Rodrigue Hajjar has been with TunnelBear for six years. He started as a contract developer and has since led initiatives spanning the distribution, discoverability, and connectivity of our core VPN platform. Rodrigue now sits as Director of VPN at TunnelBear. In the article below, he reflects on a significant day of his tenure with us, where he witnessed TunnelBear’s eagerness to use its tech savvy to fight censorship. Most importantly, ‘Rod’ lays out what that means for the sleuth moving forward.
It was February 14, 2014, and ourstandup didn’t feel the same. Ryan looked at us with an expression I didn’t recognize. I began to worry: are we in financial trouble? Is someone quitting? Whatever it is, it would be the first disruption I’d witnessed at TunnelBear, and the first time I’d seen him this nervous.
He explained that Venezuela’s protests escalated yet again. The country was averaging 35 protests a day, with surveillance and censorship also on the rise. Social media websites, including Twitter, were blocked, preventing Venezuelans from sharing their experience or denouncing injustices.
Finally, Ryan asked us: “Can we give free data to all Venezuelan users?”
Just a few months earlier, TunnelBear donated free data to people in Turkey, as they were going through a period where social networks were blocked. We were keen to help our allies but new to this space. And although we saw how much our contribution helped, we didn’t yet know it would lead to something much bigger.
In 2014, TunnelBear was a tiny bootstrapped business with five employees including myself. I hadn’t been in Canada a full year yet, and as someone who believes the opportunities we get in life today are largely dictated by the country we’re born in, I was attracted to our mission of working to make the internet a safer place for everyone, no matter where they are.
Despite the infancy of our company and the financial risks associated with Ryan’s ask, we decide to go for it.
Donating bandwidth to Venezuelans was a turning point for TunnelBear. It helped solidify our mission to fight censorship and make the internet a safer place for everyone. Since that day, anti-censorship development has become a regular part of our jobs, leading to new features like “Closest Tunnel” (now “Fastest Tunnel”) and “Intelli-Bear”. All of these efforts allowed us to load balance and route traffic so we can better handle similar censorship events. A few notable examples include helping circumvent Turkey’s Twitter ban and giving free bandwidth to Iran amid protests.
These events helped us prepare for a growing global censorship threat. We’ll be announcing more anti-censorship updates in the following months, and are hiring talented individuals to join a dedicated anti-censorship team:
If you’re excited by the idea of working on a dedicated anti-censorship development team, please don’t hesitate to reach out. We can’t wait to hear from you.
hey, i’m trying to connect hola vpn to my ps4, but half the steps on the instruction guide are missing cause i don’t have premium. does anyone have premium, and if so can they screenshot the guide for me please?
You can surmise most of what this article is about from the headline alone. Before I get into the whole story, let me start with this for the folks who won’t read past this paragraph: 5G antennas are not harmful to humans. 5G signals don’t spread COVID-19. In fact, 5G signals are totally safe, just like the 4G, 3G, and 2G signals we’ve all been using for decades.
With that out of the way, let’s talk about these folks who are attacking and, in some cases, setting fire to 5G antennas around the world. The trend started in the United Kingdom first, with reports of at least 60 masts damaged by sometimes dozens of people. Similar incidents also happened throughout Europe.
Related: What to look for in your perfect 5G plan and network
Now, the Department of Homeland Security here in the United States is reportedly issuing warnings to various mobile network operators that the phenomenon is coming Stateside (via ABC News). The DHS said that there have already been “arson and physical attacks against cell towers in several US states.”
Along with the overall alert to mobile operators, the DHS is also giving advice on how to better safeguard against future attacks on 5G antennas as well as cell towers in general.
Why are people attacking 5G antennas?
The most prevalent piece of “evidence” conspiracy theorists cite to back up their absolutely false claims against 5G antennas (and other pieces of mobile technology, including cell phones) is that radiation is bad for human health. Since there is radiation sourced from networking equipment, networking equipment must be bad.
