illegal activity.  They do log in times you sign into servers, and if they receive complaints from individuals, the DMCA (The Digital Millennium Copyright Act – USA), or UK court orders, they can find you.

>>> Go To Hide My Ass

……….

+ 12VPN For Customer Service and User Friendliness

This is a very easy to install VPN, with a great customer service team.  Setup is super easy, and ticket-support customer service is clear, concise, and friendly.  This is the VPN service I signed up for quite a few years back, and I’ve signed up again every year after that.  It’s reliable, its fast, and getting started only takes a few minutes.  There’s a VPN servers in Japan is something that makes them quite unique from other VPN services.  The majority of their servers are in The US and Europe however. $79 for 10 US city locations is a great price as well.  For users seeking VPNs for less common smart phone or computer operating systems, data encryption upgrades, or for users in China/The Middle East, this is the service for you.

>>> Go To 12VPN

<<< Alternate Site for China

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+ StrongVPN for Overall VPN Service

With plans starting at $55 per year, and going up to $30 per month, you can imagine that there’s a wide variety of choice in between.  Some plans feature just one or two VPN server country locations, and some plans offer 19.  Dedicated IP addresses as well as dynamic IP addresses are available.  They provide support for Nokia, Mac, Linux, DD-WRT, Windows, iOS, and maybe others (but who really uses anything else?). SSTP, PPTP, L2TP, IPSec, and OpenVPN means they have pretty much all their bases covered.  They also have live support and a 7 day money back guarantee.  Need I say more? Oh yeah, and they’re cool with torrents.

>>> Go To StrongVPN

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