All You Need to Know About Smart DNS Service Introduction to Domain Name System (DNS) Server

All you need to know about Smart DNS service Introduction to Domain Name System (DNS) server

Domain Name System (DNS) is a naming system used in the computer networks, which helps map domain names to their corresponding IP addresses, which are used by computers to communicate with each other. In simple words, DNS converts the internet domain and host name of the website into an IP address that is understood by the computer, assuming that the IP addresses do not change. DNS serves the purpose of locating and identifying device location using specific network protocols. Meanwhile, a DNS server is any computer registered to join the Domain Name System. DNS servers are the computers designated to store DNS database records (names and addresses), while clients of the DNS include PCs, phones and other devices of end users.

How does a Smart DNS service work?

The common use for Smart DNS is primarily for accessing region-restricted content from around the world. For example, many people use Smart DNS to expand their access to regional Netflix content -- they can be sitting in their home in London but connect to and watch Netflix from the United States.

Smart DNS does this by taking the data associated with a user's geographical location and re-routing it through a computer server set up by the Smart DNS proxy server service provider. This server is located in the region that's permitted to access the region-blocked content that the user is trying to view, now giving the user access to content from a different part of the world all while he or she physically stays in one place.

When you're ready to set up and use a Smart DNS, there's no need to install any third-party applications or software on your device. Simply change the DNS of your device to connect with a Smart DNS server located in the specific region of your choosing, sit back, and enjoy your now-unblocked content.

How does a Smart DNS differ from a VPN?

Smart DNS is a protocol that can be used to re-route traffic required for determining your geographical location. However, unlike a VPN, Smart DNS does not provide encryption or hide your IP address.

A VPN service creates a tunnel that changes or masks your IP to make it appear you are accessing the site from another location. Smart DNS functions as more of a “trick” by changing your DNS (Domain Name System) so sites think you’re eligible to access their content.

The reason that Smart DNS differs wildly from VPN with better user speed is that it does not require traveling through a distant server location. So a Smart DNS router setup gives you some of the advantages a VPN service can offer (unblocking popular services like Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Pandora) without the potential disadvantage of slower speeds from heavy VPN encryption.

HMA Review HideMyAss (HMA) is one of the most popular and widely-used VPN service provider with a wide range of servers spread across 221 countries. HMA offers premium VPN services at a reasonable price (not the cheapest) but with unconditional 30-day money back guarantee. It comes with an impressive user interface as well as quick and easy installation.

Pros:

30-Day Money Back Guarantee

Supports Windows, Mac and Linux operating systems.

Android and iOS mobile apps.

Live Chat & Email Support

Over 900 servers in 210 countries

High speed and Secure VPN service

Constantly expanding network with a 138% rise in the number of servers over July 2014 (638) to July 2015 (885)

Cons:

USA Legal requirements - User logging

No free trial available.

Only 2 concurrent connections

Supported Platforms

Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, iOS

HMA also provides Android and iOS mobile apps.

HideMyAss works simultaneously on multiple devices, which also include devices without built-in VPN support such as internet-enabled TVs, games consoles, Netflix devices and Apple TVs among others. It also provides the option to install the VPN software application on the router, in order to protect the source of the wireless internet connection. If installed on the router, the software need not be installed on any of the connected devices.

The software’s impressive user interface allows the adjustment of preferences to change the IP address, either randomly, or manually for every minute or five minutes, without any restrictions.

Supported Protocols

OpenVPN (TCP, UDP), L2TP-IPsec, LLTP and PPTP

HMA respects your privacy. HMA collects and logs time stamp, native IP address, assigned IP address and amount of data transmitted. HMA does not monitor nor keep track of websites you visited or any data transmitted over the VPN network. The logs are kept for 2-3 months.

Payments Methods

HideMyAss accepts credit cards, Paypal and Bitcoin. By accepting 3rd-party payment methods such as Paypal and Bitcoin, HideMyAss respects customer's privacy and allow anonymous payments.

Countries and Locations

HideMyAss has 925 VPN servers located in 352 locations in 221 countries with more than 125,159 IP addresses. With every subscription, you'll have an access to any VPN servers and IP addresses located throughout the world. Moreover, new VPN servers and additional IP addresses are regularly added to accommodate growing subscriptions. More information about HMA's server locations is as follows:

Location Servers IP addresses North America 409 53,800 Europe 300 41,102 Asia 69 10,896 Oceania 30 4,079 Central America 6 806 South America 14 1,680 Africa 54 7,150

Christmas Offers in Subscription Packages

Kick-Ass Package: $9.99 per month – Validity: 1 month

Half-Ass Package: $6.67 per month – Validity: 6 months

Smart-Ass Package: $4.99 per month – Validity: 12 months

Customers are charged automatically every 1 month based on the chosen package. There is an option to cancer online at any time.

Benefit for Multiple accounts or Business/Corporate Accounts:

There is an option for multiple accounts to be consolidated into one master account to facilitate single convenient subscription payment. Business/Corporate accounts or multiple accounts also qualify for own account manager and priority support.

Customer Support and Service

HMA offers round the clock customer support through email and Live Chat. Emails sent to the support team are responded quickly, thanks to the dedicated support team.

How to Choose the Best VPN provider?

