Nov 22, 2021
A Guide on Using the Sentinel Exidio #dVPN app, the world’s 1st decentralised VPN application
With the release of the Exidio #dVPN app on Android and iOS, Sentinel Network is set to revolutionise the VPN industry.
Features & Pros when Using #dVPN over traditional VPNs
Sentinel provides the first scalable framework allowing for dVPNs to utilise shared resources, reducing the overall network carbon footprint.
The Sentinel ecosystem’s goal is to decentralise the VPN industry and introduce dVPN to mainstream consumers. However, this goal will not be achieved through the launching and maintaining of a single consumer facing application (the Sentinel dVPN), but by first establishing and then developing upon a framework that can be used to create a network of independently operated decentralised VPNs.
- The Sentinel dVPN can prove that your connection is being end to end encrypted with no exceptions.
- The Sentinel dVPN doesn’t control and own the exit-servers that you trust to safely and securely browse the internet.
- The Sentinel dVPN does not hold/store users’ data hence unlike with traditional VPN services, there is no single point of failure.
Exidio’s Sentinel #dVPN app
Where can i get it from?
The application is available from Google Play for Android devices as well as on Apple Store for Apple iOS devices.
It will soon be ready for Mac and Windows PC.
Guide on Using the Exidio Sentinel #dVPN app
PLEASE NOTE: For the purposes of this guide we will use screenshots from the iOS set up but suffice it to say steps are exactly the same for Android devices.
Initial Set Up and Funding
After you have downloaded the application from the Apple Store, at the link provided above, you are greeted by the home screen of the application.
Before you can connect to a node and utilise the bandwidth offered for sale, you will need to create a wallet in the app and fund the wallet with $DVPN.
i. Creating a Wallet
In order to connect to a node you first need to set up your wallet that will be used for funding it.
You can thus create a new wallet; when you do so make sure you save the seed of your wallet and store it safely.
Saving your seed means you can recover the wallet in case you lose your phone or in the event you migrate to a new device.
Once it is set up, your wallet will look like in the picture below and you can access it by clicking on the My Account icon of the app:
ii. Funding your wallet with $DVPN
Since the initial balance will be 0, you will need to send some $DVPN to your wallet.
If you do not have any $DVPN you can use this guide on acquiring some $DVPN tokens:
If you need a guide on which wallets to use to store or stake your $DVPN tokens, you can use the following guide:
Next thing you will need to do, is send a transaction from your wallet storing/staking your $DVPN tokens to your newly created wallet on the #dVPN app.
You can do so by either copying and pasting your newly created address or by using the QR code of your wallet from the sending wallet.
Once the transaction is complete, you will have the tokens available in your balance; you can now use your $DVPN tokens for purchasing bandwidth from the various node providers of your choice.
Connecting to Nodes
You can navigate to any of the providers clicking on All Nodes in the main app menu screen as seen in the photo below. You can see an overview of the nodes across the world, divided by continent.
Click Quick Connect and you will be able to specify how much you want to spend/how much bandwidth you wish to purchase.
In the following screen if — for example — you chose Europe, you will be presented with the available nodes in Europe; you can scroll through all available nodes.
If — for example — you pick the second node in the picture above (by clicking on it), you can get a full listing on the node’s metrics and some detailed information about it.
Connecting to a Node
If you press Connect Now on the example above you will be prompted with the following screen. Choose how much DVPN (points) ypou wish to spend and proceed.
Some configurations will be required to take place in the background which you will have to approve as per the image below:
You should now be connected!
You can either use the current selected node or go back to the main screen and view your Subscribed Nodes (if you have purchased bandwidth from more than one).
You can navigate to your Subscribed nodes by clicking on the Subscribed button on the bottom of the main menu.
You are done! You can now enjoy browsing the web, knowing that you do so truly anonymously and securely.
