I worked it around by adding the VPN on my router instead of Apple TV app.
HBO Max for example blocks if the NordVPN is on but don’t complain if the VPN is active on router level
You will need a router that supports it. I have an Asus RT-AX86S, and it allows you to configure multiple VPN providers and then assign one or more devices to those VPN profiles, so you could have one machine using Nord and another using a corporate VPN at the office, for example. It also has a VPN server built-in.
You can disable the WiFi on your providers one, then plug your own into that, that's the easiest way, it is possible to get it working directly with your ISPs help, but not super aware of the details, I'm a software guy not a networking guy
When this has happened to me in the past, I found disconnecting the vpn, clearing internet history, including cookies, then choosing a new location in the UK worked.
It can tell your using a VPN because your public IP address (when using a VPN) = a known VPN IP.
When using a VPN your host machine connects to the internet via the VPN provider and thusly your public facing IP is the VPN providers IP. Most VPN providers IP addresses are known, if you want a true VPN you would be best off hosting one via GCP, AWS or other cloud service providers.
Also to note, all your internet traffic is funnelled through the VPN provider, so you are passing the onus of trust onto the VPN provider rather than your ISP to not take advantage of you/sell your information or data. Never use a free VPN if you like your data.
Does it not ask for a postcode when setting up? I got it working for a bit and then it seemed to figure it out that the nonsense I provided on setup was nonsense.
That was my next question. It won't cast for me. Nord VPN on the phone, show starts playing on phone browser but it won't cast to TV. Same issue with standalone Chrome cast, inbuilt chrome cast in LG TV and TCL, and won't mirror screen. Annoying but not sure why it's an issue. At some point in the last couple of years chrome cast started acting up and refusing to cast, ahem, content of questionable origin, but this should work
I don't have either, but send the link anyway. I've resisted the lure of the fire stick etc so far, but I may not hold out forever.
Currently i just have the telly hooked up to the WiFi and we just stream from the various apps. I haven't had a "real" telly connection for around 3 years
If you have revolut and one of the higher packages , you get NordVPN free , and if you use that (especially via Edinburgh or Glasgow vpns) you can access Iplayer , although I've only ever been able to use the website , not the app.
The month I got the letter I had downloaded all the Star Trek TNG series in blue ray, among a few other bits. I’m pretty sure I downloaded over 1TB. It was the first month I had my very own full fibre broadband connection, I appreciated it so much 😂 I was more careful after that.
Actually, considering it now, 15 years later, I’m uploading and downloading about 1TB per month now, from 2 WFH employees and general streaming. Crazy the way things change lol
Brave is the best. No need for any plugins etc.. just works... and you can even disable shorts on youtube.. no shorts, on ads.. youtube feels good again
I contacted my ISP and said I do a lot of IT security work from home, so that's why my data packages are so large... I don't work in IT security, but that stopped virgin asking questions for the last 9 years with several tbs downloaded over that
That took a multi year effort coordinated between multiple international agencies to take down a darkweb CSAM hub. They're not going to do the same to stop you uploading Sabrina Carpenter.
Yes, my vpn provider isn't going to comply with anything else than an international search warrant. Since I'm not doing anything criminal, not a concern. ISPs have been known to fold after a strongly worded letter.
Mullvad literally got a warrant served to seize all of their hard drives at a location, and the cops in Sweden left with nothing because they didn't have any hard drive like storage on their servers.
We have had to remove your post as it breaks our founding rule, No politics/religion. The only way this sub continues to be a nice place to be,
is by not allowing controversial discussions about politics, religion etc.
There's plenty of other subs available to have those chats, so there's no need here.
Comments or posts breaking this rule may incur a ban.
We have had to remove your post as it breaks our founding rule, No politics/religion. The only way this sub continues to be a nice place to be,
is by not allowing controversial discussions about politics, religion etc.
There's plenty of other subs available to have those chats, so there's no need here.
Comments or posts breaking this rule may incur a ban.
This is the succinct answer to that. Your Irish ISP is subject to EU data protection rules. Your VPN provider probably isn’t. Ask yourself how things like NordVPN are free. They’re selling your data.
