Wishlist for PIA :3

Toriko

• IPv6 Support : you can get connected to the IPv6 internet through PIA VPN, even without IPv6 support from your internet service provider. (Mullvad)
• Geolocation routing  :  double-hops to an additional server only for specific sites like Hulu so Hulu won't be blocked anymore. (AirVPN)
• Anti-ICANN/OPENNIC DNS  : (AirVPN/Proxy.sh) : Add Dnscrypt features as well. Read : http://blog.lowsnr.net/2014/08/08/dns-privacy-using-opennic-and-dnscrypt/
• Obfsproxy support (proxy.sh)

Feel free to correct and add anymore requests below lol. 

KYJelly

Thank you, @Toriko for creating this post.  Everyone feel free to let us know what your wishlist is~ (Hopefully we can keep this realistic)  >-

KYJelly

@Toriko, I'm going to go ahead and forward these requests to our dev team.  Thanks again!

OmniNegro

I use DNSCrypt with PIA all the time. So I am unsure what you could wish for?

Are you just wanting it to be built into the PIA client?

Toriko

Thank you, @Toriko for creating this post.  Everyone feel free to let us know what your wishlist is~ (Hopefully we can keep this realistic)  >-

Thanks for replying

Toriko

I use DNSCrypt with PIA all the time. So I am unsure what you could wish for?

Are you just wanting it to be built into the PIA client?

Something like that. 

catcher749

I honestly couldn't care less about any of these.

Toriko

I honestly couldn't care less about any of these.

You only use vpn for torrents?

OmniNegro

I use DNSCrypt with PIA all the time. So I am unsure what you could wish for?

Are you just wanting it to be built into the PIA client?

Something like that. 

I think the only way to bundle DNSCrypt with PIA without stepping on any toes would be to implement a "Plugins" tab for the client and have it there.

The reason I say this is that while DNSCrypt is freeware and open source, it is a project we would not want people mistaking as the property of PIA. Credit where credit is due after all.

But at the moment it works just fine with and without the VPN, so I would think of this as a back-burner project if anything.

Toriko

I use DNSCrypt with PIA all the time. So I am unsure what you could wish for?

Are you just wanting it to be built into the PIA client?

Something like that. 

I think the only way to bundle DNSCrypt with PIA without stepping on any toes would be to implement a "Plugins" tab for the client and have it there.

The reason I say this is that while DNSCrypt is freeware and open source, it is a project we would not want people mistaking as the property of PIA. Credit where credit is due after all.

But at the moment it works just fine with and without the VPN, so I would think of this as a back-burner project if anything.

Just wishlists. Yes Dnscrypt is not PIA's. It is opensource and even if they use it, they have to mention those responsible for making it.

I doubt if any of the above will be implemented although other vpns have already.

It is just wishlists.

I was reading this httpx://airvpn.org/topic/1408-dnscrypt/ and they said their dns is already encrypted. I wonder what they mean. 

Osborne_Cox

I know there have been numerous threads about it but would be nice if there was a non-Ruby version of the Windows client without the pinging of servers, logging etc. Just a little app. ^_^

I am using the OpenVPN GUI on Windows as I can't abide the PIA client.

Toriko

I know there have been numerous threads about it but would be nice if there was a non-Ruby version of the Windows client without the pinging of servers, logging etc. Just a little app. ^_^

I am using the OpenVPN GUI on Windows as I can't abide the PIA client.

A lite client is interesting

OmniNegro

I use DNSCrypt with PIA all the time. So I am unsure what you could wish for?

Are you just wanting it to be built into the PIA client?

Something like that. 

I think the only way to bundle DNSCrypt with PIA without stepping on any toes would be to implement a "Plugins" tab for the client and have it there.

The reason I say this is that while DNSCrypt is freeware and open source, it is a project we would not want people mistaking as the property of PIA. Credit where credit is due after all.

But at the moment it works just fine with and without the VPN, so I would think of this as a back-burner project if anything.

Just wishlists. Yes Dnscrypt is not PIA's. It is opensource and even if they use it, they have to mention those responsible for making it.

I doubt if any of the above will be implemented although other vpns have already.

It is just wishlists.

I was reading this httpx://airvpn.org/topic/1408-dnscrypt/ and they said their dns is already encrypted. I wonder what they mean. 

