VPN guides
Practical answers about using a VPN well: the settings that matter, how to check for leaks, where VPNs are restricted, and when a free one is a bad idea.
Are free VPNs safe?
Studies and leaks show many free VPN apps track users, leak traffic or hide their owners. The evidence, warning signs and free plans with a better record.
Are VPNs legal? Where they're banned, restricted or regulated
VPNs are legal in most countries. Where they're banned or restricted, from China and Russia to Iran, the UAE and Myanmar, with sources. Not legal advice.
What a VPN no-logs policy really means
What VPN no-logs claims cover, the kinds of logs a VPN can keep, how audits work, and the court cases and raids that tested providers' promises.
Is public Wi-Fi safe?
Public Wi-Fi is much safer than it was, because most sites now use HTTPS. What official guidance says, the risks that remain, and when a VPN helps.
Split tunneling explained
Split tunneling lets some apps use the VPN while others use your normal connection. How it works, which platforms support it, and the privacy trade-offs.
Using a VPN when you travel
How to set up a VPN before a trip, use it on hotel and airport Wi-Fi, reach your bank from abroad, and stay within the law in countries that restrict VPNs.
What a VPN kill switch does, and where it falls short
A kill switch blocks traffic when your VPN drops. How app and system kill switches work on each platform, and the documented leaks they miss.
How to check your VPN for DNS, IPv6 and WebRTC leaks
What DNS, IPv6 and WebRTC leaks are, what research found about VPN apps leaking, and how to check your own connection with free tools.
Setting up a VPN on your router
Running a VPN on your router covers smart TVs, consoles and every device at home. What you need, how setup works on ASUS and OpenWrt, and the trade-offs.
Using a VPN on a smart TV
Which TVs run VPN apps (Android TV, Google TV, Fire TV, Apple TV on tvOS 17+), why Samsung and LG can't, and the router and Smart DNS options.
VPN vs proxy vs Tor
VPNs, proxies and Tor all hide your IP address, but each asks you to trust someone different. A plain comparison using the Tor Project's own docs.
WireGuard vs OpenVPN
A sourced comparison of WireGuard and OpenVPN: code size, cryptography, audits and formal proofs, and the static-IP privacy issue providers solved.