Reselling bandwidth like a VPN company does is insanely profitable. The only issue is the legal and moral hazards you bring on yourself to do it correctly and not keep logs.
This is the general rule of thumb: Anything vendor-supplied is intentionally crippled in functionality, and is only useful in bridge ("modem") mode that does nothing but provide an uplink to your own equipment, that is under your full control. Of course telecoms won't provide you with anything that hinders them.
I have virgin media at home, is there any way I can buy a router to attach to it and have the vpn on that router ?
Grateful if you could point me towards a guide😵💫
Yes. Look at Ubiquiti devices. https://eu.store.ui.com/eu/en/category/all-cloud-gateways?sort=lowest-price
You probably want one with built in wireless unless you have separate wireless access points.
Turn off the Wifi on your virgin box and plug everything out of the LAN ports. Plug LAN1 into the WAN port of the Ubiquiti gateway.
You can set up a VPN client on the Ubiquiti box pretty easily. You will need to pay for a VPN service from e.g. Proton. You can implement Traffic Routes to only tunnel specific devices to the VPN.
I have found my LG C9 TV works mostly fine, but my Samsung Frame TV wants to do a factory reset each time it thinks its region has changed, so that's just used without the VPN. I can pause the Traffic Route to the LG TV from the Unifi app on my phone to allow me to watch things that require the TV to appear to be in Ireland, like RTE Player or Now TV, and I can unpause it to use apps (and install apps) that require me to be somewhere else.
A bit of ChatGPT will help you configure everything. I already had a Ubiquiti Dream Machine Pro and a Proton account (for email) and I was able to get it all up and running in about 10 minutes from my phone while sitting on the couch.
I mean, I had to ask them to transfer it to ipv4 to enable the option to transition it to bridge mode, but beyond that - I run my router with some customised firmware.
I'm not sure what brands of routers have built in genpop-friendly vpn clients (apart from gl.inet, that's the only one I know of, but there are probably more) - but each particular models' setup manual would be the right guide.
I’ve worked on ISP networks for more than two decades, we’ve enough to be doing without snooping on customer traffic (most of which is encrypted these days anyway, VPNs or not).
I think you’re severely over-estimating how much interest your ISP has in any of your traffic except at a macro, aggregated network planning level.
I also think that if any of the worst-case data retention rules ever came into force in the EU you’d quickly find that VPN providers are just another kind of ISP.
But your precautions are your business, not my place to tell you you’re wrong.
I got a letter from eir last year for downloading a song (forgot to switch on vpn). The warning was for uploading though, not downloading so if you can leech but not seed you may get away with it. The warning was for a year and if I'd had two more I'd have been disconnected. VPN is always on now.
I think the protocol forces it, would be a client knocking around that you can just download otherwise I imagine. I set my max uploads to 0 so at least it doesn't seed when finished and I don't have to keep an eye on it.
Good stuff. You shouldn't do this..... But if its srt up with kill switch. So if the VPN drops it terminates the torrent program..... Of course you shouldn't do this
Yea and they will have no idea who you are if you use a VPN.
Again don't put a kill switch on so you don't end up ensuring no gaps in the VPN service running while downloading or seeding. Wouldn't want to hide what you are doing or anything
Interested to hear peoples experiences too, its certainly been about 8 or more years since I got a letter or email or whatever used to come in from my ISP which was eir at the time.
Iv been downloading heavily for years without a vpn and have never received any letters or warnings. As long as you don't upload they dont seem to care.
I keep my ratio at 2. Have been doing that for possibly 20 years now. Never heard anything. Just avoided Eir when they were known to be sending out letters. They were usually the most expensive ISP anyway
I got a letter a long time ago, from eir it was specifically for a song.
I have Qbittorrent set to seed up to 2.5 times. And not a peep from anyone.
An thinking of getting a VPN for things like the BBC player too.
I recently got one for the first time. Set it up on my firestick for obvious reasons. No idea if I wasted my money or whether it was a good investment. The media scare mongering got to me.
