These days having a VPN or Virtual Private Network has been becoming more and more popular than ever before.
In the most basic of terms, a VPN is quite useful in that it allows those using an Internet connection to have a greater amount of privacy while also being able to hide exactly where they are in the world.
What exactly is VPN though?
Essentially, a VPN is a set of servers that allow users to connect to them through their Internet Service Provider (ISP).
In a process that is called “tunneling”, a user connects to these servers through their VPN to access the Internet.
In doing so, user activity is not visible through their own Internet connection but through one set up in another location.
This means that any data that is accessed through a VPN is more secure and encrypted than simply using a regular home set up or one found at a coffee shop or bar for example.
This makes it much harder for those with malicious intent to hack a person’s information, which might mean pages browsed, files downloaded, or even personal financial information.
Why do people use a VPN?
Security is the biggest reason most people decide to use a VPN.
The fact that a person’s personal data is much more secure and very hard to hack gives anyone with a VPN much more ease of mind, and it is particularly useful when used in public settings where that information can easily be uncovered by unwanted parties.
Privacy also another huge reason, because it essentially lets those on a VPN have more anonymity about what they are doing.
It is truly a way of saying “mind your own business” to Internet service providers or a network being used to access the Internet.
It is also worth noting that VPN’s don’t protect absolutely everything as cookies and other web trackers can still be used, but it severely limits this tracking.
It is also wise to set your browser to a private mode or incognito in addition to using a VPN and perhaps also install other software to limit pop-up ads and additional trackers.
The third major reason for having a VPN is that it is a good way for a person to change their location.
Usually, an IP address is fairly easy to track without the use of a VPN and actually links to a person’s physical location.
Problems that occur with watching shows that are only able to be accessed by being located in a certain area are remedied with a VPN.
This can also apply to a number of other online tasks and is a major reason for the use of a VPN.
By no means does using a VPN make anyone completely immune to problems, but it certainly minimizes those risks.
Things to know about choosing the right VPN provider
These days, there are many different options when it comes to finding the right VPN provider. Of course, the decision is different for any person interested.
A typical VPN costs about $2.99 to $15 per month.
Some offer a bit more for the higher cost than the bare minimum, but it is important to keep an eye on a few things in this regard.
This includes whether or not the VPN has:
Logs or no logs: Some VPN providers will actually track user data and activity of those who use them, which in a sense might seem counterproductive given what is being provided.
IP sharing: Some VPN providers allow a number of users the same IP address, which can really add another level of anonymity.
Server locations & quantity: A number of VPN services give users a greater variety of where they can tunnel. This might include more cities and countries depending on the service.
Similar to this, different services have a larger number of servers that make for a faster connection than others.
Finally, the ease of use can vary greatly depending on the VPN being used. Many do also offer a free trial to get started, though.
A couple of VPNs worth checking out initially
Here are a few suggestions to get started with a VPN:
