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Show HN: Simple JavaScript VPN detection using timezones

simple-vpn-detector.netlify.com

21–25 of 25 posts

Re: Show HN: Simple JavaScript VPN detection using timezones

#21
While others seem to be beating up on the idea a bit, I thought it was a really helpful reminder. Without having thought about it too much, my default assumption would have been that Netflix, for example, would block VPNs by comparing IP against a blacklist of known endpoints.

The underlying concept - checking user level information and comparing against network information - is an interesting and valuable way to think about it. This is a nice, simple illustration of that idea. Thanks for sharing it.

Re: Show HN: Simple JavaScript VPN detection using timezones

#22
post #21

While others seem to be beating up on the idea a bit, I thought it was a really helpful reminder. Without having thought about it too much, my default assumption would have been that Netflix, for example, would block VPNs by comparing IP against a blacklist of known endpoints. The underlying concept - checking user level information and comparing against network information - is an interesting and valuable way to thi…

First off, thanks! I appreciate you seeing some silver lining in my silly idea :)

And yeah, more than likely they've got a blacklist of VPN IP addresses to check against.

Re: Show HN: Simple JavaScript VPN detection using timezones

#23
post #18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yeah, it was just a fun idea. I even mention at the bottom of the GitHub page that you could just change your OS timezone. But given it was a small 15 minute hack, I'm not entirely surprised it doesn't work.

YES BUT DID YOU READ ABOUT THE FALSE POSITIVES? ;p

haha what false positives? :P

Re: Show HN: Simple JavaScript VPN detection using timezones

#24
post #17

Thanks for all the feedback! It was just a fun idea I had before going to bed and it's definitely not fleshed out. I know that services like Netflix do VPN detection in much fancier ways and had noticed it when traveling abroad. There's no motivation for me to implement it in anything I do. Thanks again and sorry for wasting your time!

You didn't waste our time.

Re: Show HN: Simple JavaScript VPN detection using timezones

#25
post #7

Same here (Tenerife Spain), false positive (fellow developer, please do not ban VPNs if you can't guarantee 0 false positive)

> fellow developer, please do not ban VPNs if you can't guarantee 0 false positive

Or, better, don't ban VPNs at all.

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