How necessary doing what? We don't (yet) have the same culture of ISPs snooping on the specifics of user Internet usage. The only thing I've heard of people getting letters for is torrent uploading, which I imagine is because you're creating direct legal liability for them. If you aren't doing anything criminal, it's not necessary at all (for now).
It's likely to change, though. The EU is putting Ireland under heavy pressure to introduce mandatory id. At that point, everyone who doesn't want Chinese hackers seeing everything in their spank bank will require a vpn.
For those saying they just disable seeding etc when torrenting this is not a failsafe. you probably just arent grabbing new enough stuff for it to matter. if you connect to a peer that grabs ip's you could get a strike.
note you can get 3 strikes in ireland and you get cut off. there are no fines etc that im aware of.
Torrenting:
yes vpn needed if using public sites.
not needed if you use private sites.
Usenet:
Not needed
DDL (Mega/zippyshare etc)
Not needed
Streaming apps:
Stremio etc - Needed as this uses torrents sometimes
get Real debrid or another debrid service and only use it will fix.
Someone at my address forgot to use their VPN and I got two email warnings in a week from our ISP (Blacknight). This was about four years ago.
They weren't a big seeder or anything either, but they were torrenting two recent episodes of a TV show which I imagine the copyright holders are a bit more gung ho about protecting.
I use Put (dot) io, they download it for me and I ftp from them.
Got a warning letter last year from Vodafone for downloading Rory Gallagher's entire discography, courtesy of Columbia Records. I use Hide Me VPN but must've had it turned off and left it seeding accidentally. I've since changed address and switched to Digiweb, with Vodafone for 14 years prior and download games, movies and music daily, never received any other warnings.
You need to bind the torrent program to the VPN interface to avoid this (so the torrent program can ONLY talk through the VPN). That's an option in the settings.
Depends what you're downloading, if it's torrents I would and also bind your vpn to your torrent client, alternatively get a real debrid account and add it to jdownloader2. There's good information on the reddit piracy megathread or also on FMHY
I was contacted by Vodafone a few years back for downloading a music album, they were giving me a 3 strike system. It seems they get sent IPs of specific torrents and will go after anyone with matching IPs, it was likely due to the seeding (automatic) rather the download but I can't be sure. If you're downloading music, definitely go with a VPN
Been downloading since about 1998/99, had an ISDN business line back then. I got a letter in 2024, and one in 2021 Was using VPN on one of those 3 year deals, had forgot to switch it on. Both times I left the track on seeding & forgot about for ages.
Did not renew VPN when deal expired, not worth the money, even reduced price.
Was with sky for 9 years, torrented terrabytes of movies/shows/games from pirate bay, 1337 and 2 private trackers. I only seed on the private trackers. No vpn and no letter. Switched to eir a week ago and have downloaded about 300gb in torrents since. Gonna wait a full month and see how I get on
Never got a letter in my torrenting career. I have it in my head they would go after seeders sooner than peers so I've QBitTorrent set to 0 active seeds so when a torrent finishes it doesn't seed.
A VPN does not offer the protection you think it will, if a rights owner wants to sue you they will be getting your data from the VPN provider no problem and the VPN exit IPs you think you’re masking yourself with are very well known…
You're technically right, but it's about the threat model. The third party companies that are sending out warning emails to ISPson behalf of copyright holders are not going to spend money on the legal process of compelling a VPN provider to provide your information. Now, if you were doing something that makes a government mad then you're absolutely right, a VPN won't protect you in the slightest.
I use it to watch BBC iPlayer.
iplayer seems to be able to tell i'm using a vpn for some reason and refuses to let me watch anything
It's because of cookies I believe. I had the same issue but realized that I could use my VPN to watch iPlayer if I opened the page in incognito mode.
I worked it around by adding the VPN on my router instead of Apple TV app. HBO Max for example blocks if the NordVPN is on but don’t complain if the VPN is active on router level
How do you add NordVPN to the router lvl?
You will need a router that supports it. I have an Asus RT-AX86S, and it allows you to configure multiple VPN providers and then assign one or more devices to those VPN profiles, so you could have one machine using Nord and another using a corporate VPN at the office, for example. It also has a VPN server built-in.
