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OpenVPN VS Lightbeam for Firefox

Compare OpenVPN VS Lightbeam for Firefox and see what are their differences

OpenVPN logo OpenVPN

OpenVPN - The Open Source VPN

Lightbeam for Firefox logo Lightbeam for Firefox

Mozilla is the not-for-profit behind the lightning fast Firefox browser. We put people over profit to give everyone more power online.
  • OpenVPN Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-09-19
  • Lightbeam for Firefox Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-10-16

OpenVPN features and specs

  • Security
    OpenVPN uses robust encryption standards like AES-256, providing a high level of security for data transmission.
  • Open Source
    Being open-source, OpenVPN allows users to verify its code for vulnerabilities, ensuring transparency and reliability.
  • Flexibility
    OpenVPN can run on various platforms, including Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS, and Android, offering extensive compatibility.
  • Customizability
    Users can configure OpenVPN according to their specific needs, allowing advanced network setups and policies.
  • Performance
    OpenVPN offers strong performance with efficient handling of large data transmissions and support for high and stable speeds.
  • Community Support
    A large and active community provides ample resources, including tutorials, forums, and user support.
  • Cost
    As a free and open-source solution, OpenVPN significantly reduces the cost compared to many commercial VPN offerings.

Possible disadvantages of OpenVPN

  • Complex Setup
    Setting up OpenVPN can be complex and may require technical expertise, particularly for advanced configurations.
  • Resource Intensive
    OpenVPN can be resource-intensive compared to some other VPN protocols, potentially impacting the performance of older or lower-spec hardware.
  • Client Software
    The official OpenVPN client software has a less user-friendly interface compared to some commercial VPNs, possibly deterring less tech-savvy users.
  • Mobile Experience
    Although OpenVPN supports mobile devices, the user experience on mobile can be less streamlined compared to desktop environments.
  • Initial Learning Curve
    New users may find the initial learning curve steep due to the multitude of configuration options and the need for understanding networking concepts.
  • Support
    While community support is strong, there may not be as much immediate or personalized support as found with some commercial VPN services.

Lightbeam for Firefox features and specs

  • Privacy Awareness
    Lightbeam helps users understand and visualize the third parties that are tracking them across the web, thereby raising awareness about online privacy issues.
  • User-Friendly Interface
    The tool offers an intuitive and interactive interface that makes it easy for users to navigate and understand the data being presented.
  • Open Source
    Lightbeam is open-source, which allows users and developers to inspect, modify, and enhance the code to better suit their needs.
  • Educational Value
    By visually representing tracking data, Lightbeam can serve as a valuable teaching tool for understanding web privacy and security.

Possible disadvantages of Lightbeam for Firefox

  • Performance Impact
    Running Lightbeam may consume additional system resources, potentially slowing down browser performance for some users.
  • Limited Scope
    The tool focuses mainly on tracking cookies and third-party connections, and may not cover other types of tracking mechanisms.
  • False Sense of Security
    While it enlightens users about tracking, Lightbeam doesn’t prevent tracking. Users might wrongly assume they are fully protected just by using the tool.
  • Complex Data
    For less tech-savvy users, the visual data and insights provided by Lightbeam may be overwhelming or difficult to interpret correctly.

Analysis of OpenVPN

Overall verdict

  • OpenVPN is generally regarded as a good option for both personal and enterprise-level VPN needs. Its strong encryption, adaptability, and community support make it a preferred choice for those who need secure and reliable virtual private network services.

Why this product is good

  • OpenVPN is considered a reliable and secure VPN solution due to its strong encryption standards, open-source nature, and flexibility. It supports a variety of operating systems and devices, and can be configured to meet different security requirements. Its open-source nature allows the community to inspect, modify, and enhance the code, ensuring transparency and continuous improvement. Additionally, it offers robust support for different authentication methods and network configurations.

Recommended for

  • Individuals seeking enhanced online privacy and security.
  • Businesses looking for a scalable and secure VPN solution.
  • IT professionals who require customizable and flexible VPN configurations.
  • Users who prefer open-source software with an active development community.

Analysis of Lightbeam for Firefox

Overall verdict

  • Lightbeam for Firefox is generally considered a useful tool for those interested in understanding internet privacy and the complex web of data sharing between sites. While it offers valuable insights into tracking behaviors, its effectiveness in protecting privacy directly is limited, as it primarily serves an educational purpose. Some users have praised it for increasing transparency, though it may be less appealing to individuals looking for direct privacy enhancements like ad-blockers or VPNs.

Why this product is good

  • Lightbeam for Firefox is a browser extension developed by Mozilla that visually represents the tracking information that third-party websites can collect as you browse the internet. It aims to enhance user privacy awareness by showing real-time, interactive graphs of the multiple entities tracking their online activities.

Recommended for

  • Privacy-conscious users who want to visualize how their data is being tracked.
  • Individuals interested in digital privacy and data visualization.
  • Users looking for educational tools to understand third-party tracking.