We live in the era of constant threat to personal security and privacy on the world wide web. In the world of internet, users are constantly under an unknown threat from hackers who steal personal data or the authorities who monitor online activities. VPNs have become the need of the hour. However, to jump-start without proper knowledge also leads to a great risk and financial loss. Hence, we present you with all the aspects of VPN services, features and benefits, along with a list of top VPN services. It’s time you decide whether you find it essential to protect your internet security or not. What is a VPN? A VPN or a Virtual Private Network is a secure network connection between two separate networks. In simple words, VPN is like a bridge that connects two islands (here, LANs) to establish an easy, secure and more reliable connection between the two islands (here, local networks). This helps tackle security and privacy issues; since the data transmitted over a VPN is encrypted and unreadable to the current technology. The encrypted communication, if detected, is unreadable, and conceals the user identity, since no logs will be saved for the user sessions. This allows the user to browse behind a vast number of IP addresses covering a wide range of servers. How does a VPN work? VPNs use signal encryption and network tunneling mechanisms to prevent from being detected by monitoring mechanisms. In tunneling mechanism, the traffic from the user’s computer and the greater network (Internet) is passed through a tunnel, thus preventing external or unauthorized access to the user’s private data that includes IP address, server location, user location or session logs. VPNs not only protect user data and internet privacy, but also enable users to choose any locations, server and IP address in order to access data that is explicitly available for users residing in specific countries. It, thus, creates a false user identity to bypass any kind of monitoring mechanism. VPNs protects from hackers and helps avert internet censorship implemented by the government/ISPs. Things to learn before opting for a VPN service To be technically sound while choosing the right VPN provider, it is always essential to understand the technical jargon used to describe the features and potential of any VPN network. Hence, we present some easily understandable definitions for the widely used terms in the VPN market. IP address An Internet Protocol address (IP address) is a unique numerical label assigned to each device for the purpose of network interface identification and location addressing. It contains four numbers (ranging between 0 and 255), each containing three digits, separated by a single period (.). Internet Protocol is a set of rules that govern Internet activity and facilitate completion of a variety of actions on the World Wide Web. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IP_address Web Server A Web Server is a computer program that dispenses web pages as per user’s request over the internet. When a user enters the website URL in the internet browser’s address bar, then the browser sends a request to access the web page associated with the URL. This request is responded by a web server, which provides access to the webpage requested. Geo-restriction This methodology decides users’ internet access permission levels on the basis of user’s geographical location. Some websites can only be accessed in specific geographical locations, thus restricting users in blacklisted (or non-local) locations from accessing the respective content. The concept makes use of users’ IP address to detect the geographical location, in order to decide if the user can be allowed to access the content based on his geographical location. VPN protocols Protocols specify interactions between the communicating entities, and exist at several levels in a telecommunication connection. In this context, a protocol is the special set of rules that end points in a telecommunication connection use when they communicate. VPNs use several protocols such as PPTP, IPSec, L2TP and OpenVPN among others, each with unique capabilities and strengths. Users can choose from a list of protocols provided by the VPN service provider based on their internet speed and security needs. http://searchnetworking.techtarget.com/definition/protocol Internet Censorship Internet Censorship is the concept of limiting or restricting access to certain web content, as well as preventing users from publishing or viewing certain material (in most cases, copyrights, defamation, harassment, and obscene material) on the internet. Internet Censorship is generally implemented by either the state government, private organizations or individuals (self-censorship) to support the national guidelines or organisational-level initiatives. In some countries, Internet Censorship also extends to the level of monitoring citizens’ internet activity, alongside controlling what is viewed or accessed on the world wide web. Anonymous browsing As the name itself suggests, anonymous browsing implicates internet browsing under a false/fake or concealed identity to avoid being identified by any kind of monitoring mechanism, or to escape hacker attacks. This is generally possible with the help of either proxy servers and VPNs. However, proxy servers are considered susceptible to monitoring; while VPNs have proven to be most effective ways for anonymous browsing, till date. VPNs provide an option to browse the internet using a temporary IP address and a non-local server, thereby creating a false identity. Who should use VPNs? So far, the article has been explaining the terms associated with VPNs. Now, it is the time to decide who needs a VPN service and who do not. In the era of constant threat to personal data over the internet, there are several reasons why we need VPN services. Firstly, we believe that any internet user whose first priority is privacy and data security, needs to opt for a VPN connection. Secondly, users residing in countries with strict internet censorship rules or those who are victims of geo- restrictions while attempting to access global content are in great need of personal VPN services. Two major challenges faced by tourists or business travels in foreign countries are geo-restricted sites and Internet Censorship regulations. Hence, we suggest a personal VPN service as the most effective method to overcome these restrictions on your internet usage. Meanwhile, there have been several instances where users accessing public Wi-Fi services in airports, hotels and other areas have been attacked by hackers due to a lack of VPNs to enable secured internet access. If you are travelling a lot, or are on regular business trips, who relies on public internet services on a wider scale, it is very much essential to subscribe for a personal VPN service that not only keeps your data safe. We recommend: After all the information provided in this article, you are undoubtedly in abundant confusion on which VPN service you need to choose. There are several VPN providers in the market; however, not all of them provide the best level of security and user privacy. Hence, to make this job easier, we filtered three highly rated and best-in-class VPN service providers that have been successfully running over a consistent period of time. The three major criteria we considered to shortlist the best VPN service providers are user security and privacy, vast network coverage and reasonable subscription packages. HideMyAss VPN HideMyAss (HMA) is one of the most reliable and best VPN services in the present market. With a vast network of 932 VPN servers in 352 locations in 221 countries with over 126,051 IP addresses, HMA is user-friendly in terms of pricing packages, faster connections and user privacy. HMA supports OpenVPN (TCP, UDP), LLTP, PPTP and L2TP/IPSec protocols for handling VPN internet connections, and supports Windows, Mac, iOS, Linux, and Android OS. The software's impressive user interface allows the adjustment of preferences to change the IP address, either randomly, or manually for every minute or five minutes, without any restrictions. HMA VPN works simultaneously on multiple devices, which also include devices without built-in VPN support such as internet-enabled TVs, games consoles, Netflix devices and Apple TVs among others. It also provides the option to install the VPN software application on the router, in order to protect the source of the wireless internet connection. It also provides round-the-clock customer service through Live Chat and Email support options. HMA provides reasonable subscription packages with 30-day money-back guarantee. Subscription payment methods include credit cards, PayPal and Bitcoin. By accepting 3rd-party payment methods such as PayPal and Bitcoin, HideMyAss respects customer's privacy and allow anonymous payments. https://www.iplocation.net/vpn/hidemyass/reviews https://www.hidemyass.com/ VyprVPN VyprVPN proclaims to be the have the highest level of speed and security for broadband Internet connections. Launched in 2009, it is one of the very few VPN providers offering free trial, VyprVPN comes with reasonable subscription packages, starting from as low as USD 5 per month. VyprVPN VPN has over 700 servers and more than 200,000 global IP addresses across 48 countries located in North America, South America, Europe, Asia and Oceania regions. VyprVPN supports, as well as offers easy-to-use apps for, Windows, Mac, Android, iOS, TV and router. It supports multiple VPN protocols – OpenVPN (256-bit), L2TP(256-bit), PPTP (128-bit) and Chameleon (256-bit) – to allow the user to choose a preferred level of encryption, speed, and protection. VyprVPN offers an additional layer of security to the VPN connections using an in-built NAT Firewall. Its exclusive Chameleon technology uses the unmodified OpenVPN 256-bit protocol and scrambles metadata to prevent DPI, VPN blocking and throttling. VyprVPN also claims to be the only company that does not use third-party companies to host its VPN servers; hence ensures end-to-end protection of user privacy and security. VyprVPN provides 24x7 customer support via email or live chat. https://www.goldenfrog.com/vyprvpn/chameleon https://www.goldenfrog.com/vyprvpn ExpressVPN ExpressVPN network is SSL secured with 256-bit encryption, and extends across 100 cities in 78 countries. It allows the user to choose from more than 1000 servers with 15,000 IP addresses. ExpressVPN supports OpenVPN (TCP, UDP), L2TP-IPSec, SSTP, and PPTP protocols, and is rated one of the top VPN providers in the current market. Established in 2009, Express VPN service promises unlimited bandwidth, unlimited server switching and internet speed, strong encryption, zero logging and 99.9% uptime. It also offers round-the-clock customer support via live chat and email, and also comes with a 30-day money back guarantee. ExpressVPN’s easy-to-use VPN software is compatible across Windows, Mac, iOS, Android OS and also provides user-friendly mobile apps for the same. It also offers configuration files for Linux OS. ExpressVPN ensures customer privacy and security; and also accepts nearly all major credit cards, PayPal, Bitcoin and other third-party noted payment methods. The company’s privacy policy clearly states that it has right to investigate the user if an assigned IP is suspected to be involved in unlawful act, which is true for any VPN companies. https://www.iplocation.net/vpn/expressvpn/reviews https://www.expressvpn.com/

