Do I Really Need A VPN
Its a fact that no VPN is 100% secure, in fact, there is not a single software that is completely reliable. However, there are a couple of VPNs in the market today that are reliable enough to give you the best security and privacy online.
iProVPN is designed to give you the best experience online and that is inclusive of security protection. Using a VPN in general helps protect your personal information of every kind, ranging from your contacts, emails, passwords, messages, calls and much more!
You might assume the coast is clear using your home router or WiFi, but thats far from true. Home networks are much more susceptible to hacking or cyberattacks. Using a VPN on your router will automatically make things 99% safer than what it was before. Also, did you know that a criminal can track and hack all IP addresses that are connected to your home network, if left vulnerable?
So, to answer your question of whether you really need a VPN Yes, you do. Not using one comes with its own set of risks, but using one can help lower threats.
Use Other Devices As VPN Servers
If you dont have an OpenVPN-compatible router and you dont want to buy one, you can host a VPN server on another device such as your Windows computer or macOS device but, like flashing a router, its a complex process.
Bear in mind that the device used as the VPN server needs to be switched on at all times.
If the device is turned off , you wont be able to connect through the VPN, which is a big problem if youre far away from home and unable to switch it back on.
Before making the VPN server you will need to set up port forwarding on your router so that the server will be accessible from the internet.
Our instructions for changing your NAT Type cover accessing and setting up port forwarding on your router.
Well teach you how to set up a Windows device, as well as macOS and Raspberry Pi.
If youre a Linux user, you can save yourself a great deal of effort and use one of the full-GUI VPNs for Linux we recommend here.
Avoid Third Party Users
Its very easy for certain third party services and users to spy on your browsing history or on your connection, especially if you regularly use public connections at restaurants or airports. These connections arent usually encrypted, and this is where a VPN comes in. Not only will this route your connection through a private server, but it can also encrypt your data and protect you from potential data leaks or stolen information.
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Hide Your Trail Back Home From Nation
Some companies provide VPN access to their employees while traveling. Employees are given software or configurations that allow them to create encrypted tunnels between their laptops and home servers. These enterprise VPN clients do a great job of hiding the content, but they fail in one critical way: They often let a spying nation state know the IP address of those VPN end-points.
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Again, the same caution applies: Be careful. Check with your home office to determine if you should even be trying to connect back home in a restrictive country.
What Is A VPN Connection
At a time when high-speed Internet is so common, privacy on the network has become a paramount concern. People want more than just being able to connect to the Internet anywhere. They want to protect their personal data from eavesdropping or interception and just have a greater sense of confidence while browsing the worldwide network. All this and even more is possible with a strong VPN. In this article, we will tell you what a VPN connection is and what it is used for.
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VPN Services: What Can I Use Them For
There are a number of things you can use a VPN for, including:
Whether its accessing your offices private network while working from a local coffee shop or watching HBO Max on your trip to China, VPNs can come in handy for more than just general privacy or security online, although theyll give you that, as well.
Increase Internet Speed And Bandwidth
Many internet service providers implement speed throttling and bandwidth limiting on your internet services to control all the traffic that flows through their service better. Unfortunately, this can be limiting upon your experience of using the internet.
Using a VPN solution, the ISP has a more challenging time locking down an IP address for you and thus allows your traffic to pass through unfiltered, increasing both speed and bandwidth. Bandwidth is the amount of data processed in a given timeframe.
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Is Private Browsing And VPN Really Secure
Whether you run a business or go online for yourself, you probably know that browsing the web can open you and your organization up to all sorts of risks.
So, when it comes to protecting yourself and your business online, you may have looked into private browsing or choosing a VPN. But which of these is right for you?
VPN Uses: Watch More Live Sports
If you’re a sports fanatic, you’ll know that watching live events can get expensive pretty quickly. However, with a VPN and little bit of research, you could save a ton of cash and perhaps even find a pay-per-view event for free.
This is due to the fact that some sporting events are free-to-air in certain countries, while they’re paid-for in others. In recent times we’ve found cheaper or even free ways of catching the NBA, Super Bowl, Euros and Olympics with a VPN, so if there’s a big event on, it’s well worth checking out global broadcasting options for a better deal.
