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Mining VPN: Best VPN for Mining

It’s very advisable to mine crypto using a VPN. After all, with the right provider, it’ll be possible to keep yourself safe from hackers and other malicious parties that may want to compromise your online privacy.

As you might have guessed, not all VPNs are the same. Each one has its own set of specs that make it either good or bad for mining crypto. Therefore, you should choose your mining virtual private network service wisely to avoid any disappointments following your purchase.

In this article, I’ll have an in-depth discussion about the best VPNs for mining. Aside from that, I will also talk about all the reasons why you should use a cryptocurrency mining VPN. Last but not least, I’ll go over how to use such a VPN so you will not be left with any sort of questions.

 

What Are The Best VPNs for Mining In 2022?

1. NordVPN

NordVPN screenshot

Credit: nordvpn.com

Privacy & Security: NordVPN is a Panama-based VPN provider that is famous for its privacy and security capabilities. It has a concrete zero-logging policy along with a 100% RAM-based server network to back it up. Also, the country it’s based in does not fall under Fourteen, Nine, and Five Eyes Alliance jurisdiction. Consequently, there is nothing that hinders its operations.

NordVPN was once hacked. During the incident, a lone attacker in Sweden managed to obtain information necessary to establish a fake NordVPN server. Thankfully, the attacker was immediately caught and no private user information managed to get stolen.

If anything, the only real damage dealt to NordVPN when it was hacked was to its reputation. To redeem itself to the public, the provider has done many things. For example, it made the move to RAM-based servers. In addition, it established a worldwide bug bounty program. Finally, it developed NordLynx - a proprietary VPN protocol that is heavily based upon WireGuard.

When it comes to specs, NordVPN utilizes AES-256 encryption. Quite interestingly, this is the same encryption technology used by many of the world’s militaries, financial institutions, and intelligence agencies. Due to that, you can be sure that your data will be safe with NordVPN.

Like other premium VPN services, NordVPN supports a wide range of protocols. Aside from NordLynx, it also lets you toggle OpenVPN, IPSec/L2TP, and IPSec/IKEv2. Furthermore, its user-friendly applications come built with essential features like an automatic kill switch and malware blocker.

Speed Capabilities: My tests have revealed that nearly every one of NordVPN’s 5600+ servers is blazingly-fast. They barely make an impact on base internet connection speeds. If anything, they only increase ping and do not have any effect on the speed of downloading and uploading.

As you might’ve already guessed, NordVPN can eliminate bandwidth throttling. As a matter of fact, it can do so quite often. I’d have to say that the provider successfully increased my web connection speeds 3 out of 5 times that I made use of it for cryptocurrency mining purposes.

Pricing: Pricing is one of NordVPN’s greatest strengths. However, despite that, many believe that it’s an expensive provider due to its premium status. In reality though, it’s more affordable than many of its closest competitors in the industry. As of writing, you can purchase a monthly subscription plan for just $11.95.

You can pay for a NordVPN subscription using a variety of methods, including cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Ethereum. And yes, the provider has a 30-day money-back guarantee, meaning that you’ll be able to easily ask for your money back if you’re ever unsatisfied.

 

2. ExpressVPN

Expressvpn-screenshot-new

Credit: expressvpn.com

Privacy & Security: The British Virgin Islands is a great place to operate a VPN from because it doesn’t fall under the jurisdictions of any of the world’s major surveillance alliances. Hence, it should come as no wonder why ExpressVPN’s founders chose to base it there. After all, there, their provider will be able to avoid any legal interferences that may compromise its operations.

ExpressVPN employs military-grade AES encryption to protect the internet traffic of its users. In addition, it supports many protocols that are suitable for crypto mining. The most noteworthy of which has got to be Lightway. This protocol is ExpressVPN’s in-house alternative to the famed WireGuard protocol, which isn’t supported.

The applications of ExpressVPN are all very easy to configure and use. Even those who aren’t tech-savvy will certainly learn how to master them in less than 30 minutes. With that being said, a downside to these apps is that they do not come built with any unique features.

