The times that we’re living in, VPN is not just an accessory that helps improve your online experience, it actually does more than that by ensuring utmost safety of your data and navigation. You could be leading a large enterprise with thousands of employees working under you or simply online shopping for personal needs, the truth remains that you need a VPN.
Getting access to a VPN helps in protecting your data from hackers and much more. Therefore, it’s best if you invest in a most secure VPN to protect your home’s wireless network. But the role of VPN is extremely intricate and not just limited to that. Here’s a detailed guide on everything you need to know about a VPN.
Why Do You Even Need A VPN?
Since we promised a detailed understanding of a VPN in this article, let’s touch the basics first. A VPN is essentially a Virtual Private Network that protects your online identity and anything to do with internet privacy. You could call it a force shield that secures you from all the dangerous threats swimming nearby.
What we must realize is no matter how careful we become, there’s always someone on the internet lurking and waiting for that one moment for us to slip. Thus, it’s crucial that you protect your IP, physical location and other types of data that could not just risk your data but make you vulnerable to threats.
You can take Openvpn or ExpressVPN as an example; this is a premium VPN that is known for offering solid services at a cost-effective price. Not only does it maintain your online presence totally anonymous, it also shields you and helps you get access to sites and platforms that are otherwise blocked in your location.
But that’s the thing, just because ExpressVPN is capable of doing that, not every other VPN would successfully manage it too. Due to this reason, the hunt for a top tier VPN continues for many. But don’t worry because that is exactly why we’re here. And yes, we’re not going to brag about ExpressVPN unnecessarily.
We’re going to explain to you how you can choose a VPN yourself. The things that you need to look into before you place your bets on a VPN. So without further ado, let’s get started!
Security
If there’s one of the most important USPs of VPNs, it is this one: security. Anybody who invests in a VPN, their first and foremost priority is that of safety. What they’re looking for is a VPN that can ensure the protection of their data and the internet connection. The world is progressing every minute, and it’s absolutely foolish to rely on old techniques that just don’t cut anymore.
For instance, if you look into a good VPN, they will provide you with military grade encryption along with superlative features like Kill Switch and Split Tunneling. You need these features because the minute there is a crack in your connection, you’re prone to hacking and threats.
This is extremely dangerous when you’re running small businesses or working at a relatively small firm. You always want your data to be secure and far removed from such threats. And so you must always look for VPNs that can offer you higher levels of security.
Privacy
You must be wondering, didn’t we just talk about that? Not really. When we talk about privacy, what we’re suggesting is that you need to be able to secure and store your data in a place that is private and not easily accessible.
Did you know that there are some VPNs who like to keep a tab of things – everything you do on the internet? That’s creepy, don’t you think. But hey, there’s good news, too. Because most good VPNs have a no log policy which basically means, whatever you do online is none of their business. There are a couple of VPNs that manage to store information before you connect to a VPN and afterward when the connection drops. That is also quite sneaky.
Therefore, what you need to look for in the VPN is a policy where there are no cookies and no log policy, whether or not your session has started.
Censorship
There are several countries that have banned websites and platforms online. When you have access to a VPN, such ridiculous censorship puts a pause and you get a free pass at the things you want online. This is possible even if the law enforcements try to intervene because the VPN services just don’t snitch on you.
Ownership
Look, it can’t be said any other way. You need to be able to trust even the VPN service provider. You never know who they are passing on this information to and whether there’s any restriction on advertisement. When you know about the owners of the VPN, you can sort of track where you are putting the information to. The more control you have over your data and privacy, the better.
Pricing
Nothing in the world is cheap or free. The right thing to do is to stop expecting good things in cheap money. But you can always find the right balance and figure out what works for you and what is out of your budget. In the case of a VPN, you have brilliant options like Surfshark that come with customer centric costs. They offer you the same value at a much lesser cost than other VPNs. It all comes down to what you can afford and what not. Therefore, always look into the price of the VPN and know whether or not you can afford it in the long run.
Trial Period
The best VPNs make sure you get a test run before you make the big leap. They want you to know what you are signing up for. And since they are so confident of their own capabilities, they are okay with offering you a free trial. VPNs like Surfshark and ExpressVPN are known for offering a free 7 day trial period. There are others who are okay with even a month.
Compatibility
When you invest in a VPN, you want it to run on a bunch of devices and not just the office PCs and laptops. Thus, when you start your research, look for VPNs that are compatible with Windows PC, linux, iOS, android, smart technology, routers and even gaming consoles if you’re running that sort of business. They should also offer simultaneous connections because that’s just more easy and manageable
In Conclusion
The world is becoming more and more technologically advanced and with that we need to adapt and increase our security levels. Today, a VPN is not only there to make things better, but it is there to protect you. Make sure you invest in a VPN that passess the compatibility test with various operating systems and devices along with ensuring affordable cost. There should also be a free trial available amongst security and other things.
Let us know if this guide helped you understand all that there is to know about a VPN!