VPN Review - EarthVPN

This week I have been testing EarthVPN. I have been more than happy with EarthVPN as it is one of the cheapest and also the best VPN solutions I have used.

To see a list of other VPN solutions and how they compare to EarthVPN, please click here.
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VPNs and Proxies (Free, Cheap, Pricey Methods, and phone) Getting Past the Great Firewall of China

If you are in China (or planning on going to China) you will need to prepare yourself with "The Great Firewall of China." Most people know that China censors and blocks a lot of things. They also throttle (slow down) a lot of websites and services. Having lived in China for almost the past two years, I want to share some methods for getting past this and once again enjoying some semblance of internet freedom.

Note: If you are reading this article, it means you either are currently not in China, or you already have a VPN or Proxy of sorts (blogger is blocked in China). If you are not yet in China, I HIGHLY suggest that you download a few of the options I give to you and put the file on a USB drive as well as email them to yourself so you have access to them. If you already have a VPN or Proxy, hopefully this guide will help you know what you can try next that will better suit your needs.

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VPN Review - gfwVPN

Update: Click here for my review of other VPNs and Proxies

Because I live in China, I am forced to look at different options for viewing an unblocked version of the Internet. This means I must use either a proxy or VPN.

I recently discovered gfwVPN and I think this might be my favorite VPN so far. For the past three months I have been using one of the most popular VPNs here in China, Astrill. Astrill is quite good and offers a lot of bells and whistles, the only problem is that it has not been completely reliable for me to connect using Linux.

I have tired various other VPNs and they don't seem to work at all for me. When I tried gfwVPN I was skeptical at first but I decided to pay the 1 cent and try it for an hour (though I think they ended up letting me try it for a day).

I am happy to report that it worked flawlessly in both Windows and Linux. I think when my Astrill account runs out, I will go ahead and sign up for gfwVPN

Pros of gwfVPN:

• Cheap(ish) - Perhaps one of the cheapest VPNs I have seen.
• Easy to set up and works well in China.
• Can use it for an hour just by paying 1 cent.
• 2 online users per account.

Cons of gwfVPN:

• No special software to make it easier to use (not a con for me, but could be for people a bit less tech savvy.
• No apparent live support if you need it (again, not really a con until you actually need it).

Price Comparison:
1 Month for  gwfVPN: $7
1 Month for Astrill: Not available

3 Months for  gwfVPN: $21
3 Months for Astrill: $30

6 Months for  gwfVPN: $35
6 Months for Astrill: $40

1 Year for  gwfVPN: $56
1 Year for Astrill: $70

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The Best Way to Bypass the Great Firewall of China (Windows and Linux)

FreeGate is the way to go to freely use the Internet in China

Update: Click here for my review of other VPNs and Proxies

If you have plans on going to China for vacation, or living there for any length of time, you will need to prepare to visit the Great Firewall of China. Visiting this tourist attraction is mandatory! As most people know, many websites are blocked in China. Mostly websites related to social interaction such as Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and most the popular blogging platforms such as Wordpress and Blogger (which means if you are reading this, you are either not in China, or you have already figured out a way to bypass the Great Firewall of China.

I have lived in China now for a year and have tried many different tools to try to use the internet freely. I have tried various VPNS, Hotspot Shield and Freegate. The best (and freest) is Freegate.

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