Normally, when you buy a VPN subscription, you will use the app provided by the service. These VPN apps are designed for simplicity, and employ a login-and-use method. While that is the easiest way to get a VPN working on your device, it isn't the only way.

Depending on the app in question, it may also not be the best way if you experience stability or performance issues when you use an application to connect to a VPN server.

Say, if you want to use a VPN connection in a specific protocol (IKEv2, IPSec, L2TP) or to connect to your workplace's VPN, you will need to configure the settings manually on your iPhone or iPad.

It can enhance your security greatly but at a cost, you will only be able to connect to a particular server that you select.  To change the server, you'll need to edit the VPN configuration again, as opposed to merely tapping a button in the app to select a different server location.

How to set up a VPN in iOS manually

1. Open the Settings app.
2. Navigate to the "General" section and scroll down till you see the "VPN" option. Note: If you have already used a VPN before, you may have a "VPN" toggle in the side bar of the Settings screen. That's literally just a switch, and cannot be used to configure the VPN. You will need to follow step 2, to set up the connection.
3. Tap on "Add VPN Configuration".
4. Select the VPN type: IKEv2 or IPSec or L2TP.
5. Enter the following details in the VPN configuration screen.

For IKEv2

• Description - Give it a name
• Server - The IP address of the VPN server you want to connect to.
• Remote ID - Enter the same IP address.
• Local ID - Not required. Leave it blank.
• User Authentication - Username/Certificate
• Username - Your VPN account's username.
• Password - The password for the account.
• Proxy - Off

Note: Username is the easier option of the two, but some VPNs may not support it. In that case, you will be asked to install a security certificate on your device, to communicate with the VPN's servers.

6. Hit Done in the top right corner of the screen.

7. Enable the VPN from the toggle on the side bar, or from the VPN settings page.

You will need to visit the support portal of your VPN service to get the manual configuration details (also called native protocols) which you need to enter in the VPN set up screen.

This method is common across all recent versions of iOS. I tested this on iOS 13 beta and it works flawlessly on both IPSec and IKEv2. In case the VPN connection failed, you don't have to start from scratch. Just go back to the VPN section in iOS' settings, and use the "Edit" option to modify the fields.

Please be aware that some VPN services use a different authentication method for manual settings. Using your regular account username and password will not authenticate the connection. You may be required to use your account's dashboard to create a new configuration. This will generate a random username and password to authenticate your account for the specific protocol.

Just FYI, there is a new protocol called WireGuard, which promises faster encryption and better speeds. It isn't available for use yet, but is expected to be supported by all major services and operating systems.

More and more people have turned to VPNs to address these and other issues. The encryption technology they use prevents unwanted eyes seeing what you're up to and keeps your online habits private. But, can you really trust free VPNs?

But, are they legal? Read below to learn about when they are and when they are not.

What is a VPN?

A VPN creates what’s often referred to as a ‘private tunnel’ between your device and a server online. The data transmitted between these two points is encrypted and secure, safe from prying eyes.

Traditionally the technology has been used by businesses as a way of keeping company data safe while employees work on them from remote locations. But there usage has dramatically changed in recent years, for home users as as well as business users. The reason being concerns privacy, in general and because VPNs can change your location (making it look like you’re in another country), more and more people use it to get around region-locked services - mostly streaming video.

Is it legal to use a VPN?

In the majority of countries around the world, VPNs are perfectly acceptable. 

For example, it is illegal - or certainly frowned upon to use a VPN in China, Russia, Turkey, Iraq, and the UAE. Some of these countries merely discourage the use of a VPN or limit the service’s capabilities.

The reasons for this are typically because the countries' governments want to restrict access to Western services and news sources. Whatever the truth of the matter, it's best not to be caught using one in any of these locations.

Having said that, it's difficult to find cases where any individual (travelling as a foreigner) has been prosecuted for using a VPN.

For people in the rest of the world, a VPN is a perfectly acceptable tool to use and in many ways is becoming increasingly important. Personally I wouldn't be without mine simply for the peace of mind it brings, by keeping my online activities private, they prevent companies and hackers from from acquiring my browsing habits and purchase history.

