Hotspot Shield (AnchorFree) – Free Secure and Private VPN for Public WiFi
Addicted to logging to free public WiFi wireless hotspots? Nowadays plenty of places, such Starbucks Coffee, McDonald’s, Coffee Beans and Tea Leaf, KFC, airports, libraries, community centers and eateries offering free Wi-Fi access connections as a way to attract customers. There are even more wireless access points that been broadcasting without any WEP, WPA or WPA2 encryption for everybody to connect without any crack.
As good as free is, there is some cons and disadvantages free Wi-Fi hotspots too. The main concern is security. Unlike wired network which depends on physical access control on security. For wireless access point, if you can connect to the WiFi without a password and browse the Internet, so do everyone else around. Been a public wireless hotspot also means that the network connectivity from laptop to the AP is not encrypted plain text, and hackers or someone with malicious intent can easily sniff the data, credit card numbers, user name and passwords credentials transmitted with a sniffer such as WireShack.
Hotspot Shield, a product of AnchorFree, is a security solution that helps to fix and solve unencrypted wireless network connection issue. Hotspot Shield keeps the Internet connection secure and anonymous on public networks by creating a virtual private network (VPN) between the notebook, laptop, desktop computer or iPhone and AnchorFree Internet gateway. This impenetrable tunnel prevents snoopers and hackers from viewing users’ email, instant messages, credit card information or anything else you send over the network, unlike XeroBank Browser which protects only web browsing using its own product. Of course, whether you want to trust or believe the data transmitted over the Hotspot Shield server is another issue, but at least it protects Internet connection from local sniffers.
To use Hotspot Shield, simply download and install the Hotspot Shield setup installer from here. Then run Hotspot Shield by double clicking on Hotspot Shield Launch shortcut on desktop or Start menu. A Hotspot Shield icon will be displayed on system tray or notification area. To connect to Internet via Hotspot Shield VPN, simply select Connect by right clicking on the icon, or browse directly to http://www.hotspotshield.com/launch/, and then click on Run Hotspot Shield green button.
Hotspot Shield client will start VPN proccess of waiting for server response authentication, pulling options, assigning IP address and checking for updates. Once connected, the whole outgoing and incoming network traffic is tunneling through the secure Hotspot Shield VPN.
However, using Hotspot Shield will subject users to constant advertisements in the form of automatic refresh leaderboard banner ads bar, which taken up the precious top screen estate. Any attempt to remove the Hotspot Shield ads will have the ads bar back on next page loads. Besides, free usage of Hotspot Shield is also limited to 3GB of bandwidth within a rolling 30 day window, although additional bandwidth may be purchased.
Other than securing the WiFi connection, Hotspot Shield does have some unintended functions too. For example, as the VPN servers are located in United States of America with IP address translated to US location, it can be used to view contents restricted only to audience in USA. Beside, disconnect and reconnect to Hotspot Shield VPN server will normally assign a new IP address to the client, thus allowing user to bypass web services limitations based on IP address or country. So users can download without limit form RapidShare and crack MegaUpload country download slot limit, although download speed may be slow.
There is now another free VPN service called AlwaysVPN which can be used to replace HotspotShield or as an alternative.
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Entries (RSS)
November 3rd, 2009 08:51
thanks my friend
October 26th, 2009 03:11
free download test
October 26th, 2009 01:06
please hurry up.
September 6th, 2009 03:00
i am living in beijing, and i have downloaded the hotspot shield but the thing , it is not working with me , all what is written that the state is unable to establish a connection with the hotspot server , and VPN ip address is not set , so is there anyone who can help me out with this … please
August 15th, 2009 07:42
but this is vvv,good if u help me about hotspot pc plz if dont maet,,,,Have a good Day bye thanks all
August 15th, 2009 07:34
my one is not working
August 10th, 2009 02:40
[...] either not reliable such as Tor network, subject to limit bandwidth or usage restriction (such as Hotspot Shield), or has turned into full premium service that requires subscription fee or payment (such as [...]
August 8th, 2009 14:59
Where can I find a VPN software like this for x64 bit systems??????
August 7th, 2009 05:19
plse sent me hotspotshild downlod link
June 24th, 2009 08:30
public WiFi hotspot session
June 24th, 2009 04:14
I have flash cards for all of my handheld devices, no way I’m paying full price for my games…
June 23rd, 2009 03:00
i would like to download hotspot shield
June 16th, 2009 20:23
Mostly doesn’t work. Very slow when it does. Not worth the download. Possible security issues regarding the optional toolbar as well. Browser exploit.
June 9th, 2009 08:58
Wireshack is that a cool new program like Wireshark?
June 8th, 2009 06:42
thanks its good
May 22nd, 2009 02:13
wow its so wondering
May 14th, 2009 10:22
I did not believe it would work. Being in Beijing, China. But yes IT DOES and I was watching YouTube today. Against all expectations, speeds look like normal. Impressed!
May 5th, 2009 06:29
i would like to down load hotspot shield
May 2nd, 2009 05:59
for me it works great
April 1st, 2009 04:43
thank
March 31st, 2009 15:01
ok thenkyo
March 25th, 2009 09:07
fuck ya all.what’s this fuckin thing?that fuck doesn’t work correctly ya all lie to people .just fuck you and that damn hot spot
March 24th, 2009 12:58
would like download hotspot shield
March 16th, 2009 20:50
this site sux.wont load 1/2 time ..kicks u off hoo IM..drops u in the middle of wat u r doing..BAD VPN
February 19th, 2009 08:32
i just need all web sit open.
February 18th, 2009 08:47
I would like to down load the web site.
February 17th, 2009 23:50
soso thanks
February 17th, 2009 15:54
when i install this Daemon Start Error is coming what should i do! reply
February 12th, 2009 03:15
Heya I download the hotspot shield but I didn’t get the procedure how to assign vpn ip address to my notebook for webpage connectivity!!Thanks
February 5th, 2009 18:59
thhhhhhhhnx
February 2nd, 2009 08:08
fuck man where is download what the fucking site is this fuck
February 1st, 2009 19:09
would like download hotspot shield
January 29th, 2009 18:21
very bad website.Fuck u man
January 25th, 2009 02:58
its great and thanks a lot
January 16th, 2009 07:30
ythanks
January 12th, 2009 04:59
i like2 download hotspot shield/anchor free
January 9th, 2009 22:48
thanks
December 23rd, 2008 08:00
thank you
December 16th, 2008 14:15
….agda
November 11th, 2008 03:10
[...] is costly, and there is hardly any free option. But one good choice is Hotspot Shield, which originally is intended to provide secure VPN tunnel for users accessing Internet in [...]
November 11th, 2008 03:08
[...] in order to route and forward all of Internet traffic through the virtual secure link. Similar to HotspotShield from AnchorFree, AlwaysVPN is always used as VPN to protect public WiFi hotspot session, but its [...]
November 5th, 2008 00:39
i would like download hotspot shield