Latest news with #BitTorrent
Chicago Tribune
2 days ago
- Chicago Tribune
Court briefs: 19 years for child porn; restitution dropped in murder sentence
A LaPorte man was sentenced to 19 years Thursday for trading child pornography online. A federal jury convicted Ron Deming, 38, in April in the U.S. District Court of South Bend of receipt of child pornography and possession of child pornography, according to a news release. He will also serve 10 years on supervised release and repay $148,500 in restitution. Court filings show authorities opened an investigation in March 2024 after Deming sent and received child porn on a file-sharing site, BitTorrent. They traced his IP address. Federal prosecutors alleged after a search warrant, Deming said he collected child porn for 20 years. They found 30,000 images and over 400 videos on seized devices. Court records note Deming has a degree in elementary education. It was not immediately clear where he may have worked in the past. 'He was previously employed as a teacher and most recently as behavior technician teaching life skills to children with disabilities, some nonverbal,' Assistant U.S. Attorney Hannah Jones wrote. His defense lawyer Kurt Earnst painted a different story, noting his client has been unable to maintain regular employment as an adult. The Indiana Appeals Court said Thursday that a man convicted in a brutal killing at a Planet Fitness in Valparaiso no longer has to repay $5,000 to a Victim's Assistance Unit fund. Jordan Andrade, now 26, of Porter Township, pleaded guilty but mentally ill to the October 2023 murder of Valparaiso University computer science graduate student Varun Pucha, 29. He was sentenced to 60 years. His conviction stands. His earliest release date is in 2068. Appeals Judge Robert Altice wrote prosecutors filed the day after sentencing to add the $5,000 payment. They didn't 'have the authority' to do it, he concluded. The plea agreement did not specify what he should owe, only saying that '[r]estitution (was) to be determined by the Victim's Assistance Unit within thirty (30) days' of the plea. The unit 'neither determined the amount of restitution within this timeframe nor provided the trial court with this figure at or before the sentencing hearing,' he wrote. Andrade stabbed Pucha in the head as he was sitting on a massage chair. Pucha's parents from India could not make it to the Fort Wayne hospital before he died about a week later.
Business Wire
05-08-2025
- Business
- Business Wire
Permuto Capital Announces Amended Registration Statements For Novel Equity Product
NEW YORK & SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Permuto Capital LLC (Permuto or the Company), a joint venture between 3V Capital Partners SE LLC (3V Capital Partners) and Chia Network Inc. (Chia Network), today announced submission of amended registration statements for the MSFT Trust AVGO and AAPL Trusts Filed on February 28, 2025. The amended registration statements include a change to conversion rate of the decomposition of the underlying stocks into certificates. Previously one Asset Certificate (AC) and one Dividend Certificate (DC) combined represented one whole underlying stock, the amendment proposes changing the rate to 100 ACs and 100 DCs to one whole underlying stock, to meet initial listing requirements. The Company plans to conduct a reverse split in the future. The proposed offering will be made only by means of a prospectus. Copies of the preliminary prospectuses related to these offerings, when available, may be obtained by email at info@ Registration statements relating to these securities have been filed with the SEC but have not yet become effective. These securities may not be sold, nor may offers to buy be accepted, prior to the time the registration statement becomes effective. This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation, or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or jurisdiction. The offerings are subject to market conditions, and there can be no assurance as to whether or when the offerings may be completed, or as to the actual size or other terms of the offerings. About Permuto Capital Permuto, based in New York City and South San Francisco, is dedicated to advancing innovative financial solutions for institutional and retail investors. With a commitment to integrity and strategic growth, we aim to drive progress in an ever-evolving marketplace. For more information on Permuto, visit About 3V Capital Partners SE LLC 3V Capital Partners focuses on the democratization of innovative financial solutions that were traditionally only offered to qualified institutional buyers and carried significant fee drag. 3V Capital Partners utilizes cutting edge technology and rigid risk management standards to ensure our products carry the lowest possible fee for investors and minimize counterparty risk. Founded by a team of technology-focused investment bankers, the firm seeks to innovate financial markets and enable investors to better manage risk and customize exposure to public securities. About Chia Network Inc. Chia Network delivers software to enable enterprises to tokenize, custody, and trade any asset, while ensuring auditable authenticity and provenance. Created by Bram Cohen, the inventor of BitTorrent, the underlying open source, public Chia blockchain provides the secure and regulatory-compliant infrastructure for One Market.
