Overview
A VPN client does one simple thing and the value comes from doing it reliably. Your traffic goes out through a server somewhere else, encrypted between your machine and that server, and everything on the far side sees the server's address rather than yours. That covers the two ordinary reasons people want one: not handing your connection details to every network you join, and reaching a service that behaves differently depending on where it thinks you are.
iTop's client is straightforward about it. One large connect button, a server list grouped by purpose, and a set of profiles for streaming, gaming and general browsing that just pick sensible servers for the job. This build is posted with the plan restrictions lifted, so the full server list is selectable, there is no daily data ceiling, and the connection does not drop you back to the free tier after a set number of minutes.
Connecting and choosing a server
The default behaviour is one click to the fastest available server, measured by a latency test the client runs in the background. If you need a specific location, the list is searchable and shows current load, so you can avoid the server everybody else picked. Favourites pin the ones you use to the top.
Dedicated groups exist for streaming and for gaming. The streaming servers are the ones that currently work with the services people try, and the list is updated in the background as those services block and unblock addresses. Gaming servers are picked for latency rather than throughput, which is the correct tradeoff for that use.
Split tunnelling and the kill switch
Split tunnelling lets you choose which applications go through the tunnel and which use the normal connection. This solves the common annoyance where routing everything breaks a banking site or a local network printer. Rules are per application and can also be set by destination address.
The kill switch blocks all traffic if the tunnel drops, which matters because the failure mode of a VPN without one is that your connection silently reverts to going out directly and nothing tells you. It can be set to block everything or only the applications you nominated, and it holds through sleep and network changes.
Protocols and what is actually protected
The client offers several protocol options, with the modern lightweight one as the default because it reconnects fastest after a network change and costs the least throughput. The older protocols are there for networks that interfere with the newer one, and there is an obfuscation mode for connections that block VPN traffic by signature.
It is worth being clear about what this does and does not do. Traffic between your machine and the server is encrypted, so the local network and the connection provider see only that you are connected to a server. Beyond that server your traffic continues normally, so anything you log into still knows who you are. A VPN is a change of route, not a cloak.
The extra tools
A browser data cleaner clears the usual traces on a schedule, a connection tester reports what your address currently looks like from the outside, and an ad and tracker filter operates at the connection level rather than as a browser extension, which means it also covers applications that are not browsers.
None of these are the reason to install it, but they are competent and they do not nag. The client sits in the tray at a few dozen megabytes and reconnects automatically after a reboot if you tell it to.
What you get
- One click connect to the fastest measured server
- Full server list with location grouping and load display
- Dedicated streaming and gaming server groups
- Split tunnelling by application or by destination
- Kill switch that survives sleep and network changes
- Multiple protocols with an obfuscation mode
- Connection level ad and tracker filtering
- Browser trace cleaner on a schedule
- Address check tool showing what the outside sees
- Automatic reconnect at startup
Inside the archive
- iTop VPN client, offline installer
- Network adapter driver component
- Interface language packs
- Readme covering the driver install prompt
System requirements
| Operating system | Windows 10 or Windows 11, 32-bit or 64-bit |
|---|---|
| Processor | Any dual core |
| Memory | 2 GB |
| Graphics | No dedicated card required |
| Storage | 250 MB |
| Network | Any broadband connection |
Installing it
- Unpack and run setup as administrator.
- Turn off real time protection first.
- Accept the network adapter driver prompt during install, the client cannot route traffic without it.
- Launch the client. It opens connected to no server and with the full list available.
- Turn the kill switch on before you rely on it for anything, since it is off by default.
Mirrors
| Route | Region | Note | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| Direct, primary | Europe | No wait, resumable | Online |
| Direct, secondary | Asia Pacific | No wait, resumable | Online |
| Torrent magnet | Global | Optional, file is small | Online |
Release history
- Streaming server group refreshed
- Fixed the kill switch releasing after a sleep and wake cycle
- Faster reconnect on switching between wired and wireless
- Split tunnelling rules by destination address added
- Obfuscation mode reworked for restrictive networks
- Connection level filtering extended to non browser applications
- Reduced idle memory use in the tray
Questions about this release
Is there a data limit in this build?
No. The plan restrictions are lifted, so the full server list is selectable and there is no daily ceiling or session timer.
Does this make me anonymous?
No. It changes the route your traffic takes and hides your address from the far end. Anything you sign into still knows exactly who you are.
Why does it install a network driver?
A VPN client has to present a virtual adapter to route traffic through. Without it the client can connect but nothing goes down the tunnel.
Will it slow my connection?
Some, always. Traffic is travelling further and being encrypted. A nearby server on the modern protocol usually costs very little.
Comments
Split tunnel was the reason I installed it. Bank site stays off the tunnel, everything else goes through.
Turn the kill switch on yourself, it is off out of the box. Otherwise fine.
Comments are read before they appear. If a build stops working, say so here and it gets rebuilt rather than quietly left up.
Full server list unlocked, no data cap. Streaming group actually works on two of the three I tried.