VPN for P2P file-sharing helps you in the secure transfer of files, hides sensitive information, and ensures a smooth and private transfer of the data in between the two participating nodes. P2P or peer to peer network is a great way to share and download huge files over the internet.
It is quite famous among the enterprise-level business, and they do it all the time. It’s a good practice to use VPN while sharing data because sometimes it might become illegal due to copyrights. Another factor that supports the use of VPN for P2P file sharing is of privacy.
How can P2P speed up your file-sharing process?
P2P file sharing is a practice to download and share files over the internet using multiple sources. In simple terms, when you try to download something, in the usual case, you get it from a single source.
While in P2P, you get your files from multiple devices that transfer a small part of the same file and thus balancing the load of the data transfer by distribution. All it needs a central system to keep an eye out and synchronize the devices to form a P2P network.
Here, the downloader also becomes an uploader, which makes the system more robust in terms of data sharing. As easy as it may sound, it can be a nightmare to secure the complete order. Hence, P2P is always faster than any standard client-server system.
You might fail to notice the quicker speeds for smaller downloads, but as the download size increases, you’ll see an exponential jump in rates with respect to your data connection limits.
Why you need a VPN for P2P file-sharing?
When you visit any website, your IP address might get registered and is also visible to all the peers you connect with in P2P network. However, with VPN, only the server IP address is visible to everyone.
Privacy is always the primary concern, and you might get into trouble for accessing pirated content or something that is not allowed in your neighborhood. The government often ask your internet service provider to share every bit of data exchange that happens between you and the internet.
P2P file sharing VPN encrypts the incoming and outgoing data. Tunneling the data will make sure that absolutely no-one can know about what you’re connecting with and the sort of data you’re trying to access.
A lot of cases on piracy and illegal data access are surfacing as different government agencies closely monitor the cyber activity. Furthermore, instances of hacking and frauds are also in the limelight. Evading all these privacy, and security issue can be a piece of cake if you use a good VPN. We have handpicked some of the best VPN for P2P file sharing.
How to select a VPN for P2P file-sharing?
There are multiple factors which you must look after while selecting the best VPN for p2p file sharing. We tried multiple VPN’s for weeks and tested them for different validations, such as:
Allowance of P2P
Does your VPN provider allow you to transfer and share data across any P2P network? Always signup with the once that will enable it. Some of the VPN’s block these type of data sharing that makes it impossible for users to use these networks. We have handpicked some of the best VPN’s that allows P2P file sharing.
Kill Switch
Sometimes, your network can be unstable. Also, while using a P2P connection, there might be a chance that your VPN stops functioning randomly due to some technical issue. Kill switch will help you disconnect any incoming and outgoing connections unless your VPN resumes the service. It’s quite a petty little feature that will help you save you from identity leak mishaps.
Jurisdiction, Privacy & Logging Policy
You want a VPN that never logs your activity. Not even for some purpose that claims to improve your user experience by anonymous data collection. Always choose something that never takes note of what you’re visiting and connecting with.
If logs are made, then these can somehow lead to unwanted attention from authorities who demand to keep a check on cyber activities. Some VPN’s keep meta-data logs which are just connection logs and they erase it within 24 hours to 7 days. Generally, this category is considered safe for P2P file sharing.
We also did a background check on where does VPN host their servers, and if it’s somewhere with strict policies then it is a big no-no, best are the ones with almost no watch by authorities whatsoever.
Privacy is destroyed when the local government asks for user data and share it with other entities who eventually file lawsuits on everyone. Our snippet covers the ones that fulfill logging, privacy policy, and proper jurisdiction.
Bandwidth Limitation
Usually, when a consumer is on a P2P network, they consume a lot of data due to the fact that the size of the files is mostly insane. This might use up everything under the usage allowance limits. We bring you some of the best choices to get the real unlimited sharing without any data exchange limits.
Speed & Number of Servers
Some VPN guarantees unlimited speeds, while others cap it at 2Mbps*. It’s quintessential to double-check what sort of speed limits your VPN has in its store. Many of them have data limitation cap of say 250GB/month and then capped speed that will just test your patience.
Number of servers that any particular provider offers and the diversity in their regions also play a significant role in speeds, user distribution, and assures you a quality experience in general.
