With more and more privacy and safety issues, the search for anonymous online surfing is growing at an exponential rate. Although most software promises some sort of protection, security can never be tight enough. One of latest safety technologies is SOCKS5, a proxy server service that is often incorrectly interpreted and confused with a VPN, since it delivers pretty similar results. However, these two differ in more aspects than you think, so it makes sense to use them in conjunction. In addition, some VPN providers complement their service with SOCKS5, particularly when torrenting is on the table.
SOCKS5 is a proxy server that, in short, generates a random IP address for you. This allows circumventing geo-blocks and firewalls but the main goal of SOCKS5 is increasing performance for torrents and P2P. SOCKS5 offers faster download speeds and stable performance due to its ability of transferring smaller bits of data packets. Another feature that elevates it above the competition is the added ability to provide authentication by allowing only authorized users to have access to the server. Besides, if the SOCKS5 proxy is interrupted, your P2P process will also stop saving your IP address, which can be considered as a kill switch function. SOCKS5 has an upper hand above HTTP proxies since the latter only works for webpages (https://…) while the former works with any kind of traffic. Not to mention the ability to handle any program and protocol – both TCP and UDP ones – while its predecessor (SOCKS4) is only capable of using TCP. In short, SOCKS5 is the best alternative for torrenting and P2P purposes.
Comparing SOCKS5 to VPNs is unavoidable and a common tread nowadays. In fact, they share the trait of overcoming internet barriers such as country restrictions and firewall protection, but the two differ in one major aspect. In short, VPNs protect and encrypt all your traffic with its protocols and encryptions, while proxy servers simply… don’t. Also, proxy servers must be manually and separately configured for each application and some of them may not support SOCKS5. VPNs prevent tracking software and organizations from monitoring your internet activity, which means you’re hidden even for your own ISP, since all they can see is that you are using a VPN. Nevertheless, the stronger the encryption, the slower your connection will be, which makes proxy servers considerably faster than VPNs since they use no encryption at all.
The trick here is combining the use of both. Many VPN providers grant the option of using a proxy server – SOCKS5 included – for free. With a VPN and proxy combined, your traffic will be encrypted and you’ll stay protected while torrenting at will, and using the proxy server for faster and more stable downloads.
NordVPN has already managed to conquer the market by being one of the most reputable and trustworthy services ever made. Among its vast arsenal of features, the close attention given to security is one of the major highlights, thanks to the presence of an automatic kill switch, protection against DNS leaks, ads and malware, and even double VPN servers.
Speaking of which, these are only some of NordVPN's special servers that compose a global network filled with unusual locations, P2P countries, support for Onion over VPN, and more. NordVPN has a handful of different subscriptions in the form of simple apps for all kinds of devices and user types.
For as little as $3.09 per month, users can enjoy all the perks of having a secure and high-speed VPN. Plus, a generous refund policy allows you to get your money back if you decide NordVPN isn’t for you during the first 30 days.
Part of the London Trust Media group, Private Internet Access (PIA) has long been a benchmark VPN solution. The service has undergone diverse changes to keep up with competitors since its launch in 2010, ensuring its high quality hasn’t changed.
The Private Internet Access VPN allows users to browse the internet anonymously using several encryption and privacy tools to guarantee total security on unlimited devices. Suitable for users of any ability, Private Internet Access offers an abundance of servers in over 90 countries and even reserves special servers for streaming. Plus, the service’s platform has a unique and simplified design, making its extensive customization as easy as pie.
The VPN service rewards committed clients who opt for longer plans while also letting newcomers get a risk-free taster of the product with its 7-day free trial (on the mobile app) and 30-day money-back guarantee.
As the name clearly suggests, TorGuard is a secure outfit dedicated solely towards providing anonymity to internet users while sharing files using BitTorrent. The company provides a strong VPN package for the security-minded online users, and does not put any tabs on the internet usage and the information about IP and email addresses of the users. Founded in the year 2012, TorGuard is a relatively new player in the VPN business, but yet it manages to deliver a fast and secure VPN service in a fairly robust and enterprise-like manner. If these reasons aren’t convincing enough to make you opt for TorGuard as your primary VPN service provider, here are some specific set of features that may work out things.
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