Can I watch US Netflix in the UK?

One very popular use for a VPN is watching overseas versions of Netflix and other streaming services. As each region has different shows and movies, it can be quite a temptation.

In the current Netflix Terms of Use it states that ‘You may view the Netflix content primarily within the country in which you have established your account and only in geographic locations where we offer our service and have licensed such content.’

This could be construed as saying that viewing content from other countries is permitted, if not implicitly stated. And, in any case, you're not breaking the law if you do something that contravenes a service's terms and conditions.

Can I watch iPlayer when travelling abroad?

UK TV license payers might also want to use a VPN to watch iPlayer while travelling abroad, but the BBC is more strict about its usage.

‘If you download a programme on BBC iPlayer before you leave the UK you can watch it anywhere in the world…but due to rights agreements, you need to be in the UK to download and stream programmes or watch BBC TV channels.’

But this approach is not set in stone, as the corporation adds the following;

‘While we are interested in being able to allow UK license fee payers to access BBC iPlayer when they are abroad, there are complex technical issues to resolve which we are investigating as well as legal issues outside of the EU.’

For this reason, the BBC - as well as Netflix and other companies - actively crack down on VPN providers, blocking specific servers and generally attempting to thwart their use. This is why you might find you can't access Netflix in a certain country today even though you're using the same VPN service you used yesterday. It's a little unpredictable.

Do VPN's really work?

It’s true that your ISP - your internet provider - won’t know what you’ve been up to, but some VPN service providers will. This means that if you’re conducting illegal business,  or generally up to no good, then the police can compel the VPN company to hand over whatever details it may have about your online history. That's why it pays to choose a VPN service which is located in a country where this can't happen, and which has a strict zero-logs policy. 

There have also been instances where free VPN services have been found to spy on users, access sensitive information, or provide no encryption at all. That is why we highly recommend that you pay for a VPN service rather than use a free one. The free ones can also be very slow, unreliable and offer limited bandwidth.

See our reviews on paid VPN services such as NordVPN or ExpressVPN.

You should be able to get your network to unlock your iPhone for you; often they'll do it for free. In fact, you might even be able to unlock your iPhone yourself.

In this article we show how to unlock all iPhone models including older iPhones such as the iPhone 5s, 6 and 6s, either with an unlock code from the network itself or by using a third-party service.

Is iPhone unlocking legal?

It's completely legal to unlock your iPhone if you've finished paying for your contract or you purchased it outright unsubsidised. However, if you're still in the process of paying for your contract you don't fully own the iPhone yet, so you're best to check with your carrier before unlocking it.

This is most likely to be a problem if you bought the device second-hand or inherited it from a friend or family member. If it is locked, you'll find that the iPhone isn't working on your mobile network, and that's because it's tied to a different network.

Read on to find out how to unlock it.

How to unlock your iPhone

1. Contact your provider and request an unlock using the contact details and online tools listed below.
2. If you've not got the original SIM, you'll need to reset the phone before it can be unlocked.
3. Power down the phone, then replace the old SIM card with a SIM from a different network.
4. Check that the iPhone is able to connect a phone call over the new network.

That's the shortened version, but let's go through those steps in a bit more detail.

Contact your network provider

We've looked separately at how to get your iPhone unlocked from each of the UK's most popular networks. Scroll down to your carrier to find out their specific process.

How to unlock an iPhone on EE

If you've had your EE account for at least six months and have paid all of your bills to date, EE will unlock your iPhone for you. It'll cost £8.99 if you're still within the contract, though, and it could take up to seven days, which isn't ideal.

If you're a Pay as You Go customer and have enough credit to pay the £8.99 admin fee, EE will unlock your iPhone for you at that price.

However, if you've got an iPhone that's locked to EE but you're not an EE customer, you're going to need to do some digging; if you got it from eBay this could be tricky. You'll need to find the original owner's name and EE phone number, and maybe some additional account information.

Of course, it's not always going to be possible to find out the information you need, in which case you might need to use a third-party unlocking service as described later in this article.

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How to unlock an iPhone on Vodafone

Similarly, Vodafone requires you to have an account or know the details of the person who did. If that's not a problem, you can go straight ahead and use Vodafone's online unlocking form.