While yes, radiation at various levels could be incredibly harmful to you, the type of radiation involved in 5G, cell phones, hotspots, etc. — not to mention the teeny tiny amount of that radiation — is totally safe.
You would be in more danger visiting a UV tanning booth than you would be standing near a 5G antenna for hours.
You can read an in-depth report on that topic from our very own Robert Triggs here, which is absolutely incredible at debunking pretty much every 5G myth out there. It’s essential reading if you are even slightly concerned about 5G, mmWave, cell phone antennas, etc.
Related: 5G is not going to microwave your brain: All the myths, debunked
Recently, though, fear of 5G antennas has been fueled by the COVID-19 pandemic. Conspiracy theorists cite two new pieces of “evidence” to back up their totally wrong claims:
Some of the places where 5G is readily available saw high numbers of COVID-19 cases.
The timing of the rollout of 5G kind of lines up with the beginnings of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Both of these bits of “evidence” can be easily dismantled with a simple “correlation does not imply causation” response. However, to take things a step further, you can read all about how wrong the first claim is here and then head here to read about how false the second claim is.
Please don’t attack any cell equipment
What’s sad about these recent attacks on 5G antennas and other related networking equipment is that they put other people in real danger — far more danger than any 5G signal ever could. Not only could the fires hurt people but the lack of network access for first-responders could prevent them from being able to do their jobs.
If you or anyone you know is being swayed by 5G conspiracy nonsense, please read up on the matter from trusted, science-based sources. The best fight against misinformation is actual information.
How can I get OpenVPN on MacOS to auto-retry a connection with a credential error?
I’d like to run the connection on startup and keep it connected without user interaction. I expect a disconnection on the ISP’s side to happen every now & then.
I’m using tunnelblick to manage connections and keep the connection running.
When the client gets disconnected and tries to reconnect, the server often doesn’t realise the user was disconnected, and as it only allows one connection per user it gives a login failure.
This would be fine if tunnelblick auto-retried the connection, but it asks for confirmation instead. The client machine isn’t always physically accessible when this happens so it will stay disconnected until a user manually authorises the reconnection.
Finding Rick and Morty a little tame? Then r-rated animated series Solar Opposites is the show you’ve been waiting for.
However, you can only stream the Hulu Original if you have a US IP address. If you’re not in the US, you’ll need a VPN to access Hulu and watch this hilarious cartoon.
Not all VPNs can beat Hulu’s geoblocks and anti-VPN technology, but I’ve tested 300 vendors to find the ones that will guarantee a reliable connection and smooth streaming.
Check out the streaming abilities of my recommended premium VPNs for FREE by taking advantage of the money-back guarantees they offer. Change your mind during the guarantee term and a full refund is yours, hassle-free.
How to Watch Solar Opposites from Anywhere in Under 2 Minutes
Pick a reliable VPN. I suggest NordVPN, as its lightning speeds and unblocking abilities are ideal for streaming.
Download and install the VPN software. Connect to a US server.
Head to Hulu and log in or sign up to enjoy the antics of Korvo and his family. If you’re a new user, you’ll need a US payment method or gift card.
Start Streaming Solar Opposites Now!
Why You Need a VPN to Watch Solar Opposites
Hulu has some of the toughest geo-restrictions around, which prevents users with a non-US IP address from accessing its content.
A premium VPN allows you to connect to a US server, which hides your actual location and replaces it with a US IP address. Hulu is fooled into believing you’re in the US and you can now stream Solar Opposite from anywhere.
5 Best VPNs for Watching Solar Opposites
My VPN recommendations are proven to work with Hulu. If you’re having trouble streaming Solar Opposites, just disconnect from your current US server and try another.
5,800+ global servers, 1,800+ US servers
SmartPlay for beating geoblocks
Superfast speeds and unrestricted bandwidth
30-day money-back guarantee
24/7 live chat customer service
Works with: Hulu, پراکسی iPlayer, Disney+, Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Shudder
NordVPN’s huge US network of over 1,800 servers makes it a great VPN for streaming Solar Opposites with Hulu. This means you’re unlikely to connect to a congested server which can slow speeds.