Yahoo
31-07-2025
- Yahoo
Best VPN for Torrenting 2025: Keep Your Download Activity Private
What is the best VPN for torrenting right now? While the term torrenting often suggests illicitly downloading copyrighted materials, BitTorrent is simply a file-sharing protocol, and there are plenty of legal uses for it. For instance, I regularly download open-source software, including Linux operating systems, with BitTorrent. Similarly, there's a lot of public domain content that you can freely and legally torrent, like the renowned 1968 film Night of the Living Dead. But some ISPs may slow down or completely block BitTorrent traffic, so I suggest using a VPN nonetheless. As always, remember that illegal activity is still illegal even if performed under the privacy of a VPN. NordVPN is the best VPN for torrenting, thanks to its blisteringly fast download speeds that trounced the competition. Its excellent privacy, robust fleet of peer-to-peer-optimized servers and outstanding streaming performance make it a terrific all-around VPN. Proton VPN is the best VPN for torrenting with port forwarding, making it a great choice for power users and file-sharing enthusiasts. I was impressed with Proton VPN's snappy speeds, exhaustive global server network and terrific region-restricted streaming content unblocking. Surfshark is the best value VPN for torrenting, boasting file-sharing support on all its servers. You'll get a slew of amenities that pricier VPNs lack, including unlimited simultaneous connections and nifty privacy features. Mullvad is the best VPN for torrenters with critical privacy needs. The company keeps the personal information it asks for to an absolute minimum, and doesn't even require an email address, name, username or password. While it was fast in our 2025 speed tests, Mullvad was mind-blowingly quick in my hands-on torrenting test. Its streaming struggles, small server network and meager five simultaneous device allotment mean it won't be the best fit for everyone, but for torrenting, those limitations are offset by Mullvad's strong commitment to privacy and transparency, plus its superb torrenting performance. Best VPNs for torrenting in 2025 NordVPN NordVPN is the best VPN for torrenting overall. It was the fastest VPN we tested, and its speediness also proved true when torrenting. Aside from its excellent file-sharing chops, NordVPN is exceptional for streaming, sports a massive global roster of servers and boasts unique privacy features like Meshnet for creating virtual local area networks. While NordVPN has specific torrenting servers, I found its P2P server roster varied and fast. Why we like it NordVPN provided blazing-fast speeds for everything I threw at it, from torrents to streaming videos. I downloaded a 3.29GB Batocera Linux ISO for my Steam Deck in a lightning-quick five minutes and 25 seconds, and a 5.84GB Ubuntu 25.04 ISO in just five minutes and 52 seconds. By comparison, both Surfshark and ExpressVPN hovered around the 10-minute mark when downloading the same Ubuntu installer. ExpressVPN downloaded Batocera in six minutes and 43 seconds (about a minute slower than Nord), but Surfshark took just over 17 minutes. While Mullvad downloaded both torrents faster, Nord's significantly better streaming service unblocking and larger server network make it a better choice for most folks. Unlike some competitors that allow torrenting on all servers -- such as ExpressVPN and Surfshark -- NordVPN restricts torrenting to a fleet of P2P servers. Nevertheless, I experienced snappy speeds, and its generous lineup of torrent-optimized servers gave me plenty of connection options. NordVPN doesn't support port forwarding, which may provide faster download and upload speeds with torrenting by keeping certain connections open. Port forwarding can pose some security risks since specific ports on your network remain accessible for folks outside your local area network, so I don't fault the company for its lack of port forwarding. Moreover, NordVPN downloaded files faster than its rivals, even without it. The kill switch works well, so your internet gets cut off in case your VPN unexpectedly disconnects while you're torrenting, thus keeping your BitTorrent activity private. NordVPN's split tunneling support means you can torrent privately with a VPN while excluding other apps from your VPN connection. I used split tunneling to install Life is Strange on Steam outside of a VPN with the fastest possible download speeds while still hiding my torrent activity from my ISP using a VPN. In addition to torrenting, NordVPN is excellent for streaming. I effortlessly unblocked content from Netflix, Max, BBC iPlayer, Amazon Prime Video and CBC. While NordVPN is initially a competitive value at $13 per month, $60 per year or $82 total for the first two years, its borderline extortionate price hikes drive the price to $140 annually upon renewal for the one- and two-year plans. Thankfully, you can avoid a costly auto-renewal price hike by stacking subscriptions. However, I'd like to see Nord show the same transparency with its pricing as it exhibits with its privacy. Ultimately, NordVPN is a fantastic choice for torrenting, you