It'll take up to 48 hours for the company to get back to you and up to 10 days to unlock the phone, and it's free to do so.

How to unlock an iPhone on Three

Three keeps things nice and simple. On its website, the carrier states that any iPhone purchased after 1 January 2014 from Three is automatically unlocked as soon as you connect it to Wi-Fi or iTunes.

But even if you purchased your iPhone before that, you simply need to connect the iPhone to iTunes and restore the device to unlock it. You'll want to back up your content first, though, as restoring will wipe all the data.

Alternatively, you can fill out Three's online form.

How to unlock an iPhone on O2

If your iPhone is locked to O2, you can unlock it using My O2 or the My O2 app - the provider explains this process here.

The company says it will send a text to let you know when the iPhone is unlocked. You'll need to connect the device to iTunes with the non-O2 SIM, and iTunes will confirm the unlocking.

If you're a Pay Monthly customer you can unlock your phone at any time, but you'll still be required to finish paying for the rest of your contract. Pay As You Go customers can get their device unlocked for free.

Business customers can get their iPhone unlocked by filling in an online form. You'll need to pay off the minimum term of your contract.

O2 says that, if it accepts your request, the company will email you within seven days with details on how to unlock your phone.

How to unlock an iPhone on Virgin Mobile

Virgin says any iPhone purchased from the company within the past few years will be unlocked already, but some older iPhones might not.

The good news is that all you'll need to do is update your iPhone to iOS 8 or later and it'll be unlocked for you. (Note that updating iOS will install the most recent version that your device is capable of running, so at time of writing most active iPhones will get iOS 12. This is fine for these purposes, and has lots of nice new features too.)

If your iPhone isn't compatible with a sufficiently recent version of iOS - that is, if it's an iPhone 4 or older - you'll be able to perform a full restore of your iPhone to unlock it. Don't forget to back up your data first.

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How to unlock an iPhone on Tesco Mobile

If you've been with Tesco Mobile for 12 months or more, or if you've completed your contract, you'll be able to get an unlock code from Tesco for free by calling 0345 301 4455 and choosing "unlock your mobile".

How to unlock an iPhone on Giffgaff

Giffgaff has a handy tool that helps you figure out how to unlock your Apple iPhone from its network, which you'll find here.

Using a third-party unlocking service

An alternative to contacting your carrier and asking them to unlock the iPhone is to use a mobile phone unlocking service. There are many retailers in most areas who will arrange an unlock code for a small fee (usually around £25).

Although they aren't always reputable, you can also find online services that will unlock your iPhone, but we would advise against it. If you do decide to use one, please make sure you read all the small print before you buy, because they can surprise you with extra bills at the end of the process.

We've tried Doctor SIM, which promises to refund you if the unlock is unsuccessful, so that could be an option if you've tried all of the methods listed above. Doctor SIM successfully unlocked our phone with no problems and no hidden fees, so we feel confident in recommending them.

You could also try ExpressUnlocks, which covers most networks in the UK, US and more.

How much should I pay?

Ideally you shouldn't pay anything to unlock your iPhone, because your carrier should unlock it for you for free. But some carriers are still setting admin charges of up to £20. Third-party companies seem to charge between £10 and £25, and we wouldn't pay more. Shop around if anybody quotes you a higher price than that.

How to tell if the unlock worked

Once your phone has been unlocked you will receive a confirmation from the carrier. Now follow these steps:

1. Power down the phone: hold down the power button (or the power button and volume down, if it's an X-series iPhone) and swipe your finger across as directed.
2. Use the SIM card tool (or a straightened paper clip) to eject the SIM card holder from the side of the phone.
3. Remove the old SIM card from the card holder. Place your new SIM - from a different network - into the card holder.
4. Reinsert the SIM card holder into the iPhone.
5. Make a phone call, and check that the iPhone is able to connect over the new network. If so, it's unlocked!

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How to update an unlocked phone without the SIM card

If you've requested an unlock from your carrier, but have not got the original SIM card, you will need to reset the phone before it will be unlocked. Follow these steps:

1. Back up your iPhone to iCloud or iTunes.
2. Erase your iPhone. Click on Settings > General > Reset > Erase All Content and Settings.
3. Complete the setup assistant and restore from your backup.

