With cybercrimes on the rise, it is only natural for you to be concerned about your privacy online. Using public Wi-Fi is all the more troublesome as you are always on edge wondering if someone can observe your online activity. A virtual private network (VPN) is a reliable solution to this issue. With a VPN you can attain a certain measure of privacy online.
What Is a VPN, and How Does It Work?
Upon activation, a VPN creates an encrypted tunnel between your device and a server at another location, handled by the VPN service. Since all your online activity is routed through this channel your data remains secure from intruders. As your web traffic is passing through the VPN’s encryption tunnel your own identity is rendered safe.
But is a VPN safe? To better understand the benefits of having a VPN, imagine yourself in a specific setting. That of a coffee shop for example. Normally you would log in to the public Wi-Fi at the coffee shop without second thoughts, however after knowing all about the dangers of cybercrimes wouldn’t you prefer having a more secure connection? A VPN perhaps?
At home, you don’t feel as concerned for your online privacy as you do while using public Wi-Fi and maybe that’s not the best approach. Even though you are safe from the prying eyes of those operating unauthentic Wi-Fi networks, your internet service provider (ISP) has a vast insight regarding your online activity. So, a VPN even when using your home network is highly beneficial.
If you wake up one morning with a life-changing epiphany to quit social media all you have to do is delete your accounts and you’ll be done. Facebook or Google won’t force you to use those services. However, internet access in today’s world is a necessity to most and so getting rid of your IPS is not possible. Without a VPN you are just submitting to the power your internet provider has over you through access to your online activity.
There are many alternative browsers if one wants to switch from Google and the same is the case with social media. However, most people have little to no home ISP alternatives Many areas only have one ISP and that just makes matters worse, it’s pretty much like being forced into a shady system.
Here’s another hypothetical situation: You’re on vacation abroad and you feel like posting a video of the beautiful sunset on your social media, only to your dismay the sight is blocked in the country you’re in, so what now? VPN. with a VPN you can connect the server to a different country so basically, you can access sites the government has blocked and through the tunnel access the internet of a different, less oppressive country. Countries like China and Russia are reinforcing the ban of websites by blocking VPN usage itself. It is important to take into account that VPN doesn’t promise full protection, especially not against governments.
Do I Need a VPN On All My Devices?
You need to install a VPN client on all devices that you wish to connect to the VPN server. Most VPNs offer the same features on all devices but in some cases that doesn’t happen.
Using a VPN on mobile devices is harder as VPN does not connect to cellular connections easily and connecting through cell phone data requires a lot of effort. Intelligence agencies or law enforcement forces have access to this data for security reasons. Usually through connections with mobile carriers or by using specialized equipment.
All devices cannot run VPN apps. If you want to change that then configure your router to use a VPN connection, or purchase a pre-configured router.
The Complications of Privacy
Some sites find VPN traffic suspicious so they will block you or won’t let you connect if you’re using a VPN in that case change your VPN server.
Streaming systems transfer data to your local network, when using VPN your location is hidden so this can be an issue. To resolve this either use a VPN with local network traffic or try a VPN on your router. However, the simplest solution here is to turn off your VPN.
There are very few VPNs that work on Netflix since Netflix has a complex global license and is very particular about the shows you can stream in your country.
It is hard to use BitTorrent on most VPNs as they restrict or ban it to avoid legal issues. Even though torrenting is not inherently illegal, it often uses pirated content hence the legality issue.
VPN decreases the speed of your uploads and downloads as it focuses on increasing latency. It is hard to identify the fastest VPNs but here are a few.
There are only a few VPNs for gaming and this is a major concern to gamers. Some VPNs offer split-tunneling, which routes the traffic from some applications outside of the VPN. However, it is less secure and has less impact on latency.
Final Thoughts
Concluding it all, it is always a good idea to opt for a VPN if you want to surf the internet. It keeps you safe from cybercrime attempts, and will also help you bypass any geo-restrictions on content.