The general consensus that an Anonymous VPN connection makes your Bittorrent or web surfing habits “anonymous” has recently been debunked at the famous (or is that infamous?) Telecomix Cipher Conference.

Alas, the billion of Torrent users who chose to hide their identities through the use of Anonymous VPN services may not be as anonymous at all.

It’s estimated that more than 2+ billion Internet users have now decided to protect their privacy, by using so called ‘Anonymous VPN‘s to connect to torrent swarms.

Those who use IPv6 in combination with a PPTP-based VPN such as swissvpn, ipredator, witopia are broadcasting information linking to their real IP-address on BitTorrent.

This issue is caused by the combination of IPv6 and PPTP-based VPN services, which is obviously very common in almost all operating systems.

>> Windows, Linux, OSX, Unix, FreeBSD.

>> IPv6 is the Internet protocol that will succeed IPv4)

The protocol is enabled by Windows 7 and Apple OSX (be default) and most people most probably don’t even realise they’re using it.

The technical details of the vulnerability, explained in this talk (see below), reveal that the true IP-address of users using IPv6 can be easily traced. Even worse, Anti-piracy Bureaus may already be using this flaw to gather data on ‘anonymous’ users.

The vulnerability is not just limited to BitTorrent. It can expose people who believe that they are hiding their real IP-address through nearly every connection.

Solution:

From our understanding of the issue, turning IPv6 off should alleviate the threat and make users fully anonymous again.

… Good old IPv4 to the rescue!

Companies such as supervpn, Ipredator, witopia, swissvpn are apparently already aware of this issue and are working on a solution.

… It’s probably a good idea to remember that “If you’re on the internet, you’re never anonymous.”

Be safe kids!

And don’t forget your tin foil hats.

Cheers,
Alex.

If you’re looking for the Best ADSL Wireless Modem/Router and I mean the best then warcom has it covered, because we hate drop outs, poor signal, slow connections, high prices and non user friendly interfaces as much as you do!  The first 2 ADSL Modems you’ll see below are winners of with CNET which have been selected as this years winners for the Best ADSL Wireless Modem/Routers for 2011! (Home use)

FRITZ!Box AVM7390 ADSL2+ VDSL Router - $319.95

The Fritz!Box 7390 is an ADSL Modem router straight out of Germany, coming with all the latest technologies, including voip and Wireless N and everything else you can think of so there won’t be any need for replacing your 7390 in 5 years time.

The price is a bit more expensive over your standard modem/router with VOIP, lets say the Billion BiPAC 7404VNOX for $245 as an example, but the 7390 does come with loads more features…

• Fast Internet thanks to integrated ADSL2+ modem
• Concurrent Dual Band Wireless N up to 300Mbits
• Also suitable for combination with 3G or cable modem
• DECT base station for connecting up to 6 cordless telephones
• Connection of analog terminal devices and telephone systems
• Telephone calls via the Internet (VoIP), even if the PC is switched off
• Up to 5 answering machines and fax function integrated, voice-to-mail and fax-to-mail
• USB port for USB devices such as printers and storage media for shared use in the network
• Media server for music, images, and videos in the network
• Integrated network storage with NAS functionality
• 5 year warranty

Key Features

• Dual-WAN approach – ADSL2+ or Ethernet WAN for Broadband Connectivity
• 4-port Gigabit Switch
• Supports -802.11n Wireless Access Point with WPA-PSK / WPA2-PSK (BiPAC 7800N)
• High-speed Internet Access via ADSL2/2+; Backwards Compatible with ADSL
• WPS (Wi-Fi Protected Setup) for Easy Setup (BiPAC 7800N)
• Wireless Speed up to 300Mbps and 3 Times the Coverage of Standard 802.11b/g (BiPAC 7800N)
• Quality of Service Control for Traffic Prioritization and Bandwidth Management
• SOHO Firewall Security with DoS Prevention and Packet Filtering
• Universal Plug and Play (UPnP) Compliance
• Dynamic Domain Name System (DDNS)
• Available Syslog monitoring
• Ease of Use with Quick Installation Wizard and Auto-scan ADSL settings
• Supports IPTV Applications
• Easy Sign-On (EZSO)

DrayTek Vigor 2820n 4 Port ADSL Modem Wireless Router - $328.19

The 2820n wasn’t on the Cnet list, but I guess it’s more of a small business modem/router, being able to enable ADSL, cable, 3G mobile and satellite all in the one box is pretty amazing. Having the capability to run fail over just in case your main internet connect cuts out and you want it to run off your back up 3g.