The phone should now be unlocked.

When you turn the iPhone back on, complete the setup assistant and restore it from the backup you created. Then you can insert the new SIM card and it should now work.

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There are some secondary tools: Process Monitor details the programs running on your PC, and flags any that are unrecognised or unsigned. And in cases of severe infection, the Rescue Kit page lets you build a bootable USB flash drive, or download Panda’s portable Cloud Cleaner, to kill rogue processes and unlock files that otherwise can’t be scanned. Finally, and oddly, there’s a page dedicated to recent news stories about viruses.

Download Panda Free Antivirus now

If you’re turned off by bloated security suites, this compact feature set may sound appealing. There are some caveats, though. First, although we like the idea of the Safe Web extension – which blocks not only malware but also tracking cookies – it annoyingly requires you to use Yahoo as your default search engine. We ended up disabling it just to get back to Google. This means you don’t get advance warnings to steer you away from potentially malicious pages, but Panda’s malware detection module should still keep you safe from drive-by downloads and trojans.

See: Top UK Tech Reviews

Panda also weighs more heavily on system performance than rivals. While installing the software had no perceptible impact on file-copy speeds, AV-Comparatives rated first-run application launch speed as mediocre. Web browsing was also sluggish – but ditching the Safe Web extension should speed things up.

Lastly, the interface is probably the least intuitive we’ve seen. Icons and links seem to be spotted about at random; until you’ve clicked around a bit, it’s far from clear what features are actually available. Happily, once you discover the Settings pane, the controls are quite sensible, allowing you to easily manage your exclusions, choose whether to flag nuisance programs or only actual malware, and silence various sorts of notification. You can even disable the occasional pop-up adverts for Panda’s paid-for security suite – take note, Avast.

Download Panda Free Antivirus now

Verdict

It adds up to a very likeable little antivirus tool – and best of all, Panda achieved a perfect 100% score in AV-Comparatives’ malware detection test. To be fair, it did also block three legitimate files, but overall it’s still more accurate than any other free contender – and faster than Windows Defender Antivirus. If you’re looking for bare-bones protection that doesn’t get in your face, Panda Free Antivirus is the perfect choice and at no cost.

With the shift in modern working patterns, the advancements in connected technology and the demise of the traditional office environment, we have a rise in employees working remotely.

Today, remote working can mean a day a week undertaking business activity in a coffee shop, using hot-desking facilities near meeting locations or even living that elusive digital nomad lifestyle, working from countries spanning the globe. But there is one thing connects all of these facets: public WiFi .

Yet, how often do you stop and think about that public WiFi hotspot you’re connecting to?

Probably never, but you aren’t alone. The reality is, that we enter a space, scan for the available Wi-Fi networks, enter the required details and go about our cyber business. That’s as much thought as we commit to this act of connection.

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Cybersecurity Essentials

If we are brutally honest, no public Wi-Fi network is completely secure and can be compromised by hackers with little effort. But perhaps more concerning is the thought that we could be connecting to a rogue access point, set up to mimic an establishment’s authentic network. How familiar is the following –

Coffeeshop WiFi

Coffeeshop WiFiFREE

Coffeeshop WifIGuest

Any of the above could be an ‘evil twin’ network.

The chances are, once you’ve hit ‘connect’, you will be none the wiser that you have connected to an illegitimate hotspot. The hackers will go to great lengths to make their hotspot appear genuine, using the same SSID address and clone the MAC address of the true hotspot. They can even boost its signal strength so that it overpowers the true WiFi connection.

Let’s be very clear here: your browsing will not be affected and your device’s behaviour or performance won’t make you suspicious about the validity of your connection or online security.  But, from the moment you connect, the criminals can eavesdrop on your activity and collect personal information such as log-in details and passwords, they could even view files that are uploaded or downloaded.

The truth is, the company providing a WiFi connection, as part of their offering to customers, wants it to be simple and convenient for you to use. They will have little in the way of IT support, if any at all, because that would be an added expense and not provide any further benefits for their business, as they know that the connection is going to be used regardless.