Can you swap out that asus instead of using an eir/virgin router? Or do you still need the providers router
You can disable the WiFi on your providers one, then plug your own into that, that's the easiest way, it is possible to get it working directly with your ISPs help, but not super aware of the details, I'm a software guy not a networking guy
Thanks. I don't really have room for 2 devices in the location its in so really hoping for a box that does it all.
You can Swap the Eir/Virgin with the new router. I’ve done it with Virgin a while ago and now I use Eir connected directly to my TP Link router.
When this has happened to me in the past, I found disconnecting the vpn, clearing internet history, including cookies, then choosing a new location in the UK worked.
It can tell your using a VPN because your public IP address (when using a VPN) = a known VPN IP.
When using a VPN your host machine connects to the internet via the VPN provider and thusly your public facing IP is the VPN providers IP. Most VPN providers IP addresses are known, if you want a true VPN you would be best off hosting one via GCP, AWS or other cloud service providers.
Also to note, all your internet traffic is funnelled through the VPN provider, so you are passing the onus of trust onto the VPN provider rather than your ISP to not take advantage of you/sell your information or data. Never use a free VPN if you like your data.
Say VPN again
MVP
That’s a good explanation. Thank you
No issues with iplayer with CyberGhost. Find it great in general in fact.
i had that problem last year but tried it recently and it worked watched some dr who episodes
How do you bypass the "Do you have a TV licence?" question though. Do you lie and press "Yes" even though you don't?
When I was seventeen years and eleven months I clicked 'Yes' on Pornhub's 'Are you eighteen or over?' question.
I've never felt so alive.
We'll be in trouble if they ever ask for more details... I love the BBC iPlayer and use Get iPlayer to download programmes without DRM
No you won't. I use the post code of a shopping centre in Newry if they ask for one. I have been doing it since the iplayer was launched.
I use a fake postcode too. What I meant was if they asked for an actual license number.
I mean .. I have A TV Licence ...
Same
That'd be handy. I need to look into this. Getting a new router / modem setup soon as Skys router is pants in my messily laid out house
Does it not ask for a postcode when setting up? I got it working for a bit and then it seemed to figure it out that the nonsense I provided on setup was nonsense.
I use W1A 1AA. It's the postcode of BBC Broadcasting House in central London.
W12 8QT... remembering the address from Swap Shop has come in handy!
Yeah, you need an account linked to a UK postcode, but that’s fairly easy to create
Is there a good free one to use for that? It’s the only reason I want to get a vpn
I use Nord which I get free with my Revolut plan.
Oh cool. Must look that up thanks
Hey, what do you watch on? Web browser? Or do you have the app?
Getting the app was too much of a pain so I just watch it via a browser, sometimes cast to the TV via the phone.
That was my next question. It won't cast for me. Nord VPN on the phone, show starts playing on phone browser but it won't cast to TV. Same issue with standalone Chrome cast, inbuilt chrome cast in LG TV and TCL, and won't mirror screen. Annoying but not sure why it's an issue. At some point in the last couple of years chrome cast started acting up and refusing to cast, ahem, content of questionable origin, but this should work
I can send you a video how to side load the iplayer app if you have firestick/tv box
I don't have either, but send the link anyway. I've resisted the lure of the fire stick etc so far, but I may not hold out forever.
Currently i just have the telly hooked up to the WiFi and we just stream from the various apps. I haven't had a "real" telly connection for around 3 years
Same
seconded
If you have revolut and one of the higher packages , you get NordVPN free , and if you use that (especially via Edinburgh or Glasgow vpns) you can access Iplayer , although I've only ever been able to use the website , not the app.
Thats what i had a VPN for, but the BBC kept updating, and then the VPN had to update, and so on and sor forth
And you can even vote on Strictly 😉
I got 1 letter 15 years ago telling me to stop downloading so much else I’ll be moved to a business line. Was with UPC, now Virgin Media.
I didn’t stop, they didn’t move me to a business line.
What was your usage per month?
The month I got the letter I had downloaded all the Star Trek TNG series in blue ray, among a few other bits. I’m pretty sure I downloaded over 1TB. It was the first month I had my very own full fibre broadband connection, I appreciated it so much 😂 I was more careful after that.
