Advice Request Do I need Windscribe with Sophos Home Premium?

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mike6688

Level 2
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Sep 27, 2017
69
I'm using Sophos Home Premium (SHP) and Windscribe VPN together, and as Sophos encrypts anything I type in the browse I'm wondering if I really need Windscribe running at the same time? I only use my laptop at home.
I do currently use Windscribe for AdBlock in Chrome but would install uBlock Origin instead if I stopped using Windscribe as much?
I'm thinking to keep Windscribe on the system and just use it if I connected to public wifi or to browse sites I can't access in the UK, rather than having it constantly running alongside SHP.

Just wondering what your thoughts are on this?
 
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CoherentCrayon

Level 4
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Jun 23, 2017
183
I'm pretty sure Sophos encrypts your keystrokes (not network traffic), which does not affect what's sent through your network. Which means it can't replace a VPN. But on your home network you probably only need a VPN for your scenario - to browse sites you can't access in your country. I'd say, on your home network, only use the VPN if needed (to access geo-blocked sites), but not all the time. You should use a VPN on public networks though.

Regarding ad-blocker, it's your personal opinion which you like. uBlock Origin offers more customization options while the ad-blocker in Windscribe might be a little easier to use. You can use the adblocker in Windscribe without having the VPN enabled if I remember right. Try both and see which you like. I personally prefer uBlock Origin over the ad-blocker in Windscribe. But if you switch to uBlock Origin, remember to turn off the ad-blocker (and anti-tracking, anti-beacon etc) in Windscribe to avoid conflicts
 
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zzz00m

Level 6
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Jun 10, 2017
248
+1 What he said regarding encrypting keystrokes vs. network traffic. ^^^

Encrypting keystrokes in your browser protects you from keyloggers running on your local machine spying on your passwords.

VPN will encrypt ALL of your network traffic between your local machine and the VPN server, so that will protect you from network sniffing on your local network or public wifi access points. This includes data that your computer may send or receive that is not web traffic. You are reliant on your individual application developers to use common sense for what data they send in the clear, i.e. nothing personally identifiable (you hope!). Many applications are chatty and connect to various cloud platforms using background tasks or services while you are connected to the net. There are also miscellaneous non-browser clients for email, instant messaging, VoIP, etc.

Using HTTPS in your browser for everything under your direct control will encrypt your browser traffic to/from the individual web servers that you connect to. Remember that your network path from the other end of your VPN server outgoing from your VPN is not protected to the final destination at the far end web server connection, so your network traffic may be in the clear (and can be monitored) in that last segment unless it is using a secured protocol like HTTPS (TLS/SSL), etc. Transport Layer Security - Wikipedia

I also prefer to use a VPN from my home network full time because my government passed a law that allows my ISP to collect and sell data about me. So all I want them to see now is me connected to a VPN, LOL! No more peeking at my web searches or DNS lookups, ha! :ROFLMAO:
 
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mike6688

Level 2
Thread author
Verified
Sep 27, 2017
69
Thank you both for your replies. Think I’m going to keep Windscribe always on then so all web traffic gets encrypted. I’ve decided to turn off Windscribe ad blocking and tracking protection though and install uBlock Origin instead.
 

zzz00m

Level 6
Verified
Well-known
Jun 10, 2017
248
Thank you both for your replies. Think I’m going to keep Windscribe always on then so all web traffic gets encrypted. I’ve decided to turn off Windscribe ad blocking and tracking protection though and install uBlock Origin instead.

Remember that you should always be using HTTPS encryption in your browser, even with a VPN, because that is the only way to ensure that your session with the web server is encrypted end to end. VPN encryption ends at the VPN server, and your packets may be unencrypted beyond that point, as the VPN forwards them on to the destination. The internet functions "in the clear" (unencrypted), by default.

Example: You >> ISP >> VPN >> "the internet" >> web server

I think uBlock Origin is a fine ad and tracker blocking plugin. I use it as well. (y)
 
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ForgottenSeer 55474

Hello,
no matter what it is always nice to have a good paid VPN-Service.IMO.;)
 
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