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Anyone can now set up their own secure private network for free, following the latest update from one of the best VPN services out there.
NordVPN has made its Meshnet feature available for free, meaning that a paid subscription is not necessary to use the technology.
Meshnet, which was first released in June last year for paid NordVPN subscribers only, allows users to establish secure peer-to-peer connections between up to 60 different devices simultaneously in the same encrypted tunnel.
In one of the biggest changes yet, they also added a new file-sharing option to Meshnet, as well as open-sourced the Linux application.
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A safer digital life for everyone
“We are constantly expanding the capabilities of NordVPN. This release marks a significant change in openness by both making part of the service free and making open sourcing a substantial part of our client software,” says Vykintas Maknickas (opens in new tab)NordVPN’s product strategist.
Meshnet was only launched a few months ago as a way to securely connect up to 60 devices at once. In practice, it turns users’ devices into their own personal private servers. For example, they can redirect the connection to their laptop at home while on the road to bypass internet restrictions.
After first reviewing it last October, BingoTingo Cybersecurity Specialist Mike Williams described Meshnet as “arguably the most valuable built-in bonus VPN feature I’ve seen”.
Now anyone can create a free account and start using Meshnet for free.
“We believe everyone should have access to the security and convenience of a VPN. However, not everyone is willing to invest in a premium service like NordVPN,” Maknickas told BingoTingo.
“While this approach isn’t as private as using NordVPN and doesn’t rely on a huge network infrastructure, it provides flexibility and a secure connection for anyone who needs it.”
Maknickas also explained that while the VPN infrastructure is expensive to maintain, Meshnet does not require comparable maintenance costs.
“Then we can make it free without increasing our overall costs,” he said.
Developers also wanted to simplify file sharing in a secure way. Therefore, a new file sharing option allows users to share unlimited screenshots, photos or video files of any size without any quality loss.
In an ongoing effort for transparency, NordVPN has also made its entire Linux application open source, as well as the network library used in NordVPN apps across all operating systems (Libtelio) and the library used to share files via Meshnet (Libdrop).
When asked about the decision to open source only three components, Maknickas explained that Libtelio is not only the strongest open source community currently active, but was also a logical choice as it forms the backbone of all NordVPN applications .
“We want to see how it goes and then decide on the next steps.”
Meshnet best use cases
There are many ways NordVPN users have taken advantage of the benefits of the new Meshnet feature.
“In the beginning, most users were tech enthusiasts, but little by little more people discovered functionalities and convenient ways to use Meshnet, from gaming to remote access to other devices. We expect Meshnet to grow even faster with an easy-to-use file sharing feature,” said Maknickas.
The most popular use cases include:
- Route Internet traffic: As mentioned earlier, people on the go can route their traffic through their laptops at home. Friends and family can do the same if they’re on the same network, so everyone appears to be browsing from the same IP address.
- Share your VPN connection: Since Meshnet allows users to turn their device into a VPN server, friends and family members can benefit from the security of NordVPN even without a subscription.
- Multiplayer gaming: Those looking to boost their gaming experience will be interested to know that Meshnet works as a virtual Local Area Network (LAN). Wherever they are in the world, friends can play multiplayer games together without LAN cables.
- Share files: With Meshnet, you can share files with your family, friends and colleagues almost instantly without having to host them on another server or cloud space. In fact, with the update, this process becomes easier and more efficient.