Actually, considering it now, 15 years later, I’m uploading and downloading about 1TB per month now, from 2 WFH employees and general streaming. Crazy the way things change lol
If it was 15 years ago it was not a full fibre line on Virgin Media. Likely HFC (hybrid fibre coax, so fibre to the cabinet and coax to the house).
Since it was 15 years ago, I'd say at least 10GB.
Majority of people don’t seed, and movies nowadays are minuscule bandwidth compared with a weekly fortnite update of 12Gb…
VPNs are handy for blocking ads on youtube or opening a BBC iplayer account thingy.
how to block ads on youtube with a vpn?
Set to Albania. YouTube ads are market specific and they haven't got any to show Albania.
Gonna try this later. Didn't know about it. I presume it will work on iPhone?
I don't have one but I'm guessing it will.
I got a pop up saying to disable my von or proxy
As they said Albania. But use unlock origin on Firefox works better. Blocks ads in other places that way
I think some VPNs have a built in Adblocker but I’m not sure
Can just use Brave browser on a phone or plenty of plugins like uBlock Origin lite for Chrome.
Brave is the best. No need for any plugins etc.. just works... and you can even disable shorts on youtube.. no shorts, on ads.. youtube feels good again
This but with Firefox. Brave is still Chromium based
If Andorra doesn’t work try Albania
Just use uBlockOrigin
Or just paste the YouTube link into skipcut.com.
And the rest. Sure call of duty updates are at least 80gb nowadays sometimes 150+ when they mess it up.
3 games installed on the ps5 and it’s already 400gb+. Games so bloated these days
People who don't seed should be executed.
you don't need vpn for YouTube
just put ublock on
Easier to use vpn on google/android tv’s
smart tube app
bro
I dont use any and only caught once back in the limewire days, rip sweet prince sleep well
Bearshare was a risky mistress
Fuck, you just unlocked repressed memories there 🤣🤣
Same here, think it was a Lily Allen mp3.
disturbed - land of confusion
I’ve been torrenting since 2010 without a VPN and haven’t heard anything.
i pirate a lot. so many years ... never an issue
Same for years, no vpn, never an issue.
fitgirl and stremio+torrentio add on is all i need
Same when it comes to games, movies and TV shows, but I was caught out on downloading a music album from Linkin Park
I contacted my ISP and said I do a lot of IT security work from home, so that's why my data packages are so large... I don't work in IT security, but that stopped virgin asking questions for the last 9 years with several tbs downloaded over that
Whatever you do, don’t use a VPN, set it to Albania so that you get no ads on YouTube.
I would not recommend this. It’s not ethical and poor Google will lose money………………..
Don’t upvote this to tell others……..
At all times. My ISP has no business poking around my network traffic, so it's set up on the router level.
Are your VPN provider more trustworthy than your ISP?
This is an excellent question that never gets talked about. I think people don't realize that VPN providers can see what you are doing.
Everyone thought Tor was great until they realised that certain government agencies were running Tor exit nodes...
That took a multi year effort coordinated between multiple international agencies to take down a darkweb CSAM hub. They're not going to do the same to stop you uploading Sabrina Carpenter.
Well they should.
It was literally invented by the US navy. If you're not browsing the regular web with it, you don't even use an exit node either.
And even with them running exit nodes, what in the end always brings dark markets down is their opsec failures, and not traffic analysis.
With audited open source VPNs like ProtonVPN, yes. Yes they are.
Mullvad is another good one.
You can literally post mullvad cash if you don't want them knowing who you are.
Most good VPN operators do separate the account from payment for the account on their end too, but still want a card/paypal payment.
Mullvad also accepts Monero
And you can just generate a new account whenever you want to
I use nothing but Mullvad.
For some reason I thought mullvad didn't allow P2P =S that's why I went with airvpn.
Yes, my vpn provider isn't going to comply with anything else than an international search warrant. Since I'm not doing anything criminal, not a concern. ISPs have been known to fold after a strongly worded letter.
And for decent vpn providers - even a whatever warrant will not yield anything useful.
