In today’s technologically-advanced world, issues related to privacy and security while browsing the Web have been becoming increasingly more common. Hackers, identity thieves and secret information resellers are always on high alert, waiting for you to make a mistake so that they can take advantage of it and collect your personal and private information.
You have probably heard about VPNs being discussed and advertised on different forums, social media and other content distribution platforms such as YouTube. But what exactly is a VPN? Can it really protect you while you are surfing online? Are there any other benefits to using such a service or software? Let’s answer all of these questions in the next couple of paragraphs.
What is a VPN and how does it work?
A VPN, short for a Virtual Private Network, is a special piece of software that is designed to encrypt and reroute your connection and your online traffic while you are online. Each VPN uses a specific protocol that it implements in order to keep you safe. Whenever you perform any online activity while your VPN is switched on, in addition to being encrypted, your information and data get routed through the VPN server that you are currently connected to at another location in order to protect you as much as possible. This routing process is made through a dedicated tunnel that ensures no leaks occur by correctly implementing one of the aforementioned protocols.
When can a VPN protect my privacy?
The answer is really simple – at all times. It is especially recommended for you to use a VPN whenever you are using a public or untrusted WiFi network in order to avoid hackers and eavesdroppers from spying on your online activity while being connected over the same network. Usually, they would wait for you to input sensitive or private information before stealing it by being able to essentially have a peek into your browsing session. This is why it is advised to avoid buying anything online if you are connected to a public network without a VPN. However, purchases are not the only thing that they can target as your identity and personal details are also up for grabs. All in all, being connected to a VPN at all times will ultimately protect your privacy and help you remain anonymous online.
Are there other benefits to using a VPN?
There are a number of additional situations and features in which having a VPN service would be useful. For example, when using a VPN you have the ability to essentially change the current location from where it would appear that you are browsing over a given page, allowing you to gain complete access to geographically restricted or limited content. By doing this you can stream shows, series and movies that are currently not available to you in your country.
Additionally, you can also get better shopping offers as well as cheaper ticket price suggestions. Holiday travel packages, car deals and anything else that is service provider-related are also likely to have better offers for you to choose from.
This capability of accessing geo-restrained content also allows users to bypass censorship rules, enabling them to share their opinions and obtain information that they otherwise would not be able to.
The drawbacks of using a VPN
While it can protect you, using a virtual private network does have some disadvantages, which can impact your overall online experience. First and foremost, depending on the server that you choose to connect to worldwide, you will notice that everything is loading slower and website or application interactions are carried out at much moderate speeds. This is because your traffic needs to go through the VPN tunnel all the way through to the VPN server located at your specified location. If you are using a VPN in Europe but you want to be connected to an Australian server, you will definitely feel this slower loading speed. This lagging behind is also known as latency and it will apply to every VPN service depending on their server locations, number of concurrent users and general network coverage. Some providers will have a lower latency than others but their prices will also be higher, but the general rule of thumb is – the greater the distance between the user and the end-point VPN server, the higher the network delay. However, a couple of additional seconds should not be enough to deter you from protecting yourself and your data.
There are many VPN service providers on the market. While some do claim that they do not keep a track of your traffic and that everything is encrypted, prohibiting them from viewing your information or collecting it, there have recently been a number of instances where the exact opposite has happened. Those who claimed that they would never log their users’ activity ended up selling their data to third parties and advertisers. Because of this, you should definitely do your research prior to selecting a VPN provider. Be sure to meticulously check their policies and ensure that they have a clear record.
Another negative aspect that some VPN service providers have is that their clients all connect to a given server using the same IP address. While this does prevent their identity from being disclosed as many individuals are using the same service at the same time, this also means that if one or more users happen to conduct some illegal actions, it could potentially result in the IP becoming restricted in terms of access or in some more extreme cases – banned permanently.
Is there an alternative to traditional VPN services?
Yes, there is a very viable alternative – a dedicated VPN server. But what are they? To put it in simple terms, a private VPN server is a VPS server with an installed VPN. Using this service allows you to have the entire server just to yourself along with providing you with complete control over the routing and traffic management processes. Moreover, with a private VPN server you also get a dedicated IP address, which is unique and for your personal use only, meaning that you will not be required to share it with anyone and potentially face the consequences that were a result of their actions. One such provider that offers these services is VPSBG, who also claim to be completely transparent as they use only open-source VPN protocols and even provide access to the custom scripts that their servers implement. Furthermore, they also allow their customers to remain completely anonymous whenever they pay for a VPN server as they accept crypto payments as an alternative transaction method including Bitcoin and Litecoin.
In addition to being in full control over your private server, having a dedicated VPN server has many other benefits such as being able to connect an unlimited number of devices at once, which is something that traditional providers offer their customers to purchase as an add-on for their services.
However, while much more secure, reliable and capable of protecting your privacy, these VPN servers have one setback – location. Given that they are hosted on a VPS, which is situated on a physical server, you will only have your server at one specific place at all times and you will not be able to change geographic locations similarly to traditional VPN services. In spite of this, if you manage to find a provider that can offer you an advantageous location then that would not be a problem for you in the long run. Remember, protecting your privacy and personal information is of the utmost importance and if a dedicated VPN server can help you achieve it, then you should definitely consider investing into it.
Final VPN remarks
In conclusion, it is absolutely vital for you to protect yourself online and using a VPN can help you do so. Regardless of whether you decide to go for a traditional VPN provider or a private dedicated VPN server, both will help you stay safe. However, with a dedicated server, you will have complete control over the entire traffic management process as well as have your own unique dedicated static IP address.