Top 5 VPN for Linux 2015

An open source, freely distributed, and easily configurable, Linux is an operating system that is very difficult to give up once you hav...

An open source, freely distributed, and easily configurable, Linux is an operating system that is very difficult to give up once you have got the hang of things. Linux is more famous for being run on servers and supercomputers or mainframes, and is like a play ground for developers.

However, its popularity with desktops is not as much as Windows or Mac. With only less than two percent of the total market, users are slowly but steadily switching to Linux operating system. If you do plan to give Linux a try, then don’t forget your online privacy.

Linux might be a safer operating system as compared to Windows but it still has its frailties and vulnerabilities. There are certain loopholes that will compromise your online security and privacy. To guard against all these threats, you will need a VPN for Linux.

Best VPN for Linux 

There are numerous VPN services you can choose from but to pick the best from the lot can be difficult. To help you out, we have shortlisted some of the best Linux VPN services that are easy to setup and will also help you protect against different cyber threats. Each of these VPN providers is compatible on Linux operating system and provides detailed setup tutorials for configuring the service on your device.   

Ranking	Provider	Starting Price	Details
1	PureVPN Review	$11.11 $4.16/mo	Visit Provider >> Read Review
2	IPVanish Review	$11.11 $4.87/mo	Visit Provider >> Read Review
3	Express VPN Review	$12.12 $8.32/mo	Visit Provider >> Read Review
4	HideMyAss Review	$11.11 $6.55/mo	Visit Provider >> Read Review
5	Private Internet Access	$6.6 $3.33/mo	Visit Provider >> Read Review

Benefits of Using a Linux VPN

You can reap numerous benefits from a Linux VPN. The world of internet presents you with various threats that are not only dangerous but also life altering. Here are some of the uses of a Linux VPN that will keep you safe at all times and provide unlimited internet accessibility.  

• The secure protocols and encryption provided by the best VPN service will keep your private and sensitive data safe from theft or fraud by hackers, spammers, snoopers, and other malicious threats.
• Using a VPN on Linux will keep you anonymous and invisible over the internet and keep your online activity private. A VPN has this unique ability to cloak your IP address, making you impervious to surveillance agencies like NSA and GCHQ.
• You can unblock and access geo restricted websites with the help of Linux VPN. The wide spread of servers enables you to unblock any website from anywhere in the world. So if you want to stream online on Netflix or Hulu but you are outside US, then using a VPN you can unblock such websites.
• Similarly, a Linux VPN can also unblock websites subject to internet censorship. There are numerous websites blocked in countries like China, Turkey and Indonesia. With the help of a VPN for Linux, you can access these websites.
• A Linux VPN will also protect you while you use torrent or P2P file sharing services. It will hide your true identity and location by masking it and keeping you safe from DMCA notices.
• If you are fan of online gaming, then using a VPN for Linux will help you reduce your ping and allow you to compete with some of the best players from all around the world.  

How to Setup VPN on Linux

Now that you know about some of the advantages of having a VPN for Linux, here is a quick and easy guide that will help you Setup VPN on your Linux device. Since there are various distributors of Linux, the setup for Linux VPN depends on your system requirements. Our setup guide will focus on how to setup VPN on Linux Mint.

1. Click on ‘Network Connections’ and then select ‘Network Settings’.
2. Click on the ‘+’ icon on the left side underneath the box showing your connections.
3. A small window will open, click on ‘Create’.
4. Now select the protocol you want to create and then click ‘Create’. Note that for SSTP or OpenVPN protocols, you will have to download the configuration files from your Linux VPN provider and flow instructions and commands provided.
5. A new window will open, enter the ‘Connection Name’, server address in ‘Gateway’, the username and password you received or created for your Linux VPN, and then click on ‘Advance’.
6. If you selected the PPTP, then select the following options and click ‘OK’: Use Point-to-Point encryption (MPPE), Allow BSD data compression, Allow Deflate data compression, Use TCP header compression.  
7. Once you have entered all the details, click on ‘Save’. Your new VPN connection should be created by now. To activate, just click on from the box where all the connections are listed.

Conclusion 

Linux is far behind other operating systems like Mac and Windows in terms of commercial usage. This lack of popularity has kept it safe from numerous threats that other operating systems are prone too. However, like everything, time has caught up with Linux as malicious cyber goons have started targeting Linux based devices as well.

To protect against all these threats, the best line of defense is to use a VPN for Linux. It will keep your privacy safe from surveillance agencies and data safe from hackers and others alike. Linux is the number one choice for servers and mainframe computers. You can also protect them from the various online threats by using a top VPN for servers based on Linux.  

Since Linux is yet to introduce the full integration of VPN services in its operating systems and with not many VPN providers offering exclusive clients for Linux, you will have to setup the service manually. Using the steps above, you can easily setup VPN on Linux Mint.