How to detect and prevent DNS leak while using VPN services What is a DNS? Domain Name Server (DNS) matches domain names to IP addresses where the website is hosted, and then directs the browser to go to that specific IP address to load the requested website. Under normal circumstances, when a user connects to the internet via a standard Internet Service Provider (ISP), the browser uses the ISP’s DNS server, unless manually specified. ISPs generally assign a DNS server to the customers, which they control and use for logging and recording online activities. On the contrary, when a user connects to the internet through a Virtual Private Network (VPN) then the browser will be instructed to use a secure DNS which is not similar to the one used via ISP. However, there are circumstances when the user’s real IP address could be revealed and private user information might be exposed to the website, consequently affecting user privacy and online security. This happens due to security issues in the computer or its internet browser, thus resulting in DNS leaks. What is a DNS Leak? DNS leaks are currently a major threat to user’s online privacy and security since the network that is supposed to be anonymous is actually not, thereby providing a false sense of security to the user. DNS leaks can not only result in the leak-out of user’s real IP address without his/her knowledge, despite an encrypted VPN. A DNS leak can be defined as a situation where despite being connected to an anonymity network such as a VPN, the computer is unknowing accessing default DNS servers rather than the anonymous DNS servers assigned by the anonymity network. This happens when the traffic fails to be routed through the anonymity network, causing leaks, and thereby user activity being exposed to any kind of monitoring entity. Despite high-level IP anonymity and data encryption, several VPNs are prone to DNS leaks, due to several reasons that include poor infrastructure. In simple words, a VPN user, who believes to be using an anonymous connection, is actually unware that the respective internet activity is outside the secure connection. On the other hand, advanced and standard VPN service providers are integrating anti-DNS leak features into the VPN software, thus preventing any impact to the user security. Although DNS leaks are caused due to several factors, a common scenario is when malicious websites adopt the policy of delaying website response to the user computer, thus resulting in the browser switching to an unsecured DNS. Meanwhile, Windows OS is said to comprise a few in-built features which increase its susceptibility to DNS leaks. How to Detect DNS Leak? Some VPN services comprise solutions that monitor DNS requests to ensure that they are routed via VPN instead of the ISP network. Hence, VPN users who are concerned about ISP surveillance need to contact their respective VPN service providers to verify if users are being provided with this feature. Further, websites such as www.ipleak.net and www.dnsleaktest.com among others provide free DNS leak tests. If the user is connected to a VPN, and sees ISP DNS among the detected DNS results in the website, then he might be prone to DNS leaks. In some cases, when the results displayed are either the user’s ISP or location information, then the system is said to be leaking the user’s DNS requests. Ways to Prevent DNS Leak Considering a serious privacy threat due to DNS leaks, several preventive measures have been identified for internet users in general and VPN users in particular, to prevent private data from being leaked. Moreover, there are some VPN services with inbuilt anti-DNS leak solutions or fully-controlled DNS resolvers to ensure users’ online privacy and security. In this regard, an expert VPN service provider, HideMyAss VPN has come up with the below suggestions to prevent DNS leaks: 1. Enforce a good DNS service: In the TCPIP4 options within the properties of your network adapters, set OpenDNS (208.67.222.222 + 208.67.220.220) or whatever DNS service you prefer for all available network adapters. This ensures that your internet providers DNS servers are never being used, even when the VPN is not connected. 2. Disable Teredo: On Windows, open command prompt (run cmd.exe) and there run "netsh interface teredo set state disabled". Some file sharing clients like uTorrent also have an option to disable Teredo. Teredo is Microsoft's 6to4 (IPv6->IPv4) solution, similar to 6to4/6in4 features you might find in your routers settings. To prevent DNS requests to go through a non-tunneled IPv6 connection, disable Teredo and IPv6 related options on your router. 3. Block non-VPN traffic: Either use IP Binding or configure your firewall to block all non-VPN traffic. This ensures that your real internet connection is not being used, and also that your ISPs DNS servers are not being used. 4. Install a good firewall, e.g. AVG Internet Security VPN users are extremely cautious about the privacy and security of their online activity, and are more concerned about DNS leaks. Hence, users are advised to verify if all the traffic originating from their computer is routed through a secure VPN network so that no monitoring entity can track down the user’s IP address. Experts also recommend VPN users to change the computer network settings to use a static IP address to ensure that the new DNS settings are given high priority and not modified without intimation.

