While it’s a known fact that the use of VPNs has started to catch up in recent years, many people still do not subscribe to them. Perhaps the more accurate way of putting it is that the awareness regarding the importance and benefits of VPNs has definitely risen, but most people would rather not utilize a new tool with the hope and mentality of it being “too complicated”. While most people know what VPNs are for, some are still in the dark as to what it would really mean to them as casual internet users and private individuals. In this post, we review some of the basics about VPNs and hopefully debunk any lurking misconceptions about their use, functions, and benefits.
First off, let’s take a quick look at the basic stuff regarding a VPN to enrich yourself:
What are VPNs?
VPNs (Virtual Private Networks) are tools that re-route your online data traffic through another server. Most VPN service providers have a huge network of servers from which a user can choose. When you choose a server and connect to it, the website you access sees the IP address of the VPN server you connected to, and not your original IP address. Furthermore, the data you transmit online is encrypted so in the event that a hacker attempts to intercept your data, they won’t be able to get a hand on your private information.
Also, VPN Provider can help you bypass different restrictions such as it can be geo-location or based on access; what your provider will do is change the server to which you are connected and your IP location; helping you mask your info and access restricted content. Check out this blog about how a VPN works with Netflix.
VPNs also help you “mask” your online and real identity, and they keep you safe from surveillance threats (online censorship) as well as hackers, most especially when you connect to the internet through a free public Wi-Fi network. You can also save money through the use of VPNs when you shop online, and access geo-restricted content on apps such as Netflix and YouTube. With the many benefits you can get from a VPN, you’ll realize that you’re only missing out on a lot of things just because you “think” it’s complicated to use. Hopefully, you can decide for yourself whether or not VPNs are truly complicated after reading this post.
How Do VPNs Work?
We've already mentioned that VPN masks your location or other details. But how do they do it? Well, when you visit a website using a VPN, it creates a secure and encrypted tunnel between the user and the receiver's website. This is done over the internet for smartphones, computers, tablets, etc.
This secure network protocol ensures that all your data is encrypted and no hacker or cyber-criminal can get access to it. VPN providers make secure tunnelling possible by redirecting your connection to their VPN server of the country you've chosen earlier. This process makes you appear as a 'local' visitor to any website while keeping your real information secured. Hence, you become effectively anonymous as your IP gets replaced with the IP address of the same VPN server.
However, the best VPN will work similarly on different devices. When you want to keep your online activity safe, just sign up with any of the VPNs available on the market. Make sure you use a paid one and check the terms and conditions well to understand whether the provider saves unnecessary data or not.
Why do some people think VPNs are complicated to use
Before they hit the mainstream market though, VPNs were primarily used by large IT firms which allowed them to safely connect to servers while keeping their data secure and protected. Also, VPNs weren’t originally designed for individual use. Nevertheless, with the advancement of technology, more and more people have started to put a premium on their online security and privacy. Because of this paradigm shift, VPN companies have also made efforts to offer their services not only to large companies but also to individual users. The services come in the form of simple-to-use apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Linux, and Android. Nowadays, downloading and running a VPN app is not different from installing any regular app. So, if you can run Candy Crush on your device, then you can definitely run a VPN app, too. It’s that easy!
Expectation Versus Reality
What other people may think about VPNs, in general, is different from what they really are once you use them. Commercial VPNs are different from individual VPNs. As mentioned, individual VPNs are available as apps that can be easily downloaded, installed, and run on your laptop or mobile device. And while some VPNs require manual configuration, most VPNs offer their basic mobile apps. Even those which require manual configuration are not complicated at all. Configuration is a one-time procedure and would only take about 10 minutes or even less. To know more about how VPN providers can help you with your worries about how to use their service, be sure to ask and check for the availability of support.
The Takeaway
Even if not many people have started using VPNs on their devices, the fact remains that utilizing a VPN app would not affect or complicate your user experience at all. Your internet experience, if anything, would stay the same and even better – with all the benefits you get from a VPN tool. Just remember to get a reliable VPN service such as VPN Surf to enjoy hassle-free online activities as well as the best connection speeds at a very affordable price. At the same time, it is very important to highlight the quality of the VPN Provider that you choose will directly affect the smooth or not that user experience can be; learn more here about how can you choose the correct VPN Provider.
Check out this blogs to learn more about VPNs:
- What is SSTP VPN and How Does it Work?
Do you value your privacy online?
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