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The freewheeling early days of the Internet are over, and it's no longer possible to rely on passive security measures. Today you need to take active steps to protect your identity, privacy, and personal security from an ever-changing array of threats. AnchorFree's ExpatShield protects your identity and personal data such as addresses and credit card numbers, lets you browse safely and anonymously, and even allows access to some of your favorite U.K. Web sites like BBC iPlayer. It shields you by establishing a proxy connection and assigning your PC a temporary U.K.-based IP address. ExpatShield is ad-supported freeware, which is standard for Web-based tools these days.
ExpatShield's installer automatically sets up your proxy IP address, displaying your connection status in a browser page and a system tray icon as well as an ad banner that opens with each new page. Clicking the icon opened a menu that offered a Disconnect/Off button, language options, and other basic entries, including a Properties sheet displaying connection details. Except for the ad banner and the ever-so-slight lag, using ExpatShield is just like browsing normally. Our favorite sites loaded quickly, but with a slight yet perceptible lag, especially when we accessed locally hosted news media. However, it's nowhere near slow enough to outweigh ExpatShield's much greater privacy and security. Each site loaded with a prominent connection status/ad link toolbar that we could close. With plenty of online IP locators and identifiers available, we quickly verified that our PC displayed an anonymous U.K.-based IP address instead of our actual (and static) IP address.
Proxy connections used to be difficult and slow, but ExpatShield addresses both of those issues. The ad bar is a minor distraction, considering it keeps ExpatShield free. One ad linked to BBC iPlayer, which is currently limited to U.K. IP addresses. The BBC is developing an international version to allow viewers everywhere to enjoy the finest television content in the world (radio is already available). But ExpatShield's proxy IP address enabled us to watch BBC series like "Doctor Who" and "Eastenders," U.K. and continental sports, and all the Beeb's channels, including the best HD quality we've yet seen.
Publisher's Description
From AnchorFree:
Expat Shield allows you to Watch UK TV online outside of the UK. You can now watch BBC iplayer from anywhere in the world. Ensure that you are private & anonymous online. As you may already know, if you live outside of the UK, you cannot watch shows on BBC iplayer. Why? BBC blocks the access to iplayer by blocking the IPs coming outside of the UK. Expat Shield is a easy to use FREE software that gives you a UK IP address so that you can watch your favorite shows from anywhere. This software is used by millions of people in over 100 countries. It takes 2-3 minutes to install. Then you can simply connect to the software, and browse web as if you are in the UK!
What's new in this version: Version 2.25 includes multiple bug fixes and various enhancements.
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All versions:
3.0 starsout of 80 votes
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Current version:
2.9 starsout of 17 votes
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My rating:
Write review
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"Good Speed but the Embedded Ads is Annoying"
Version: Expat Shield 2.25
Pros
Good Speed. Not sure how that software achieved it but the upload speed tested on speedtest.net seems to be faster than the upper limit of my internet.
Cons
The Embedded Ads is very Annoying.
Summary
Went with OpenVPN and Vpnbook eventually due to the Annoying ads.
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"seriously awful"
Version: Expat Shield 2.25
Pros
allows access to iplayer sometimes
Cons
plagues you with adverts and other spam
hijacks your browser
introduces popups
unusable as intendedSummary
not worth the trouble and difficult to remove
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"For FREE allows me to stream uk tv abroad"
Version: Expat Shield 2.25
Pros
Free
Allows me to stream uk television whilst abroad
Gives the same picture and audio as a paid for VPNCons
there's ads. a banner ad at the top of the current page and everyonce in a while a new full page ad pops up. it's free though so i can deal with it
Summary
Excellent product. yes there's ADS, which are annoying, but it's a free product so there has to be some cost.
i recommend this product. fully deserving of 4.5 stars as it does what it says it does and....ITS FREE!!! -
"Used to be great, until I upgraded to Windows 8..."
Version: Expat Shield 2.25
Pros
Lets you watch BBC iPlayer
Free
Does what it says it does.Cons
Ads
OMG, ADS
It will not go away until you make it (still worth it)
Not compatible with Windows 8 :(Summary
I am super bummed that I can't use this anymore with Windows 8. I guess I will just have to find another proxy server that gives me a UK IP... You guys dropped the ball and lost someone. Windows 8 isn't BRAND NEW. You have had time.
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"Gone downhill"
Version: Expat Shield 2.25
Pros
When I first got this it was reliable and never disconnected, currently the pros stand as NONE
Cons
As soon as try to access a blocked website it disconnects which is pointless, thats the whole reason I downloaded it. The ads are annoying at the top but I don't want to pay out on a vpn blocker if i'm not using it often.
Summary
In total do not download this product unless you want to be throughly frustrated and constantly reconnecting it.
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"Robust and free. I like it."
Version: Expat Shield 2.25
Pros
Makes watching overseas "blocked" streams a breeze.
Cons
None that I know of.
Summary
Many thanks go to the developers for offering such a great app.
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"Awesome product! SPECTACULAR!"
Version: Expat Shield 2.25
Pros
Does what it says: assigns a UK IP address to you, and does all the work. I love using it to watch BBC iPlayer, and with a quick turn-on/turn-off, I get to use all my favorite websites still! I'm only using the free version, of course. No buying necessary!
Cons
Not any cons I can think of. Connects quickly and easily, and I didn't receive any ads or pop-ups (but I am using AdBlock on Google Chrome). Just make sure, before downloading, to NOT INSTALL THE TOOLBAR.
Summary
With a little waiting for installation, you can easily and quickly assign yourself a UK IP address to access sites available in Britain only! Perfect for watching BBC iPlayer!
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"Very, very, very slow"
Version: Expat Shield 2.25
Pros
High speed downloading
Cons
First time of using it and it is still taking time to connect to the server. It keeps on saying waiting for server.
Summary
Superbly slow
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"WAS excellent ONCE"
Version: Expat Shield 2.25
Pros
Easy install, I had no problems with pop-ups etc., although maybe that's because my blocker is efficient.
Cons
Used to be extremely reliable and accessing Brit TV was never an issue. Now it takes forever to connect and be assigned an IP. So slow in fact the program is not worth using if you wish to stream live or even archived British television.
Summary
Is virtually useless for the purpose of streaming UK TV, which is primarily why people download and use this software. My guess is Expat Shield's servers cannot match demand and until that is achieved, don't bother with a download.
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"installed some financial site security not accessible"
Version: Expat Shield 2.25
Pros
BBC TV WAS great
Cons
messed-up my secure sites access, had to uninstall !
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