just might need to babysit your subscription to avoid a hefty price spike. Also featured in: Best VPN for Windows, Best VPN for Netflix See at NordVPN Proton VPN Proton VPN is an outstanding VPN for torrenting because it's one of the few virtual private networks with port forwarding support. Port forwarding may provide faster download and upload speeds, although there are some security risks. But Proton claims that at least one port forwarding security vulnerability isn't a risk with its VPN client because of how it handles incoming requests. Ultimately, Proton VPN is fast, superb for streaming and offers unique privacy amenities, making it an all-around solid VPN for file-sharing. Why we like it Many VPNs lack port forwarding, a feature many torrenting power users appreciate because of its potential to increase download and upload speeds, as well as start torrents with few seeders (folks sharing that torrent). Proton VPN was the second fastest VPN in our raw speed test benchmarking, sliding in just after Nord. In my real-world torrenting tests, I downloaded an Ubuntu ISO in 19 minutes and 43 seconds. The same file took just under six minutes with NordVPN, a little less than 10 minutes with Surfshark and a bit over 10 minutes with ExpressVPN. A Batocera Linux ISO download completed in 13 minutes and 5 seconds, which is slower than NordVPN but faster than Surfshark. Proton VPN has specific P2P-optimized servers, which I found to be abundant. Although some torrenters value port forwarding, there are some inherent security risks. You can think of port forwarding as leaving an upstairs window unlocked when you want to help let in the breeze (in this case, the item you're torrenting). It's not as dangerous as leaving the front door or a downstairs window wide open, but it's a vulnerability nonetheless. Proton VPN says that its implementation of port forwarding touts security measures to somewhat mitigate the risks of port forwarding. In my general testing, I was disappointed in Proton VPN's confusing MacOS kill switch design, which failed to adequately let me know that the encrypted tunnel was breaking when switching servers. Be aware that if you're torrenting on a MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, iMac or other Apple computer, you'll want to exit out of your BitTorrent app or pause downloads before changing servers to avoid your ISP becoming aware of your torrenting activity. I had no kill switch issues on Windows. Although Proton VPN provides our favorite free VPN plan, its no-cost tier doesn't support torrenting. Outside of file-sharing, Proton VPN ticks a lot of privacy boxes. All of its apps are open-source, which is an important trust signal since anyone can inspect the source code for vulnerabilities. Only a handful of other VPNs, including Mullvad, have entirely open-source apps. Proton VPN is also great for streaming. I was able to unblock tricky-to-access foreign content, including Netflix Egypt. Its generous global server network also makes Proton a solid VPN for international travel. Overall, Proton VPN is an excellent choice for torrenting and privacy enthusiasts alike. Also featured in: Best VPN for Amazon Prime Video, Best VPN for Streaming See at Proton VPN Surfshark Surfshark is a wallet-friendly VPN that, unlike many competitors, lets you torrent on all of its servers. Despite its relative affordability, Surfshark is fast, solid for streaming and offers unique privacy features that many of its pricier rivals lack. Why we like it Surfshark doesn't break the bank, and it doesn't cut corners on reliability or privacy either. We measured a great 21% average internet speed loss in our 2025 testing. In my torrenting assessment, Surfshark completed a 5.84GB Ubuntu ISO download in 9 minutes and 43 seconds. By comparison, Proton VPN took twice as long, at 19 minutes and 43 seconds, while NordVPN only needed about half the time, achieving 100% completion in 5 minutes and 52 seconds. A Batocera Linux torrent took 17 minutes and 23 seconds to complete, which was slower than NordVPN and Proton VPN. Surfshark is one of the few VPN providers, alongside Private Internet Access, to provide split tunneling on MacOS and iOS. On MacOS, you can choose specific apps and websites to route through a VPN connection using Surfshark's Bypasser feature, which helps mask your torrent activity while streaming, gaming or downloading outside of a VPN for faster speeds. Bypasser on iOS only works on websites, not apps, but most folks don't torrent regularly on iPhones or iPads, so that shouldn't impact your file sharing. While Surfshark's introductory pricing is extremely competitive at $48 for the first year or $60 total for the first two years, its price jumps to $79 upon renewal on the one- and two-year plans. Granted, that's a cheaper autorenewal price than NordVPN and ExpressVPN, and the same price as Proton's renewal, but I'd like to see a less expensive increase. Or better yet, increase at all like Mullvad. You can avoid a costly price hike by stacking subscriptions. Also featured in: Best VPN for Mac, Best VPN for iPhone See at Surfshark Mullvad Mullvad is the best VPN for torrenters with serious