Almost everyone using the Internet today is not anonymous, so VPNs are designed to protect online privacy. The online world is just as dangerous as the real world. Many people have been attacked by cybercriminals who lock computers just to get their money. The data of many users has been leaked and malware continues to launch attacks.
That’s why VPNs have come to make surfing the internet safer and most importantly more anonymous. So what is a VPN, how does it work and is it legal? Here are the answers to the most important questions.
The full abbreviation of VPN is Virtual Private Network.
A VPN connection ensures that your computer remains completely anonymous on the Internet and no one can track you.
How does a VPN work?
Your computer connects to the VPN server instead of to your Internet provider like Atlantek Broadband. Everything happens via a fully secure and encrypted connection.
Once the connection is established, the VPN can communicate with the website you want to visit. The addresses you access are remembered by the IP address of the VPN server, not by the server on your computer. Even if the details of your visits are tracked, no one else can connect to your computer.
Why use encryption?
If you don’t want your computer’s IP address to be traced by unwanted people, always use a VPN connection. This way, nobody can see where you and your computer are. The fact that the connection is encrypted allows you to hide what you are downloading.
If you don’t use a VPN, your internet connection is not encrypted and everything you do on your computer is public. When you connect to a VPN, everything you do is in the form of an unreadable code.
The code can take the form of symmetric or asymmetric encryption or hashes. So your data is completely safe.
If you want extra security, you can use DNS, a name recognition system. This system has text URLs that correspond to valid IP addresses. DNS then works within the VPN to further encrypt and block the activities of cybercriminals. The convenient part is that you can enter normal URLs such as www.komputronik.pl instead of a string of numbers.
Why do I need a VPN?
A private VPN is designed to protect your online privacy, but also makes it harder for hackers to attack you.
However, the possibilities go far beyond these two elements. What else does a VPN offer you?
Nobody can see what you are doing on the internet
When you connect to a network, everything you send out into the world from your computer is encrypted. No one can see what you are doing on the internet. Moreover, your provider cannot limit the speed of the service. As you can see, connecting to a VPN has many advantages.
Your IP address is not visible to anyone. This is especially useful if you want to access a site that is blocked in Ireland, for example, if you want to access the Netflix library in the US. You then choose a VPN server, say in the US, and the website you visit will see that you are connecting from the US and not from Ireland.
Ad blocking
You can use VPNs that block malicious websites, annoying ads and other junk. This way, you can watch all your YouTube videos ad-free.
What should I consider when choosing a VPN?
There are several important factors to consider when choosing the best VPN:
Data transfer rate,
Transfer speed, whether the network connection is secure – VPN cannot store your data,
The more countries you can choose from, the better. However, make sure the country you choose is as close to your own as possible,
The best VPN is one that can be used on multiple devices at once,
Always listen to user reviews of the VPN you are using. You can find a lot of information about them here.
Which VPN? Classification of VPNs
There are many VPNs on the Internet. Having decided to use a VPN, it is best to choose one of the most recommended VPNs of recent times. Here are the top 3 paid VPNs:
ExpressVPN
IPVanish
Private Internet Access
ExpressVPN
ExpressVPN is the fastest VPN on the market. The main features of the network are reliability, security and speed, as well as a 100% registration policy, which makes us completely anonymous to potential spies. This network has VPN servers in over 90 countries.
IPVanish
IPVanish is known for its high quality, which goes hand in hand with an affordable price. With over 40,000 IP addresses, it is an efficient and fast network. There is also an unsubscribe policy.
Private Internet Access
Private Internet Access is one of the most secure networks that protects privacy. It offers high encryption and seamless network flow.
Free VPN: Is it secure?
Most users who decide to use a VPN prefer paid solutions. However, there are providers on the market that offer completely free VPNs, but is it worth using them? Of course, this solution has some limitations.
How secure is a free VPN?
First of all, you should always pay attention to what the company in question says about its security offerings. If you do not find much information about this concept, you should think twice before choosing this network.
It is not very fast and offers fewer options for locating a location.
Also, free VPNs are not very fast. The downside is that it doesn’t offer a lot of location options.
Free VPNs, user tracking and advertising
Some of them do not hide the fact that they track users’ activity and display advertisements. Why do they do this? The companies offering these networks want to generate additional revenue, which can be very annoying for the users of their networks.
The best time to use a free VPN is when you want to visit a location-restricted website or send emails and you only have access to a public Wi-Fi network.
How difficult is it to use a VPN?
Using a VPN is not very difficult, but it can seem very difficult for those who have never worked with this kind of technology before. To start using a VPN, you must first decide which VPN to choose. Managing these networks is not much more difficult than using any software.
Each network you choose has its own characteristics, but the concept is the same: connect to the VPN server on your device and log in with the credentials requested by the provider. VPN software is designed to work on multiple platforms, including Windows, iOS, Android, browsers, routers and other devices.
How can I check if a VPN is working?
All users who use a VPN want to make sure it works. Fortunately, there are several ways to find out. You can use websites such as What’s My IP Address and myip.com, which check your location and IP address.
If the IP address listed on the website that checks your location and IP address is the same as the IP address you chose in the VPN system, this indicates that the VPN is working.
How can I check if the VPN is working? Step by step:
Go to whatismyipaddress.com from your usual IP address.
Then start the VPN and connect to the server in question.
Check if the IP address has changed after refreshing the page.
VPN router
Is it worth buying a VPN router?
By choosing a VPN router, you protect all devices using it.
However, this solution does not have all the advantages. There are also
It changes the IP of a device very quickly.
You can download torrents quickly and safely.
You are protected against possible data theft, not only in public but also at home.
For example, you can get rid of regional blocks that prevent you from accessing the full Netflix offering.
You will always have access to uninterrupted protection, even if you switch devices at work.
What is hugely important is reliance on your fibre broadband provider to deliver uninterrupted connection and usually it means a 99.99% uptime.
Buying a VPN today can be one of the best ways to ensure online safety and privacy for you and your loved ones.