Plus, such server variety gives you access to a vast number of IP addresses, making it harder for Hulu to detect that you’re using a VPN.
The SmartPlay feature furthers your chances of a reliable connection to Hulu by routing your traffic through a geoblock-busting server. I’m pleased to report that SmartPlay successfully connected me to Hulu several times.
See for yourself how quickly SmartPlay can have you watching Solar Opposites before committing to NordVPN with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Smooth streaming is guaranteed thanks to NordVPN’s blazing speeds. With several of NordVPN’s US servers, my streaming speeds actually increased to over 50 Mbps. Lag and buffering was not a problem for me, even when fast-forwarding through Solar Opposites to get to my favorite parts.
Six simultaneous device connections are allowed with your NordVPN account. This includes a wide range of smartphones, computers, tablets, and even routers.
Get help with setup or connecting to Hulu by contacting NordVPN’s 24/7 live chat, which I found very helpful and friendly. NordVPN also has an extensive knowledge base of easy-to-follow guides and tutorials.
Want to know more? Explore our NordVPN review to see the full results of our research and testing.
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3,000+ global servers, 20+ US locations
Lightning-fast speeds and unlimited bandwidth
Built-in speed test
Excellent 24/7 live chat
30-day money-back guarantee
Works with: Hulu, پراکسی iPlayer, Netflix, Crunchyroll, Amazon Prime Video, Sling TV, ITV Hub
ExpressVPN’s unbeatable network speeds allow for the smooth streaming of Solar Opposites on Hulu. I know this for a fact as I tested ExpressVPN’s US servers to stream several Hulu shows and the 82 Mbps speeds ensured I experienced no buffering, lag, or frozen pixels.
Don’t take my word for it, test out the lightning-fast speeds of ExpressVPN for yourself with a risk-free 30-day money-back guarantee.
From ExpressVPN’s 20+ US server locations, I selected three random servers, and with each one I could blast through Hulu’s geoblocks. Thanks to speedy connections, I was watching Solar opposites in vibrant HD in minutes.
ExpressVPN apps are compatible with a huge number of devices and you can connect five to the VPN at once. This means you can share your subscription with friends and stream Solar Opposites together.
You can even stream on some devices that don’t support an ExpressVPN app thanks to the MediaStreamer feature. By following one of the many simple tutorials on the ExpressVPN website, I was able to stream Solar Opposites on my LG Smart TV in minutes.
Customer service doesn’t end with tutorials. Hands-on help is available around-the-clock via friendly and helpful 24/7 live chat.
Want to know more? Explore our ExpressVPN review to see the full results of our research and testing.
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1,700+ global servers 20+ US server locations
Unlimited bandwidth and fast speeds
Quick Connect feature
24/7 live chat
30-day money-back guarantee
Works with: Hulu, Netflix, Sky Go, پراکسی iPlayer, HBO, ITV Hub, Amazon Prime Video
Speedy and reliable, the Surfshark global network includes server locations in over 20 US cities. I was able to beat Hulu’s geo-restrictions with servers in every one I tested.
Plus, by using the Quick Connect feature, I was automatically connected to the fastest US server. My speeds dropped slightly from a starting speed of 55.73 Mbps to 53.26 Mbps, but that’s still more than enough to stream Solar Opposites in HD.
Test the Quick Connect feature before making a commitment to Surfshark with a 30-day money-back guarantee. You’ll also be able to test the VPN on all your gadgets as Surfshark has great device compatibility and the rare perk of unlimited simultaneous connections.
Binge-watch the entire season of Solar Opposites without worrying about a lost connection courtesy of unlimited bandwidth and data. I streamed with Hulu for hours and Surfshark kept up – not a single dropped connection and no long loading times.
The customer support team is available day and night via 24/7 live chat. When I asked a few questions about Surfshark’s service, I wasn’t waiting long for a response.
Want to know more? Explore our Surfshark review to see the full results of our research and testing.
