My Journey in the UAE: How a VPN Made All the Difference

By Alex Johnson

As an avid traveler, I recently had the opportunity to visit the United Arab Emirates (UAE), a country known for its stunning architecture, luxurious lifestyle, and vibrant culture. However, I was also aware of the strict internet regulations and content restrictions in place. To ensure a seamless experience, I decided to invest in a VPN service before my trip. Little did I know how crucial this decision would turn out to be!

Arrival in the UAE

Upon landing in Dubai, I was immediately captivated by the city’s impressive skyline, dominated by the Burj Khalifa. But as I settled into my hotel, I remembered the warnings I had heard about internet censorship in the UAE. Many popular services and websites, such as social media platforms, VoIP calls, and certain streaming sites, are either restricted or limited. I felt a sense of unease; would I be able to access the content I loved during my stay?

The VPN Experience

As soon as I checked into my hotel, I quickly set up my VPN. With a few simple clicks, I was connected to a server in my home country. Instantly, I felt a wave of relief wash over me. Not only could I access my favorite streaming services, but I could also make video calls to friends and family without worrying about any restrictions.

Bypassing Restrictions with Ease

During my trip, I wanted to keep up with my favorite shows on a streaming platform that is typically blocked in the UAE. Thanks to my VPN, I was able to bypass these restrictions effortlessly. I settled into my hotel room one evening, equipped with popcorn and a cozy blanket, and started binge-watching the latest season of my favorite series. It felt like I had brought a piece of home with me, no censorship in sight!

Staying Connected

Beyond entertainment, the VPN proved invaluable for staying connected. I often rely on apps like WhatsApp and FaceTime to communicate with loved ones back home. With my VPN running, I was able to make crystal-clear calls and send messages without any interruptions. This made my experience in the UAE feel much less isolating, even while navigating a foreign country.

Exploring the Local Culture

While I enjoyed my online activities, I also wanted to immerse myself in the local culture. During the day, I explored the bustling markets of Dubai, marveled at the beauty of the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, and indulged in delicious local cuisine. But every evening, I returned to my hotel room to relax and unwind with my favorite shows, all thanks to my trusty VPN.

Conclusion

My trip to the UAE was nothing short of extraordinary, and my VPN played a significant role in enhancing my experience. From bypassing content restrictions to staying connected with friends and family, it transformed what could have been a frustrating travel experience into one filled with joy and comfort.

For anyone planning to visit the UAE or any country with strict internet regulations, I wholeheartedly recommend using a VPN. It not only provides access to your favorite content but also grants peace of mind, knowing you can stay connected and entertained throughout your journey.

Happy travels!

* User shared their experience and received a free month of service as a thank-you!

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VPNBook Review: An In-Depth Look at This Free VPN Service

VPNBook is a VPN service based in Switzerland that offers both a free and a paid tier, with the latter featuring a dedicated IP address. While the allure of a no-cost VPN might be tempting, especially if you’re looking to save money, the service’s performance and privacy features raise several concerns. This comprehensive review will explore VPNBook’s strengths and weaknesses to help you decide if it’s worth your time—or if you should look elsewhere.

Performance and Speed

One of the most critical factors when evaluating a VPN service is its performance, particularly speed. VPNBook’s performance is notably disappointing. During testing, the service delivered extremely slow speeds across its limited server network. Here’s a breakdown of the speeds I observed:

  • United States: 1.37 Mbps
  • Germany: 0.54 Mbps
  • Poland: 1.02 Mbps

For context, streaming even the lowest quality YouTube videos (SD 360p) requires a minimum speed of 0.7 Mbps. With VPNBook’s speeds, accessing basic online content becomes a challenge, and more demanding tasks like HD streaming or online gaming are nearly impossible due to frequent connection failures and unbearably slow load times.

Streaming and Access to Geo-Restricted Content

When it comes to accessing streaming services, VPNBook falls short. The VPN struggled to bypass restrictions on major platforms such as Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, and Disney+. Even attempting to access UK-based services like BBC iPlayer and ITVHub is futile, as VPNBook lacks servers in Asia and other key regions. This makes VPNBook unsuitable for users who want to enjoy international content or access services that are otherwise geo-blocked.

Security and Privacy

For a free VPN, security and privacy are major concerns, and VPNBook does not excel in these areas:

  • Logging Practices: VPNBook retains connection logs, including your originating IP address and timestamps of connections. These logs are reportedly purged after one week. While not as intrusive as some, this logging still raises privacy concerns, particularly when compared to the strict no-logs policies of many paid VPN services.

