VPN in Pattaya. Which HMA node to use for UK? Will Chromecast work?

[capdagde 1,954]

Hello All

 

Soon to head to Pattaya with tablet and Chromecast.

 

Question 1

I use the HMA Pro (Hide My Ass) virtual personal network in France and connect to UK media via the "France, Paris - Virtual UK" node.

 

I'm confused. In Thailand should I use the "Thailand, Bangkok" node? Surely that will show me as being in Thailand and I won't have access to UK-only media.

 

If I use a UK node will it work/be of sufficient quality?

 

Any HMA users on the board? How do you do it?

 

Question 2

I can't get my Chromecast, "connected" to my home wi-fi box in France to cast UK-only media to my TV, presumably because the media recognise that the Chromecast, although being tasked by a VPN-running "UK-based" tablet, is in France,

 

Any advice?

 

Thanks in advance.

 

Andy Cap

[capdagde 1,954]

Should have put this in Technical Problems and Questions or course - doh!

[frostfire 1,279]

Hi Andy. Long time no see!

 

Answer 1: You are on the right track there. Connect to the UK node you normally use. The BKK node is worthless for your purposes.

 

Answer 2: This one I can't help with. It should work if it uses only the IP to determine location. You may try turning off location services on the tablet and see if that works. Or better yet, download a "fake GPS position" app and set the location to the UK as well and see if that helps. That will send a geodata ping to any requesting service saying you are physically in the UK.

 

That second option is how I get around the play store issues with not issuing certain apps to people over here.

 

Frosty

[jacko 8,822]

I use a different VN provider here in Thailand (IP Vanish) and use UK based servers to watch BBC Iplayer just fine.

[capdagde 1,954]

Many thanks frosty and jacko. I'll look into both your fixes before leaving here.

 

Cheers

 

Andy

[jacko 8,822]

I use a different VPN provider here in Thailand (IP Vanish) and use UK based servers to watch BBC Iplayer just fine.

Not any more I don't..........

BBC IPlayer cracks down!

[capdagde 1,954]

Not any more I don't..........

BBC IPlayer cracks down!

 

Still working here in France jacko.... but who knows for how long.....

[jacko 8,822]

 

Still working here in France jacko.... but who knows for how long.....

Likely depends on which VPN you use and whether the BBC has got the IP addresses on their block-list.

I bet it impacts those actually living in the UK and legitimately using the IPlayer who like the added security of a VPN.

 

The one I use has closed down the threads on their Forum on this subject, I suppose it is bad for business.

A friend of mine uses this and says it still works, not really a VPN. Not suitable for me as I use multiple devices and you pay per device.

 

Sat up a bit late last night watching the Great British Bake-Off live rather than early as I couldn't get into the IPlayer.

[jacko 8,822]

 

Still working here in France jacko.... but who knows for how long.....

After a software update by my VPN provider, normal service has been resumed.

(Interrupted also by loss of internet at the house for a spell).

Edited October 19, 2015 by jacko

[Fireman Sam 336]

Do any of these VPN services slow your internet connection down at all, if so is it noticeable at all ? Just doing a bit of research incase I take the plunge and subscribe to one. I am using Apple computers, not sure if that would make any difference ?

 

 

Regards

[jacko 8,822]

Do any of these VPN services slow your internet connection down at all, if so is it noticeable at all ? Just doing a bit of research incase I take the plunge and subscribe to one. I am using Apple computers, not sure if that would make any difference ?

 

 

Regards

Hard to judge but varies from day to day! In the early days I got an impression it speeded things up. Particularly when Thailand was talking of the single gateway. You have to imagine VPN traffic gets through government blocking and controls a bit faster. That said, I sometimes watch a TV streaming site that doesn't block foreign servers, nor is blocked in Thailand, and I often switch out my VPN when I see the spinning wheel and it improves. Doing Speedtests to UK servers shows it is all over the place anyhow!

[MM 6,562]

Do any of these VPN services slow your internet connection down at all, if so is it noticeable at all ? Just doing a bit of research incase I take the plunge and subscribe to one. I am using Apple computers, not sure if that would make any difference ?

 

 

Regards

I just did a very informal test to a server in New York City, USA with a USA based VPN (Tunnelbear) and without any VPN.

 

The VPN results were 1.19Mbps/0.9 Mbps and the results without the VPN were 15Mbps/3Mbps, so in this case,I would say the VPN slows the data rate considerably.

 

As jacko says above, it does vary all over the place, but my impression overall is that VPN is slower, in spite of what one of my techie friends claims. He says VPN outside Thailand is faster because the Thai censorship software can't spend time searching through it's huge database of blocked sites for the connection you are making. I've just not seen that speedup ever.

[jacko 8,822]

I happened to do a similar check yesterday to a UK server and got similar results to MM. Namely things were much faster without the VPN.

Slightly surprised me......

Again this morning getting 19Mb/2.5 without VPN, and 5.0/2.0 with. Getting 10Mb+ to a UK server is a rarity for me though, I have seen numbers below 1.0Mb mid-afternoon.

 

As long as my target isn't The Daily Mail non-VPN wins out!

Edited October 23, 2015 by jacko

[Fireman Sam 336]

Cheers for the speed test results MM and jacko.

 

Seems they slow things down quite a bit, I presume from the answers the vpn is easily turned on/off and not like some extensions that run all the time ?

 

No chance of me searching for the Daily Mail jacko lol.

 

 

Regards

[jacko 8,822]

Cheers for the speed test results MM and jacko.

 

Seems they slow things down quite a bit, I presume from the answers the vpn is easily turned on/off and not like some extensions that run all the time ?

 

No chance of me searching for the Daily Mail jacko lol.

 

 

Regards

Yeah mine can be switched on and off pretty easily and quickly from a laptop.

You can configure it a variety of ways.