privacy concerns, and it delivered the fastest speeds for torrenting that I measured. If you're worried about privacy to the point where you don't want to provide personal information or if you just don't want to be subject to any price hikes, Mullvad is the VPN for you. In addition to pseudo-anonymous cryptocurrency payments -- along with traditional payment methods like credit cards and PayPal -- Mullvad accepts cash for an even greater degree of privacy. Though we were underwhelmed by Mullvad's streaming service content unblocking capabilities, it's a top-notch VPN for if your primary concern is privacy. Why we like it Mullvad's torrenting performance was mind-blowing. I clocked the fastest torrenting download speeds of any VPN I tested, despite being the slowest of our top VPN picks in our 2025 internet speed benchmarking (but still within our parameters of a fast VPN). I downloaded a 5.84GB Ubuntu ISO in a scorching 3 minutes and 32 seconds (NordVPN took a still incredible 5 minutes and 52 seconds). A 3.29GB Batocera image downloaded in 2 minutes and 34 seconds, with the next quickest -- NordVPN -- taking a respectable 5 minutes and 25 seconds. Unlike most competitors, Mullvad helps you minimize your paper trail, so if you're torrenting with a VPN and want to make it tough to determine that you've paid for virtual private network software, it's a great option. The company doesn't ask for identifiable personal information when signing up, like an email address, name, username or password. When purchasing with certain payment methods, like a credit or debit card, you need to enter your billing information, but you don't need to punch in an address. Mullvad instead generates a unique 16-digit code that you'll use to log in when you need to add money to your account. In addition to taking privacy seriously, Mullvad eschews the all too common price hikes you'll find plaguing the VPN industry. Whether you pay for one month, one year, three years or more, you're charged 5 euro (about $6) monthly. There are cheaper services out there, Surfshark costs $48 for the first year, while NordVPN and Proton VPN charge $60 for the first year. But Surfshark, Proton VPN and NordVPN renew at higher prices, ranging from $80 to an astronomical $140 annually after a sweet introductory price. However, Mullvad's lackluster streaming performance, limited international server footprint and restrictive simultaneous device allowance mean Mullvad may not be ideal for other VPN use, depending on your needs. The company has a comparatively small server network of just 724 servers in 49 countries. By comparison, ExpressVPN, NordVPN, Proton VPN and Surfshark have thousands of servers in 100 or more countries. Mullvad struggled in our streaming tests and has a mere five simultaneous connections. ExpressVPN gives you eight, while NordVPN and Proton VPN provide 10. Surfshark gives you unlimited simultaneous connections. Mullvad is an excellent choice for concerned torrenters who want their VPN company to have as little identifiable information as possible or want to pay in cash. But its uneven streaming performance, small server network and stingy simultaneous connection allowance diminish its value for streaming aficionados, frequent fliers and families with multi-device needs. Also featured in: Best VPN Service, Best Cheap VPN See at Mullvad Factors to consider in a VPN for torrenting Torrenting servers and features While most VPNs support torrenting, some VPNs restrict file-sharing activity to select servers, whereas others allow torrenting on any server. For instance, NordVPN and Proton VPN have designated P2P servers, while ExpressVPN and Surfshark allow you to torrent on any server. If torrenting activity is limited, make sure there's a comprehensive roster of P2P servers to pick from. A feature known as port forwarding can be advantageous for torrenting by allowing faster download and upload speeds or starting poorly seeded torrents (ones with few uploaders). Think about making a call with a restricted number. You can place calls, but if nobody picks up and you can't leave a message, then you probably won't get a call back. But if your phone number is publicly available, the combination of incoming and outgoing calls boosts the chance of having a conversation. Without port forwarding, your torrent app searches for sources to download a file from, and if it's a healthy torrent file with lots of uploaders, you shouldn't have any issues. But if you're downloading a file with few seeders, your torrent client bears the full responsibility of finding a connection. Port forwarding leaves a port open, so uploaders can find you, not just the other way around. And the two-way traffic may help, particularly with older or obscure torrents lacking seeders. However, leaving ports open can also be a minor security risk, so many VPN providers don't support it. Proton VPN offers port forwarding, and the service claims that its implementation has addressed some security vulnerabilities. In my experience, downloads and uploads -- even of poorly seeded torrents -- worked just fine with VPNs that lacked port forwarding, so you may not need it. Internet speed