Mullvad literally got a warrant served to seize all of their hard drives at a location, and the cops in Sweden left with nothing because they didn't have any hard drive like storage on their servers.
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We have had to remove your post as it breaks our founding rule, No politics/religion. The only way this sub continues to be a nice place to be, is by not allowing controversial discussions about politics, religion etc. There's plenty of other subs available to have those chats, so there's no need here.
Comments or posts breaking this rule may incur a ban.
Send us a modmail if you have any questions.
We have had to remove your post as it breaks our founding rule, No politics/religion. The only way this sub continues to be a nice place to be, is by not allowing controversial discussions about politics, religion etc. There's plenty of other subs available to have those chats, so there's no need here.
Comments or posts breaking this rule may incur a ban.
Send us a modmail if you have any questions.
Wasn't there a study showing lots commercial vpns are directly or indirectly owned by China
https://preview.redd.it/iakoyj64cwcg1.jpeg?width=1170&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=572cce996b8c631cef27b6aa0b4533c4cc5c152a
This is the succinct answer to that. Your Irish ISP is subject to EU data protection rules. Your VPN provider probably isn’t. Ask yourself how things like NordVPN are free. They’re selling your data.
nordvpn isn't free?
Reselling bandwidth like a VPN company does is insanely profitable. The only issue is the legal and moral hazards you bring on yourself to do it correctly and not keep logs.
It’s essentially free. Given away in lots of products. They certainly don’t cover their costs from the subscriptions.
There are exactly two trustworthy vpn providers: Proton and Mullvad.
Regarding the rest of them - you're absolutely correct.
Yeah I’m a big fan of Mullvad. You can pay them in cash too!
Can you do that with a telecom supplied router like Virgin medias hub or do you need to buy a third party one?
This is the general rule of thumb: Anything vendor-supplied is intentionally crippled in functionality, and is only useful in bridge ("modem") mode that does nothing but provide an uplink to your own equipment, that is under your full control. Of course telecoms won't provide you with anything that hinders them.
I have virgin media at home, is there any way I can buy a router to attach to it and have the vpn on that router ? Grateful if you could point me towards a guide😵💫
Yes. Look at Ubiquiti devices. https://eu.store.ui.com/eu/en/category/all-cloud-gateways?sort=lowest-price You probably want one with built in wireless unless you have separate wireless access points. Turn off the Wifi on your virgin box and plug everything out of the LAN ports. Plug LAN1 into the WAN port of the Ubiquiti gateway. You can set up a VPN client on the Ubiquiti box pretty easily. You will need to pay for a VPN service from e.g. Proton. You can implement Traffic Routes to only tunnel specific devices to the VPN. I have found my LG C9 TV works mostly fine, but my Samsung Frame TV wants to do a factory reset each time it thinks its region has changed, so that's just used without the VPN. I can pause the Traffic Route to the LG TV from the Unifi app on my phone to allow me to watch things that require the TV to appear to be in Ireland, like RTE Player or Now TV, and I can unpause it to use apps (and install apps) that require me to be somewhere else.
A bit of ChatGPT will help you configure everything. I already had a Ubiquiti Dream Machine Pro and a Proton account (for email) and I was able to get it all up and running in about 10 minutes from my phone while sitting on the couch.
Ubiquiti isn't exactly consumer-grade. Something like Gl.Inet would be more suitable for the genpop, I think.
Appreciate that 👍
I mean, I had to ask them to transfer it to ipv4 to enable the option to transition it to bridge mode, but beyond that - I run my router with some customised firmware.
I'm not sure what brands of routers have built in genpop-friendly vpn clients (apart from gl.inet, that's the only one I know of, but there are probably more) - but each particular models' setup manual would be the right guide.
I've never had a problem with asking my ISP for setup details for my own router.
I promise you that your ISP has no interest in poking around your network traffic.
I'm sorry, but I don't know who you are, and therefore your promise means nothing to me.
I’ve no real comeback to that!
I’ve worked on ISP networks for more than two decades, we’ve enough to be doing without snooping on customer traffic (most of which is encrypted these days anyway, VPNs or not).