All you need to do is connect to a server in one of those countries and get watching. Plus, Tom’s Guide runs down all the big events and how to watch them, so check elsewhere on the site for info on where to catch a cheaper stream.
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When Playing Online Games
A VPN is also widely-used for gaming. Today, the online mode of games is more popular and the quality and continuity of Internet connections are critically important for the gamers. The benefits of a VPN for gamers is that it allows them to access geo-restricted games, establish a good connection to remote servers, or simply protect themselves from Internet providers and DDoS attacks.
In short, there are the following benefits of using a VPN for gaming:
- A slight decrease of ping
- The ability to access any game
- A low packet loss rate
VPN Uses: Access Free Voip Services Like Whatsapp
Strict national governments with huge stakes in mobile networks will often restrict access to free VoIP services like WhatsApp, Skype, Messenger and more because doing so ensures they make more money.
This is a huge reason why you might want a UAE VPN when living or traveling to Dubai or elsewhere, and while rules change frequently, it’s been known for UAE residents to have to use a VPN to even access voice chat on video games.
Paying for a VPN and using free VoIP services usually ends up costing much less than spending money on the monopolized telephone networks. For those who are short on money, a cheap service like Surfshark less than $2.50 a month is a great way of saving cash and staying in contact with loved ones.
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Why Use A VPN With A Smart TV
The main reason to consider running your smart TVs internet connection through a virtual private network is to access different streaming services libraries. Netflix and others have plenty of content, its just that some of it is available only in certain countries. VPNs are the best way to get to it as they can circumvent the blocks keeping you out.
If you want to use a VPN for Netflix while on your smart TV, you have two ways to do so. You can either install VPN software directly on your smart TV, or you can use some kind of VPN router. Both have something to be said for them, with the first way being the easier of the two.
Whats The Fastest VPN
In our experience performing speed tests on all of our VPNs, the fastest options were:
- IPVanish: We saw super quick download speeds with IPVanish.
- Private Internet Access: Private Internet Access is a great option for Windows-users in terms of speed.
- Hotspot Shield: Whether we were doing speed tests on our Windows or Mac computers, Hotspot Shield performed well.
- ExpressVPN: ExpressVPN also had really fast speeds on our Windows computer.
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Will A VPN Slow Down My Internet Connection
No, a VPN should connect to your existing Wi-Fi network with no conflicts. The VPN should only affect your virtual network connection and not the actual connection with the phone/broadband line. So, youll still be connected to your original network, though you will appear to be running through your own network. Therefore, your internet connection should still run at a reasonable speed.
Avoid Paying More When Shopping Online
Say youre traveling and you go to your favorite cafe. You order the same thing as the person in front of you. However, the person in front of you is local, so he pays less for the same item. This can happen when you shop online with foreign IP addresses. If youre shopping in Germany and you have a VPN, you can switch your IP to make it seem like youre local. This can help you get lower prices.
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Are VPNs Good For Business Or Remote Work
A VPN is among many tips recommended for work from home security. Since youre working from home, the security levels are not the same as those at the office. You dont have a full team of IT specialists present to take care of security issues that you encounter. Its why you need to take precautions into your own hands and using a VPN is one of the best ways to start.
When working at home, youre carrying large files of office data, most likely stored on your personal or corporate devices. Cyber criminals usually attack large corporate and smaller businesses on their radar. If they get access to everything on your device or system, it could lead to bigger fish.
A VPN is the best for both large and small businesses. Configuring a VPN on your router will help protect all the devices that are connected to it. It makes it a little tactful for criminals to steal any data or hack you.
Other than that, a VPN is also great for business to thrive. It has helped employees stay connected over a secure and remote access network. VPNs also help business executives stay connected and access their email accounts and other official apps while traveling to countries that restrict access to them.
VPN Server Vs VPN Client: Whats The Difference
In this guide we have talked about setting up a VPN server, but we also touch upon VPN clients.
So, whats the difference between the two?