Best VPN for P2P File Sharing
In this snippet, we share the list of few VPN’s that best matches the criteria. We save you the trouble of choosing by suggesting the better alternatives in this game of networks.
1. Express VPN
With 3000+ servers spread across 94 countries, ExpressVPN makes sure to provide best in class service. Servers are updated quite frequently, which makes sure that you always connect to the best available servers. It also has an option to connect directly to the best accessible location which is quintessential for a stable connection over a p2p network.
It’s compatible with Windows, Mac, Android & iOS device. You can also do a speed test within the app itself to identify and choose the best server. For speeds, a small tip is to select the nearest one or that who gives the least ping.
Furthermore, the company is based out of the British Virgin Islands, that doesn’t come under UK jurisdiction, and hence, it doesn’t directly impose any privacy laws, which is a plus point. Securing user data is again a top priority as Express VPN uses 256bit OpenVPN encryption protocol for every connection to make sure no one has eyes on your Internet activity.
Additionally, it doesn’t save DNS logs, but stores connection logs for troubleshooting purpose, that is another reason to choose Express VPN. Do note that you can only connect three devices in a single go.
2. Nord VPN
Next in the race comes a VPN with its origins in Panama, making it more trustworthy in terms of jurisdiction. Making it even more secure, users get an option to switch over to double encryption, which gives an advantage of 2048 bit SSL encryption.
It also offers double VPN servers that basically connects to two different servers before linking to the target domain. It’s spread across 59 countries with over 1000 different servers to choose and connect.
Apart from this, users can toggle kill switch to drop connection from everywhere when the VPN disconnects by any chance, or you can even specify what apps must stop the data exchange. Nord supports TOR over VPN for privacy freaks.
There’s one small thing which must be taken into account that, not all servers support P2P though there are ample amount of servers to do the job. It’s quite reliable in terms of connection and speed. Making everything better, it doesn’t log user data such as connection logs, DNS logs, or even timestamps.
3. Surfshark
Another great VPN based out of the British Virgin Islands, with no data retention laws to make your life more simpler. It has over 800+ servers in 50+ countries. They have got Android, iOS, windows, and mac applications for you to get started right away. Another important part is, they got an excellent support team that stays live 24/7 and answers your queries within minutes.
They provide AES256 encryption for desktop and smartphones. Furthermore, they have a strict no-logs policy that helps you surf anonymously anywhere. One advantage users can have for Surfshark over Express is of unlimited connections.
It’s quite handy when you have multiple devices that need extra layers of privacy. It also has a Multihop attachment that makes you travel to different countries before connecting to anyone.
4. IPVanish
It’s in the united states. Though there are no data retention laws, it does come under the Five Eyes surveillance alliance. Rest assured, it doesn’t keep any connection logs or DNS logs like anyone else. Uses both L2TP and OpenVPN 256 bit encryption to secure the data exchange. Advantage of using this is that users can get shared IP’s, which can be changed periodically.
Furthermore, it equips users with unlimited bandwidth and supports P2P from its core. It has got a reliable network and good connection speeds with a kill switch that can be toggled as per the user’s requirement. It’s quite simple to use and is compatible with android, iOS, Mac, and a windows based computer.
5. Cyberghost
Origins from Romania and has good privacy policies in place to ensure user data privacy. Cyberghost has over 4800 VPN servers in 60 countries. It doesn’t allow P2P in servers that are located in the USA and Russia. As the name suggests, it will make you a ghost with its no logs policy and powerful 256-bit AES encryption.
Furthermore, it comes with all the standard features like a kill switch and unlimited bandwidth. Users can connect up to 7 devices with a single account. You can expect reliable connections over P2P and good overall speeds.
Conclusion
VPN for P2P file sharing is becoming more of a norm nowadays as everyone out there dealing with P2P networks want an extra layer of privacy to protect their identity. Use any of the above-listed apps and prevent any mishap of identity leaks.
Also, we suggest you to not use any free VPN’s for P2P file-sharing as they don’t provide unlimited bandwidth or will keep logs and are not safe in general. Do comment what VPN did you choose to go with your P2P file sharing adventures.