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700+ servers worldwide, 8 US server locations
Beat geoblocks with the Chameleon protocol
Great streaming speeds and unlimited bandwidth
24/7 live chat support
30-day money-back guarantee
Works with: Hulu, پراکسی iPlayer, Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV+, Disney+
Compatible with: Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, Linux, and some routers
VyprVPN’s server network may be on the smaller size, but it’s high-speed servers in eight US cities provide hassle-free streaming of Solar Opposites.
I tested several US servers and consistently experienced speeds of over 55 Mbps – way over the 5 Mbps required to stream in HD. I experienced no buffering or lag and enjoyed a crystal clear picture when watching Solar Opposites.
Want to test out streaming with VyprVPN? Take advantage of the 30-day money-back guarantee to try out all the VPN’s features with absolutely no risk.
Dynamic server switching stops any dropped connections or a dip in performance by automatically moving you to another US server should your current one become overcrowding. Binge-watch Solar Opposites worry-free.
You’re guaranteed a reliable connection to Hulu thanks to the Chameleon Protocol, which disguises your VPN data as regular data, to help you slip past geoblocks. I had no issue connecting to Hulu and streaming Solar Opposites on every US server I tried.
Keep the entire household occupied with VyprVPN’s five simultaneous connections, so you can stream Solar Opposites and other great Hulu content in peace.
This premium VPN is compatible with a wide range of devices, but if you are having any trouble with installation, you can get in touch with the customer service team through email or 24/7 live chat support.
Want to know more? Explore our VyprVPN review to see the full results of our research and testing.
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150+ servers in 60 countries, 14 US servers
Designated streaming servers
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Works with: Hulu, پراکسی iPlayer, Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+
A low-cost VPN with plenty of power, PrivateVPN is a great choice for streaming Solar Opposites online with Hulu.
PrivateVPN operates a compact network with just 14 US servers, but I had no problem connecting to Hulu with each one I tried, including the designated streaming servers.
Put the unblocking powers of PrivateVPN to the test with absolutely no upfront cost with a 7-day free trial. It also offers a 30-day money-back guarantee.
The speeds of US servers can vary, but with a few US servers, I was regularly achieving speeds around 10 Mbps. While the speeds could have been better, I could still enjoy Solar Opposites with no buffering or lag. Unlimited bandwidth also allows you to watch as much as you want with no worries about data caps.
Six device connections are allowed at once, so you can share your PrivateVPN connection with the family and they too can stream their favorite restricted shows. I streamed with PrivateVPN on several devices at once with no sacrifice to performance and speed.
Although PrivateVPN’s live chat support is not available 24/7, if you connect to the service during business hours (in Sweden), you can expect a quick and helpful response in minutes.
Want to know more? Explore our PrivateVPN review to see the full results of our research and testing.
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FAQ
🚧 I’m using a VPN, why has Hulu blocked my connection?
It could be that you’re connected to a server known to Hulu to be from a VPN. Hulu uses anti-VPN technology to prevent users from outside the US from accessing the service.
It’s an easy problem to fix. Simply disconnect from your current US server and connect to another. You should now be able to stream Solar Opposites, but if you’re still having an issue clear your cache and cookies, and restart your device.
Learn more about bypassing VPN blocks here.
🆓 Can I use a free VPN to stream Solar Opposites?
It’s unlikely that a free VPN will be able to bypass Hulu’s geoblocks. Plus, free VPNs often compromise your privacy by collecting and selling your data, as well as expose you to malware, adware, and hackers.
Ensure you stay safe when streaming and enjoy a reliable connection to Hulu by sticking with a trustworthy VPN. Remember, you can try each of my premium VPN recommendations for free for a limited time, with money-back guarantees. Read this article to see why free VPNs are unsafe to use.
📺 Can I unblock other streaming services with my VPN?
Absolutely! Premium VPNs have widespread global server networks that are capable of unblocking dozens of streaming services around the world. Check out the ‘Key Features’ sections of my VPN recommendations to see a selection of streaming services they can access.
