Any Tech Types? Let’s Talk Connectivity Options, VPN

[Travelcat2]

8 minutes ago, Wendy The Wanderer said:

 

The issue of autopay has been discussed elsewhere ad nauseum, and I myself don't really need advice on that subject. Even if 90% of my bills were on autopay, there would still be some I'd want to handle directly, plus I'd want to monitor my credit card statements and balances.

 

I wasn't referring to "autopay".  I would pre-pay my bills (and overpay if I'm not 100% what I will owe).  

 

wcsdkgh - the last thing any of us want is one logon per suite.  That is what you get on Oceania (or on Regent if you do not have status).  On the other hand, one logon per person could work.  

 

 

 

[wcsdkqh]

TC2 -- As I implied, some folks wouldn't like the 1 login suggestion, but no one could deny that it wouldn't make for an immediate improvement.  As long as the vast majority of guests don't understand the constant updates and backups that are occurring in the background, and don't know how to disable them, allowing multiple logins per guests will result in a poor experience.  Until satellite technology and bandwidth improves (and Regent is willing to pay for same), I would rather share a single connection with my significant other if it would result in a better experience.

Edited May 26, 2019 by wcsdkqh
Spelling correction

[Wendy The Wanderer]

41 minutes ago, JMARINER said:

I don't use ever a VPN for banking, credit cards ,etc.  Modernly bank and credit card security,  at least on the consumer end is very good. Once you are at their website they use very strong encryption for their transactions.  I would be far more concern if I were still doing any transactions on a public computer, like in the old days at internet cafes, where someone could use a "keylogger" type program to steal my password.  But on my own device or the ships computers, that does not happen.

 

I'm not worried about the bank's security obviously.  What I'd like to know is if the connection at the ship's end is secure, or is it like the usual hotel or restaurant wifi which is usually very insecure.

[JMARINER]

17 hours ago, Wendy The Wanderer said:

 

I'm not worried about the bank's security obviously.  What I'd like to know is if the connection at the ship's end is secure, or is it like the usual hotel or restaurant wifi which is usually very insecure.

All internet connection are always subject to being hacked. Your home network or at a coffeehouse or hotel. They are all vulnerable.  Keeping your device and it's  security programs up to date is the best defense. Never use an unknown public computer to do anything sensitive, like Hotel lobby or business center desktop, where some unknown person could install something dangerous. The ship computers are monitored and kept clean so they are ok.

 

As long as you are using your device, particularly a phone that is using a pre installed "APP", it is very secure.  It is more about the device you are using than the network. The bank APP has encryption that is installed inside the APP. Nothing is seen by the network.

 

Now what is really important is your computer of device security software, anti-virus and firewall.  Apple devices have this built in as does Android. Windows needs a good Anti virus program installed and kept updated. I do not recommend any of the free programs.

 

 

J

[aungrl]

1 hour ago, JMARINER said:

All internet connection are always subject to being hacked. Your home network or at a coffeehouse or hotel. They are all vulnerable.  Keeping your device and it's  security programs up to date is the best defense. Never use an unknown public computer to do anything sensitive, like Hotel lobby or business center desktop, where some unknown person could install something dangerous. The ship computers are monitored and kept clean so they are ok.

 

As long as you are using your device, particularly a phone that is using a pre installed "APP", it is very secure.  It is more about the device you are using than the network. The bank APP has encryption that is installed inside the APP. Nothing is seen by the network.

 

Now what is really important is your computer of device security software, anti-virus and firewall.  Apple devices have this built in as does Android. Windows needs a good Anti virus program installed and kept updated. I do not recommend any of the free programs.

 

 

J

This is very helpful.  What anti-virus program(s) do you recommend for Windows?

[Wendy The Wanderer]

2 hours ago, aungrl said:

This is very helpful.  What anti-virus program(s) do you recommend for Windows?

I use Bitdefender. Includes a 'hardened' browser,  which is simply a stripped down browser that's more secure. 

[aungrl]

35 minutes ago, Wendy The Wanderer said:

I use Bitdefender. Includes a 'hardened' browser,  which is simply a stripped down browser that's more secure. 

Thanks, Wendy.  Will check that out.

[JMARINER]

4 hours ago, aungrl said:

This is very helpful.  What anti-virus program(s) do you recommend for Windows?

I used "Eset Internet Security" cost about $50 per year. Indecently, it has a built in VPN just for banking, credit cards and financial transactions. I like it because it had a very hard firewall that I can control.

 

Bitedefender is very good too, Also Webroot and Norton. But you need the paid versions, not the free ones. Kaspersky  was also highly rated a while back, but there was some concerns (rumors) about it being hacked by a certain Foreign state.

 

J

 

[aungrl]

14 hours ago, JMARINER said:

I used "Eset Internet Security" cost about $50 per year. Indecently, it has a built in VPN just for banking, credit cards and financial transactions. I like it because it had a very hard firewall that I can control.

 

Bitedefender is very good too, Also Webroot and Norton. But you need the paid versions, not the free ones. Kaspersky  was also highly rated a while back, but there was some concerns (rumors) about it being hacked by a certain Foreign state.

 

J

 

Perfect, this is exactly what I needed.  And it could be well worth the $50/year for access to that indecent VPN! 😉

[Sharle]

we used a VPN for banking and it worked fine. I have found the internet just fine for normal transactions. The only time we have had problems is far North (norway, iceland etc) and where the signal is blocked by mountains. Our last cruise on voyager, transatlantic, the service was great. My husband made several business phone calls using wifi calling and never lost connection.

[snuggarelli]

Now I know there is “AT&T at sea” which uses the Regent antenna to talk to the satellites transmit data while underway.  I do not know what the speed guarantees are using this program.  (Does anyone know this?). 

 

I would assume you’d have to use your phone as a hotspot.  I’m going to investigate using our portable router instead, if it’s possible.  When you get close to land, if you have “AT&T international” turned on, you’ll have the international package take effect.  I think this is by far the easiest way for my DH and myself to do it.  We did look at Skyroam, but it only works near land (so it solves only half the issue).

[jeb_bud]

If you have a dual SIM phone with eSIM Truphone has some economical data plans. We used it in the Med in April. For about $6 we got a GB of data everywhere but Montenegro. When we got tired of the glacial WiFi on the Explorer we could use my iPhone as a hotspot with good speed. Of course we had to be in range of terrestrial cell towers so not useful at sea.