loss All VPNs slow down your internet speeds by nature of encrypting your connection, but the fastest VPNs only drop your base download speed by an average of 25% or less. For torrenting, you'll want the quickest possible download and upload speeds. NordVPN, Proton VPN, ExpressVPN, Surfshark and Mullvad all delivered sub-25% internet download speed loss in our 2025 testing. You shouldn't notice much impact from a fast VPN, especially on a reliable, high-bandwidth connection of 50Mbps or more, like cable or fiber. Server network When analyzing a VPN's server roster, think about the overall number of server locations and the country count. ExpressVPN, NordVPN, Proton VPN and Surfshark offer thousands of servers peppering 100-plus countries. You'll want a generous global server lineup for frequent international travel and worldwide streaming content unblocking. But it's essential to make sure your VPN has a server presence in your home country and the nations you regularly travel to, so check the available cities and countries. For torrenting specifically, you'll want to verify if a VPN company supports P2P traffic on all servers or just select servers. Some VPNs, like ExpressVPN and Surfshark, let you torrent on any server. Others, including NordVPN and Proton VPN, have designated P2P servers. Privacy Privacy is paramount when torrenting, so look for a provider with a choice of VPN protocols, including WireGuard (or equivalents and derivatives) for faster download speeds and OpenVPN for obfuscation (which tries to hide the fact that you're using a VPN). Some VPN companies offer proprietary obfuscation-focused VPN protocols, like NordVPN's NordWhisper and Proton VPN's Stealth. Likewise, you'll want modern encryption: AES 256-bit with OpenVPN or ChaCha20 over WireGuard. Because you'll want to keep your torrenting activities hidden at all times, make sure your VPN app has a kill switch, which cuts off your internet in case your VPN unexpectedly disconnects. That way, if your torrent client is running and your VPN stops working, your internet connection is shut off to prevent your ISP from discovering your file-sharing activity. Split tunneling lets you route some apps and websites but not others through a VPN, and it's a useful privacy feature, particularly for torrenting. I often use split tunneling to send just my BitTorrent traffic through a VPN connection to mask my downloading while installing games in Steam or streaming Netflix outside of a VPN for faster internet speeds. RAM-only servers can provide peace of mind when torrenting, because theoretically, no data from your VPN session is saved to a hard drive. However, a traditional hard drive-based server infrastructure with full-disk encryption can deliver equally as reassuring security benefits. While they don't paint a full privacy picture, third-party audits and transparency reports can be helpful trust signals. If you've got serious torrenting privacy concerns, think about the country a VPN service is based in. VPN companies headquartered in jurisdictions outside of the Five, Nine and 14 Eyes intelligence-sharing alliances may not share information with other nations. Device support Think about the devices you want to torrent on. Most VPNs are compatible with Windows, MacOS and Linux, so you can easily use a VPN on your laptop or desktop. Our top VPN picks -- ExpressVPN, NordVPN, Surfshark, Proton VPN and Mullvad -- all have Linux GUI apps, which are intuitive for beginners. Additionally, consider your other devices, like phones, tablets, streaming devices and smart TVs. Most VPNs work on Android, iOS/iPadOS, Android TV, Amazon Fire TV and Apple TV. If you need to use a VPN with a device that doesn't natively support VPN apps, like the PlayStation 5, Xbox Series S/X or a Roku device, you can run a VPN on a router or use a PC as a VPN hotspot. Streaming service unblocking While you can freely and legally torrent many public domain movies, like Plan 9 From Outer Space, many films and TV series aren't available to download. But you can use a VPN to unblock region-restricted content on streaming services like Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Max, BBC iPlayer and CBC. Accordingly, if you're traveling, you can binge-watch Bridgerton on Netflix or Cross on Prime Video. You may even be able to save money on streaming service subscriptions by leveraging a VPN. Price Most VPNs cost anywhere from $5 to $13 per month. Typically, you'll save money with a longer subscription term, paying between $20 and $100 for the first year. While two-plus year plans often provide the most savings, running anywhere from $30 to $140 for the two or more years, we don't recommend shelling out for more than one year at a time. Your initially fast, private VPN could suffer a data breach or slower speeds during the course of a year. We suggest sticking with an annual plan for the most significant savings with the least risk. Many VPNs hit you with price hikes after your initial subscription, so we suggest paying attention at sign-up and avoiding a costly renewal. Thankfully, you can often bypass an expensive autorenewal by stacking subscriptions or by canceling your plan