VPN (virtual private network) is one of the most common terms found on the Internet. Where ever you go on the web, whatever website you browse, you most likely come across a VPN article or at least an advertisement. VPN, as we all know, protects our Internet connection by applying an extra layer of security provided by the VPN provider. It will not only secure your Internet connection, but will also help to unblock several services such as Netflix that are not available in certain countries. So there is no doubt that the VPN is a useful invention.
But a common user who does not have anything to unblock or doesn’t visit any malicious websites may not give much attention to a virtual private network. What if I told you that even if you are a regular user, making use of a VPN connection will help you protect your online identity and avoid unnecessary data leaks?
It may sound silly until you find out that some of your data is circulating over the Internet, and you didn’t even realize until you find it out. Like someone said, “security is just a myth.” But at least we can make it harder for someone who is trying to break it.
Reasons to Use VPN
While there may be hundreds of reasons why you should start using a VPN, we cannot list every single one of them. Hence, we handpicked some of the most prominent ones for you. These are some valid reasons to start using a VPN –
1. Protect yourself with a VPN
The Internet is full of threats. A simple antivirus program or Internet security cannot protect you from every threat out there. You need much more than an antivirus software to protect yourself on a connection level. If you are connected to a VPN service, the hackers won’t be even able to get your real IP address unless they are extremely dangerous. At least, you can make it much harder for 99% of the hackers to hack into your network or system.
Having a VPN service will hide your real IP address as well as any other information regarding your original internet connection. So whenever someone tries to get into your network, all they get is the information of the original VPN server which you have connected to. Breaking into that is almost impossible.
2. Use VPN for your Business
If you are running an online business with several employees who have to access your web server where your important files are being kept, the use of a VPN is almost a necessity. Especially if your business is pretty big and well known in the industry, you should provide an extra layer of security for the connections between your web server and the computers you are trying to access the files from.
A virtual private network will make sure that the real IP address as well as the connection details of the original server stays anonymous making it much more difficult for the hackers to steal your content.
3. Use Public Wi-Fi with VPN
Public Wi-Fis are fun and stuff until someone hacks your device and steal your data. There are several public restaurants that provide free Wi-Fi as well as many other public services such as transportation systems that have Wi-Fi in it. When you are connected to such services, that makes your device exposed to several threats. It is way easier for the hackers to hack into your device when you are connected to a public Wi-Fi hotspot than hacking you from a private network as you have in your home.
So to prevent it, you can make use of a VPN service that will protect your actual identity even though you are connected to a public Wi-Fi hotspot.
4. Access Blocked Services using a VPN
There are several popular services blocked in certain countries. For example, Netflix is a popular streaming service that is not available in many countries. Making use of a VPN will unblock such services because your IP address is from another country where the VPN server is located. It is not limited to Netflix alone. You can access almost any services that is not available in your country using a VPN service. If you choose a good VPN, there won’t be any impact on the speed of your connection. Make sure that you go for a VPN service that has many servers placed all over the globe including somewhere near to you.
5. Save Money from Online Shopping using a VPN Service
Some popular stores such as Amazon display different prices for different items based on your location. So for example, if you want to purchase a certain product that has a lower price in another country or location, you can connect to a VPN service and purchase it from that location to save some bucks. But make sure that the things such as the cost to ship it to your country still makes it worth the effort.
You can also save money while booking flight tickets using the same method. It is not limited to anything, you can save money on almost any service or product that has different pricing on another location.
6. Get a VPN for Better Online Gaming
Are you a gamer? If so, you can also make use of a VPN to play online games with much better ping and connection speed. Be aware that, everyone who uses a VPN may not be able to improve their connection speed. But in most cases, if the problem is something related to your location or IP address, chances are that you are going to see improvement in the online gaming responsiveness. Especially if you are competing in some FPS online games you might see a visible change in the responsiveness of the game.
7. Secure your Meetings making use of a VPN
For those who participate in meetings more frequently, using a VPN will make sure that the meetings are protected with an extra layer of security provided by the VPN service. If it is just a regular video call with your parents or relatives, using a VPN is not necessary. But if you are having an important business meeting where you share a lot of sensitive information, protecting it with a VPN will be a good idea. You can protect your Zoom calls, Skype meetings, etc. making use of a VPN.
Is VPN Worth Using?
Yes. VPN is definitely worth using given that you have appropriate use for it. Do not use it just for the sake of using it. Instead, if you have a genuine reason such as securing your online identity, given that the VPN doesn’t slow down your actual internet connection significantly, you should use it. Using a VPN is definitely worth it as long as you know how to use it properly. You can take a look at the advantages and disadvantages of VPN for more info.
Conclusion
So, VPN has several uses. It is not just limited to unblocking blocked services in your location or protecting your identity. It can do many more things than that. So using a VPN is probably a good idea not only for the business owners but also for the regular users. If you do not feel like spending money on a VPN, you can also use a browser with a VPN like Opera.