Most likely, many of you have heard about the NordVPN already. Indeed, Nord VPN is a buzzword in a world of VPN. I personally didn’t have much experience with this provider before, even though many friends of mine told me they are happy with NordVPN and using it for 2 – 3 years. I was not sure if NordVPN is any good, but in this review you will going to find out why I am so positive about this provider today.
I decided to try this provider, when I was looking for the best price to quality VPN. I wanted a decent speed and strong anonymity. NordVPN provided me with both.
In this article I wanted to share my experience with this wonderful VPN provider. Maybe, after reading this review, those of you who are still in doubt, will find some answers and decide to give it a try.
History of NordVPN
The company started more than 6 years ago (2012 initial release year), but keeps delivering flawless quality (though of course not without downsides, but is there any perfect online service out there?). In this article we’re gonna review and see if this is the VPN provider you really want to go with.
For those of you, who already want to try NordVPN in combat, but needs just a little more incentive to install it, I am providing a nice little discount (actually it is 75% if you pay for 3 years) for you.
Get 75% OFF Nord VPN for 3 Years
What is VPN anyway, and why do you need it?
(*in case you are a newbie, otherwise just skip over to the following sections*)
A VPN (virtual private network) – is an extension of the private network, that allows users across the public network (internet) accessing a private network remotely, no matter where the accessing devices are located in the world. This gives the clients of the VPN, a possibility of using security mechanisms offered by a private network, and access the web as if they were physically located in that network. Put simple – let’s say you are located in the US, and you want to access the internet as if you were located in the UK.
VPN provider makes it possible for you to connect to a server, located in the UK, and afterwards, you are accessing the internet via that server in UK. External internet services would assume you are physically located in the UK. This gives you increased privacy (no one can track where you are really located), also, you are able to be using Geo-restricted services, no matter where in world you are trying to use them from. You can watch Netflix, or BBC, whatever, even if you are located in the middle-east.
Most of such services with geo-restricted access, are actually trying to block the VPN access, but VPN providers such as NordVPN, are using advanced mechanisms, to circumvent this limitation.
Most important advantage of using VPN – is hiding your activity from the government and your internet service provider. Why should they care what you do online? Now, let’s continue on reviewing the NordVPN provider.
What is NordVPN in a nutshell?
NordVPN allows you to gain access to more than 100 online services, including HBO GO, Netflix USA, and Hulu. All the traffic sent and received through NordVPN is routed through the company’s internal servers that hide your data from those who shouldn’t have access to it. Company’s main servers are located an registered in Panama, thus you can be sure they are not giving your data to any third-parties upon request, since Panama is not a member of Five Eyes, or Fourteen Eyes.
NordVPN runs remote servers in more than 60 countries. As of 2017 company owns more than 5K remote servers. More than enough for every client diverse needs.
NordVPN is using advanced encryption technologies, such as: IKEv2/IPsec, AES-256-GCM, SHA2-384 to ensure integrity, combined with PFS (Perfect Forward Secrecy) and 3072-bit Diffie Hellmann keys. AES-256-CBC encryption is used in Windows and Android apps.
Yes! NordVPN supports a LOT of different platforms, including: Windows, MacOS, Android, Android TV, iOS, Linux, and Blackberry! With manual settings you are also able to configure your wireless router to route all the data through NordVPN. This makes it easier for you to set-up your home VPN station.
What are the main features NordVPN has to offer?
- strict no-logs policy (they are not storing your access history);
- military-grade encryption (several levels of encryption – resulting in a bulletproof security);
- connect up to 6 devices simultaneously;
- lightning-fast speed;
- 24/7 customer support;
- CyberSec (blocks annoying ads and malware);
- double VPN (multi-layer VPN tunneling for even greater level of privacy);
- access to more than 100 geo-restricted services (Amazon Prime, Netflix USA, Hulu, HBO Go…
What else should you know about NordVPN?
In 2017 PC Magazine rated NordVPN as year’s best VPN provider. NordVPN has a built in kill-switch feature which is highly configurable. You can choose what to do in case VPN connection drops (happens quite rarely). You can set up the entire connection to the internet to drop off, or the specific app to disconnect from the web. Kill-switch feature makes sure you always stay private no matter what happens.
NordVPN did amazingly well in tuning their VPN gateways to offer incredibly fast speed when using streaming services. No need to wait for next 10 minutes of your favorite Netflix movie to preload. Meet the unlimited media streaming.
Folks from NordVPN are doing amazing job of sticking up to the trend. They are always keeping their Android and iOS apps up to date. It’s also nice to have that they are offering Chrome and Firefox extensions, though those are just the proxy plugins.
NordVPN is among the cheapest VPN providers available. With their feature list, and constant movement towards improvements – they’re pretty much unbeatable in terms of price/value.
NordVPN 75% OFF – Limited Offer
Bottom Line
Pros:
- Fast-speed
- No-logging policy
- Double VPN
- Improved bandwidth due to huge amount of servers
- Easy to use software
- Up to 6 devices connected simultaneously
Cons:
- 30-days refund (though, it’s pretty much standard)
- Complicated set-up for Linux (Linux users need to set the OpenVPN application and configure it manually)
- Speeds are variable (depending on the server you connect to), but overall good