and resubscribing. How I tested VPNs for torrenting I've been downloading public domain movies and Linux operating systems using VPNs for over a decade. To evaluate VPNs for torrenting, I primarily looked at internet speed loss, privacy, usability and streaming service content unblocking. We run over 252 internet speed tests per VPN provider using multiple VPN protocols to calculate average speed loss. We check for DNS leaks and ensure that all major privacy features, including kill switches and split tunneling, are working correctly. When testing geo-restricted content unblocking, we streamed hours of videos from streaming services including Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Max, BBC iPlayer and CBC. For torrenting specifically, I downloaded two well-seeded (highly shared) files: a 5.84GB Ubuntu Linux ISO and a 3.29GB Batocera Linux Steam Deck ISO. Then, I recorded the time it took for the full download to complete. To gauge how VPNs performed when obtaining downloads with fewer users uploading, I downloaded a few lesser-seeded public-domain movie torrents with each VPN. I factored in both the average internet speed loss and my hands-on torrenting data to get a sense of file-sharing performance. Additionally, I looked at server networks with a keen eye on whether VPN companies allowed torrenting on all servers and, if not, whether the P2P server roster was comprehensive. VPNs that were fast, private and downloaded plus uploaded files reliably using BitTorrent clients took top spots as the best VPNs for torrenting. Reasons to use a VPN for torrenting Although torrenting is sometimes used synonymously with illicitly downloading the latest episode of a favorite TV show or a blockbuster movie, there are legal uses for the BitTorrent file-sharing protocol. I've been using BitTorrent since high school, mostly to download public domain movies and Linux operating systems. Before you go knocking public domain cinema, know that there are loads of great flicks in the public domain, including the 1968 George A. Romero classic Night of the Living Dead. But even if you're downloading completely legal content using a BitTorrent client, you should still consider using a VPN. Some internet service providers throttle or completely block all BitTorrent traffic. Because VPNs encrypt your web traffic, your ISP can't slow down or stop your torrenting activity. Other VPNs for torrenting we tested ExpressVPN ExpressVPN is user-friendly, fast and allows torrenting on all its servers. I downloaded an Ubuntu ISO in 10 minutes and 24 seconds, while Batocera took 6 minutes and 43 seconds to complete. NordVPN was faster than ExpressVPN in both tests, although Express was faster than Proton and Surfshark. In our experience, the provider is solid for streaming and unblocks some tough-to-access foreign Netflix libraries, like Netflix Egypt. But its high initial pricing makes ExpressVPN a tough sell for file-sharing enthusiasts. You'll pay $13 per month, $100 per year (renewing at $117 annually) or $140 total for two years (renew at $140 annually). While the renewal price is actually cheaper than NordVPN's astronomically high $140, ExpressVPN's starting cost is more than nearly all of its rivals, including Nord, Proton VPN, Surfshark and Mullvad. Read our ExpressVPN review. PIA Private Internet Access is a good budget-friendly VPN, but I don't recommend it for torrenting because of its sluggish speeds. In my 2025 benchmarking, PIA clocked an underwhelming 48% average internet download speed loss. If you have a fast internet connection of 50Mbps or more, PIA may suffice, but you won't want a VPN to cut your internet connection in half. Particularly when compared to our top-rated VPNs, which all remained under a 25% average download speed loss, PIA's molasses-slow server speeds were disappointing. Moreover, I encountered a lot of CAPTCHAs when trying to perform basic functions like a Google search. In my torrenting tests, PIA was surprisingly swift, downloading a Ubuntu ISO faster than Proton VPN and just shy of Proton VPN as well as ExpressVPN. It downloaded a Batocera Linux image quicker than ExpressVPN, Surfshark and Proton but slower than NordVPN. Still, my experience varied greatly by individual VPN server, with fluctuating speed loss and many CAPTCHAs. If you need a cheap VPN, consider Surfshark or Mullvad instead. Read our PIA review. How to use a VPN for torrenting To use a VPN for torrenting, make sure that your VPN is running before you begin downloading anything in your BitTorrent application. I recommend checking your split tunneling settings first to ensure that your torrent client isn't set to bypass your VPN -- otherwise, your torrent activity won't be hidden. For the fastest possible internet download speeds, I suggest using WireGuard or an equivalent (NordLynx on NordVPN and Lightway with ExpressVPN). If you need obfuscation to mask that you're using a virtual private network, go with OpenVPN or a proprietary obfuscation protocol (NordWhisper with NordVPN, Stealth on Proton). You can easily test whether your VPN is working properly and correctly hiding your public IP address. What to look forward to in 2025 The