The Real Truth about VPNs

VPN 2018-09-01 01:54:00 - by Rachel Lee

Interested in learning the reality of VPNs? Excellent idea, but there's one significant roadblock in your path—and it's probably not who you think it is.

You could assume it's all that network-speak, low-level VPN information, and technical jargon. But it's not as crucial as many people think, and you can still comprehend VPNs very well without, for example, having a thorough understanding of WireGuard's inner workings. It can be challenging to distinguish fact from fiction while trying to comprehend VPNs because there are so many myths and misconceptions about the technology. We'll highlight some of the most widespread VPN myths in this article and debunk them.

We don't feel frightened very often, especially if we're using our laptops at home or commuting to the bustling mall to check our social media. Here is where the source of the uncertainty is.

VPNs were first solely used by corporations for secure data transfer, but they are gradually making their way into everyday life to guard against the ever-growing hazards posed by the internet.

If you’re looking for security on your network, VPNs have been among the first recommendations of experts and IT enthusiasts to ensure your browsing is secure and safe. It is painted as the ultimate solution to many things related to cybercrime, which is a little bit of an oversell. Just like any other service, a VPN is not foolproof. Users have to be aware of its downside not to feel like they got ripped off for the price they’re paying. Here is a list of things to set your mindset about VPNs in the right direction.

It can slow down your internet performance.

A VPN can affect the speed of your internet provider as your connection goes through a private network. As part of the expectation, speed is compromised at about 10-15% when connected to a VPN. Although it is possible, a VPN may slow down your connection speed. Your actions go through encryption and then decryption when they pass via a VPN server. This process slows the speed of the internet. But keep in mind that a server's connection will be slower the further away it is. It is therefore advised to pick a nearby nation or city. A VPN, however, can improve your connection. ISP throttling is a common problem for American internet users when streaming Netflix, watching YouTube, or conducting other high-bandwidth searches. ISPs take this action to safeguard their assets. When this happens, a VPN strengthens your connection to hide your actions from the ISP.

It usually depends on some other factors, like the VPN provider’s infrastructure or if you’re paying a premium for the service. Premium service can definitely give you larger bandwidth versus the free one. If you’re doing a lot of tasks using the internet, such as downloading really large files, expect that it’s not going to be as fast as your speed test tells you. Your internet traffic is encrypted when you connect to a VPN, is sent to a VPN server, and then decrypted before continuing to its final destination. These are all additional stages that your traffic did not previously have to traverse. Therefore, it is only natural that they would slow down your internet connections, especially if you're establishing a connection to a VPN server located halfway across the globe.

But, if you use the closest VPN server, you might not see any change.

VPN has a price tag attached to it

Nothing in this world comes for free. If you want exceptional performance, then you should be willing to give a few bucks. VPN Surf offers a $5/month package to cover 10+ locations, a 99.9% easy setup, with SSL encryption, +5 VPN protocols, advanced security features, and 24/7 support. That’s a pretty good deal and not expensive compared to what you get out of it! However, the first thing that you need to cover is the generally expensive internet service. Even though you will be paying for two services at the end of the month, it's worth knowing that you are safe from fraud and identity thefts which (if they happen) will turn out to be much more expensive.

Some services may not work properly.

Here’s some bad news. Despite the VPN reputation of masking your location to access unlimited movies and series on Netflix, we hate to say that Netflix usually blocks VPN services to make it harder for us to stream content not meant for our own location. Don't lose hope; VPN Surf is working day and night to come up with a solution for this.

VPN providers can also sell your information

You've heard the stories and are now looking for clarification, am I correct? It appears that some VPN companies have a history of selling customer data. Is this deceptive behavior only practised by free VPN or commercial services, and why? You will learn whatever you ought to know from us.

In order to gain money, certain VPN services have been known to sell users' data to outside parties. Your VPN service provider can access your user traffic and monitor your online activity. Anybody who values privacy should consider using a safe and secure VPN service.

Remember that a VPN service is also linked with another service provider. And by using their service, you also share your private information that may end up in the wrong hands. This is very ironic, but that’s just how it is. To prevent this from happening, ensure to choose a service provider with great credibility and a tight privacy policy.

Conclusion

In conclusion, users should always manage their expectations of the VPN service. It is not a perfect solution for everything, but the benefits of getting the service still outweigh the costs, making it worth it.

It's acceptable to query VPNs. It's even recommended. When we purchase a good or a service, we should understand what we are paying for. It's crucial to understand what a VPN does, why it's useful, and where its limitations are. However, one should not take any myth for granted; maybe this article has given you a new perspective.