StrongVPN Review

Since StrongVPN added free StrongDNS, the service gives users the best of both worlds. You can unblock hundreds of channels around the world with SmartDNS and enjoy the privacy protection of VPN for under $5 a month. That makes StrongVPN an excellent value and the best SmartDNS / VPN combo on the market. I’ve been using the service to unblock blackout games during the NHL season and it works great.

StrongVPN

StrongVPN was a pioneer in the personal VPN space and is now one of the only VPNs to include SmartDNS access for their users. This comes as no surprise to customers since StrongVPN has continued to grow and innovate over the years. You will find their VPN network to be fast and reliable. This helps when you want to access the web from an unsecured WiFi network or unblock censorship. When you don’t need the privacy protection of a VPN the StrongDNS service will unblock channels in other regions without the overhead of encryption.

Pricing and Special Offers

Once again StrongVPN offers both Secure VPN SmartDNS in a single package.  You can sign up for the service with a monthly or annual subscription.  StrongVPN is offering our visitors a 25% discount.  Visit our StrongVPN special page to save an addition 25% off on top of their normal term discounts.  Enjoy unlimited VPN + SmartDNS from just $4.37 a month. You will not need any coupon code. Simply click on the image below to visit our special landing page on the StrongVPN site. You will clearly see the discounted pricing.

StrongVPN pricing

OverPlay accepts credit cards, PayPal, and bitcoin.  You can pay with Visa, MasterCard, American Express, or Discover.  Managing your account is easy from inside the members area.  You can cancel your account at anytime.  You can add, edit, or delete payment information from the members area and set the default payment method.

StrongVPN Free Trial

StrongVPN does not have a free trial.  However, they offer all new members a 5-day money back guarantee.  This will give you plenty of time to test their service.  We recommend you watch some popular international TV shows, view an HD movie, listen to some of your favorite tunes, and even catch a live sporting event. Download their VPN client and secure your connection. This isn’t necessary to unblock websites but is a great solution to help protect your online privacy.

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What is SmartDNS and How Does StrongDNS Work?

To understand how StrongDNS or any Smart DNS service works, it helps to know something about how they operate.  These services allow you to unblock geographic restrictions to content imposed by some streaming media providers.   They do this by sending a local IP address to the site that you want to unblock that says you are located in a region or country that is not geo-blocked.  By doing this, they let you enjoy movies, specials, and original content that would not be available in your country from providers such as Netflix, Hulu and Amazon Video.

Not only can you watch content that you would otherwise not be able to see but you can see it from anywhere in the world.  As I briefly mentioned above, this differs from a VPN which adds privacy protection through encryption.  The encryption used by a VPN can slow down your connection and typically costs more. Though that isn’t the case with StrongVPN. This makes Smart DNS a better choice for anyone who does not need the online privacy and anonymity of a VPN connection. Here’s an explanation of how StrongDNS works taken directly from their website:

Many popular US and UK websites stream video and audio as an alternative to a traditional TV/Cable/SAT service.

Some are subscription based, like Netflix and Hulu Plus. Others are pay per view, like Amazon, while some are free, such as Hulu, ABC, CBS, NBC, and the BBC. **But generally, you have to be in US or UK to view these sites.

StrongDNS has come up with a solution that gives you the ability to access them from Anywhere in the world

StrongDNS Process

StrongDNS supports a large variety of different device types as I will show in the next section.  They have set up guides and tips for using a wide range of devices.  The service will give you access popular sites like Netflix, Hulu and the BBC from anywhere in the world.

Supported Devices

StrongDNS supports a large variety of devices: PC, Mac, Linux, smartphones, game consoles and tablets.  They have a setup howto page with visual guides and tips for using their service on many of the devices that they support.  These devices are organized into computers, home media devices and gaming consoles, mobile devices, and routers to make it easier to see if your device is one that they support.  They also have other setup guides for a general router setup and various Smart TVs on their FAQ page.  Likely, if you have a device that allows DNS setup, they can support it.

StrongDNS Devices

Here’s a list of supported devices:

  • Computer – Mac OS, Mac OS X, Ubuntu, Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows XP, Windows Vista, Google Chrome OS/Chromium OS
  • Mobile – iPad, iPhone, Android(version 4 and above), Android 2.3
  • Home/Gaming – Apple TV, LG Smart TV, Panasonic Smart TV, Panasonic Blu-Ray Player, Roku, Samsung Smart TV, Sony Smart TV, PS3
  • Router – D-Link, Netgear, Cisco/Linksys, 2Wire, TP-Link Router, Sabai Technology, DD-WRT, Generic router setup

As you can see they have support for routers using DD-WRT custom firmware.  Once again, the key is being able to configure the DNS settings for whatever device you want to use with their service.  Making the change on your router can help you use the service on all of the devices on your network.

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Channel Line-Up

What does StrongDNS offer in the way of channels?  They offer access to over 100 channels.  Their channel page on their site has a complete list of all the channels that they unblock,  You can filter them into news, music, movies, tv shows, sports, and kids categories. Their StrongDNS service will allow access to channel content not in your geographical region.  Some premium channels such as  Netflix, Hulu Plus, Amazon Video, and others will still require a paid subscription fee to access their content.  Still others may need a cable access account to view them.