Reference: HideMyAss https://ipleak.net/

How to unblock popular websites like Netflix, Facebook and CNN? Life is incomplete without social networking and online communication, especially when it comes to well-known sites such as Facebook, Netflix, YouTube etc. If you are living in a country with stringent Internet censorship policies, which deny access to popular sites such Facebook and Netflix, you definitely need help!

It is an undeniable fact that Netflix has changed the face of online streaming media, and movie rental service – with millions of subscribers worldwide. However, American Netflix has a better and larger library of movies and TV shows, when compared to other countries. No wonder, this affects subscribers in other countries such as the UK or Australia given their smaller catalogues as compared to the USA.

Sometimes, certain Internet Service Providers (ISPs) can also block/restrict access to certain websites (or remove them from the list of trusted sources) due to different reasons. This can be defined as selective internet censorship, which applies to different websites in different countries based on their state/country-level policies.

This article presents you with the various ways available to unblock Netflix to access worldwide content, as well as overcome internet censorship policies that restrict access to certain popular websites in some countries.

1. Using Smart Domain Name Server (DNS):

In simple words, a Smart DNS proxy server will collect data related to your computer’s geographical location and re- route it through a computer server. This server is provided by your Smart DNS proxy server service provider, and it will be located in the region where the specific website/content is accessible.

For your easy understanding, let us consider smart DNS as a bypass route that collects and sends data via a different computer server route instead of the regular path. Installing a smart DNS is easy, and does not involve any third- party applications to be installed on your PC. Get registered for a Smart DNS proxy server service provider, change your DNS settings on your device/router, connect to a Smart DNS server, and access content from any geographical location.

Some of the best Smart DNS proxy server service providers include Getflix, Unlocator, Overplay, Unblock US, Smart DNS proxy and much more.

2. Using Virtual Private Network (VPN) service:

A VPN service masks/hides your IP address using tunnelling mechanism creates anonymity and helps you connect with any server across the globe, using an IP address of your choice. A VPN service provides safety, anonymity, privacy, security and real-time encryption since no user logs/session data is not stored. VPN is the safe and hassle- free way to access global content when compared to Smart DNS proxy server.

There are numerous VPN service providers to choose from, across the globe. Although the real-time encryption could lower your internet by a tad bit, if you are ready to compromise on speed for digital anonymity and privacy, then a VPN service is the right choice for you to access geo-restricted sites on your personal computer.

Some of the best VPN service providers includes HideMyAss VPN, ExpressVPN, VyprVPN, of which HideMyAss VPN is said to be the largest and most trusted VPN service provider in the market.

3. Using Browser Add-ons:

Although there are several digital websites claiming that a simple and easy-to-install browser extension can help unblock Netflix from anywhere in the world, its authenticity has always been in question.

While most of them are claimed to be free extensions, there could be numerous disadvantages of the same. Internet users cannot completely rely on these browser add-ons given that it may affect PC security and privacy, as the add- ons might access sensitive content during their internet browsing sessions.

Some of the Google Chrome extensions include Blockless, Zenmate, Mediahint, Proxmate, Browsec, Betternet, Frigate, Justunblock, Hola, Stealthy, and much more.

Conclusion: Smart DNS is faster than a VPN service; whereas, a VPN service is safer than a Smart DNS proxy server. Now, if you are still wondering whether you need to use Smart DNS or a VPN service to unblock Netflix, and other popular geo- restricted sites, here’s the answer.

Consider you are a resident of UK, who is using the UK Netflix, but would like to access a larger catalogue from American Netflix, then Smart DNS is the right choice for you since digital anonymity is not your primary concern.

However, if you are located in a country with strict Internet Censorship, where popular sites like Netflix, Facebook and YouTube among others is blocked/unavailable, then a VPN service is the right choice as it not only provides access to global content but also helps bypass internet censorship policies without getting caught!

How to locate your lost iPhone? Misplacing a smartphone is not about losing your apps, music and contacts; it is also about giving away unauthorized access to your pictures, social networking sites - online identity and personal emails and stuff. In some cases, it also means the thief would gain access to your banking data if at all you are the kind of person who does banking online or stores all passwords in quick notes app. Given that your smartphone is a database of all your critical and personal data, it is extremely essential to register for in-built security features, install additional security software if need be.