biggest trend we're seeing in the VPN space is companies bolstering VPN offerings with antivirus software, password managers and identity theft protection. VPN services are now positing themselves as one-stop cybersecurity solutions, but also charging more for those bundles. ExpressVPN and Proton VPN both debuted Linux graphical user interface apps in 2025, so all of our top VPN recommendations now offer Linux GUI apps, which are beginner-friendly. NordVPN rolled out post-quantum protection to its entire suite of apps. ExpressVPN and Mullvad also offer post-quantum encryption, which can guard against threats from quantum computers, like hacking. We expect that as computers continue becoming more powerful, post-quantum protection in VPNs will become more prevalent. Best VPNs for torrenting FAQs Which VPN is best for torrenting? NordVPN is the best VPN for torrenting overall, thanks to its pack-leading download speeds, robust lineup of P2P-optimized servers and great streaming service content unblocking. Proton VPN is the best VPN for advanced users who need port forwarding, a feature most of our top-rated VPNs lack. Surfshark is the best value VPN for torrenting, delivering unlimited simultaneous connections, torrent support on all servers and advanced privacy features like dynamic multi-hop at a noticeably lower starting price than most of its rivals. Do you need a VPN for torrenting? You should use a VPN for torrenting to stay private because some ISPs or wireless carriers throttle or block BitTorrent activity. Which VPN protocol is best for torrenting? The WireGuard VPN protocol is generally better than OpenVPN for torrenting because of its faster speeds. WireGuard, an equivalent or proprietary derivative (like NordVPN's NordLynx or ExpressVPN's Lightway) may provide faster speeds than OpenVPN. But if you need obfuscation, which tries to mask the fact that you're using a VPN, pick OpenVPN or an obfuscation-focused VPN protocol like NordVPN's NordWhisper or Proton VPN's Stealth. Do VPNs really work for torrenting? Yes, VPNs work for torrenting to keep your downloading and uploading activity private. Your ISP won't be able to tell that you're torrenting so long as your VPN connection is enabled and your BitTorrent client is set to tunnel through an encrypted VPN server. Is NordVPN safe for torrenting? Yes, NordVPN is safe for torrenting, providing top-notch privacy protections to mask your public IP address without sacrificing internet speeds. Is NordVPN better than ExpressVPN for torrenting? NordVPN may be better than ExpressVPN because of its faster internet speed maintenance. However, ExpressVPN lets you torrent on all servers, whereas Nord limits you to designated P2P servers. Ultimately, NordVPN and ExpressVPN are both great for torrenting.
Time of India
17-07-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Top 5 Coins to accumulate that could be the next Binance Coin (BNB) and are still under $5
Savvy investors are seeking coins that could experience a similar significant rise, such as Binance Coin (BNB). Little Pepe ($LILPEPE), Tron (TRX), Stellar (XLM), Hedera (HBAR), and Ondo (ONDO) are five tokens that are excellent choices for significant gains by the end of 2025. Little Pepe ($LILPEPE) and Stellar (XLM), both of which cost less than $5, share similarities with BNB's early ecosystem-driven growth, which combined viral momentum with real-world utility. Little Pepe ($LILPEPE): The Meme-Powered Moonshot Little Pepe ($LILPEPE) is a feisty frog that costs $0.0014 in its Stage 5 presale. It's the crypto you can't ignore. It has made more than $5.1 million and is built on a Layer 2 blockchain that works with Ethereum. It's speedier than a cheetah on caffeine and cheaper than a trip to the thrift store. BNB's 14,000% rise was due to its function as Binance's native coin, which cut costs and powered DeFi. Little Pepe ($LILPEPE) features a Meme Launchpad that enables users to create and trade tokens on a low-fee Layer 2 chain. This is similar to how BNB captured exchange users during the meme currency boom. Its small market cap is like BNB's early FOMO. Little Pepe is now listed on CoinMarketCap, which means its goals extend well beyond the meme community. It aims to dominate the meme world. Little Pepe isn't just a meme coin; it's a movement gaining genuine traction in the market. Analysts predict a 21,368% increase to $0.30 by the end of 2025. Tron (TRX): The DeFi Dynamo Tron (TRX) is the rebellious teen of Layer 1 blockchains. It has a market capitalization of $28 billion and is now valued at $0.29. It powers 8.7 million transactions daily and facilitates $2 billion in stablecoin flows. From BitTorrent's file-sharing to SunSwap's DeFi exchanges, the ecosystem offers a playground for content creators. Analysts are becoming excited and predicting a rise of 1,724–2,414% to $5–$7 by Q4 2025, thanks to DeFi usage and rumors about ETFs on X. It has a high volume of transactions and a favorable attitude for creators, making it a good bet for high rewards. Stellar (XLM): The Global Money Mover At $0.31 with a market capitalization of $9.8 billion, Stellar (XLM) is a solution for quick global payments in the