The reality is that while they may have some web-based security software running, the onus is on the user to invest in high-level security to protect themselves. You may assume that wireless encryption will work, right? WRONG. The method doesn’t encrypt your data until after the connection between your device and the network has been established.

Now let’s turn our attention to the activity we execute once we are connected; we access our social media, we send personal emails, we check our bank balances or make purchases that require both personal and financial information, all without a second thought to the security of the connection.

And from a business perspective? By the time you’ve carried out the business activity required from your remote working location, you might as well have passed over the keys to you organisation. Even if you haven’t directly accessed financial information or business banking details, hackers may have access to sensitive data sent via email, customer details or access to websites or other platforms that can be used to extort money or damage the business’ reputation.

A data-breach can result in irreversible destruction for a business. Under the new GDPR ruling, you have a maximum of 72 hours to notice the ICO (Information Commissioner’s Office) and if the right processes haven’t been put in place, it’s likely that any insurance you have to protect yourself against such instances won’t pay out. So, not only will your business data be compromised, you could also face dire consequences from regulatory bodies, and find your brand reputation tarnished.

It’s not just small chains or independent businesses that fall prey to these cyber breaches; those that are long established or considered corporate giants are just as unsecure.

Just earlier this year Atlanta airport, hailed as the world’s busiest airport, had to shut down its entire WiFi network, along with part of its website due to a cyber breach on its unsecure, unencrypted access point. Those who had been using the connection were informed they could have been affected; leaving 275,000 passengers without a WiFi connection and a very bitter taste.

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So how can you stay safe? Firstly, you need to become vary careful with regards to the networks that you connect too, and stick to connecting to as few as possible. While you are browsing, stick to HTTPS encrypted sites, limit the personal or business data you share along with file sharing. However, the trouble here is that, realistically this is going to limit your productivity. The other option of course, is to invest in anti-malware and antivirus software, install privacy-protecting browser extensions that prevent attacks such as session hijacking or clickjacking, or a VPN service, a virtual private network that encrypts data end to end.

While we may think that we have nothing to hide when we are carrying out our online activity, whether business or personal, perhaps a better question to ask yourself is would you hand over your device to a complete stranger? The answer of course, is a resounding ‘no’, and with this being the case, we urge you to be proactive in protecting yours, your employees and your business’ online activity, regardless of where they take place.

Also see: Protect Your Gadgets From Cybercrime

#cybersecurity

Whilst we advocate using a VPN for all of your online activity, it's worth noting that there are limitations imposed by some service providers. And that means you might not be able to access some services, such as Netflix, with a VPN switched on.

Luckily, there are some work arounds, as we discuss below.

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The Netflix VPN problem

Netflix has implemented a VPN ban across it's servers in a move that looks to appease copyright holders' interests. It is clamping down on users from different regions accessing content that is not licensed in that territory.

Whilst some may say that this is a sledgehammer approach to crack a nut, it is a relatively easy fix for Netflix to implement. What it does do is inconvenience those users who are not looking to do anything illegal, but still wish to use a VPN.

How the Netflix ban works

The ban works by banning certain IP addresses from accessing content from Netflix servers. And as many users of a given VPN service will be allocated the same IP address, which is great for anonymity, it also makes it simple for Netflix to spot which IP addresses that are being used for VPN access and block them.

Once an IP address is associated as coming from a VPN service, it is banned from streaming content. Netflix also may utilise network monitoring tools that detect VPN protocols on their network and thus flag these up as coming from VPN providers.

How to use a VPN with Netflix

Some VPN providers may have a relatively low number of users, allowing them to appear under Netflix's radar. They may also use alternative methods to cloak the fact that they are providing VPN services.

The battle between Netflix and the VPN providers is an ongoing one, and thus it is difficult to provide a list of VPN providers that are guaranteed to give unfettered access to your favourite shows via their VPN services. Some VPN services currently work when accessing Netflix via a web browser, but do not work through the Netflix app.

Which VPNs work with Netflix (at the moment)

At the time of writing, we found that the following VPN providers did allow us to stream content via US Netflix.