Losing an iPhone is a heartbreaker for any Apple user. If you are one of them, here are some quick and easy ways to locate your lost iPhone. You are not required to be tech-savvy to understand how to recover your lost iPhone. We know it is difficult to prevent theft or misplacement of your phone, however, it is quite stress-free to make sure you are not a victim of identity theft. Hence, we have come up with 5 ways to locate a lost/stolen iPhone: iCloud Account: Remember the frequent pop-up on your iPhone which asks you to create an iCloud account? You might have ignored that on quite a few occasions. However, it is one of the most essential tasks of any iPhone user. To give you a heads up, iCloud is a cloud storage service for Apple products, which not only backs up your important data - documents, apps, music etc. Most importantly, it helps locate your Apple device, if lost or stolen.

How to register an iCloud account? 1. Make sure your device is connected to internet. 2. Verify if your phone is upgraded to iOS 5 or higher operating system.

Quick Tip: If you would like to check your iOS version, tap Settings > General > Software Update, and there you go!

3. On your home screen, access Settings, scroll down and tap on iCloud, you will be asked to enter your Apple ID and password - if you have one. 4. If you do not have an Apple ID, create one first and then continue with iCloud registration. 5. If you choose to use your existing Apple ID and password, then simply login with your credentials and agree to iCloud’s Terms of Use and proceed. 6. Once done, you need to grant permission for iCloud to turn on synchronizing with your other Apple devices. 7. You will be prompted to grant permission to use your location to locate your device. 8. Now, when you are supposed to choose what to sync, and make sure you turn on the Find my iPhone option. This is needed to track your device in case it is lost/stolen in future.

Quick Tip: Always make sure you are using a single Apple credentials for all your devices, so that you use the same to register on iCloud. If you are using same iCloud account on all your devices, then the Find My iPhone App helps track all your devices using the same account.

How Find My iPhone App helps locate lost iPhone? This App uses your device’s location to identify misplaced/stolen iPhones and other Apple devices. It also gives an option to do remote operation such as - erase all data, content and settings on your device; lock your phone, play a loud sound, or display a customized message on the lock screen. If you have lost your device, simply access the Lost Mode on your Find My iPhone App, where your device can keep a track of its location and report back to you. This helps identify its recent location history too! Lost Mode also facilitates remote locking of the device using a passcode, and displaying a custom message and contact phone number right on the Lock Screen.

I am Registered on iCloud > Enabled location services > Turned on Find My iPhone App > Lost my iPhone - what am I supposed to do?

Now that you are halfway through, below is a quick step-by-step procedure on how to locate your iPhone:

1. Tap the Find My iPhone App on any Apple device, access iCloud service on Safari browser. 2. Login using iCloud services credentials. 3. Once logged in, you will be able to see that the devices being tracked with that particular iCloud account will automatically start update their location on the map. 4. If you are able to see the location of your lost iPhone too, then you have provided with four options: 5. Play Sound: The device will start playing a loud sound until you find it and turn it off. The sound will be played even if the device is muted or silent mode is turned on.

6. Lost Mode: This mode does the following operations: a. Lock your device using old passcode: You can remotely lock your device using the passcode that you already have been using on your iPhone. b. Lock your device using new passcode: If you do not have a passcode already set, or would like to create one, you can do so and remotely lock your device with a new passcode. c. Send a message to the device: You can also send a message to the device, so that if someone reads the message they can call you back.

Quick Tip: The message will read as - “This iPhone has been lost. Please call me. *Contact Number*

7. Erase: When you are unable to track your iPhone, or you think your data is not secure by the time you reach there, as a last resort you can erase all data and content on the device. Since you are already registered on iCloud service, your configurations, data and other content are safely backed-up and can be restored on your new device.

I am Registered on iCloud > Disabled location services > Turned on Find My iPhone App > Lost my iPhone - what am I supposed to do?

Notify When Found: If the ‘location services’ option is not enabled on your iPhone, the device will not be able to locate itself, or you will not be able to locate it on the map. In this case, turn on the ‘Notify When Found’ feature - so that when your device is switched on, then you will be notified with a message.

Play Sound: If you unable to track your device location, as long as the device is connected to internet (or, is online) you can use the ‘Play Sound’ feature. Your device will start playing a loud sound irrespective of the sound profile enabled.

Safer VPN Review Pros: Free Trial available. Can cancel anytime within the first 14 days. Eligible for full refund. Supports Windows, Mac, iOS and Android Windows, Android and iOS mobile apps available with easy-to-use user interface. 24/7 Live Chat & Email Support No logging of browser activity High speed and Secure VPN service Torrent traffic supported Setup guide and help content available on the website

Cons: Only 1 concurrent connection with basic package Highly priced than its competitors Torrent traffic supported for only Netherlands server Use of peer-to-peer file transfer clients is prohibited in certain locations

Supported Platforms Safer VPN can be accessed across Windows, Mac, iOS, Android operating systems and also Routers. Can connect through Xbox, PS4, Nintendo Wii, Apple TV and Router.

Supported Protocols Safer VPN virtually supports all VPN protocols including IKEV2, OpenVPN, L2TP w/ IPsec, and PPTP protocols. However, OpenVPN protocol is highly recommended for all the platforms since it is also supported by Android tablets and mobile devices. PPTP uses 128-bit encryption while L2TP and OpenVPN use 256-bit encryption.

Privacy Policy According to Safer VPN's privacy policy, the VPN service provider does not and will not actively monitor user sessions for inappropriate behavior nor maintain direct logs of any customer's Internet activities. The privacy policy and terms of use clearly state that only basic connection information comprising IP address, VPN server, connection times and bandwidth used, are stored by the VPN service provider.