  • Encryption and Protocols: VPNBook offers AES-128 bit and AES-256 bit encryption, which are industry-standard encryption methods. However, the service supports outdated VPN protocols such as PPTP, known for its weak security. While OpenVPN is available and generally recommended, the inclusion of older protocols like PPTP and Shadowsocks/Outline diminishes the overall security and performance.

  • Leaks: During testing, VPNBook exhibited severe privacy issues, including WebRTC and DNS leaks. These leaks expose your real IP address and DNS server even when connected to the VPN, undermining its effectiveness at protecting your privacy.

Features and Usability

VPNBook’s feature set is minimal, reflecting its status as a free service:

  • Protocols: VPNBook supports OpenVPN, PPTP, and Shadowsocks/Outline. OpenVPN is generally reliable, but the inclusion of outdated and less secure protocols like PPTP and limited support for Shadowsocks/Outline detracts from the service’s overall effectiveness.

  • Apps and Compatibility: VPNBook does not provide dedicated applications for various platforms. Users must manually configure OpenVPN or the Outline client, which can be a complex process for those unfamiliar with VPN setups. The lack of native apps means users are required to rely on third-party clients or manual configurations, which can be cumbersome and inconvenient.

  • Proxy Servers: VPNBook offers free web-based proxy servers with 256-bit SSL encryption. While this feature can be useful for quick, casual browsing, it does not address the fundamental issues with the VPN service itself, such as its slow speeds and security weaknesses.

VPNBOOK Customer Support

Customer support is another area where VPNBook falls short. As a free service, expectations for customer support are inherently lower. I reached out to VPNBook’s support team regarding the service’s functionality in China but received no response. While this lack of support may not be surprising given the service’s free nature, it still represents a significant drawback for users who may require assistance or have specific needs.

Conclusion

While VPNBook’s free service might initially appear attractive, its numerous shortcomings make it a less favorable option compared to paid VPN providers. Its slow speeds, limited server network, and privacy issues, coupled with a lack of effective streaming capabilities, render it unsuitable for most users. For a better overall experience, consider investing in a reputable paid VPN service that offers improved performance, robust security, and reliable customer support.

3 Steps to use VPN

01

Sign upBuy an affordable VPN account.

02

ConnectConfigure the VPN on your device.

03

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Connect & Enjoy: Internet Freedom, Privacy & security. Purchase your VPN today!

Can a VPN be Trusted?

All you need to do is browse the Internet for a few minutes and you will see that there are hundreds of VPN providers. We tend to think of VPNs as secure fortresses, but some providers have had weaknesses exposed. Some of them have even been hacked and had their entire networks compromised. All this leads to the question, can your VPN be trusted.

Trust is not the only factor that should be considered when it comes to picking a VPN. It could be the most important element, though. Many things fall under the umbrella of trustworthiness in a VPN. When a provider falls short in one area it often raises red flags in other areas.

Logging, Observing, and Constant Protection

There are three things most people want in a VPN that stand above other considerations. These are no logs, no monitoring activity, and protection that is always in force. The last of these is maybe the easiest to evaluate. Many trusted VPNs are now implementing a kill switch.

A kill switch is a feature that drops your connection to the Internet if your VPN connection is interrupted. Before the days of the kill switch, you could be browsing the Internet and never know that your VPN connection had been dropped. Unawares, you would continue to browse until the session was closed.

Logging is when a VPN provider maintains records of Internet activity. The danger here for the person concerned with privacy is that those logs could potentially be subpoenaed by legal authorities. If there are no logs that are being kept of your Internet activity, there is nothing that can be surrendered to anyone.

Finally, you should not have to worry about your VPN provider taking a look at what you are doing when you are online. No one needs to know your business. That is the entire point of a VPN. This goes hand in hand with not keeping any logs of your activity.

A Word of Caution and Reality About VPN Providers

Before we go any farther it is necessary to make an important point. No VPN provider is guaranteed to be beyond a hack or breach. No website can make that claim. Security breaches are an assumed risk when you use the Internet. So, if your provider has been the victim of a previous hack this does not automatically rule them out as trustworthy.

All you can do is be diligent in choosing a trusted VPN provider. If you follow the guidelines that we have offered, you will probably have more success in this regard.

Free, Good, or Trusted – Which VPN is Best?

