New AirVPN User Questions

[Jade4044 0]

So I'm new to using VPN's.  I have a few questions.
1)   In the Eddie VPN app I can select a specific country and even a specific server.   Are there any advantages to picking one over another? 
2)  Are there any disadvantages to just picking the same server each time you connect?
3)  Am I at any more risk if I pick a server in my home country? (with respect to privacy or tracking)
4)  If I first launch the Eddie VPN tunnel and then launch my browsers, and then later disconnect and reconnect to a different server in Eddie, do I need to restart my browsers in the process?
5) Are all types of internet traffic on my computer sent/received thru the VPN tunnel when connected?  Such as O/S update checks or Outlook email.
6)  Is my computer's MAC address visible in any way while connected to the Air VPN servers?
7)  Maybe not the right board for this question but is my MAC address associated with any BTC blockchain transactions?
8)  Do you recommend MAC address spoofing?

Edited ... by Jade4044

[LZ1 672]

Hello!

1. It depends on the latency and/or what IP you want at the time. Otherwise they're all essentially the same. 
2. Boredom? Otherwise not really - usually not for new users at least.
3. It's considered a superior choice to pick one outside your home country - use the black/white lists. Do note that a VPN isn't a silver bullet for privacy though. 
4. Normally no. If you're using Network Lock, you won't be able to browse until the connection is reestablished. But just verify through ipleak.net what IP you've got at any given time. 
5. Yes if you use Network Lock. 
6. No?
7. ????
8. No?

You may also read the guide in my signature. 

[OpenSourcerer 1435]

15 hours ago, Jade4044 said:

6) Is my computer's MAC address visible in any way while connected to the Air VPN servers?

If you use IPv6 and have the Privacy Extensions off (which I doubt highly), yes, but inevitably only for the AirVPN server. The last half of an IPv6 address is called the Interface Identifier which consists of your MAC address and a FF:FE in the middle of it:
Interface Identifier = ::E123:45FF:FE67:89AB, which means, MAC = E1:23:45:67:89:AB.
The mentioned Privacy Extensions simply generate a random identifier. If they're used, no one will know the MAC address through IPv6 except for the fact that you use them (FF:FE is replaced with randoms as well).

The MAC address as part of the TCP/IP protocol stack is only known in your local network. It's not even sent anywhere over your ISP connection, so no worries there.

15 hours ago, Jade4044 said:

7) Maybe not the right board for this question but is my MAC address associated with any BTC blockchain transactions?

They are two completely different things. Sorry, but how did you come to this question? You must've heard or read something somewhere.

15 hours ago, Jade4044 said:

😎 Do you recommend MAC address spoofing?

Unless you're breaking into someone's network that's not yours, I see absolutely no benefit from it because, as I wrote, it's used in your local network only.

Oh, and for 5) in reference to Mr. LZ1, even without NetLock. NetLock just gives you peace of mind that everything is sent through the tunnel and blocked otherwise. Not every use case needs this.