Payments Methods SaferVPN accepts several payment methods – almost all major credit cards and a number of regional web-based payment services - PayPal, Bitcoin, Skrill, Online transfer, Alipay, WebMoney, Visa, MasterCard, American Express, and Discover. By accepting third-party payment methods such as Paypal and Bitcoin, Safer VPN respects customer's privacy and allow anonymous payments.

Countries and Locations Customers get to choose from a vast server network expanding over 24+ countries, with 150 premium servers. With unlimited speeds and unlimited server switches, you can connect from anywhere in the world.

Countries: USA East Sweden Finland Japan Norway USA West Switzerland Hong Kong Russia Singapore UK Italy Canada Brazil Australia France Austria Spain Israel Denmark Germany India Holland Poland

VyprVPN Review A majority of the internet users in the current generation are looking for security, speed and reliability of the network. The changing internet era has also given rise to several threats to the users, some of which are capable of destroying the computer systems while others could result in huge financial losses as well. However, there are ways to integrate a resilient connectivity, speed, and security within the daily internet usage. One of the best method, undeniably, is a VPN service. We present you with one of the top VPN service providers, VyprVPN, with a detailed explanation of its features. Introduction: VyprVPN was launched in 2009, and is one of the best VPN service providers, claiming the highest level of speed and security for Internet users. VyprVPN also claims to be the only company that does not use third-party companies to host its VPN servers; hence ensures end-to-end protection of user privacy and security. Servers: VyprVPN VPN has over 700 servers and over 200,000 global IP addresses in 48 countries spread across 5 continents. Server locations include North America, Central America and South America, as well as Europe, Asia, Oceania, and Middle East, connections are always available.

Supported Protocols: VyprVPN supports multiple VPN protocols – OpenVPN (256-bit), L2TP(256-bit), PPTP (128-bit) and Chameleon (256- bit). Meanwhile, it also provides NAT Firewall add-on for extra security. Its exclusive Chameleon technology uses the unmodified OpenVPN 256-bit protocol and scrambles metadata to prevent DPI, VPN blocking and throttling.

Supported Platforms: VyprVPN supports, as well as offers easy-to-use apps for, Windows, Mac, Android, iOS, TV and router. It also supports Linux, and Windows Vista, 7 and 8 OS, as well as Mac OS X.

Software Features:

VyprVPN software comes with an easy-to-use interface, alongside an additional NAT firewall service designed to offer extra security.

Price: VyprVPN is one of the very few VPN providers offering reasonable subscription packages; alongside a free trial plan of 500 MB monthly usage and two simultaneous connections while supporting all protocols. It offers some of the best subscription packages in the market – a basic package of $6.67 per month, a pro package for $8.83 per month and a premier package of $10 per month. Payment Methods: VyprVPN offers online payment options, and accepts all major credit cards for online checkout. Customer Service: VyprVPN offers 24/7 customer support through Live Chat, e-mail as well as online contact form. Our experience with the customer service had been very quick and hassle-free. Conclusion: With very few cons to note, VyprVPN is rated one of the best VPN services in the market currently. If you are looking for a user-friendly VPN service with 256-bit encryption, it is always advisable to go for VyprVPN. Moreover, it also offers a free trial, which is an added advantage.

What is a personal VPN and why do you need it! What is a VPN? VPNs, or Virtual Private Networks, are used to securely connect to another network, either a public or a private network on the internet. VPNs create a personal network within a broader network, thus providing added-security using signal encryption and network tunneling mechanisms to prevent from being detected by monitoring mechanisms. The encrypted communication, if detected, is unreadable and does not reveal the identity of the user, since no logs will be saved for the user sessions. This allows the user to browse behind a vast number of IP addresses covering a wide range of servers, thus creating a false user identity to bypass any kind of monitoring mechanism, or internet censorship.

How does a VPN work? In quite simple words, VPN is like a bridge that connects two islands (here, LANs) to establish an easy, secure and more reliable connection between the two islands (here, local networks). This helps tackle security and privacy issues; since the data transmitted over a VPN is encrypted and unreadable to the current technology. Basically, there are two types of VPN, namely remote-access VPN and site-to-site VPN.

Remote-Access VPN or a Virtual Private Dial-Up Network (VPDN): This VPN allows individual users to establish secure connections with a remote computer network as if they were directly connected to the network's servers, and freely access the secure resources on that network. A remote-access VPN utilizes a Point-to-point Protocol (PPP) tunneling mechanism. Meanwhile, the remote-access VPN requires two components – a Network Access Server (NAS) and a Remote-Access Server (RAS). Moreover, a VPN requires a client software that enables the user to establish and maintain a VPN connection. It is required to establish a tunneled connection to an NAS, indicated using an internet address, while it also helps manage the encryption needed for a secure connection.

Site-to-Site VPN: A site-to-site VPN helps establish a secure connection between two sites or locations, over a public network such as the Internet. There are two types of site-to-site VPNs namely the Intranet-based VPN and an Extranet-based VPN.

Intranet-based VPN: An Intranet-based VPN is used when one or more remote locations are to be connected in a single private network, thus combining each separate LAN to a single WAN.

Extranet-based VPN: An Extranet-based VPN is used when two different LANs are to be connected, to create a secure, shared network environment while preventing access to their separate intranets.

VPN Tunneling VPNs use the mechanism of tunneling to create a private network across the Internet. Tunneling is a network technology that involves the process of layering of capsules, known as encapsulation. In this process, series of packets are created by breaking down each data file, and an entire packet is placed within another outer packet before it is sent and received across the computers. Movement of the encrypted packet within an outer packet, also known as virtual tunnel, ensures secured transfer.

The VPN technology makes use of a tunnel management protocol mechanism that helps create, maintain, and terminate the tunnel, which enables seamless data transfer. Meanwhile, devices or computers that are present at both ends of the tunnel are known as tunnel interfaces, which facilitate the process of encapsulation and reopening of outgoing and incoming packets respectively.

