Using a VPN has become common practice for many people. However, there are still a lot of individuals out there that never use a VPN. By not adopting this tech, you could be missing out on a huge range of benefits.
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| Photo by Stefan Coders: CCO Licensed |
But before we go into these benefits, let’s work out what exactly is a VPN. Commonly installed as an app, a VPN is an internet security service that can conceal your IP address and encrypt your data. This prevents hackers, advertisers, websites and other apps from accessing various personal information.
There are many instances where hiding this personal information can be useful. Below are just a few examples.
Using public wi-fi securely
Public wi-fi is any free internet connection found in a public place (i.e. hotels, restaurants, airports). Using public wi-fi can be more risky than using private wi-fi, because you never know who else is using the network. Experienced hackers may be able to use methods like ARP spoofing to gain access to your data. In other cases, cybercriminals may set up fake public wi-fi connections to extort the private information of users.
A VPN can encrypt your data and prevent hackers from gaining any information about you. It’s a simple way to secure your devices while on the go.
When I travel and I am using an open WiFi network at a hotel (any network without a password), I do everything on my laptop with my VPN on. Originally, I got a VPN, so I could pay a bill from another country. Exciting, I know, but being able to also set it to my home country allowed me to do more things I wanted than a local French network would allow.
Streaming TV shows while travelling
When travelling to other countries, it may not be possible to stream your favourite shows. The likes of Netflix offers different content to users in different countries. Some streaming services may not even be available in some regions of the world. Unless you download titles, you usually won’t be able to watch them (and even then, Netflix may restrict you from watching them).
Most VPNs can not only hide your location, but allow you to change your IP address so that it appears you’re accessing the internet from a different country. This can allow you to continue streaming content from your home country while abroad, as well as accessing content from other regions from your home country.
Visiting geo-restricted sites
Some websites are not available in certain countries. This can be due to censorship laws, licensing deals, lack of cooperation with local data laws or inability to serve/ship to customers in certain countries..
Just as a VPN can allow you to access geo-restricted streaming content, it can also allow you to access geo-restricted websites by changing your IP address to another location. This can allow you to still visit sites available in your home country while abroad, on top of visiting sites only available in other countries.
Bypassing IP address blocks
Websites, applications and browsers can block your IP address if they see fit to do so. A common reason to do this is if they suspect you are a hacker or a bot.
While IP address blocking can be annoying (especially if you have done nothing wrong), there is fortunately an easy way around it. You guessed it - use a VPN. By hiding your IP address, websites and applications won’t be able to tell that it’s you trying to access them and you’ll be able to freely use them.
Avoiding bandwidth throttling
If a lot of people are using the internet at the same time in a certain area, an internet service provider may throttle the bandwidth of people in that area to restrict traffic. This can result in a slow internet connection - which can be frustrating when gaming, watching videos or trying to voice call someone.
Fortunately, a VPN can save the day in this case too.By hiding your IP address from your internet service provider, you can avoid having your connection slowed down, allowing you to use the internet as normal during busy periods.
Taking advantage of location-based prices
Some companies offer cheaper prices for products or services in certain areas. Unless you live in this area, you cannot access these prices.
That is, of course, unless you use a VPN. By changing your IP address to another location, it is possible to access cheaper prices on everything from flights to clothes. This could save you a lot of money.
Reduce tracking from advertisers
Some people don’t like to be harassed by adverts of things they’ve browsed for. Others simply don’t like the idea of advertisers getting hold of their personal data.
Using a VPN is one way to counter these ads. It may not completely prevent targeted ads (as advertisers sometimes use other methods like browser fingerprinting), however it could reduce the majority of them.
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