Google still localizing despite connection to foreign VPN

[Sadeghi85]

Originally Posted by gumbyy

I've never tried Janus, though I've heard about it. It uses Tor, doesn't it? That's why I didn't try it before, because Tor is too slow. Or is it true that Tor is now fast, as I read somewhere?

It's faster now, you can also choose exit nodes if you want, that way you can avoid Google captcha's and may notice even faster browsing.

[caspian]

Originally Posted by gumbyy

Hi, I no more. When I visit that site and click IP address I get the information that my IP is in Houston, Texas. That screen only lasts for 2 seconds and then it is redirected to a site asking me to download Java.

When I check other IP address websites, one tells me my IP is in Seychelles. Another reports the same IP address as the Seychelles address but tells me it's in New York City. Another tells me it's in California. Pretty strange.

Run this DNS test and see what happens. Maybe it is leaking your DNS requests.

https://www.dns-oarc.net/oarc/services/dnsentropy

Also, are you using a satellite connection? Because that would be a definite problem with a VPN..

[noone_particular]

Did you clear your browser cache before testing it? Is your browser set to compare the page to the one in the cache?

[caspian]

Originally Posted by InternetMeltdown

Intelligent response, casperian!

LOL!... Casperian is the name that the loony troll uses to spoof me over at that newsgroup. Just in case you didn't realize. But thanks for the compliment.

[gumbyy]

Originally Posted by caspian

Run this DNS test and see what happens. Maybe it is leaking your DNS requests.

https://www.dns-oarc.net/oarc/services/dnsentropy

Also, are you using a satellite connection? Because that would be a definite problem with a VPN..

Caspian,
I'm not using a satellite, I am almost always using Wifi. It's a hotel's wifi.

Well I ran your DNS test and the results are troubling.

I ran it first with Security Kiss and the result was a myriad of IP addresses. Most of them check out as Google IPs when I investigate them. But one IP in the list was of an ISP in the country where I reside. The Google IPs were reported as having "UNKNOWN source port randomness and UNKNOWN transaction ID randomness" and the local IP address "appears to have GREAT source port randomness and GREAT transaction ID randomness."

Then I ran the test with Hotspot Shield. Today, for some reason, Hotspot takes me to the US page when I go to google.com, not the localized page as it very often does.

The DNS test using Hotspot was much briefer, only listed one IP address, the Hotspot address in Chicago, and "appears to have GREAT source port randomness and GREAT transaction ID randomness." Did not list my local IP address.

So today it seems that Security Kiss is the one that's leaking my info, not Hotspot.

So if your true DNS is leaking, does that mean you are not protected, and your local ISP can see everything you're surfing?

Is there an easy way to fix this? Should I use Open DNS or something similar?

It's very disappointing when VPNs tell you you're private and you're really not.

[gumbyy]

Originally Posted by noone_particular

Did you clear your browser cache before testing it? Is your browser set to compare the page to the one in the cache?

I did clear the cache before testing. How do I know if Firefox is set to compare the page to the one in the cache?

[doktornotor]

Originally Posted by gumbyy

Caspian,
So if your true DNS is leaking, does that mean you are not protected, and your local ISP can see everything you're surfing?

Is there an easy way to fix this? Should I use Open DNS or something similar?

It's very disappointing when VPNs tell you you're private and you're really not.

Not really sure what you mean by "your true DNS is leaking" really, despite your numerous explanations.

1/ I run my own DNS server (Bind - recursive, with DNSSEC). Obviously, if you do not want your ISP to know where you are surfing, you should either do the same or not use their DNS servers at least.

2/ Wrt VPNs, again not sure what you mean here. Obviously all VPN traffic is encrypted.

P.S. DNS entropy etc. has basically nothing to do with this. It is about cache poisoning attacks, not "leaking" (whatever that means in DNS context.)

[gumbyy]

Well, so it's necessary to change your DNS settings as well as to connect to a VPN? And if you don't, it's pointless to even use a VPN? Why the heck don't the VPNs tell us this?

Also, why is it only happening sometimes, not always? Why are the IP address tracker websites telling me I'm in the US?

My Wireless Network Connection Internet Protocol Settings (TCP/IP) are set to Obtain IP and DNS settings automatically. Would appreciate greatly if someone would tell me how to change DNS settings for my VPN connections so as to assure privacy.

[Sadeghi85]

Originally Posted by gumbyy

Why the heck don't the VPNs tell us this?

Did you try JanusVM? -http://www.janusvm.com/doc.html

[noone_particular]

I did clear the cache before testing. How do I know if Firefox is set to compare the page to the one in the cache?

I don't use FireFox. On Seamonkey, the setting is at preferences>advanced >cache. Firefox should be similar.

[gumbyy]

Well I have now tried changing my DNS to Google DNS, and that didn't work. Hotspot continued to localize my searches. Now I changed it to Open DNS, and that doesn't work either. I still got the localized Google when using Hotspot.

I switched to Firefox's Permanent Private Browsing mode and told it to reject all Google cookies forever. Still I get the localized Google using Hotspot.

I ran Caspian's DNA test again on Security Kiss using Open DNS and this time it comes up clean, with no addresses in my resident country. But the addresses it gives all seem to go to Mountain View California. Does Google control the DNS of OpenDNS?

Security Kiss does not localize my Google to my actual resident country, I usuallly seem to get the localized Google for the IP address that Security Kiss gives me, but there was that one troubling incident earlier where a local IP address came up on the DNS analysis, a situation that has changed since I switched to Open DNS.

Still wondering why different web IP address trackers place me in very different countries with the same address.

Still haven't tried JanusVM. It's on my to-do list.

Ok, I just tried changing the Firefox setting for check_doc_frequency to 1, to make it always check for new version of stored pages. Then I ran the DNS test using Hotspot. Result was clean, giving the Hotspot Illinois address.

Then I tried to go to google.com.

Again, I got the localized search for the country I'm in.

The only conclusion I can reach is that Hotspot Shield is not secure. Anyone have any other ideas about why it localizes my Google?

[doktornotor]

Originally Posted by gumbyy

Well I have now tried changing my DNS to Google DNS, and that didn't work. Hotspot continued to localize my searches. Now I changed it to Open DNS, and that doesn't work either. I still got the localized Google when using Hotspot.

Both use geolocation. Really do not understand what are you after here.

- If you want unlocalized Google, go to http://www.google.com/ncr
- If you do not want to be tracked via DNS, install your own recursive DNS server

[Escalader]

Originally Posted by doktornotor

Both use geolocation. Really do not understand what are you after here.

- If you want unlocalized Google, go to http://www.google.com/ncr
- If you do not want to be tracked via DNS, install your own recursive DNS server

Best to hide in plain sight with the masses

[DasFox]

Originally Posted by gumbyy

I just tried Security Kiss for the first time. It took me to the US google page.

I don't trust Hotspot at all anymore. Are there any other free VPNs with good speed?

If you really love your safety and security you'll stay away from just about anything free out there!