Advantages of VPNs As discussed above, there are several advantages of using a VPN service ranging from bypassing internet censorship to accessing global content without any geo-restrictions, additional internet security to anonymous browsing.

Most basic properties of VPNs that distinguish them from other personal networks are as below:

Security: VPNs provide high security, thus protecting users’ data from being hacked, especially on a public network.

Reliability: VPNs are accompanied with high reliability standards, providing similar quality of connection for each user while handling multiple and simultaneous connections.

Scalability: VPNs can easily be expanded to accommodate more users and different locations when compared to leased lines. This enables the expansion of in-house VPN services without the need for replacement of the technology on the whole.

Flexibility: VPNs provide a flexible option for remote offices to use a common professional intranet over an existing connection, as though they are directly connected to the internet.

In continuation to the above mentioned unique features, some of the most notable advantages of VPN services are explained below:

▪ VPNs enable users to connect to remote servers located in various parts of the globe using chosen IPs at any point of time. This anonymous browsing helps prevent hackers from intruding into the personal network, as well as sharing files and data over an encrypted medium. ▪ VPNs help maintain network security and also facilitate anonymous browse from anywhere in the world with an IP address of any chosen location. ▪ Several countries are now implementing ‘Internet Censorship’ as part of the national security laws. This includes content regulation, filtering and blocking policies to suppress the use of free internet Hence, more number of people are opting for VPN services to make use of anonymous browsing feature to overcome the issues associated with monitored internet usage. ▪ VPNs provide ways to bypass the monitoring mechanism and get exposed to global content on the internet. A VPN service is the safest way to browse internet and unblock some of the websites known as geo-restricted sites, which are not accessible within specific geographical regions. ▪ Mobile VPNs facilitate reliable connections, and are used for seamless roaming across networks, and within wireless coverage areas, without losing VPN connectivity or application sessions. ▪ Given the increasing need for secured and private browsing, several router manufacturers (such as Cisco, Linksys, Asus, and Netgear) are deploying VPN connectivity on routers by manufacturing routers with built-in VPN clients. ▪ This not only facilitates additional security and encryption of data transmission by using various cryptographic techniques, but also allows any connected device (smart TVs and gaming consoles among others) to use the VPN network while it is enabled. ▪ Assuring high standards of privacy and anonymous browsing options, VPNs help safeguard the users from hackers and data thefts. Hence, new and better technologies are being developed over time to use in networks, in order to improve the features of existing VPNs. Top VPN services available in the market In order to avail the above mentioned privileges of secured and anonymous internet browsing, there is a need for a best-of-its-kind VPN service subscription. There are quite many VPN services available in the market, however choosing the best one out of them needs lot of research. To make this job easier, we have compiled a list of best VPN services that are top-rated in the current market.

Proxy server What is a proxy server? Proxy server is a computer that sits between a client computer and a real server, and provide indirect network services to a client. It may reside on the user's local computer, or at various points between the user's computer and destination servers on the Internet. In simple words, a proxy server can be described as a computer that offers a computer network service to allow client computers to make indirect network connections to other network services.

A proxy server intercepts all client requests, and provide responses from its cache or forwards the request to the real server. A client computer is connected to the proxy server, which acknowledges client requests by providing the requested resource/data from either a specified server or the local cache memory. Client requests include files, or any other resources available on various servers. Types of Proxy servers Proxy servers are classified into several types based on purpose and functionality. Some of the most common types and their uses can be described as below: Web Proxy It is a common type of proxy application, which responds to the user requests by accessing resources from cached Web pages and files available on remote Web servers. This facilitates quick and reliable access to data for local network clients. If the requested resource is not found in the cache, then a web proxy fetches the file from the remote server, and saves a copy in the cache before returning it to the client. Transparent Proxy Transparent Proxy is mostly used for caching websites and overcoming simple IP bans. However, such proxies do not provide any user anonymity since user’s original IP address is exposed. Transparent proxies are not specifically configured on the client computers. Anonymous Proxy Anonymous proxies do not hide the original IP address of the user; however, they provide adequate anonymity to most user. Such proxies are easily detectable. Distorting Proxy A distorting proxy, identifies itself as a proxy server, and can make an incorrect original IP address available through the http headers. High Anonymity Proxy High anonymity proxy does not identify itself as a proxy server, in addition to preventing the exposure of the original IP address. Tunneling Proxy Tunneling proxies are capable of passing client requests and return responses, without making any modifications. These are also referred to as gateway proxies. Forward Proxy A forward proxy basically responds to client requests by retrieving data from a wide range of sources on the internet. It is also referred to as an Internet-facing proxy. Open Proxy Open proxies belong to the category of forwarding proxy servers, which are accessible by any internet user, since they can receive and return requests from any client computer. Meanwhile, anonymous open proxies are used for user anonymity to conceal the IP address. Reverse Proxy Reverse proxies, also known as surrogates, usually receive requests from the Internet and forward them to internal network servers. A reverse proxy server forwards requests to one or more proxy servers, whose response is returned to the client computer, the user of which has no knowledge on the origin of the response. Where is a Proxy server used? Proxy servers are used for several purposes. If it is used as a caching web proxy, it can dramatically improve performance of a web response. When a request is made by a client, a caching proxy returns response directly from its cache if the document exists. Otherwise, it makes the request to the real server, returns the result, and save it in its cache for later use.

Proxy servers are also used as ‘web proxies’ to filter web page contents. An organization or company may use a proxy server to block offensive web contents from viewed by the users. Considering the growing need within organizations to prevent employees from accessing specific websites, such as myspace.com, proxy servers are being deployed across the computers connected to the intranet.