The same is true here if you are using the VPN at the time. All they mean is that everything is tunneled through an encrypted connection before being passed to the DNS.

But the benefit of DNSCrypt is mostly in choice of servers. You are never prompted to decide what server to use with PIA, it basically just decides to throw you on one of the DNS servers they use when you connect.

I believe rather strongly in partitioning trust. While I trust PIA, I do not doubt that if I wait long enough, someone, somewhere will break one or more of their datacenters. By having all my DNS isolated and encrypted, I have already greatly reduced the amount that can be compromised if that were to happen.

(To be fair, there is no evidence this has ever happened, and the chances of it happening by brute force are as low as the chances of Sol going into Red Giant phase in my lifetime. And in case you do not already know, that is likely billions of years from now, and will entirely envelope the Earth in the corona of Sol when it happens. In seconds, the atmosphere will burn off, and in minutes the oceans will have boiled dry. Happy thoughts...)

OmniNegro

I know there have been numerous threads about it but would be nice if there was a non-Ruby version of the Windows client without the pinging of servers, logging etc. Just a little app. ^_^

I am using the OpenVPN GUI on Windows as I can't abide the PIA client.

Does the PIA client not obey the verb levels? (Meaning you can decide what level of logging to do. I think 6 is none at all, and 4 is critical only. It is a setting in the .ovpn files used by the PIA client and OpenVPN as well.)

Osborne_Cox

I don't remember the log contents, but it was mainly the constant drive writes even when disconnected. Can the Windows PIA client be told not to log anything? I see some users log files can get quite big.

OmniNegro

I don't remember the log contents, but it was mainly the constant drive writes even when disconnected. Can the Windows PIA client be told not to log anything? I see some users log files can get quite big.

You know, I am not so sure anymore. I do not see the setting in the C:\Program Files\pia_manager\data\settings.json file that I would expect it to be in. Next time I connect I will try backing it up and adding "verb":"6" and see if it takes or not.

nezzz

- More servers in Asia (Singapore, HK, Malaysia)

- DD-WRT router addon

- In-built PBR for PIA app

- More VPN protocols for tinfoil users

OmniNegro

Aluminum Foil Deflector Beanies. 'Nuff said.

BeefJerky

-- Transparency report and warrant canary

I consider these extremely important for a business whose main selling point is privacy and security. Failure to implement these is enough to make me look elsewhere when my subscription is up.

cosmoxl

What is PBR for PIA app?

user1234

I want the openvpn config files for higher encryption. How hard can this be that we are waiting for months. Do this simple thing first and then we talk about anything harder. 

OmniNegro

I don't remember the log contents, but it was mainly the constant drive writes even when disconnected. Can the Windows PIA client be told not to log anything? I see some users log files can get quite big.

You know, I am not so sure anymore. I do not see the setting in the C:\Program Files\pia_manager\data\settings.json file that I would expect it to be in. Next time I connect I will try backing it up and adding "verb":"6" and see if it takes or not.

Well, I tried. And it failed miserably. My system kept starting new instances of Rubyw.exe and pia_manager.exe until I killed them all and removed it.

*Edit* So my little addition to the wishlist is the same as Osborn_Cox. The ability to remove the local logging feature in the PIA client. And the client spiraled so far into doom when I changed that, that I had to reinstall. Oh well.

Toriko

Actually, if PIA implements Obfsproxy, they will get subscribers from mainland china, pakistan, iran and so on. 

There is something called 'meek', I wonder if its anything better.

https://trac.torproject.org/projects/tor/wiki/doc/meek

I think PIA should distinguish itself as not just for people who want to download torrents but as a strong partner in internet privacy and internet freedom.

When there are protests in Hong Kong or else where, people should download PIA vpn lol. Of course, there maybe be a lot of heat for it. Just what I think. 

Or maybe they are better off using TOR.

OmniNegro

I would love combating censorship in China, but it would destroy privacy for everyone else. The reason is that China would basically destroy any datacenter that PIA could even use instantly. The datacenter would either stop hosting anything that allowed Chinese citizens to evade the mandatory firewall of China, or they would themselves be shut down and likely have all hardware seized and the owner/operator imprisoned.

Tor can work purely because it is so small a scale. There is no major Tor datacenters in China or anywhere else that bans free speech and reading articles critical of the nation/faction/beliefs in question.

And even that does result in quite a few losing their freedom (even more of it) when the police/whomever catches them.