Many people would tell you that you can get two of the three things above in a VPN. So, if you could only take two which ones would you pick? It seems like the obvious choice would be good and trusted.

Yes, this is our way of taking exception right now with many so-called free VPN providers. Many of these services are riddled with security issues. Some of them also sell user browsing information to advertisers, and why not? They have to make a living some how. On the surface a free VPN service may look appealing. The reality is that you may end up paying a price that you did not expect in the form of your data being stolen. Trusted is out the window when it comes to free VPN service.

As far as good is concerned, it really depends on your definition of the word. If good means having a lot of servers in several locations then you will find many VPNs that fit the bill. But, what good are all those VPN servers when you have massive downtime? How do more servers help you when the provider is keeping logs of all your data?

Good goes beyond the ability to keep a VPN network up and running. Good and trusted should go hand in hand with one another. The average VPN user would get far better results if they were able to prioritize security above other concerns.

Trustworthy VPN Checklist

When you sit down to choose a VPN provider, you should be methodical about the process. We suggest making a checklist of the following factors:

  • How long has the VPN provider been in business?
  • What is their record with security breaches or hacks?
  • Does the provider keep logs?
  • Does the VPN observe your activity?
  • Does the VPN have a kill switch?
  • Are there affordable price plans available?
  • Did you check customer reviews?

This is a basic list that you can add to when you are choosing your trustworthy VPN provider. Remember, you don’t have to sacrifice servers and server locations when you are choosing a good provider. VPN Accounts has multiple servers in many locations, and we still rank as one of the most trustworthy providers around.

Don’t rush the process. Take your time when you are choosing the company that will provide your VPN. If you have questions, don’t hesitate to ask them. Most trusted VPNs will be happy to explain their service to you.

3 Steps to use VPN

01

Sign upBuy an affordable VPN account.

02

ConnectConfigure the VPN on your device.

03

Enjoy VPNEnjoy the benefits of a VPN today.

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Connect & Enjoy: Internet Freedom, Privacy & security. Purchase your VPN today!

Access Blocked Websites in China

About a year ago, one of our users submitted their story. It would be safe to assume that this particular customer was a fan of our vpn account services! We are grateful for the time users take to submit what we call “big” reviews since most the vpn reviews submitted are much shorted in nature. We have already posted a few vpn reviews on the blog and have a few more to share the coming weeks.

I am currently living in China, and ever since I moved here I have been having problems with my internet and I have been unable to access blocked websites.

I know back home in the US we have freedom of speech and the government or Internet Service Providers (ISP) cannot or are not allowed to prevent us from accessing certain blocked websites. Off course there was the issue with wikileaks.org but who knows what will happened there!   Unlike the US, here in China (Beijing …etc) and in some other places like the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Iran, Oman, Ethiopia ..etc you cannot access blocked websites like YouTube, SKYPE, Twitter, Facebook, anything with adult content , some dating sites and sometimes even gmail and hotmail.   The more a website is blocked the more you want to access blocked website!

With that in mind I have been scouring the internet to find an easy solution to enable me to access blocked websites. There are options of using an Anonymiser or even typing the IP address instead of URL. Also found a solution involving google cache and google translate but the simplest and most stress free solution was a Virtual Private Network or a VPN to access blocked websites.

So to save you the research, here is what I found.

A VPNaccount uses VPN technology creating an encrypted tunnel between the user (me) and a server. Once the user (me) has connected to the server, the user receives a new IP address. This IP address is then used for all Internet communications (giving you access to blocked websites) until the user disconnects from the server. Both incoming and outgoing Internet traffic will be directed through this tunnel and is protected with a Secure Encrypted Connection.

Since I wanted to access blocked websites from the USA, I chose to USA VPN. This provided me with a US IP address enabling me to access websites available to anyone residing in the USA.  Hello Facebook!

3 Steps to use VPN

01

Sign upBuy an affordable VPN account.

02

ConnectConfigure the VPN on your device.

03

Enjoy VPNEnjoy the benefits of a VPN today.

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Connect & Enjoy: Internet Freedom, Privacy & security. Purchase your VPN today!

Bypassing Blocked Sites When Travelling!

This is another in depth story that a  user submitted to us about 2 years ago. This particular customer whom remains a loyal vpn user  at VPNaccounts.com to this day shares with us how he discovered our VPN service and how it is used to bypass blocked sites. We thank him for taking his time to write and share his story, unfortunately it is rare to receive such stories and we will release a few more that we have saved over the years since launching in 2007.

