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Private Internet Access (PIA) is a virtual private network (VPN) service that’s a subsidiary of London Trust Media, one of the very first security and privacy-focused accelerators.
The service makes use of an intermediary server to encrypt and route the user’s internet traffic, ensuring security, privacy, and anonymity. It also enables users to bypass geo-restrictions.
Company History
Private Internet Access was founded in 2009 and released in August of 2010. It was founded by Andrew Lee, the official House of Yi successor, after having dropped out of college to pursue his online business, which would later become Private Internet Access.
PIA is a subsidiary of London Trust Media, one of the first security and privacy accelerators and the owner of the Freenode IRC network.
In 2019, Private Internet Access merged with Kape Technologies, which already runs ZenMate and CyberGhost, two competing VPN providers.
The merging of the two companies was met by many objections from PIA users because Kape Technologies was responsible for developing toolbar bundles that included unwanted software. This was back when Kape Technologies was known as Crossrider.
Nevertheless, the merging remained intact, and Private Internet Access remains one of the most popular VPN services today.
Private Internet Access is currently based in the United States, with its headquarters being in Denver, Colorado.
Since the US doesn’t have an obligatory data retention policy, Private Internet Access is able to maintain a strict no-logs policy, which isn’t the case for a lot of VPN services based in European countries.
Customer Support
Customer support is one of the areas where Private Internet Access outshines the competition. The service offers 24/7 live chat support, which is common among top-tier VPN services.
What sets Private Internet Access apart, though, is its resource-rich website. You can find everything from step-by-step installation and troubleshooting guides to an extensive FAQs section on PIA’s website.
Further, PIA’s website implements a searchable knowledge base for the visitor’s convenience. So, you don’t have to worry about wasting hours of your time trying to find certain resources.
PIA’s knowledge base is so thorough that you probably won’t need to contact the support team, assuming you’re willing to spend a few minutes searching for the resources you seek.
DNS Leak Results
Private Internet Access is designed with a huge emphasis on security and privacy. It’s equipped with advanced functionalities such as IPv6 leak protection, data encryption, firewall, IP masking, and steadfast DNS leak protection.
According to the vast majority of customer reviews, Private Internet Access is able to protect networking with no IP or DNS leaks whatsoever.
Warrant Canary
Private Internet Access doesn’t fly warrant canaries because, as they claim, privacy is at the forefront of their operation.
Instead of sending warrant canaries to warn users of certain damage that has been done, Private Internet Access eliminates the possibility of the damage occurring in the first place.
Simply put, the company doesn’t fly warrant canaries so that no collectible information is left behind. After all, the service has a very strict no-logs policy, so no matter the amount of force being applied, there’s no identifying information that any party can collect.
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Vast Network: Private Internet Access features an outstanding network of over 25,000 servers in 77 countries. More servers equate to less crowding, which, in turn, ensures reliable connection speeds.
- Fast Connections: Whether you resort to automatic or manual server connection, PIA ensures fast connectivity all over the world. This will enable you to enjoy uninterrupted streaming and hitch-free online gaming.
- Torrenting Support: Private Internet Access offers full P2P support, meaning that all of its servers support torrenting. Coupled with an automatic kill switch and a no-logs policy, you’re guaranteed supreme anonymity while engaging in P2P activities.
- Top-Tier Security: With privacy and security at the forefront, PIA offers users complete internet anonymity. It employs advanced features such as data encryption, firewall, IPv6 leak protection, IP masking, and DNS leak protection, so safety is guaranteed.
- AES 128-Bit Encryption: Even though PIA grants users complete freedom to customize their protocols and encryption algorithms, the VPN adopts the AES 128-bit encryption as its default, which is an extremely secure algorithm.
- Split-Tunneling: Private Internet Access allows split tunneling on desktop apps. Having this convenient feature at your disposal, you’ll be able to determine which apps will pass through the VPN before accessing the internet and which ones won’t.
- Ad Blocking: Private Internet Access features an ad-blocker within its MACE feature. It also blocks malware, adware, and tracking whenever the MACE feature is activated.
- Vast Compatibility: Private Internet Access works with Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS, and Android. It also has browser extensions for Chrome, Opera, and Firefox. Note, however, that the MACE feature isn’t available for iOS devices.
- 10 Connections: One of the most notable selling points of PIA is that it can connect up to 10 devices at the same time using a single account.
Cons
- Limited Streaming: Private Internet Access is able to access various Netflix libraries, particularly the ones in the US, UK, Canada, and Australia. However, the service isn’t able to access Netflix in Germany, Japan, and Mexico, just to name a few.
- Not Reliable in China: Sadly, PIA isn’t able to get past the Great Firewall of China. It’s not a surprise, really, since most VPN services aren’t able to offer reliable performance in China anyway.
FAQ
Can I Be Tracked If I Use PIA VPN?
Private Internet Access encrypts your data and obscures your IP address by routing it through an intermediary server, so you don’t have to worry about being tracked while using PIA.
Is Private Internet Access Legit?
Private Internet Access excels when it comes to security and privacy. It’s also suitable for household use since it allows up to 10 simultaneous connections. However, we wouldn’t recommend it for streaming purposes.
Verdict
PIA VPN is a player at the top table in the VPN industry. While it falls a little short of the very best, you can be sure that PIA will give you a secure, reliable and fast browsing/torrenting/gaming experience. A thumbs up from us.