 – Currently states that it works with both the app and a web browser. However, in practice, we found that some servers were blocked. Updated details on servers that work are posted on their help page here.

PrivateVPN – A smaller provider, but we found it to work with both the app and browser. Actively maintains a list of working servers.

ExpressVPN – One of the larger players in the VPN market, we found that we could access content via both the app and web browser.

VyprVPN – Despite our efforts to get the app working, we were consistently blocked. However, in most cases, access to US Netflix via the web browser worked using VyprVPN.

SaferVPN – One of the few VPN providers that offer a specific "US streaming" server as an option. This gave us access via a web browser, but not via the Netflix app.

Constantly changing

As new IP addresses that the VPN companies use are discovered and blocked by Netflix, new ones are popping up, so it's a movable field when it comes to your access.

Our recommendation would be to try one of the free Lite services that VPN companies offer and only if it's working consider subscribing to the full service.

But leave the UK for work or holiday and you're out of luck - you'll have to wait to see that last episode in a series or vital Premier League match. But that's not the case if you use a virtual private network (VPN).

Sky's service doesn't usually let you roam outside of the UK. Try and, in most cases, you'll find the Sky servers will give you one of the following error messages:

• Sky ID Error 288.
• Sky Go is only available to users connecting from within the UK or Republic of Ireland. Unfortunately, we cannot confirm that you are within these territories at the moment. Please retry later.

This is due to Sky’s licensing agreements, which generally lock its content to the UK and Ireland.

You may have a valid UK subscription, but that doesn't extend beyond the country's borders.

• Sign up for PureVPN

How to get Sky to work outside the UK

Thankfully, there is a workaround that will ensure that you don’t miss your favourite programming. The restriction can be overcome by using a VPN to fool the Sky servers into thinking that you're back at home.

A VPN service uses an encrypted “tunnel” to pass data from the net to your computer. By routing this “tunnel” to appear as if your current location is in the UK, you should be able to view your subscribed programming from wherever you may be in the world.

There are a number of VPN providers out there that offer either free Lite (usually limited in bandwidth, speed or number of servers that you can access) options, or you can subscribe to a full service from them. The full services aren’t limited in any way, but you will see some reduction in speed with all offerings, which is caused by the overhead that the encryption uses.

What's the best VPN to use for Sky?

We’ve taken a look at a number of offerings and would recommend the following VPN providers. They have each proven to work well in accessing Sky Go from abroad.

ExpressVPN

Express VPN consistently come out as offering a great VPN service for multiple applications. Providers regularly implement blocking of VPN servers and each time, ExpressVPN adapts to allow its services to continue running. Not the cheapest option, this is made up for by its high speed, excellent customer service and strong encryption.

Get Express VPN

NordVPN

NordVPN also offers a reliable, consistent service that in most instances allows for unfettered access of Sky Go from abroad. It has multiple servers in the UK that you can route through and is a good option if you’re trying to access a number of subscriptions due to its SmartPlay option that will automatically connect to the best location to use a certain service.

Get NordVPN

VyprVPN

VyprVPN has been in existence for longer than most others and offers its own fast servers in multiple locations around the globe. It does log users' IP addresses, but not details of what you’re doing. It also uses its own proprietary encryption methods, making it that extra bit secure. It offers a free three-day trial for you to see if its right for you.

Get VyprVPN

IPVanish

IPvanish VPN also owns rather than rents its servers, allowing it to offer fast streaming with little issues. This gives its users the possibility of unlimited bandwidth. The app offers high levels of encryption, a no logs policy and other useful features such as a kill switch and DNS Leak protection.

Get IPvanish VPN

VPNs vs Sky

Sky is constantly battling VPN customers to block their access even though they are likely pay for Sky subscriptions. Sky will try and block the IP addresses of VPN servers to stop accessing the content and VPN companies will do their best to reroute to allow you to carry on accessing the service.

• Because of this, it may take a little configuring of your VPN to get your access working. All of the above providers make this process as simple as possible for the end user to allow you to access your TV shows, movies or sports from wherever you may be.

We've also found that you may also need to make sure that your computer or device is set to English Language and that the time zone is set to the UK, quirks we know. Furthermore, clearing the cache may also help to get things working.