The number of people using a Virtual Private Network, or VPN as it is abbreviated, is continually increasing as internet users become more aware of the need to protect their privacy online. Gone are the days when you essentially needed a degree in computer science to use VPNs because there are dozens of VPN providers available that protect you with a mouse-click or two when surfing the internet.
You may be wondering what a VPN is and then questioning why you need one installed on your computer. Think of a VPN as a middle man between your computer and the website or sites you visit. Without a VPN running, your data goes from your computer to a website directly. With a VPN, your data goes to the VPN’s servers before traveling to its destination. This is important for a few reasons you are about to discover.
A VPN Allows You To Access Blocked or Restricted Websites
Spoofing your location is a key feature of a VPN. The software makes it possible for you to appear to be in a completely different country than you actually are. Your internet connection has a unique IP address that websites use to determine where you are located. A VPN can change this IP address and make it appear you are using a computer in Mexico even though you are sitting on your laptop in California! This is a great feature that opens the door to access websites that may be restricted in your state. For example, you could use a VPN to access the popular BBC iPlayer, place wagers on the elite online sportsbook Bovada, or even watch movies on Netflix that have not yet been released in your region.
A VPN Is Essential For Public Internet Connections
The best VPNs encrypt all your data and make it impossible for anyone to read it. The VPN basically scrambles all the data before unscrambling it when it reaches its destination. When we say impossible, we mean it because they use 256-bit encryption. It would take a quantum computer approximately 500-times the time the universe has existed to crack the data!
You may not think you need such a level of protection, but you do. How often do you access the WiFi in a coffee shop or another public place? Those connections often have the simplest of security features that someone with the proper know-how can gain access to. Are you happy that someone could capture your login details for your internet banking? Would your employer be pleased to learn someone had potentially accessed confidential emails and files? Probably not.
Surf The Internet Without Prying Eyes
Your Internet Service Provider (ISP) gathers a ton of information about you whenever you access the internet. Every single byte of data is recorded, which means they know exactly what websites you visit, the emails you send, and the items or products your download or stream.
While most people use the internet for legitimate and 100% legal matters, do you really want a company to know what you are viewing on the internet? You would not open your front door and shout at the top of your voice, “hello neighbors, I’m reading USA Today then watching some Netflix,” would you? No, because what you get up to is your business and your business only. Using a VPN prevents your internet service provider from being able to see the websites you have visited. All they see is that you have accessed the internet and the amount of data you used, but the 256-bit encryption from the VPN means they do not have a clue about what that data is.
Take control of your privacy and invest in a top-tier VPN when you get the chance. They do not cost a lot; most are less than the price of a take-out coffee per month.