cryptocurrency world. It works with major companies such as PayPal (PYUSD), MoneyGram, and IBM. Its Soroban smart contract technology is garnering significant attention and is expanding into DeFi, much like BNB did for Binance's trading empire. Like BNB, Stellar (XLM) boasts a global payment network, business connections, and Soroban's DeFi push, which could make it a leader in cross-border banking. XLM's scalability is enormous, with 3.5 billion actions on 6 million accounts. Some analysts predict the stock will reach $10 by 2030, representing a 3,226% increase. XLM's enterprise-grade payment network is similar to BNB's utility-driven development, making it a strong contender for BNB-like profits. Hedera (HBAR): The Enterprise Speedster With a market valuation of $8 billion and a price of $0.20, Hedera (HBAR) is the Usain Bolt of blockchains. It utilizes a hashgraph to facilitate transactions at a high speed and low cost. It has $154 million in TVL and is backed by prominent companies such as Google, IBM, and Boeing. It can be used in supply chain and DeFi applications. Analysts predict that by the end of 2025, the price will be between $3 and $4. The commercial emphasis of HBAR is impressive, but it lacks the meme power of Little Pepe ($LILPEPE). Ondo (ONDO): The RWA DeFi Bridge At $0.91 and a market worth of $2.9 billion, Ondo (ONDO) is tokenizing real-world assets (RWAs), including bonds and real estate for DeFi, which connects TradFi and crypto. Analysts expect it to reach $15 to $20 by the fourth quarter of 2025, representing a return of 1,648 to 2,198%, driven by the adoption of RWA. ONDO's unique niche is strong Conclusion The best currencies to stack right now are Little Pepe ($LILPEPE), Tron (TRX), Stellar (XLM), Hedera (HBAR), and Ondo (ONDO). $LILPEPE and XLM are both under $5 and might be the next BNB. Little Pepe ($LILPEPE) has a 21,368% chance of success, and XLM is the leader in payments, with TRX, HBAR, and ONDO's fundamentals supporting it. Take advantage of this huge chance because each coin will give you great results. For more information about Little Pepe (LILPEPE) visit the links below: Website: Whitepaper: Telegram: Twitter/X:
Time of India
30-06-2025
- Business
- Time of India
US Supreme Court to review billion-dollar Cox Communications copyright case
Academy Empower your mind, elevate your skills The US Supreme Court agreed on Monday to decide a copyright dispute between Cox Communications and a group of music labels following a judicial decision that threw out a $1 billion jury verdict against the internet service provider over alleged piracy of music by Cox justices took up Cox's appeal of the lower court's decision that it was still liable for copyright infringement by users of its internet service despite the decision to overturn the justices also declined to hear an appeal by the labels - including Sony Music Universal Music Group and Warner Music Group - of an aspect of the lower court's decision that would result in a new trial to determine the amount of damages Cox must court is expected to hear the case in its new term, which begins in than 50 labels joined together to sue Cox in 2018. Their appeal to the Supreme Court sought to reinstate the $1 billion labels accused Cox of doing to little to stop its users from illegally downloading pirated copies of their music through peer-to-peer (P2P) protocols like BitTorrent. They said Cox failed to address thousands of copyright infringement notices from the labels, to cut off access for repeat infringers and to take reasonable measures to deter piracy of the labels have brought similar lawsuits against other internet service providers including Charter Communications, Frontier Communications and Astound Broadband. A jury in federal court in Alexandria, Virginia decided in 2019 that Cox owed $1 billion in damages for violations by its internet service users of more than 10,000 music copyrights. The Richmond-based 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled last year that the award could not stand, reversing part of the infringement verdict and remanding the case for a new trial on 4th Circuit also rejected Cox's request to escape the verdict entirely, finding that the company committed secondary copyright infringement by failing to address user piracy. Cox told the Supreme Court in its appeal that the 4th Circuit's decision had caused "confusion, disruption and chaos on the internet."Cox also said that holding it liable for user infringement would force it to cut off internet access for "entire households, coffee shops, hospitals, universities" and others "merely because some unidentified person was previously alleged to have used the connection to infringe."The labels appealed the 4th Circuit's decision that Cox did not have vicarious liability, a legal doctrine in which a party is found to have indirect liability for the actions of another party, in this case. The labels told the Supreme Court that the circuit court's decision was out of line with other decisions by federal appeals courts on vicarious Donald Trump 's administration urged the Supreme Court in May to take up Cox's appeal and reject the petition by the labels.