OpenVPN videos

OpenVPN Overview

More videos:

  • Tutorial - How to setup OpenVPN on Windows | macOS | Android | iOS - Smart DNS Proxy

Lightbeam for Firefox videos

Multifox Firefox (add-on) - Simultaneously login using different user accounts into a website

More videos:

  • Review - Lightbeam for Firefox
  • Review - Lightbeam For Firefox- Tracking Your Personal Information Online
  • Tutorial - How to fix Multifox in firefox!!(qucikly solved)
  • Review - Using Multifox for Multi Akun FB (Video 3.1)

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to OpenVPN and Lightbeam for Firefox)
VPN
100 100%
0% 0
Security & Privacy
82 82%
18% 18
Web Browsers
0 0%
100% 100
Cloud VPN
100 100%
0% 0

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare OpenVPN and Lightbeam for Firefox

OpenVPN Reviews

The top 10 alternatives to OpenVPN
OpenVPN is an open-source software application that provides virtual private network (VPN) services. It allows the creation of secure network connections over the internet, using a custom security protocol that utilizes SSL/TLS for key exchange. OpenVPN is capable of traversing network address translators (NATs) and firewalls, providing users with the ability to securely...
Best Top 20 OpenVPN Alternatives (Pros and Cons)
OpenVPN is a virtual private network system used to create trusted end-to-end connection configuration and remote access services. As with any other VPN service, OpenVPN also has its own drawbacks. For instance, its inability to bypass particular proxy servers and complexities in user journeys lead to less user-friendliness. Therefore, we will be discussing a few...
6 Types of VPN Protocols, Compared: Which is the Best to Use?
In most cases, OpenVPN or WireGuard will be your best bet. PPTP is a protocol we don’t recommend using because of its relatively low-level encryption. However, you could try this protocol when privacy and security are not your highest priorities, such as for unblocking streams. If OpenVPN is not supported or does not work well for whatever reason, you could consider using...
Source: vpnoverview.com
OpenVPN vs WireGuard: Which protocol is best?
OpenVPN was first released in May 2001. Although the PPTP protocol had been around for five years already at this point, OpenVPN became popular because it offered stronger encryption without too much of a drop in speed. Over the years, vulnerabilities were patched and new clients were developed that brought OpenVPN support to a greater range of devices. This previously...
9 Best NordVPN Alternatives You Must Use In 2022
The next alternative to NordVPN on our list is OpenVPN. OpenVPN allows you to establish a point-to-point secure connection between your device and the Internet. It is a flexible VPN solution that can cater to business needs as well.
Source: wethegeek.com

Lightbeam for Firefox Reviews

Best Tor Browser Alternative for Risk-Free Web Surfing
IceCat is a fork of Mozilla Firefox, specifically tailored towards privacy enthusiasts. Like Tor Browser, IceCat comes preconfigured with privacy-oriented extensions and settings. Its primary advantage lies in its ability to function seamlessly on all operating systems, unlike Tor Browser, which is limited to Windows, macOS, Linux, and Android.
5 Most Privacy Focused Web Browsers
With Firefox, you can customize the user interface, and tweak the experience with a JavaScript file as well. If you would rather not use any Firefox fork but want to improve the privacy game, you can take a look at arkenfox configuration on GitHub.
Source: itsfoss.com
8 Best Google Chrome Alternatives
It’s been 10 years since Google Chrome was launched and the browser has basically taken over the world by becoming the most used browser in the world. As of May 2018, the browser has captured 66% market share. In contrast, the second biggest browser in the world, the Mozilla Firefox, has just 11% market share. That data is enough to show the dominance that Google Chrome...
Source: beebom.com

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, OpenVPN seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 40 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

OpenVPN mentions (40)

  • Ask HN: Who is hiring? (October 2023)
    OpenVPN is hiring! https://openvpn.net/ C++ Developer in the United States. Full-time| Fully remote| Flexible work schedules Link to look at vacancy details and apply:. - Source: Hacker News / over 1 year ago
  • Are there any work arounds for the Netflix new "household" system?
    How you connect to your modem will depend on the device you are using, but for windows laptops as an example you download the OpenVPN program and input your modem details there, much like you would any other vpn service. I think there would be some guides on youtube. https://openvpn.net/. Source: almost 2 years ago
  • Can i use PFSense to control incoming user connections (without a vpn?)
    I just started playing with CloudConnexa for remotely managing my second pFSense. Really nice and is free for up to 3 concurrent users. https://openvpn.net. Can also self-host OpenVPN access server with a free 2 concurrent license. Source: about 2 years ago
  • Is the 7spotlight Markle family interview airing now? Is anyone watching and can provide comment? 👀📺
    If anyone is being blocked check out free OpenVPN. Source: about 2 years ago
  • Is it possible for a sysadmin to block only some packets from a VPN connection ?
    I too haven't used the client-nat directive in some years (I currently implement 1:1 NAT with pfsense to access my network because I'm too lazy to change the networks subnet from the default) so I decided to retest and it does appear that OpenVPN Connect clients do not properly support the client-nat directive but the traditional OpenVPN server/clients still do. I've just tested this on OpenVPN 2.6.3 Server,... Source: about 2 years ago
View more

Lightbeam for Firefox mentions (0)

We have not tracked any mentions of Lightbeam for Firefox yet. Tracking of Lightbeam for Firefox recommendations started around Mar 2021.

What are some alternatives?

When comparing OpenVPN and Lightbeam for Firefox, you can also consider the following products

ProtonVPN - ProtonVPN is a security focused FREE VPN service, developed by CERN and MIT scientists. Use the web anonymously, unblock websites & encrypt your connection.

Brave - Fast and secure, ad and tracker blocking browser.

Hotspot Shield - Hotspot Shield is a software application developed by AnchorFree, Inc.

Opera - Opera is a browser with innovative features, speed and security.

Psiphon - Psiphon is circumvention software for Windows and Mobile platforms that provides uncensored access to Internet content. Read more about Psiphon.

UC Browser - Developed in China, UC Browser is a mobile internet browser designed to offer many of the best features you'll find in a desktop internet browser shrunk down to accommodate the needs of your phone.