StrongDNS Channels

Here’s a list of channels available through StrongDNS:

News Channels –  NBC, MTV, BBC, Channel 4, ITV, ABC News, TV.com, NBC Olympics, Globalnews.ca, CMT

Music Channels – CBS, ABC, MTV, Rhapsody, Rdio, vevo, Spotify, ITV, Pandora, ABC Family, VH1, Blinkbox, Slacker.com, iHeartRadio, Absolute Radio, Songza, Radio.com, 4Music, Blinkbox Music, Beats Music, Disney Junior, The Disney Channel, ZUUS, Playlist, CMT

Movies Channels – Hulu, Netflix, CBS, Amazon, theWB, MTV, South Park Studios, TNT, Crackle, CinemaNow, Channel 4, ITV, PBS KIDS, LOVEFiLM, CWTV, MAX GO, Spike.com, Muchmusic, Fandor.com, M-GO, CTV, dramafever.com, Showtime Anytime, FX, KDrama, OnDemandKorea.com, Marvel, Kaleidescape, Soompi TV, STARZ, Disney Junior, The Disney Channel, Disney XD, NOW TV

TV Shows Channels – Hulu, Netflix, NBC, FOX, CBS, Amazon, ABC, theWB, MTV, adultswim.com, tbs.com, TNT, trutv.com, Crackle, CinemaNow, HGTV, FoodNetwork, USA Network, PBS Video, BBC, Channel 4, Channel 5, ITV, ABC Family, TV.com, LOVEFiLM, GlobalTV, CWTV, VH1, Blinkbox, Spike.com, Muchmusic, CTV, TVPlayer, LogoTV, FX, Slice.ca, Syfy, 4Music, Kaleidescape, Sesame Go, Utopia, Disney Junior, Zattoo UK, The Disney Channel, National Geographic, Discovery US, Showcase, Action CA, HGTV CA, DIY Network, NOW TV, ZUUS, CMT, Cartoon Network

Sports Channels – NBC, TNT, UniversalSports.com, BBC, Yahoo Sport UK & Ireland, msn Video, ITV, ESPN, NBC Olympics, WWE.COM, beIN SPORTS, tsn.ca, NBA, Tennis Channel, Sky Sports, Fox Soccer 2 Go, Discovery US, NOW TV

Kids Channels – CBS, PBS KIDS PLAY, Disney Junior, The Disney Channel, Disney XD, Cartoon Network

The StrongDNS Supported Sites page defaults to all channels. However as I previously stated, the channels can be filtered by news, music, movies, tv shows, sports, and kids content. Each supported channel also has a link to its website and other information about the requirements to access its content.

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StrongVPN Speed Test

So, what can you expect from a service like StrongVPN?   As I mentioned earlier the difference between a Smart DNS service and VPN is encryption.  Smart DNS is an excellent choice for those who want to unblock access to channel content in other countries.  For example,  if you have a subscription and want to watch Netflix (US) or Hulu shows from outside the United States then StrongDNS would be a great solution.  The same is true for watching BBC iPlayer from outside the UK and many other channels.  If you need the extra layer of privacy protection offered by encrypting your connection then I would recommend a VPN service.  As I mentioned before, encrypting your data can slow down your connection and cost more. You can visit our VPN Fan site to learn more.  This makes Smart DNS a better choice for anyone for whom privacy is not a concern.  A SmartDNS service is different.  It will help you unblock sites in other countries without the need for encryption.  Doing so without the speed loss associated with using a VPN service.  I did not experience any speed loss using StrongDNS.

StrongVPN Review : Conclusion

StrongVPN is one of the best VPN services on the market. They recently decided to extend an offer for free SmartDNS service to all VPN customers. That means that you can enjoy unlimited VPN and StrongDNS access for under $5 a month using our coupon code. Simply visit our StrongVPN special page and the 25% discount will will automatically applied. That brings the price down to just $4.37 a month for annual sign ups. Connect to VPN servers in 45 cities in 23 countries around the world. StrongVPN offers free VPN apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android so you can protect your privacy at home and on the go.

StrongDNS is a SmartDNS service offered by StrongVPN.  Because it works transparently, you will not observe any noticeable difference in connection speed .  Thus, the audio fidelity of the music you listen to or the visual acuity of HD movies that you watch will be unaffected by using  their  service.  StrongDNS will grant you access to geo-blocked content from over 100 streaming media providers in the US, UK, and over 19 other countries.  What you will notice is that you have access to a greater library of media content to choose from and that you can listen to popular music and watch your favorite shows from channels like Hulu Plus, Netflix US, Netflix UK, BBC iPlayer, Amazon Instant, and over 100 others from almost anywhere in the world.

I use StrongVPN and their StrongDNS service. As with any SmartDNS service I suggest you try out StrongDNS  for yourself.  Sign up for our StrongVPN special and put their service through is paces.  I suggest you watch content from channels in different areas of the world like Netflix US,  BBC iPlayer in the UK, and even Channel 4.  If possible, also try streaming some live sporting events to see the full potential of the service.  Enjoy unlimited VPN + SmartDNS from just $4.37 a month.

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