CNET Editors' review
Hotspot Shield - Maintain and protect your privacy - Download Video Previews
The bottom line: The Internet connection protector Hotspot Shield encrypts your traffic to protect you from all kinds of spying while your computer communicates with the rest of the world. It's a must-have utility for anybody who uses public Wi-Fi networks.
Review:
The Internet connection protector Hotspot Shield encrypts your traffic to protect you from all kinds of spying while your computer communicates with the rest of the world. It's a must-have utility for anybody who uses public Wi-Fi networks, but it's also an excellent tool for ensuring on any network connection that you can access sites and data according to your tastes, and nobody else's. Hotspot Shield's Virtual Private Network services are used by more than 10 million people at the time this review was written, according to the software publisher AnchorFree, making it the largest VPN in the world.
The browser-independent Hotspot Shield establishes an encrypted connection to the Hotspot Shield servers, and turns all HTTP traffic to the safer HTTPS. By rerouting Web traffic and providing you with a new IP address hosted by AnchorFree, the company is able to ensure that your data isn't plucked out of the open by man-in-the-middle attacks or wireless network spoofing.
Recent changes include automatic detection of Wi-Fi connections nearby, the ability to work on corporate networks, and no longer requiring administrative privileges to install.
In our tests, we noticed that sometimes the program would actually resolve pages faster than when connected without it. This occurs, most likely, because of the geographic location of the company's servers. During a day of hands-on testing on the notoriously pokey CNET public Wi-Fi network, we noticed that Hotspot Shield Elite was remarkably fast. There were no connection lags despite the rerouting, and the program admirably handled high-definition streaming videos from sites such as Vimeo, YouTube, and CNET TV. We'd recommend the program for improving the Wi-Fi speeds alone, nevermind the additional security benefits.
The free version of Hotspot Shield does come at a cost. The installation opts you into a toolbar, which redirects your default search and home page, and a desktop icon. Also, whenever you activate Hotspot Shield, it will open a new tab to AnchorFree.com and begin autoplaying a video. That's seriously annoying, even in a free product that offers such a valuable service. Still, the toolbars and redirects are optional.
Once installed, it appears as a red icon that turns to green when activated in both your system tray and in your browser. Clicking will toggle it on or off. Choosing the Properties option opens a window that tells you that you're connected. Hit the Details link to learn more about your connection, including the VPN IP address, amount of data sent in and out, and how long you've been connected. The data transfer rate makes for a useful, quick-and-dirty gauge for people with data caps.
Hotspot Shield's paid upgrade is called Elite, which runs ad-free and on faster servers. Elite costs $0.50 per 24-hour session, with a minimum $10 deposit, or $5 per month, or $29.99 per year. Payment options include credit card, PayPal, prepaid cash cards or mobile phone payments via premium SMS. Along with built-in site malware protection, Hotspot Shield Elite comes with tech support, preferential bandwidth priority (read: faster Internet speeds) and serves you no additional ads from AnchorFree.
The company has created multiple ways to circumvent download blockers in countries with strict censorship, too. If you can't access a Web page with the download, you can send an e-mail to win@anchorfree.com for the Windows version or mac@anchorfree.com for the Mac version, and the small installer file will be sent directly to you.
Note that although the Windows version number and the Mac version number don't match, AnchorFree says the features are the same.
Even with the installation shenanigans, we highly recommend Hotspot Shield for anybody concerned with privacy. In today's world, that ought to be anybody connecting a computer to the Internet.
Hotspot Shield - Maintain and protect your privacy - Download Video Previews:Publisher's Description
From AnchorFree:
With over 100 million downloads, Hotspot Shield is the world's most popular Virtual Private Network (VPN) that secures your browsing session, detects and blocks malicious websites, makes you private and anonymous online, and allows you to access any blocked content.
Hotspot Shield allows you to: Secure your Web session, data, online shopping, and personal information online with HTTPS encryption. Browse the Web anonymously and privately, without being tracked. Access any blocked content from school or office networks.
What's new in this version:
-
New version introduces a few major UI and Functionality changes.
- Maximal Mode: The conventional "Maximal" mode keeps Hotspot Shield VPN on to give you the privacy, anonymity and security all the time. It has the same functionality as previous Hotspot Shield versions (ability to switch virtual locations, malware protection);
- Auto Mode: This is a new way of protecting you only when it's necessary. We automatically detect w... See all new features
Now Hotspot Shield for Windows has 2 Modes available:
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All versions:
2.9 starsout of 602 votes
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Current version:
2.5 starsout of 14 votes
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My rating:
Write review
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"started out well.."
Version: Hotspot Shield 3.32
Pros
easy to install and use... easy not to use and uninstall..it did actually speed up my gaming and browsing.. and no ill effects to my operating system at all.. im surprised with comments on how other customers computers didn't fair so well.. even more so when my hard disc is failing and only the gadgets i get off this site keep my laptop going lol
Cons
was under the impression that once the summary 3 day trial and the the few days free elite upgrade had run out i could continue using a free version, at least till i would have paid for the elite upgrade version a few days later.. but after the above mentioned it was like the wheels fell off.. message at the bottom said your elite has run out please buy upgrade.. some where a long the way it said down grading to free version.. problem was the free version became non existent.. could not load Facebook or my games.. had to turn it off and basically shut it down to get the internet connection working again.. and for me this was the decision maker that marked the demise for a gadget that started of so promising..