However, users can also use web proxy servers to access those blocked sites indirectly. These web proxies are built with PHP or CGI to implement the proxying functionality, and provide web access to those sites blocked by corporation and school proxies. Moreover, Internet Service providers (ISPs) may also use proxies to block computer viruses and other offensive contents.

On the other hand, web proxies can also be used to filter the content of web pages, such as offensive or unacceptable content. Some web proxies are able to reformat web pages to suit a specific set of audience, or cater certain organizational or personal internet usage purposes. Further, web proxies can be used to prevent the attack of computer viruses and malware, as well as other hostile content transferred across the internet web pages. Advantages of Proxy servers There are several advantages of Proxy servers. We intend to provide some of the most basic uses of proxy servers. Performance Improvement: Proxy servers also contribute to improved web performance since the results of the user requests are saved in cache memory for a set period of time. This is achieved with the help of a caching proxy server, which could save a large amount of time while catering to the requests from a vast user load. A caching proxy server maintains a local copy of frequently requested web content. Hence, it can accelerate service requests by retrieving content from the cache memory, if it had already been requested by another client on the same network. This feature contributes to a significant reduction in upstream bandwidth usage and costs for large organizations with thousands of employees. Monitoring and Filtering User Requests As discussed earlier, web proxies can be used to filter user requests, and block certain content or web pages from being accessed. This can be achieved with the help of a content-filtering web proxy server that differentiates the users’ level of control over the content, based on the user type – Guest or Administrator.

Content-filtering proxies are generally used in organizations and educational institutions with strict internet-usage policies. Blocking certain websites, and restricting access to specific key words and censoring undesirable content are some of the basic features provided by content-filtering or web-filtering proxies. However, there are certain web proxies that are used to bypass geo-restrictions and censorship regulations by using certain advanced services that help access resources from blacklisted web locations. Anonymous Browsing An anonymous proxy server is another type of web proxy that anonymizes users’ online activities. This type of proxy server directs the user requests to a destination server, which ultimately has no knowledge of the source of the request. Only the proxy is aware of the source of the request, including the user IP address and location. Advertisements targeting specific geographical regions Web Proxies can also be used to validate and verify geo-targeted advertisements. Servers of such ads validate the source IP address of the user request, and determine the geographic location of the request with the help of a geo-IP database. The user requests are responded via proxy servers that are located within the respective geographical location, to ensure that advertisements displayed are purely relevant to the users’ location. Translation Considering the global audiences, translation proxies have been developed to localize/translate the content of a source website into a local language of the client computer. Responses for requests sent by local users are replaced with translated content from the source website, and passed back through the proxy server. Some translation proxies also provide additional services such as excluding source content or substituting source content with original local content.

What is Smart DNS? We know it’s a bit Tech-Savvy Term! Hence, to get you started, it is essential to understand some basic networking terms, getting into the technical details of Smart DNS servers.

IP Address: Just how any geographical location is identified using latitudes and longitude data, a computer (or any device) that is connected to internet network is assigned an IP address. An IP address is a numerical label that stands for Internet Protocol. It plays a significant role in data transmission – both delivering and routing data accurately.

IP address is assigned by the Internet Service Provider (ISP) and is a fixed numerical label that does not change unless you reset your router/modem or request for a new IP; or on an advanced scale, use a VPN or Smart DNS server etc. We shall discuss Smart DNS servers in the later sections of the article.

How to find my IP address? There are several ways to do that. However, one simple way to find out the current IP address of your device (at any location) is to access www.whatsmyipaddress.com or www.whatsmyip.org and there you go.

Proxy Server: A proxy server is an intermediate channel between two computers (clients), or, in the case of web proxies, a computer (client) and the World Wide Web (server). When a client computer requests for a file (on a shared network) or a web location (on the internet using a URL) then the proxy server serves the request by establishing a connection with the specific server; or returning data from cache memory.

Domain Name System (DNS): DNS translates internet names into IP addresses by automatically converting the web address (e.g., www.iplocation.com) to the corresponding IP address of its host web server. In simple words, it is a naming system that maps domain names to their equivalent IP addresses to enable communication between different computers.

What is Smart DNS Proxy Server?

One top reason to use a Smart DNS proxy server is to access geo-restricted content from around the world. Consider you are located in the UK, and would like to access Netflix US catalogue, it is then that the Smart DNS proxy server actually comes in handy.

What can a Smart DNS proxy server do?

Smart DNS is a bypass route that collects and sends data via a different computer server route instead of the regular path. A Smart DNS proxy server collects data related to your computer’s geographical location and re-route it through a computer server. This server is provided by your Smart DNS proxy server service provider, and will be located in the region where the specific website/content is accessible. The server is located in the region that's permitted to access the region-blocked content that the user is trying to view, thus letting them access content from a different part of the world.

Installing a smart DNS is easy, and does not involve any third-party applications to be installed on your PC. Get registered for a Smart DNS proxy server service provider, change your DNS settings on your device/router, connect to a Smart DNS server, and access content from any geographical location.

Some of the best Smart DNS proxy server service providers include Getflix, Unlocator, Overplay, Unblock US, Smart DNS proxy and much more. Once you change the DNS of your device to connect to a Smart DNS server located in the specific region of your choice, you can sit back, and access global content in a quick and easy manner.

How does a Smart DNS differ from a VPN?

Smart DNS is a protocol that can be used to re-route traffic required for determining your geographical location; whereas, a VPN service creates a tunnel that changes or masks your IP to make it appear you are accessing the site from another location. However, unlike a VPN, Smart DNS does not provide encryption or hide your IP address.

One major difference between Smart DNS and a VPN is Speed, Security, Privacy and Anonymity. While a Smart DNS proxy server does not hamper the speed of your internet connection and is easier to install and more user-friendly; a VPN service provides anonymity, security and privacy when compared to Smart DNS proxy server.