One final thing that I should mention regarding ExpressVPN’s security is that it maintains a firm no-logs policy. Apart from that, all of its more than 3000 server locations are RAM-disk-enabled, meaning that the whole network is completely incapable of compromising your private log info.

Speed Capabilities: You shall not find yourself complaining once you experience ExpressVPN’s speed capabilities.

Via testing, I have discovered that many of its servers don’t make a noticeable impact on my base internet speeds. I’d have to say that they only caused minor bumps to my ping. Besides that, my downloading and uploading speeds didn’t get affected to any extent.

It should also be noted that ExpressVPN has gotten me off bandwidth throttling. Due to that, it is a decent option if you’ve got an ISP that’s known for engaging in sketchy practices.

Pricing: Many people mistakenly think that ExpressVPN is overpriced. In truth, the VPN service provider charges very fair prices. Needless to say, it is indeed more expensive than many of its rivals on the market. For a 1-month basic subscription, you’ll need to shell out $12.95. If you’re ever unsatisfied, you may get a complete refund thanks to a 30-day refund guarantee.

Last of all, it should be mentioned that ExpressVPN supports a plethora of payment methods. You even have the option to purchase it with Bitcoin. If anything, this is great news as you can buy ExpressVPN without having to break your anonymity.

 

3. TunnelBear

Tunnelbear Screenshot

Credit: tunnelbear.com

Privacy & Security: Unlike the other VPNs that we talked about earlier, TunnelBear is based in Canada - a member state of the Five Eyes Alliance. Even so, it’s regarded by most experts to be 100% safe to use. After all, the VPN has managed to maintain a spotless security record.

TunnelBear utilizes military-grade AES-256 encryption. Sadly though, it only supports two VPN protocols. The first one is OpenVPN, which is the most popular VPN protocol. Meanwhile, the second is IPSec/IKEv2. This protocol is secure and extremely fast. However, it’s not the best option for those looking to bypass censorship systems such as the Great Firewall of China.

Like nearly all VPNs of its class, TunnelBear has a firm zero-logs policy. That said, it still hasn’t made the move to RAM-based servers. Because of that, its network may still be used to track, collect, and store your private data. In addition, this network may still be infiltrated by hackers.

I’ve found TunnelBear’s many applications to be a joy to use. They’re all easy to navigate and configure. More importantly, they are equipped with a decent set of useful features. Among them all, I would have to say the most useful one is the kill switch called VigilantBear.

Speed Capabilities: Speed is one of TunnelBear’s primary strengths. While it isn’t the fastest VPN service by any means, it certainly doesn’t disappoint. From my tests, I’ve been able to discern that it only makes a minimal impact on my ping, downloading, and uploading.

I should also note that TunnelBear has successfully gotten me off the bandwidth throttling that my ISP was imposing on more than one occasion. As such, it’s an ideal choice if you have got an internet service provider that’s known to slow down the web connections of its subscribers.

Pricing: TunnelBear stands out because it’s among the few worthwhile VPNs to offer a free subscription plan. Sad to say though, this plan comes with a 500 MB per month data limit, making it unsuitable for Bitcoin mining, gaming, torrenting, and streaming.

To unlock the full potential of TunnelBear, you shall need to purchase any of its paid subscription plans. All of these plans come with unlimited data and grant you full access to every one of the provider’s features. In addition to that, every one of these plans is fairly priced. The monthly subscription will run you back a mere $9.99, which is an absolute steal if you ask me.

With all that being said, we do not recommend that you immediately go ahead and purchase a TunnelBear subscription without trying it for free first. That’s because the VPN service doesn’t have a 30-day money-back guarantee. It only provides refunds on a case-by-case basis.

 

Why Use A VPN For Mining?

  • Stay Protected When Mining

The main reason why you’d want to use a VPN for mining is to protect yourself.

You see, a lot of online threats can hinder you from creating your crypto fortune. Hackers may get into your system and steal from you. In addition to that, government monitors and ISPs might also pry into your mining activities and penalize you for reasons that they see fit.