I know how web traffic works, and it's not even a matter of encryption - my dns queries are none of the ISP's business, source and destination IPs are not the ISPs business, and what is not covered by the "most" that you mention - is also not the ISP's business.
And by extension - not the state's, or the EU's.
https://edri.org/our-work/cjeu-saved-the-hadopi-what-implications-for-the-future-of-data-retention-in-the-eu/
I think you’re severely over-estimating how much interest your ISP has in any of your traffic except at a macro, aggregated network planning level.
I also think that if any of the worst-case data retention rules ever came into force in the EU you’d quickly find that VPN providers are just another kind of ISP.
But your precautions are your business, not my place to tell you you’re wrong.
I got a letter from eir last year for downloading a song (forgot to switch on vpn). The warning was for uploading though, not downloading so if you can leech but not seed you may get away with it. The warning was for a year and if I'd had two more I'd have been disconnected. VPN is always on now.
Not seeding is a dick move. Sharing is caring.
I've tried a few different clients and have never seen the option to not seed while downloading
I think the protocol forces it, would be a client knocking around that you can just download otherwise I imagine. I set my max uploads to 0 so at least it doesn't seed when finished and I don't have to keep an eye on it.
Where did you download the song from?
It was a torrent
https://thepiratebay7.com/
Good stuff. You shouldn't do this..... But if its srt up with kill switch. So if the VPN drops it terminates the torrent program..... Of course you shouldn't do this
The letter made it clear that eir don't monitor my internet usage, they were contacting me on behalf of IMRO who do monitor internet usage
Yea and they will have no idea who you are if you use a VPN.
Again don't put a kill switch on so you don't end up ensuring no gaps in the VPN service running while downloading or seeding. Wouldn't want to hide what you are doing or anything
I got an email from Sky saying they had been notified - their details were right so I went back on a VPN
Did you get a Nord VPN renewal notification today too?
Interested to hear peoples experiences too, its certainly been about 8 or more years since I got a letter or email or whatever used to come in from my ISP which was eir at the time.
120TB downloaded in the last year and I am yet to get a notification
Iv been downloading heavily for years without a vpn and have never received any letters or warnings. As long as you don't upload they dont seem to care.
Leech with no seed... Come on man.... It only works if people seed
I keep my ratio at 2. Have been doing that for possibly 20 years now. Never heard anything. Just avoided Eir when they were known to be sending out letters. They were usually the most expensive ISP anyway
Do you trust Musk, Zuck and the rest of them?
I got a letter a long time ago, from eir it was specifically for a song. I have Qbittorrent set to seed up to 2.5 times. And not a peep from anyone. An thinking of getting a VPN for things like the BBC player too.
I recently got one for the first time. Set it up on my firestick for obvious reasons. No idea if I wasted my money or whether it was a good investment. The media scare mongering got to me.
Just don't download music through eir. Imro and eir are the only ones who care.
I never used one and have no letters. These days I use real-debrid rather than run my own torrent client.
How necessary doing what? We don't (yet) have the same culture of ISPs snooping on the specifics of user Internet usage. The only thing I've heard of people getting letters for is torrent uploading, which I imagine is because you're creating direct legal liability for them. If you aren't doing anything criminal, it's not necessary at all (for now).
It's likely to change, though. The EU is putting Ireland under heavy pressure to introduce mandatory id. At that point, everyone who doesn't want Chinese hackers seeing everything in their spank bank will require a vpn.
For those saying they just disable seeding etc when torrenting this is not a failsafe. you probably just arent grabbing new enough stuff for it to matter. if you connect to a peer that grabs ip's you could get a strike.
note you can get 3 strikes in ireland and you get cut off. there are no fines etc that im aware of.
Torrenting:
yes vpn needed if using public sites.
not needed if you use private sites.
Usenet:
Not needed
DDL (Mega/zippyshare etc)
Not needed
Streaming apps:
Stremio etc - Needed as this uses torrents sometimes
get Real debrid or another debrid service and only use it will fix.
Streaming web:
Not needed
Download apps - Kazaa, limewire etc.
Often needed as these function via P2P
Someone at my address forgot to use their VPN and I got two email warnings in a week from our ISP (Blacknight). This was about four years ago.
