What Is a VPN & Why You Should Start Using a VPN ?

By | 7:47 AM Leave a Comment
Why You Should Start Using a VPN (and How to Choose the Best One for Your Needs). 

VPN (virtual private network) is probably a good idea – and on the plus side, you can get one for cheap or even free. We’ll break down exactly what a VPN is, help you decide whether you need one, and name some of the best places to get one for cheap.

What is a VPN?

A VPN or Virtual Private Network is a system used to apply additional security and added protection to your public network connections. Despite the fact that most VPN programming is utilized by vast organizations to secure their sensitive data, it can be utilized by the ogeneral public when attempting to look at private or personal information. Today we will discuss the helpful properties of having a secure connection.

A VPN, or virtual private network, is a strategy for including a layer of security and protection to both private networks systems and open ones like Wifi hotspots. It combines the security of a private network and the adaptability of the more extensive Internet. To better comprehend what a VPN is, we should talk a little bit about private networks in general.

A (non-virtual) private network is designed to send data only to other people on the same network. For example, a business might set up a private network within the office so that its employees can communicate with each other, but a rival company can’t get access to the data. The downside, of course, is that you can only access the data when you’re at your work computer.

A public Internet connection (such as wifi a coffeeshop or, in all likelihood, one of the things that Comcast charges you an arm and a leg for) provides much more flexibility. You can send and receive information from friends a thousand miles away, Skype with your mom or just Google something. It’s convenient, but also less secure: hackers and/or government officials can access your data much more easily.

VPN's give you the best of both universes. They utilize open systems (the Starbucks wifi) to build up a private connection (a business' intranet) to join remote sites or clients. They also encrypt your data so that snoopers can’t read it, and some offer additional services like masking your IP address so that advertisers can’t track you.

Checkout: How To Filter Website Using OpenDNS

Why you want a VPN ? / Why do I need a VPN?


There are some main reasons to get a VPN:

Identity Theft

You’re worried about security and privacy. If you’re sending credit card numbers, security codes (don’t do that) or any other sensitive information, you might want an added layer of security against hackers. And given the recent revelations about the NSA, it’s nice to know that they’ll have to work a little harder to get your data.

The possibility of having your identity stolen in today’s society is more common than you think. Technology is becoming increasingly more popular, and with that in mind, it is also easier to use. What this ends up doing is creating a source for common hackers and low tier frauds.

By having a solid VPN, you can encrypt the traffic of information running between your computer, the source, and back. This means that your everyday common hacker can no longer easily browse through your private information and possibly even use credit card numbers attached to accounts.

Traveling: Country Restrictions

You’re out of the country often. Some video streaming services are only available from an American IP address, so a VPN can allow you to watch Hulu from Georgia the country as well as Georgia the state.

Believe it or not but a good majority of online entertainment is blocked in many countries. A good example would be popular streaming sites such as Netflix, Hulu, and Pandora. They have country censorships and can be refused service. This can go for standard websites as well, certain websites can be restricted due to country censorships and local ISP’s prohibiting them. A VPN service can allow access to such sites anywhere in the world, because the service will assign you a new IP address. This will make it appear to servers that you are logging in from a country that does not have the blockade.

Some Phone applications that you might use on a day-to-day basis could also be blocked. For example, your navigation application wasn’t working right when you were thinking about setting up a day for the family, or your favorite hotel planner application started to fail right when you landed in Thailand. Geographic restrictions are very common nowadays and have many different reasons behind them. These are only minor distractions that can be taken care of with the use of a single program.

Torrents

You’re doing something you don’t want anyone to know about. Even if you’re using a service like BitTorrent legally, you can still end up on someone’s blacklist and have to defend yourself.

Using P2P torrents for file sharing isn’t illegal if used properly. Anything that has to do with file sharing can be very tricky and can pass malware or other malicious data if done wrong. Keeping all the personal information on your computer encrypted and safe from the hands of potential thieves is extremely important.

Public Wi-Fi

You have to get one. Sometimes, companies require their employees to set up a VPN when they work remotely, or will only allow you to work from certain IP addresses. Hopefully, the companies will cover the cost.

Free public Wi-Fi networks are as common as ever and are available on every block in most populated zones. When you connect to such networks you are allowing yourself to fall into the hands of intruders. You wouldn’t believe the kind of information one can pull through a public connection like the ones found at your local café or library. Having so many users on one solid network can basically allow access to the majority of your private data without you even noticing. The person across from you sipping on his coffee could be smiling because he just accessed your bank information. Close the majority of users out by using a VPN and don’t ever give others the chance to even think about tunneling their way into your system without notice.

The possibilities with virtual private networks are endless and can be useful even to beginners of the online world. Protect yourself and private information by cutting invasions off with an encrypted and safe traffic network. The internet can be a beautiful if taken seriously at the same time.

How do I choose a VPN?

When it comes time to choose your virtual private network, there are a few factors to consider:

Which devices are supported? While VPNs typically support Mac, Windows and Linux, if you want a VPN for your smartphone, make sure that it will support Android or iOS.

Location. If you want a VPN so that you can watch America-only shows internationally, make sure that the service is based in the US. If you want to watch NFL Game Pass or something else that’s blacked out in the US, you should get a VPN that’s based internationally. Which is illegal, so don’t do that.

Logging. Most VPNs claim to take privacy seriously, but some of them do log users’ activity. These logs can be hacked into, or in some cases, given over to the government. If a provider tracks its users, it’s pretty subpar.

Bonus: virus protection. Some VPNs come bundled with malware and spyware protection, but the level of protection varies from service to service, and with the cost of using the program. Also check out our article on How To Unblock Websites At School, Work, Home Or Anywhere.

Summary: 

Most of us can’t avoid public Wi-Fi for the sake of security – it’s convenient, it’s there, and it’s too useful to hide from just because we’re worried about our information being stolen.

All too often though, private and public networks alike attract data thieves, who swipe our information as we use Wi-Fi to shop online and check account balances.

A VPN is the easiest and cheapest way to keep your connection secure no matter where you log on.

By encrypting your connection and routing your traffic through a secure server, a VPN protects you from identity theft, and also breaks down content blocks on networks with censorship in place.

0 comments:

Post a Comment