Bottom Line
Stream Solar Opposites from anywhere, using a top-rated VPN, such as NordVPN, to bypass Hulu’s geoblocks.
I’ve tested all of my VPN recommendations thoroughly and each will blast through Hulu’s geoblocks and provide the fast server speeds needed for the smooth streaming of Solar Opposites. Test them out for yourself, risk-free with money-back guarantees.
Looking for some advice from companies that connect their remote worker devices to the corporate network via VPN. Do most companies implement some form of split tunneling to decrease the load on the corp network or do they prefer all the traffic to pass through the corporate network in order to provide the best protection for the end device?
Maybe this is an all the above question, but just curious if there is a conciseness out there between balancing security and back-end loading?
Android’s reputation has been somewhat tarnished over the years due to the copious amounts of malware that has cropped up for the mobile OS. Sometimes even managing to make its way to Google’s own Play Store. Well, more Android malware has been found, and this time very sophisticated. Dubbed EventBot, security researchers discovered this new malware has the ability to not only steal banking passwords but also 2FA codes.
A look at EventBot
EventBot works by pretending to be a legitimate Android app, such as Adobe Flash, or Microsoft Word for Android. EventBot then takes advantage of Android’s accessibility features to obtain low-level access to the operating system. EventBot can steal passwords from more than 200 banking and cryptocurrency apps, and can even steal 2FA codes sent via text message. Some of the impacted apps include PayPal, Coinbase, CapitalOne, and HSBC. These stolen passwords are sent back to the malware operator’s servers for future use.
EventBot can also record every single action on the device. It can even read notifications from other apps, making it easy for the attackers to piece sensitive information together.
The researchers believe that EventBot is a completely new malware, having found no evidence of copying other currently in-the-wild Android malware.
EventBot is still evolving
The security researchers at Cybereason found that over the few weeks they have been monitoring EventBot, it has had constant development. Assaf Dahan, head of threat research at Cybereason told TechCrunch “The developer behind EventBot has invested a lot of time and resources into creating the code, and the level of sophistication and capabilities is really high.”
The security researchers found that every few days, new features were being added to the malware. For example, at one point they found that the malware operators had improved the encryption being used to phone home to the operator’s server. Another added feature was the ability to capture the lock code of the device. Possibly to allow the malware to gain even higher privileges to Android.
As it currently stands, no one has a clue as to who is behind this new EventBot malware. More investigation will surely take place, but as of now, the operators are doing their very best to obfuscate the source of EventBot.
How can you avoid EventBot?
The best thing you can do to avoid EventBot is to not download and install apps from unknown sources, such as third-party app stores. Whilst it is true that the Play Store is far from perfect when it comes to keeping malware out, it is often still better curated than other stores. Even when downloading apps from the Play Store, make sure to stick to well-known and verified apps.
2FA is still important!
Whilst EventBot can steal 2FA codes via text, 2FA is still by far the best thing you can do to secure your online accounts. Do not be dissuaded due to such malware. 2FA will still protect you from the vast majority of online account hijacking attempts. So, where available, make sure to enable 2FA. Preferably through an app or physical security key, as SMS is not the best authentication method. Though it is still better than nothing, especially as many services only offer SMS 2FA at the moment, particularly banks.
Remember back in March when internet speeds took a nosedive because so many people started working or studying from home? That’s since been solved, for the most part, thanks to a combined global effort. YouTube and Netflix possibly prevented further speed degradation by reducing streaming quality as well. Still, we bet many of you thought of how you could increase your browsing speed.
Now, a VPN can’t exactly do that. In fact, you may experience a slight slowdown — since a VPN needs to encrypt your traffic, as well as route your data through a second location (the VPN server) before reaching its destination. Both of those operations take time and processing power, so a slowdown is expected — and a small price to pay for your data security.
However, there are certain cases where using a VPN improves your connection quality. Or more accurately, that a VPN prevents internet speed loss. Here’s how.