 

When I was traveling recently, I was quickly reminded of how much freedom we have in Europe. There are no blocks on websites that the government doesn’t like here. However, in many countries like Qatar and Oman, this is not the case. Anything that is not agreeable to the government can be quickly blocked or shut down. Even just foreign news sites can be considered unacceptable and be banned. Faceboo, youtube, anything is fair game to be banned. But, I thought, there has to be a way to bypass blocked sites right?

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 I travel so much that just dealing with it was not an option. So when I got back from my main trip to Qatar I looked into ways to get around this. It turns out there a few ways to deal with these issues, but the safest and most reliable is what’s called a VPN. VPN’s encrypt all the data coming and going from your computer, so no one can tell what it is and decide to block it. This would let you bypass blocked sites.

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 So the next time I was traveling, I tried to sign up for a VPN, only to find that the sign up sites were blocked too. Of course, I thought, the government couldn’t stop a VPN, but they could stop people from signing up in the first place. Serves me right for waiting until I was out of the country. I should have signed up in advance.

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 So as soon as I got home, I went looking for a good deal on a VPN account. I found your website VPN-accounts.com which seems to have great deals and be very simple and straightforward to sign up to. I was quickly set up and ready to go for my next trip. First thing I did was I arrived in Qatar I pulled out my laptop and tested out my new VPN account. It worked like a charm. I had access to all my favorite sites, faceboo, foreign news, games, and my adult dating sites. Some countries even block skype and youtube. I’m glad to report these work too. Even though they are data-heavy when doing voices and videos, they still work great, even from a foreign country through a VPN! I was relieved that I could still rely on my usual programs and sites like skype, facebook, and youtube, no matter where I went.

Skype is such a useful tool that saves money over regular phones, what I spent on a VPN would be saved just by using it when i visited Dubai, UAE that blocks skype. I could finally bypass blocked sites and use VoIP programs such as GoogleTalk and skype.  

Related posts: In which Countries is a VPN Account needed?

3 Steps to use VPN

01

Sign upBuy an affordable VPN account.

02

ConnectConfigure the VPN on your device.

03

Enjoy VPNEnjoy the benefits of a VPN today.

Get a VPN Account

Connect & Enjoy: Internet Freedom, Privacy & security. Purchase your VPN today!

 

Opening Blocked Sites in UAE

Over the years we have received many testimonials and a handful of the customers took their time to really write and share their stories. We decided it would be best to make them public. So here is the first one we decided to post from a user about opening blocked sites in uae:

I am a professional basketball coach and I have traveled the world extensively as a player and coach. Before the Internet, I had a difficult time keeping in touch with people at home. Phone calls were expensive and mail would arrive months late. The Internet solved these problems with email and video teleconferencing. Life in Dubai, however; is like living in the communications past due to its strict Internet censorship law. Thankfully, there is a way around this little issue for the resourceful Internet user.

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Etisalat and du both Blocked websites in UAE. I learned of the censorship the first time I tried to unsuccessfully visit Skype. I love Skype since it is a convenient way to stay in touch with my friends, family and former players. My service provider at the time was Etisalat, so I switched to du. I had no luck with them either. Since Etisalat and du are the main players on the Internet service provider scene, I decided the ISP was not the cause of Skype’s failure to open. I asked a player at one of my camps why I could not get on Skype and he laughed and explained that it was due to the strict filtering that the UAE places on Internet users. He told me that Flickr has been blocked on and off. I also discovered that it was not possible to visit adult dating sites to meet local or ex-patriot women. Many blogs are blocked too since they can be critical of the government.

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Finding a Solution for Blocked Sites in UAE. My son came to visit me after I was in Dubai for three months. He is technologically savvy and told me that I needed to download VPN software for my computer to bypass UAE’s IP based filtering. He tried a few sites from my computer in Dubai but had no luck since they too are filtered and blocked by the government. My son is resourceful though, so he simply called his friend in the United States who visited VPNaccounts.com and established my account. The process was fast and simple and my son had the VPN connection online within a matter of ten minutes from the start of the call. Blocked sites in UAE are no longer a problem for me! I am back on Skype and adult dating sites and I am absolutely loving my time in the UAE!

3 Steps to use VPN

01

Sign upBuy an affordable VPN account.

02

ConnectConfigure the VPN on your device.

03

Enjoy VPNEnjoy the benefits of a VPN today.

Get a VPN Account

Connect & Enjoy: Internet Freedom, Privacy & security. Purchase your VPN today!