IPVanish VPN Private Account

IPVanish VPN, founded in Orlando, Florida, by Mudhook Media Inc. (a subsidiary of Highwinds Network Group) in 2012, is a VPN service that boasts speed, secure connections, and competitive pricing. It has a substantial server network, with 2,000 individual servers across 75 countries and over 40,000 unique IP addresses, promising fast network speeds and reduced internet traffic congestion.

One key feature of IPVanish is that it claims to own 90% of its data centers, providing greater control over physical and digital security. However, it’s important to note that IPVanish operates within the jurisdiction of the United States, which is part of the 5 Eyes intelligence alliance. This means that they may be subject to data sharing with other countries in the alliance, potentially affecting your privacy.

IPVanish Features:

• IPVanish is compatible with various platforms, including Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, Windows Phone, and routers, allowing it to work with a wide range of devices and connections.
• It offers unlimited simultaneous connections, enabling you to share your subscription with family members or roommates without limitations.
• IPVanish claims not to log personal data. They do not collect, monitor, or track your usage of the service and do not sell or rent personal information. To sign up, you only need an email address and a payment method.
• They track non-personal data, such as page requests, browser type, operating system, bounce rate, and average time spent on their site, using cookies and similar technologies like Google Analytics.
• IPVanish features a kill switch to protect your IP address from being exposed if you lose connection to the VPN network. However, this feature is not available for iOS devices.
• The service offers various tunneling protocols, including IPSec, IKEv2, L2TP, OpenVPN, and the promising WireGuard. These protocols ensure secure data transmission and user privacy.
• IPVanish supports split tunneling, allowing you to connect to both VPN and non-VPN networks simultaneously.
• It provides access to streaming services like Netflix, although not on all servers, and supports torrenting through uTorrent.

Encryption and Protocols:

IPVanish uses AES-256 encryption, the highest-quality encryption available, to protect your data. It also offers various protocols, each with its advantages:

• IPSec (Internet Protocol Security): Encrypts IP packets and serves as a framework for secure transport.
• IKEv2 (Internet Key Exchange Protocol Version 2): A protocol created through IPSec that re-establishes connections when disconnected, suitable for mobile users.
• L2TP (Layer 2 Tunneling Protocol): Combines with IPSec for secure connections, although it lacks encryption on its own.
• OpenVPN: A popular, highly secure, and configurable open-source protocol compatible with various devices.
• TCP (Transmission Control Protocol): Combined with OpenVPN, it offers error correction and reliability.
• UDP (User Datagram Protocol): Faster than TCP but without error correction, suitable for real-time applications.
• WireGuard: A promising new protocol known for its speed, security, and open-source nature, poised to compete with OpenVPN in the future.

While IPVanish had a past incident involving data sharing, it has since maintained a no-logs policy and undergone an independent audit, confirming its commitment to user privacy. However, being based in the United States does raise concerns due to its jurisdiction within the 5 Eyes alliance.

IPVanish VPN offers robust features and security but operates under the jurisdiction of a country that is part of a global intelligence alliance. Users should weigh the benefits and potential privacy implications when considering this service.