What Your Internet Speed Actually Means
Ever used a tool like Speedtest to test your connection after that one episode of The Office just wouldn’t load? You’ve more than likely been surprised when everything seemed fine. The speed test shows speeds comparable to what your internet provider advertises. So, what seems to be the problem?
Well, websites like speedtest.net only really test your maximum bandwidth. However, your ISP can throttle your connection at the protocol-level. For example, they could set video streams to run at a lower resolution while not limiting your overall bandwidth. Netflix is doing a similar thing right now to ease the load on the network infrastructure — except they lower video bit rates instead of resolution.
Moreover, speed test sites use servers that are close to your general area. So, even if your ISP isn’t throttling your bandwidth, you wouldn’t get an accurate result. Let’s say you’re testing your connection from somewhere in Europe. If the service you’re trying to access is located in the US, then a speed test won’t show you if there’s a connection problem along the way.
The internet works as a series of interconnected routers and networks. Your data “hops” between these routers on its way to the website you’re trying to access — and vice-versa. If one of those networks is having problems, your whole connection suffers. An internet speed test won’t show you that; you can diagnose these issues with Traceroute, instead.
Good news, though — a VPN can help you in both scenarios. First, let’s deal with bandwidth throttling.
How a VPN Helps with Bandwidth Throttling
There are several reasons why your ISP would throttle your connection. One of them is that you’ve gone over your data cap for the month, so everything slows down to a crawl. Unfortunately, a VPN won’t help you bypass your data caps. You’re stuck with paying more for no caps or switching internet providers.
With that out of the way, a VPN can help with selective throttling. Since a VPN hides your internet traffic from your ISP, they don’t know what to throttle. Do they slow down your streaming speeds? Your downloads?
Obviously, they can’t risk throttling the wrong thing. Nor can they slow down your entire connection without a good reason (like going over a data cap). As such, they’re forced to stop selectively restricting your network capabilities.
In an ideal world, they wouldn’t be doing that in the first place. But ISPs have done worse things (like lobbying to repeal net neutrality), so it’s to be expected. They are trying to “play the good guy” by removing data caps and stopping selective throttling while the pandemic rages on. Still, this is only a temporary measure — it’s likely back to throttling and data caps by the end of May.
How a VPN Helps with Network Problems
We’ve previously mentioned that one network failure along the way will affect your entire connection. If you’ve discovered an issue like that with Traceroute, then it might be possible to solve it with a VPN. For instance, let’s say the network data travels through a node in France on its way to the U.S., and that node is experiencing an outage.
By connecting to a VPN server in a different country, your data needs to travel through a different network. Essentially, you force the connection to take a separate route to its destination. This may not increase your browsing speed, but it may solve any connectivity issues.
Of course, that entirely depends on which route the VPN server uses to connect to the final website. It might take a bit of trial and error before you find the right server that will correct the problem. IPVanish has 1,300 servers in 75+ different countries — plenty of options, so give those a try!
Nintendo Switch system software updates are essential: they add new features and fix bugs. Normally, the system downloads updates automatically and asks if you want to install them. But If you’d like to trigger the process manually (or make sure you’re on the latest version), here’s how.
To update your Nintendo Switch system software, you must be connected to the internet. Once you’re connected, launch System Settings by tapping on the gear icon on the Switch Home Screen.
In the list on the left side of the screen, navigate down to System, then select “System Update.”
If your software is already at the latest version, you will see a screen that says “Your System Is Up To Date.” But If there is an update available and it has not been downloaded yet, it will begin to download. If it has already been downloaded, the update process will begin.
First, the system will warn you that the console will be restarted once the update is complete, and any suspended software will be closed.
Warning: Make sure you’ve saved your progress if you’re running any games in the background!
When you’re ready to restart, select “OK.”
You will see a screen that says “Updating,” which shows that the update is in progress. Make sure you don’t turn off your console during the update.
When the update is complete, your Nintendo Switch will automatically restart.
After the restart, you should be running the latest version of the Nintendo Switch system software. Visit System Settings > System > System Update again to check. If you see a screen that says “Your System Is Up To Date,” then you’re good to go!