*Edit* Hong Kong is an exception, but not a lasting one in all likelihood.

Osborne_Cox

What is PBR for PIA app?

Policy-based routing.

OmniNegro

What is PBR for PIA app?

Policy-based routing.

Somehow I missed this one. Good catch Osborne_Cox.

PBR is in effect, the ability to use the VPN for some things, and have others not use the VPN. For instance, you may want some applications like Torrent clients to always use the VPN, but may want to do all manner of nonsense that requires you to login to sites that strictly block the VPN. A good and fairly recent example is watching Hulu/Netflix. (I am not sure Netflix is actually blocking VPNs, or just saying they may soon.)

PBR can be done in all manner of different ways. It can be based on what port is used by the application to connect, it may be based on what IP data is being sent to and received from, and it may be based on the actual applications themselves.

Not all OSes will even support all methods this can be done, and at current, it is a *VERY* advanced subject. If PIA had this, they could probably double the fees they charged just because of the PBR.

cosmoxl

oh, I should have known what PBR is.  Just never seen it in acronym.  All I could think of was Pabst Blue Ribbon. 

yeah, other VPN providers have a client that allows the user to configure routes.  nice thing for power users.

regarding logging of the client, that's already been covered a long time ago.  if you create a file in the PIA manager directory called "nolog" with no extension, that's supposed to stop the client from logging.

Toriko

@Omninegro : Kinda true. There are also many vpns that provide services to people in China like Torguard. They use something called 'Stealthvpn'

Maybe there is indeed a way around China blocking all datacenters. 

httpx://torguard.net/stealth-vpn.php

If they can do it, then maybe PIA can do it too. PIA doesn't have to offer it all their servers. Maybe only specific. 

AirVPN has Openvpn over ssl or ssh.

Edit : I think Torguard keeps changing ip pools frequently as well. 

OmniNegro

@Omninegro : Kinda true. There are also many vpns that provide services to people in China like Torguard. They use something called 'Stealthvpn'

Maybe there is indeed a way around China blocking all datacenters. 

httpx://torguard.net/stealth-vpn.php

If they can do it, then maybe PIA can do it too.

AirVPN has Openvpn over ssl or ssh.

Edit : I think Torguard keeps changing ip pools frequently as well. 

I think Torguard has only one good feature. The name. They have nothing at all to do with Tor at any rate, and they offer other "services" that make me doubt they do anything at all. Like "VoIP VPN" services. If I wanted to use a VoIP device/service with a VPN, they are in no way blocking one-another, so it gives me the impression they are trying to peddle snake oil.

Toriko

@Omninegro : Kinda true. There are also many vpns that provide services to people in China like Torguard. They use something called 'Stealthvpn'

Maybe there is indeed a way around China blocking all datacenters. 

httpx://torguard.net/stealth-vpn.php

If they can do it, then maybe PIA can do it too.

AirVPN has Openvpn over ssl or ssh.

Edit : I think Torguard keeps changing ip pools frequently as well. 

I think Torguard has only one good feature. The name. They have nothing at all to do with Tor at any rate, and they offer other "services" that make me doubt they do anything at all. Like "VoIP VPN" services. If I wanted to use a VoIP device/service with a VPN, they are in no way blocking one-another, so it gives me the impression they are trying to peddle snake oil.

I kinda asked them if their service works in China and they said yes. Currently PIA is blocked I think. 

OmniNegro

@Omninegro : Kinda true. There are also many vpns that provide services to people in China like Torguard. They use something called 'Stealthvpn'

Maybe there is indeed a way around China blocking all datacenters. 

httpx://torguard.net/stealth-vpn.php

If they can do it, then maybe PIA can do it too.

AirVPN has Openvpn over ssl or ssh.

Edit : I think Torguard keeps changing ip pools frequently as well. 

I think Torguard has only one good feature. The name. They have nothing at all to do with Tor at any rate, and they offer other "services" that make me doubt they do anything at all. Like "VoIP VPN" services. If I wanted to use a VoIP device/service with a VPN, they are in no way blocking one-another, so it gives me the impression they are trying to peddle snake oil.

I kinda asked them if their service works in China and they said yes. Currently PIA is blocked I think. 

PIA is blocked? They still have 20 servers in Hong Kong. If this is true, can we get a comment on the situation? (It does not matter to me, but likely does to anyone in that area of the world.)