Summary
upon uninstalling i was asked for comments on why i was removing it.. i in short explained what i have wrote above.. i read before in other peoples comments similar events unfolding.. i will say this.. i had about a week using this product and enjoyed using it.. easy to use and did the job i thought extremely well.. and i suppose for me i feel a bit robbed by the way the customer care is handled at the end of the free version.. no point being nasty and childish in explaining your personal problems with the product.. you will achieve more by being clear about your experience using the shield and hopefully getting the product improved..
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"working fine..here is one more link"
Version: Hotspot Shield 3.32
Pros
nice software but it will hang my pc little...
http://pakistanifunkit.blogspot.com/Cons
take a almost 5 min to open ..
http://pakistanifunkit.blogspot.com/ -
"works fine"
Version: Hotspot Shield 3.32
Pros
it does what it says
Cons
i haven't found any yet i haven't had it long and am still playing around with it
Summary
very good
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"Payment Wall Sucks!"
Version: Hotspot Shield 3.32
Pros
Works fine.
Cons
So many ads. Payment wall on Hulu. Like, *** I just want to watch/download. If you want me to download your stupid version, at least don't 'block' the site/s you think you'd cater for just the Elite users. FU.
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"Slow, full of ads but a bit useful"
Version: Hotspot Shield 3.32
Pros
Can hide my IP thats the biggest advantage of it
Cons
Ads, speed and some other cons
Summary
Using hotspot shield allow me to hide my IP. When you want to hide your IP it means you are doing something confidential. Hotspot shield doesn't offer any sort of security. Folder Lock can give your data comprehensive security and Hotspot shield can do the rest
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"Horrific customer service even with Elite"
Version: Hotspot Shield 3.32
Pros
None I can find.
Cons
Paid to upgrade to Elite. Won't work on Firefox and customer service tells me it only works on IE with security set to 'medium or below.' I'm not willing to use IE, but I tried it out just to see what it looks like when it's working. It won't. I uninstall, reinstall, sign in and...I can use the VPN but I can't access the settings menu, I can't close a stand-alone box that is always on top and is 1/3 the size of my screen, and the add-on bar is blank. 7 days later and multiple emails from customer service -- all of which reiterate to use IE and then all will be fine; none of which actually address the problem; none of which address the fact that I HAVE used IE -- and it still doesn't work.
Summary
Complete junk. If you're foolish enough to download this, don't pay for an upgrade. Mine only cost $0.75 for a month and I still feel ripped off. And definitely don't click on any of their advertisements -- they don't deserve anyone's money.
I found this software so annoying that I signed up for CNET solely for the purpose of posting this review. -
"dont get this app!!!"
Version: Hotspot Shield 3.32
Pros
if you think there is one thing good about this app your a retard.
Cons
1.made me sit there in 1 hour trying to fix your attention block app page thats still not fixed.
2. made me soo ******* angry.
3. wasted 20 hours of my life.
4. you guys are constantly begging for attention.
5. you gave me a virus ... A ******* VIRUS!!!
6. you guys gave me so many apps.
7. it cant be deleted.
8. this tortured my mind with anger.
9. it ruined my weekend.
and lastly ... ITS OUTRIGHT ******* BROKEN!Summary
this company decided to put up an attention page that says: invite ten friends from your account and you can keep the app or buy the full version. THIS IS A CRIME! I DONT WANT TO BE FORCED TO BUY AN APP. call 911 if the page shows up in your computer. I HATE THIS APP!!!
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"Rubbish - PIA vpn is the best"
Version: Hotspot Shield 3.32
Pros
Nothing at all
Cons
Everything
Summary
NSA friendly, ad friendly, slow vpn service.
Hotspot Shield = Rubbish
I started using PIA vpn and I have never looked back. I suggest you to use the vpn below. It is a no log vpn high speed ultimate vpn ever
https://www.privateinternetaccess.com/pages/buy-vpn/PROXYBLOG
Updated on Feb 8, 2014
PIA vpn = THE BEST
https://www.privateinternetaccess.com/pages/buy-vpn/PROXYBLOG
Updated on Mar 9, 2014Private Internet Access is the best VPN ever. www.unblocker.co.nr -
""Free" Version now requires upgrade to view Hulu"
Version: Hotspot Shield 3.32
Pros
No subscription fee
Cons
Ads out the wazoo
Slow
Limited downloads
Payment required for HuluSummary
If I'm going to pay for a VPN it aint going to be this one. Fingers crossed they remove the stupid upgrade requirement but in the meantime I'm paying to use a quicker service that also allows P2P.
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"Was good for a time."
Version: Hotspot Shield 3.32
Pros
Was good for a time.
Cons
Was good for a time.
Summary
Was good for a time.
