Most of today’s internet users know what a virtual private network is. In fact, there has been an increasing number of VPN users in recent years. However, the rising popularity of virtual private networks raises the question of whether or not you should really use one.
WHAT’S A VPN?
A virtual private network (VPN) is a type of network that’s connected to another computer, either one in your office or home or one that’s remotely located. A VPN is essentially an IP-based network that allows you to make use of encryption technology to encrypt your information and make it impossible for unauthorized parties to view it. A VPN gives you web anonymity and privacy by using a private connection to public internet access. A VPN hides your internet protocol (IP), thereby ensuring your online activity is untraceable.
A VPN works by installing software called VPN gateway onto your computer. The software connects your computer to a secure internet server and creates a tunnel between the two computers. This tunneling protocol hides your IP address, making your online activities virtually untraceable by others. This process is, then, encrypted using encryption technology that only you know about. Therefore, even the government can’t see your activity on the internet.
The use of a VPN brings numerous benefits. No wonder why a lot of internet users are already searching for the best VPNs list on the web. People turn to VPN services in their business lives or even while at home because of the following reasons:
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Enjoy safety and security
If you’re looking for a way to protect your online privacy and keep hackers and other internet criminals away from your personal information, a VPN can be your best friend. With the power of technology today, many people now have access to the internet through their computers and even mobile devices.
However, many internet users, including business organizations, are also susceptible to being scammed or harassed while surfing the web. While it’s true that it’s possible to use the internet in peace, there are still many things that people and businesses need to take into consideration when they want to ensure data security while online.
One of the ways how a VPN offers security and safety while surfing the internet is by encrypting your data before it’s sent anywhere. This is done in order to prevent hackers and other internet criminals from intercepting or reading your private data.
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Achieve anonymity
One of the best ways that you can protect yourself online is to use a service that offers the ability to surf the web while remaining anonymous. That’s where a VPN comes in and becomes of great help. A VPN, like ProtonVPN, will provide an anonymous mode to you so that you can surf the web without your identity and other personal information being leaked. You can surf the internet with the knowledge that your real IP address is hidden and that you’ll be protected from those that will use this to get their grubby paws on your personal data and identity. All you need to do is to look for a VPN service that’s right for you.
Note that even if you’re free to do anything you want online using a VPN, of course, it wouldn’t hurt if you still take a few precautions to make sure that you’re really going to have a safe and secure browsing experience. One thing you can do is to make sure that you always only log in through a secure site to make sure that there’s no one watching you online, looking to steal your private information.
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Break geo-restrictions
One of the biggest problems for people who are surfing the internet is geo-restrictions. These refer to geographic boundaries set by some websites to control the people who can view certain information on their respective platforms. In order to access certain pages on these sites, you’ll need to use a proxy or VPN service to bypass the restrictions.
There are various types of VPN services available. Some of them can provide a person with a virtual IP address that can, then, be used to access geo-restricted websites. Note that using a VPN service doesn’t affect your experience when accessing websites that aren’t restricted by geographical limitations.
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Enjoy subsidized shopping and traveling
Many people, even the most avid shoppers and travelers, don’t realize that they can actually get different rates if they book flights from different locations. It’s true regardless of the flight’s arrival and departure destination. In fact, a lot of online shopping websites also show a different price list, depending on what country the customer is located in. It’s the same case with airfares. Simply saying, there’s a location bias in these websites, and to beat it, you should use a VPN.
Checking flight rates and shopping in online stores using a VPN server from another country will help you in obtaining the best deals, all at the best rates. By doing so, you could be saving a good amount of money even if the process may be a little bit tiring and time-consuming. You can just choose a specific country’s server in your VPN app or software if you’re already aware that a certain state or country is being given subsidized rates by a certain site. That will definitely save you both time and money.
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Use public Wi-Fi safely
In various situations, avoiding using public Wi-Fi is impossible. It’s especially true if you’re residing in an area that charges exorbitant fees for a private internet connection or you’re away from your state or hometown. VPN comes to the rescue in these cases as it provides a tunnel that’s safe and secure for your online activities. VPN services can also disguise your identity when you’re using public Wi-Fi, helping you avoid getting attacked by malware and suffering data breaches.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Using a VPN service has become more popular nowadays because of the reasons listed and discussed above. However, VPN users still have to keep in mind that such a network shouldn’t be utilized as a comprehensive or end-to-end security solution. It’s also important to check the level of encryption that a specific VPN provides before you give away any personal details online.
