Ayman Harb

Ayman Harb reviews and compares VPNs for HidVPN from Western Sydney, Australia. His background is in computer science, with a focus on systems design, logic, and reverse-engineering how software actually works under the hood — the same instinct he brings to reading a VPN's claims. Rather than taking a provider's word at face value, Ayman checks the fundamentals against the record: what a no-logs policy actually covers, whether it has been independently audited and by whom, how encryption and leak protection are implemented, and where the marketing outruns the documentation. HidVPN's comparisons are built from published audits, provider documentation and third-party test data, with hands-on checks on selected providers. If a claim doesn't hold up under that scrutiny, it doesn't make it into a review. When he's not picking apart a provider's privacy policy, Ayman is usually deep in a personal coding project or working out how a piece of software actually works.

Is My VPN Working? 4 Quick Checks (and What We Found)

VPN Basics / Ayman Harb

Is my VPN working? Four quick checks (IP, DNS, WebRTC and a drop test), what a pass looks like, and our own results from Proton VPN, CyberGhost and NordVPN.

Is My VPN Working? 4 Quick Checks (and What We Found) Read More »

Illustration of a VPN concentrator: encrypted tunnels from remote workers and offices converging on one device at the edge of a company network

What Is a VPN Concentrator? How It Works and Who Needs One

VPN Basics / Ayman Harb

A VPN concentrator is the device that handles hundreds of VPN connections into one company network. How it works, where it sits, and why you don’t need one at home.

What Is a VPN Concentrator? How It Works and Who Needs One Read More »

DNS leak explained: a site lookup going around the VPN tunnel to the internet provider

What Are DNS and IPv6 Leaks, and How Do You Test for Them?

VPN Basics / Ayman Harb

HidVPN earns a commission if you buy through some of the links on this page. It doesn’t change what we write. Our affiliate disclosure. Table of Contents The short answer What DNS is, in one minute What a DNS leak is What an IPv6 leak is Why leaks happen Check your device first Then run

What Are DNS and IPv6 Leaks, and How Do You Test for Them? Read More »

VPN protocols compared: WireGuard, OpenVPN and IKEv2

VPN Protocols Explained: WireGuard, OpenVPN, IKEv2 and NordLynx

VPN Basics / Ayman Harb

HidVPN earns a commission if you buy through some of the links on this page. It doesn’t change what we write. Our affiliate disclosure. Table of Contents The short answer What a VPN protocol does WireGuard NordLynx and Lightway: the branded versions OpenVPN IKEv2/IPsec PPTP and L2TP: the ones to skip The protocols side by

VPN Protocols Explained: WireGuard, OpenVPN, IKEv2 and NordLynx Read More »

VPN vs proxy: a proxy covers one app, a VPN encrypts all of your device's traffic

VPN vs Proxy: What’s the Difference, and Which One Do You Need?

VPN Basics / Ayman Harb

HidVPN earns a commission if you buy through some of the links on this page. It doesn’t change what we write. Our affiliate disclosure. Table of Contents The short answer What a proxy does What a VPN does VPN vs proxy, side by side The proxy types you’ll run into Wait, isn’t a “VPN extension”

VPN vs Proxy: What’s the Difference, and Which One Do You Need? Read More »

What is split tunneling? Some apps go through the VPN tunnel, others use the normal internet connection

What Is Split Tunneling (and When Should You Use It)?

VPN Basics / Ayman Harb

HidVPN earns a commission if you buy through some of the links on this page. It doesn’t change what we write. Our affiliate disclosure. Table of Contents The short answer How split tunneling works The two modes: exclude or include When split tunneling makes sense When to leave it off Where to find it in

What Is Split Tunneling (and When Should You Use It)? Read More »

What is a VPN kill switch? Illustration of an internet kill switch turned on

What Is a VPN Kill Switch (and Do You Need One)?

VPN Basics / Ayman Harb

HidVPN earns a commission if you buy through some of the links on this page. It doesn’t change what we write, and two of the three providers below appear in the “when kill switches fail” section too. Our affiliate disclosure. Table of Contents The short answer What happens when a VPN drops The two types

What Is a VPN Kill Switch (and Do You Need One)? Read More »

Comparison graphic: PureVPN scores 6.5, Surfshark 9.2. PureVPN $2.15 per month, 10 devices, 6,000+ servers, 65+ countries, British Virgin Islands. Surfshark $2.49 per month, unlimited devices, 90+ countries, Netherlands.

PureVPN vs Surfshark: Which Should You Choose? (2026)

Head-to-Head Comparisons / Ayman Harb

PureVPN is cheaper with more servers. Surfshark scores 9.2 to its 6.5. The gap comes from something a spec sheet does not show.

PureVPN vs Surfshark: Which Should You Choose? (2026) Read More »

Split graphic comparing Proton VPN, based in Switzerland, with Mullvad VPN, based in Sweden

Proton VPN vs. Mullvad: Two Very Different Theories of Privacy (2026)

Head-to-Head Comparisons / Ayman Harb

Proton VPN proves its privacy with five years of audits and Swiss law. Mullvad takes the opposite route — it never learns who you are. Here is how the two compare in 2026.

Proton VPN vs. Mullvad: Two Very Different Theories of Privacy (2026) Read More »

CyberGhost vs. NordVPN: Beginner-Friendly Apps or an All-in-One Security Suite (2026)

Head-to-Head Comparisons / Ayman Harb

Some people want a VPN that just works without ever opening a settings menu. Others want a full security toolkit and don’t mind a slightly steeper learning curve. That split is basically the whole story behind CyberGhost and NordVPN. CyberGhost runs out of Romania and leans hard into pre-labeled servers — pick “Streaming” or “Gaming”

CyberGhost vs. NordVPN: Beginner-Friendly Apps or an All-in-One Security Suite (2026) Read More »