The 2820n is capable of large loads in an office environment, we use the 2820n ourselves connecting our computers wirelessly and via Ethernet, we even put on some 7dbi antennas on there and I now think we’re broadcasting to the whole neighbourhood!

It has come to that time of the year again, for Warcom to announce our annual Top 5 ADSL2+ Modem Routers!

These figures are based on the following criteria.

• Total Product Sales
• Low Product Returns
• Customer Feedback
• Stock Turn Over
• Overall Interest
• Overall Traffic To Product

We’re super excited to announce that this year the Billion 7800N has come out on top, followed closely by several awesome Draytek ADSL Modems!

Let’s get started!

1). Billion BiPAC 7800N ADSL2+ Wireless N, Gigabit Modem

Billion 7800N

2). DrayTek Vigor 2710Vn ADSL Modem Router with Wireless and VoIP

DrayTek Vigor 2710Vn ADSL Modem Router with Wireless and VoIP

3). DrayTek Vigor 120 Single Port ADSL 1/2/2+ Modem

DrayTek Vigor 120 Single Port ADSL 1/2/2+ Modem

4.) DrayTek Vigor 2820Vn ADSL Modem Router with Wireless and VoIP

DrayTek Vigor 2820Vn ADSL Modem Router with Wireless and VoIP

5.) Billion BiPAC 7800NL 802.11n ADSL2+ Modem Firewall Router

Billion BiPAC 7800NL 802.11n ADSL2+ Modem Firewall Router

The all new DrayTek Vigor 2830VN+ demystified!

Just after you’ve spent the last two days figuring out that a new DrayTek 2830 is the best possible router to buy, DrayTek have thrown another spanner in the works!

I’ve decided to use the DrayTek banner for the simplest explanation of this latest change. It also includes some funky robots at the bottom, which I’m sure are very much involved in the making of the Vigor series routers.

Please see below for more details.

DrayTek Vigor 2830VN

DrayTek’s ADSL2+ Vigor 2830 series router has just received a revamp, with the introduction of single-band versions of Vigor2830n and Vigor2830Vn.

Previously, the series comprised of Vigor2830, Vigor2830n (wireless), and Vigor2830Vn (wireless and VoIP). As of July 1 2011, the Vigor2830 series will now include: Vigor2830, Vigor2830n, Vigor2830Vn, Vigor2830n+, and Vigor 2830Vn+.

What’s the difference between the wireless ‘n’ models with the pluses (‘+’) and those without?

Vigor2830n and Vigor2830Vn are single-band routers (2.4GHz) whilst Vigor2830n+ and DrayTek Vigor 2830Vn+ are dual-band routers (2.4GHz and 5GHz band). So, the original Vigor2830n and Vigor2830Vn have been renamed as Vigor 2830n+ and Vigor 2830Vn+ to make room for the new single-band entries which will be known as Vigor2830n and Vigor2830Vn.

This new variety of Vigor2830’s offers customers greater choice in selecting the most suitable wireless model. Aside from the new additions of single-band models and name changes, Vigor2830 series remains the same in its rock-solid performance and reliability.

Vigor2830Vn+ - Triple-WAN Router with 4-port Gigabit Ethernet LAN Switch

To answer your questions:

Q) I purchased Vigor2830n/Vigor2830Vn before 1st of July 2011. Does this affect my device at all?

A) The introduction of new Vigor2830 models and changing of the name of the Vigor2830n/Vigor2830Vn to Vigor2830n+/Vigor2830Vn+ does not affect your hardware or firmware upgrades. The existing devices with Vigor2830n / Vigor2830Vn dual-band wireless will still be upgraded with dual-band firmware.

Q) How can I identify my unit is dual-band wireless or single-band wireless?

A) Look for the silver label on the outside packaging of the router. Single-band models will display the code ‘MODULE 6’:

Dual-band models will display the code ‘MODULE 8’:

I hope this clarifies things for you regarding the new DrayTek Vigor 2830+ series routers and if you have any further queries at all.

Please contact us on 1300 927 266 or service@warcom.com.au.

Thanks!
Adam.