A VPN, short for “virtual private network”, is defined as a secure connection between your device and the internet. In an online world that’s becoming increasingly used by many individuals and businesses, it’s more important than ever to protect yourself. VPNs can protect your online traffic from snooping, interference and censorship where applicable. Not only that, but they can help you from becoming vulnerable against cyber-attacks.
What Does A VPN Do?
A VPN creates a virtual tunnel, that extends from your device to whatever internet server you’re using. It’s the easiest and most effective way to help protect your internet traffic and their identities online. This tunnel helps to encrypt all your data, and that means it prevents any hackers or trespassers from viewing your activity and more importantly, your data. When you connect to a VPN server location, you get a new IP address, and your actual IP address is hidden. It helps to keep you anonymous online at all times. Whether you’re an individual or company, there can be huge benefits to using a VPN.
Why Would I Need a VPN?
One of the main reasons as to why you might need a VPN is to hide your device’s IP address. When you’re connected to a VPN, your data will go through a remote VPN server. It conceals your identity, which means that third parties won’t be able to see your original IP or track your actual location. This means you can access the internet freely, browse anonymously, and avoid ads that might be an annoyance.
Individuals might want to use a VPN to be able to stream across geographies, rather than simply their own country. There are different geographic restrictions that can stop you from accessing content, and a VPN can allow you to bypass the restriction and access all these sites and content that might have been restricted beforehand. A VPN can also be very handy when you are on the move and want to protect your data while using a public WIFI service; Public WIFI isn’t as well-protected as other internet servers.
The Benefits of Using A VPN
When it comes to the benefits of using a VPN, there can be plenty of reasons that are likely to influence your decision in using one. There are many benefits to using a virtual private network, but here are just a few main reasons to opt for a VPN service:
A VPN Defies Regional Limitations
As much as the internet is a platform that can offer plenty of freedom, you do have restrictions when it comes to regional limitations and censorship. By having a VPN, you are no longer inhibited by these regional/continental internet blocks. A VPN helps avoid any hurdle that could prevent you from viewing or engaging with this content.
A VPN Protects Your Privacy
Nowadays, our privacy is compromised in a lot of ways, but by having a virtual private network, third-party or government surveillance is restricted; You have the ability to hide all your online activities with these secure and anonymous IP addresses.
A VPN Encrypts Your Data for More Security
It’s important that your data doesn’t fall into the wrong hands, regardless of whether you are a business or individual. You can help to stay protected from the increasing cases of data theft with the AES (advanced encryption standard) that is available.
A VPN Helps to Stream Content
Internet service providers provide access to high-speed internet and tv; But streaming content can end up burning through your bandwidth. Bypassing this with a VPN can help provide a seamless and high-quality streaming experience at all times.
A VPN Provides Secure Banking
Your bank is not able to fully protect you from identity theft or fraud, and many banks have already been victim to these themselves. Banking via a VPN can secure transactions made over the internet in order to further protect your banking details from being stolen.
Advantages of Using VPN vs. Proxy
Using Proxy is similar to VPN in that they both allow you to use the web from a different location; However, a VPN is much more secure. Proxies will only secure your web browser, but a VPN secures and encrypts your entire online network. Proxy only covers specific sites you’re visiting, whereas a virtual private network helps cover the entire internet connection. VPNs are preconfigured, which means they’re a lot easier to use and implement than a proxy is.
Another benefit of using VPN over a proxy is privacy. With VPN providers, they host their own server networks. That means unlike a random IP address that a proxy provides, you have a dedicated IP address. A VPN can also protect your identity fully as you can be completely anonymous when getting one. With a proxy, they keep user logs and so you’re not completely unknown when browsing the internet. VPNs can be great for when you’re accessing public WIFI networks because they are less secure than your own when working in your business premises or at home. Making insecure, public networks into secure ones can be important for many of those who work on the go.
It’s very much apparent that virtual private networks can offer a lot more than proxies can. With added security, privacy, and faster loading times, VPNs are the better choice.
So, with all being said, is a VPN worth having? In these modern times, it’s more important than ever to protect yourself and your privacy while browsing the internet. A virtual private network can certainly offer those needs and help give you peace of mind that all your browsing and activities are anonymous from third parties. So yes, it’s definitely worth getting a VPN to make you more secure when accessing the internet, regardless of whether you’re using it for business or personal use.