With the right VPN, it shall be possible for you to mine cryptocurrencies safely. That’s because capable providers can encrypt all of your online traffic. They often make use of AES-256 encryption and support an array of secure VPN protocols. Furthermore, they’ve got zero-logging policies that are backed by RAM-based server networks.

Of course, not all VPN service providers are created equal. Some are capable of safeguarding you fully as you engage in cryptocurrency mining. Meanwhile, others do more harm than good. As such, you should do your due research to get the most secure mining VPN out there.

  • Conceal Your Digital Footprint

Another thing to know is that VPNs hide your real IP address by replacing it with the IP address of one of their server’s. By doing this, they render you completely anonymous whenever you mine crypto, play online games, download torrents, or anything else on the web.

Since you’re 100% under the radar, there’ll be no need to worry about getting hacked and stolen from. On top of that, you won’t need to be concerned about being spied upon by ISPs and government monitors then penalized for mining cryptocurrencies or using a VPN.

  • Escape Bandwidth Throttling

Mining crypto with a slow internet connection is the worst. That’s because it will take a lot longer for you. As a result, you’ll end up spending much more on electricity. In addition, you shall not be able to fully unlock your mining rig’s full potential.

Unbeknownst to many, some VPNs can improve your internet connection speeds.

They achieve this by eliminating the bandwidth throttling that might be imposed by your ISP. With that said, it’s important to know that even the best VPN services aren’t guaranteed to get rid of ISP-imposed bandwidth throttling. Hence, you shouldn’t get a VPN solely to improve your internet speeds as you’ll only end up getting disappointed if you do so.

 

How To Use A Mining VPN

Don’t know how to use a mining VPN? Here’s how to do it:

  • Get Yourself A Mining VPN

Start by getting yourself a mining VPN.

It’s paramount that you get the best available option for the job. Don’t settle on budget-friendly or free providers. Such VPNs are likely to only disappoint as they often lack the servers and necessary features to facilitate a private and secure cryptocurrency mining experience.

The VPNs that we talked about earlier are all great for crypto mining. Each has networks that are capable of eliminating bandwidth throttling. In addition, all of them are extremely secure since they have all got military-grade AES encryption support and RAM-based networks.

  • Install It On Your Router

Chances are, your VPN doesn’t have a native app for the OS that your mining rig runs. As a result, there’ll be no way to install and set it up traditionally.

Don’t worry as there’s a workaround that allows you to use your VPN on practically any device that connects to the internet. The only thing you’ll need to do is perform router installation on a router that your VPN is compatible with.

Installing most VPN providers on a router can be rather tricky. That’s because the procedure is often very technical in nature. As such, those who aren’t that savvy with tech may need extra assistance from customer service. For that reason, it’s best to get a VPN with good support.

Fortunately, all of our recommended VPNs for mining allow you to skip the router installation process entirely. They sell a wide range of pre-configured router models that provide a quick and easy plug-and-play experience that’s free of any hassles.

  • Configure Your Mining VPN

Once your VPN is set up on your router, it’s time to configure it. First of all, you should enable the automatic kill switch - a VPN security feature that protects you from accidental unwanted exposure. After that, select a protocol for you to utilize. Last but not least, pair with a server.

If you’re wondering, it’s best to connect to the nearest major VPN server in a crypto-friendly country. The reason why is because that server will be less likely to slow down your web connection speeds. Also, it’ll be 100% safe for you to use for crypto mining purposes.

  • Start Mining Crypto

The last thing for you to do is start mining crypto on your rig. Remember that it’s very important that you remain connected to your VPN at all times. How come? Disconnecting from your provider will leave you open to being spied upon or hacked by malicious parties.

 

How We Ranked These Mining VPNs

Coming up with our rankings took lots of time and effort.

To begin, we researched to narrow down which VPNs were worth looking into. A group of our testers then looked into the speed and security capabilities of our candidate VPNs. Lastly, we compared their current prices to determine which one provided the greatest value for money.

By: Erwin Caniba
Eric is the co-founder of VPNOnline. He has been an avid user of VPNs since 2012. He has tested all of the major VPN providers and shares his findings on this website. Follow Eric on Facebook.