A virtual private network (VPN) is an online service that allows you to create a secure connection over the internet. It works by creating an encrypted tunnel between your device and the VPN server, which can be in another country. The encryption prevents anyone on either end of the line from seeing what’s inside the transmission, so it protects things like passwords or credit card numbers. You may use a VPN for any number of reasons and here are nine.
Play online games
One of the ways that you can use a VPN is to play online games. If you’re located in a country that has restrictions on what games you can access, then using a VPN will allow you to connect to servers in other countries where those games are available. For instance, DraftKings blocks players in some states in the United States such as Arizona and Alabama as well as Hawaii, Idaho, and Iowa. There are instances where the game is also unavailable for players in Louisiana, Montana, Nevada, and Washington. In this case, you may want to try to use a VPN for Draftkings. This way, you’ll be able to get around these restrictions and play the game available on other servers, allowing you to enjoy gaming features outside of your geographical location. To do this, all you need to do is install the VPN software onto your laptop or desktop computer before signing into an online game server.
Access streaming services
Another great use for a VPN is if you want to unblock streaming services like Netflix, Hulu, BBC iPlayer, HBO GO, Amazon Prime Instant Video, and others when you’re traveling or living abroad. By using a VPN to connect to a server in the United States, for instance, you can make it look like you’re physically located there instead of anywhere else in the world. This is great for ex-pats as it allows them to watch all their favorite shows and movies on streaming services that would normally be blocked to them. You can also use a VPN to unblock content in other countries where it might otherwise be restricted, like China for example. Similarly, if you’re traveling overseas and using an internet connection that isn’t free, then you can use VPN to access geo-restricted sites and content from anywhere in the world.
Unblock websites at school or work
If you’re trying to access a website that’s been blocked by your school or workplace, then you can use a VPN to unblock it. By connecting to a VPN server in another country, you can make it look like you’re browsing the web from a different location. This is great if there’s a website that has been blocked by your network administrator, whether they intended to or not. Just keep in mind that some websites are blocked for a reason and using a VPN to access them from school or work could have serious consequences. In parallel to this, if you live in an area where certain websites are censored and blocked then using VPN could be beneficial for you as well.
Secure your Wi-Fi connection
If you’re using an open or public Wi-Fi network, then it’s a good idea to use a VPN to protect your data. This is because these networks are often unsecured and can be easily hacked by someone looking to steal your information. A VPN will create a secure tunnel between your device and the VPN server so that no one can see what you’re doing online or steal your data. This will allow you to use public Wi-Fi networks without having to worry about your privacy or security. As a result, you will be able to surf the internet, check your email, and do online banking without having to worry about someone stealing your information.
Send data securely over public networks
Whether you’re sending emails or transferring files, there’s nothing more important than keeping your information secure when doing so. A VPN helps with this for various reasons including preventing hackers from intercepting your data over public networks. It’s also important to use a VPN when sending information overseas as this will prevent the exchange of sensitive financial or personal details from prying eyes who may be monitoring those open Wi-Fi connections previously mentioned in number four above. This will help to ensure your privacy and security. Keep in mind that some VPNs don’t provide adequate security. To ensure that your data is being sent and received securely, do some research to find out more about the provider you’re thinking of using before purchasing their service.
Avoid ISP tracking
ISP tracking can be a big concern and using a VPN to avoid it is one of the main reasons some people use VPN. Your Internet Service Provider has access to all your browsing history, which means they can monitor what you do online even if you’re trying to stay anonymous by not giving out your real IP address. The purpose of tracking is either for marketing reasons or to monitor and identify the people who download copyrighted material from torrents. However, if you want privacy then using a VPN is one of your best options as it allows you to surf online without exposing yourself.
Download anonymously
You can also use VPN to download files anonymously. This is because when you’re connected to a VPN, your real IP address is hidden and replaced with the IP address of the VPN server. As a result, anyone tracking your downloads will only see the IP address of the VPN server and not your actual location. This can be great for downloading content that may be illegal in your country or that you may have to pay for. It should be noted though, that it’s illegal in some places to download copyrighted material even if the files are only being used for personal use and not shared publicly online.
Back up files securely online
While this may not seem like a very critical aspect of using a VPN, it’s still something to think about. If you don’t use one, then the only backup plan you will have in place will be storing them on your computer or mobile device which could result in you losing everything if they become damaged or your computer gets stolen. Using a VPN will enable you to back up all of your files online so that even in the event of something going wrong with them, you have another copy stored away safely and securely on a server somewhere else. This is because your online backup will not be stored on your computer and can’t get damaged by things like viruses or hardware failure. Rather, it will be stored on the VPN server which is much more secure.
Internet kill switch
If your internet connection drops then using an “internet kill switch” will ensure that your VPN connection is automatically terminated. This will help to prevent any data from being leaked while your VPN connection is down. Many VPN providers offer this feature, but it’s important to check before you purchase a subscription. In this case, it would be a good idea to have a backup plan in place just in case your VPN connection does go down. This will allow you to ensure that your data is secure at all times.
Apart from an internet kill switch, other VPN features include DNS leak protection, IPv-leak protection, and port forwarding. DNS leak protection is a security feature that prevents DNS requests from being sent outside the VPN tunnel. DNS requests contain your actual IP address, so preventing them from escaping this will help to prevent any leaks of your real IP address. IPv-leak protection is also a security feature that prevents IPv-packets from leaking outside the VPN tunnel. IPv-packets contain your IP address as well, so preventing them from escaping will help to prevent any leaks and keep you anonymous at all times.
Port forwarding refers to using port scanning for network administrators or other people to identify services that are running on a specific port. Normally, when you’re using VPN all traffic is directed through the VPN tunnel and this includes ports. However, if you have a service that’s running on a port that isn’t normally open then you can use port forwarding to allow traffic for that specific port to be sent through the VPN tunnel. Again, this can be great for accessing services that are blocked in your country or for streaming content that may be region-locked.
VPN is not just for privacy and security reasons, but can also be used for other purposes such as bypassing censorship and unblocking websites. All of these reasons prove how useful VPN can be when it comes to protecting yourself from various threats while browsing online but there are many more reasons why you might want to use a VPN. Do some research and find out which providers offer the best security features for your needs and make sure that you’re using a reliable service so that you can rest assured knowing your data is safe.
