Virtual Private Networks
In order for a VPN to be compatible with Split's protected routing setup it must allow connection from Tor.
Like so:
you -> tor -> VPN -> internet
NOT so:
you -> VPN -> tor -> internet
It must be possbile to establish a connection after adding socks-proxy 172.XX.0.2 9050 to the OpenVPN config file, where the "XX" octet depends on the
type of container (isolated/leaky/exposed) you are using.
Why a VPN?
Split Linux torifies internet connections. Many parties, while not completely blocking connections via Tor, still make them very hard to access. You may end up solving countless loops of reCAPTCHA only to be denied access anyways or DDoS protection leaves you hanging at their check for validity.
The best way to deal with this is to avoid such sites altogether, but when there's no alternative provider of a service yet, or when you don't want to play into the "something to hide" narrative, it's helpful to appear as yet another citizen.
Commercial Providers
This is a list of commercial VPN providers that did not block our connection from Tor and let us surf the web normally. Please note the date and be aware that policies may change.
| Provider | Comment | Cost (1y) | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|
| AirVPN (onion) | price when on offer | 31.85 EUR | Nov-2022 |
| IVPN | 60.00 USD | Feb-2023 | |
| SnowHaze | only their "Firewall Bypass", Germany-location, confirmed working | 50.00 CHF | Nov-2022 |
| Xeovo | support claims it's working - to be confirmed | 35.88 EUR | Nov-2022 |
If you know further VPN's that work, please let us know. A good starting point for finding VPN's is the list at https://monerica.com.
Incompatible
Most providers do not allow establishing a VPN through Tor. This list will be extended as more data is being gathered:
- ProtonVPN
Homemade
Tech-savvy users can turn any VPS hosting to use as VPN. As a major advantage this means that your traffic will look even more generic, since you do not surf using any of the known IP addresses associated with a VPN provider. If said VPS is on a dedicated IP, it might be a downside to have all traffic tied to one unique user.
While pretty much every "Big Tech" company offers a free-tier hosting, it's counter-productive to empower those by handing over even more statistics to analyze.
Know that you can find great offers for roughly one dollar a month, some of which payable with Monero (through BTC gateways).