They weren't a big seeder or anything either, but they were torrenting two recent episodes of a TV show which I imagine the copyright holders are a bit more gung ho about protecting.
I use Put (dot) io, they download it for me and I ftp from them.
It’s great for YouTube and Netflix. I set mine to Albania and you get no ads on YouTube. Love it
I got a letter about two years ago.
Got a warning letter last year from Vodafone for downloading Rory Gallagher's entire discography, courtesy of Columbia Records. I use Hide Me VPN but must've had it turned off and left it seeding accidentally. I've since changed address and switched to Digiweb, with Vodafone for 14 years prior and download games, movies and music daily, never received any other warnings.
You need to bind the torrent program to the VPN interface to avoid this (so the torrent program can ONLY talk through the VPN). That's an option in the settings.
Depends what you're downloading, if it's torrents I would and also bind your vpn to your torrent client, alternatively get a real debrid account and add it to jdownloader2. There's good information on the reddit piracy megathread or also on FMHY
I was contacted by Vodafone a few years back for downloading a music album, they were giving me a 3 strike system. It seems they get sent IPs of specific torrents and will go after anyone with matching IPs, it was likely due to the seeding (automatic) rather the download but I can't be sure. If you're downloading music, definitely go with a VPN
I got a letter from Starlink regarding torrents of Paramount pictures material recently
Got vpn added to my ruter cover all devices in the gaff , for many years no issues
Mate of mine got a warning letter for downloading Michael Bolton's greatest hits,that was about two years ago.
I use a VPN to change my country so I can watch all the content on Netflix.
I got one last year for torrenting music. It was a this is your first of 3 strikes letter. It even had the name of the band 😂
VPNs are a lie
Been downloading since about 1998/99, had an ISDN business line back then. I got a letter in 2024, and one in 2021 Was using VPN on one of those 3 year deals, had forgot to switch it on. Both times I left the track on seeding & forgot about for ages.
Did not renew VPN when deal expired, not worth the money, even reduced price.
Was with sky for 9 years, torrented terrabytes of movies/shows/games from pirate bay, 1337 and 2 private trackers. I only seed on the private trackers. No vpn and no letter. Switched to eir a week ago and have downloaded about 300gb in torrents since. Gonna wait a full month and see how I get on
Not really required anymore unless you torrent or travel a lot.
Mostly optional now unless you torrent or use public WiFi a lot.
depends a lot on what you’re doing and where you live – some ISPs clearly care more than others. i still see random throttling before actual warnings.
Today we are all Albanian 🇦🇱
I have avast vpn on my phone but when I have it on ot still recognises I'm in iteland so won't let me use the bbc sounds app, any advice?
iv been told by my ISP that provided I dont seed its all good
Seeing all the downvotes so adding an edit.
I was TOLD by the ISP that as long as I dont seed its all good, this doesnt mean I dont seed lol
Sharing is caring
oh for sure, I usually seed a fair whack before I let it expire, my ratio is typically 1:3 on seeding
Fairly cunty to not seed though
Oh for sure, i still seed fairly heavily
The type of lad to fuck you in the ass and not even offer a reach around 😒
this caught me completely off guard lol
That old chestnut eh?
Boooooo
Never got a letter in my torrenting career. I have it in my head they would go after seeders sooner than peers so I've QBitTorrent set to 0 active seeds so when a torrent finishes it doesn't seed.
Coward!
Ruining it for the rest of us. Get a VPN and seed
Nah
Uploaders are the only ones to get done. As a seeder, you are only sharing part of a file so you will be fine.
A seeder is someone who has the entire file and is uploading it.
A VPN does not offer the protection you think it will, if a rights owner wants to sue you they will be getting your data from the VPN provider no problem and the VPN exit IPs you think you’re masking yourself with are very well known…
You're technically right, but it's about the threat model. The third party companies that are sending out warning emails to ISPson behalf of copyright holders are not going to spend money on the legal process of compelling a VPN provider to provide your information. Now, if you were doing something that makes a government mad then you're absolutely right, a VPN won't protect you in the slightest.
It will be neccessary very soon after free speech in europe is eradicated