Both a VPN server and a VPN client are required to create an encrypted VPN tunnel.
The VPN server is at one end of the tunnel, and the VPN client at the other.
The VPN client initiates the connection with the VPN server and authenticates itself before being granted access to the virtual private network.
While VPN servers can accept connections from many clients, a VPN client can only establish a connection with just one server at a time.
You install VPN client software on the device that you want to connect to the VPN server.
For example, on your Android smartphone that you want to use securely on public WiFi while out and about.
Internet traffic from the VPN client device is routed through the encrypted VPN tunnel to the VPN server, whether thats a server you have set up at home, or one belonging to a VPN service provider.
The VPN server enables hosting and delivery of the VPN service, and also masks the VPN clients IP address with one of its own.
So, if you connect to a VPN server located in your home, your web activity will be associated with the public IP address of your home network, even though youre not physically located there yourself.
In this guide we showed you how to set up a VPN server at home, but if you need help setting up your device as a VPN client, check out our VPN installation guides.
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Why Use A VPN At Home
If you’re hesitant about using a VPN at home, you should take note of its many benefits.
Privacy
All internet service providers can observe and record your web traffic. Although most websites use Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure to encrypt data, not everything is encrypted. A good VPN for home network use can fill in the gaps by encrypting all of your online traffic before it ever makes its way to the ISP. As such, you’re less likely to receive unsolicited, targeted ads or have your personal information compromised.
Security
In addition to privacy, another good reason to consider using a VPN service at home is security. And let’s face it, surfing the Web, even on trusted websites, carries some risk. Using such services can help mitigate such concerns.
You can hide your IP address, passwords, data, and even physical location away from prying eyes. Not even an ISP can see what you’re doing while you’re online via a VPN portal. The only thing they are privy to is the encrypted statistics coming from its server. Additionally, the technology is not relegated to home use only. For people on the go, you can access it remotely.
Exploring the world
Your Privacy While Online Hinges on the Quality of Your VPN
Protect Your Personal Data From Businesses
Lots of retailers offer apps and free Wi-Fi to shoppers, and they make it really hard to not use them. For one, if you download a retailers app, you may get access to exclusive coupons and deals, so thats tempting. Also, a lot of physical locations block cell phone service simply because of the metal in structures.
Businesses that offer these perks for free or incentives to use their apps and Wi-Fi are doing so to collect your data, which is extremely valuable to them. This is another good reason to use a VPN if you want to protect your personal data. Plus, youll still be able to safely access your apps and use free Wi-Fi while youre shopping at malls or stores.
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Other VPNs We’ve Tested
Not every VPN can be a favorite. These are ones we reviewed, but they’re not full-throated recommendations for one reason or another, including limited features and concerns over adequately hiding your identity.
- Servers: 1,800-plus in 80-plus locations
- Country/Jurisdiction: US
- Platforms: Windows, Android, MacOS, iOS, Linux, Amazon Fire TV
- Price: $8 per month or $95.88 billed annually. Month-to-month plan at $13
Hotspot Shield VPN’s TLS-based Hydra Catapult protocol, US jurisdiction, 128-bit AES encryption support and large percentage of virtual servers might strip away our trust in its ability to provide more privacy protections than its competitors — but those are all key components to its ability to achieve the blazing speeds it delivered during its most recent speed tests.
It’s the second-fastest VPN I’ve tested, effortlessly delivers smooth-streaming media and can dance between server connections without missing a beat, no matter how many interruptions you throw at it. A 26% speed loss puts it in second place, falling behind Surfshark — which lost just 16.9% of its speed the last time I tested it — and knocking ExpressVPN down to third place with a 51.8% speed loss at last measurement. Speed losses on UK connections were under 8%. Gaming, torrenting, browsing, streaming — these speed-dependent services won’t be slowed down for Hotspot Shield users.
Reasons Why Free VPNs Are Not Safe
“Is VPN safe?” is a question everyone should be asking, and the answer is straightforward. Using free software is not an effective solution for ensuring VPN security because it often will not protect data and browsing activity on the internet. Key reasons not to use a free VPN include:
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