Who hasn't wanted to watch content from other countries, but when you did, you were surprised to find that it's not possible due to your location and its restrictions. Fortunately, VPNs (Virtual Private Networks) help us view these contents and much more. To name just a few, we will be able to browse safely from any device and access virtual platforms from all over the world.
If you are thinking about Get a VPN, but you still don't know its advantages, how it works and what it's for, then you've come to the right place. Here we'll explain everything about virtual private networks.
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What is a VPN connection?
It is a virtual private network that allows us to browse anonymouslyTo do this, the system hides our real IP and replaces it with that of a private server.
Generally, to access the Internet we connect through the router or modem we have at home. If you use mobile data you do not need these devices, but the logic behind it is the same: you need to connect to an intermediary to access the Internet.
By having multiple devices connected to the modem, each has a local IP address that connects them to each other. When it comes to the Internet, what you show is a public IP that your provider gives you.
With a VPN, what happens is that You create a "virtual" local network without the devices being connected to the same modemIn this case, the support we use is on the Internet itself, allowing us to link devices from different parts of the world.
Additionally, by using a VPN, All our internet traffic and browsing is encrypted and encryptedIn other words, no one will be able to know that it was us who accessed a certain web page.
If you're wondering who would be interested in tracking your searches and browsing, the answer is very simple.
- First, search engines (Google, Yahoo!, Bing, etc.).
- Second, your ISP, which is your internet service provider.
- Finally, some websites can also access it.
All of this is usually used to personalize advertising, market decisions, products, etc. However, in other cases they are used to obtain your location in real time, recognize your preferences and link them with your personal data and sensitive information.
What is a VPN connection used for?
Knowing the above, we can understand what a VPN connection is for. By hiding our IP and encrypting all our web traffic, Search engines and our internet provider won't know it's us those of us who are carrying out a particular search. Consequently, they will not be able to access our data either.
However, the usefulness of a VPN goes further and here are some of them.
Application in remote work
With a VPN, You will be able to connect devices that are not physically linked. In this way, companies establish an efficient connection between devices located in different parts of the world, but which belong to the same company.
Furthermore, company security is increased, as the private network only allows access to devices that are part of it and all traffic will be encrypted.
Geoblocks and content censorship
A more practical and well-known use is that of avoid censorship of certain Netflix shows, websites, or movies when using a VPN. In a simple example, if you're in a country that limits the catalog of series you want to watch, you can connect to a US VPN and access the full service. It's true that you're falsifying your real location, but it can be useful in specific cases.
Increase security
Connecting to a public Wi-Fi network and having the brilliant idea of accessing your bank accounts from there is sheer madness. Anyone with sufficient cyber knowledge can exploit a vulnerability and steal your financial data. This is where it is preferable to use a VPN.
The truth is that the VPN can also sell such data, so if you don't trust this provider, it's best to avoid it. However, the encryption offered by a virtual private network increases the security with which you browse the Internet.
Direct downloads, P2P and Torrent
Unfortunately, the general rule is to believe that everything you download from the Internet is illegal and Many providers choose to restrict or block P2P downloads, even though these may be completely legal.
Just as a VPN can help you bypass censorship in your country, it also helps you download without your internet provider interfering.
How does a VPN work?
Let's start with the classic router we have at home to which our devices connect. The process doesn't end there, as it must then connect to the local internet service, that is, our provider. As we can see, There are up to three steps that must be taken. In this process of connecting to the data network, our browsing information is identified by means of an IP.
This IP is responsible for informing our internet provider about information such as where we connect, bandwidth usage, content enabled for the country and much more. While there is nothing wrong with this, there are many benefits that we miss out on when browsing in a normal way.
However, by using a VPN, our devices add one more step in this process. Before reaching the supplier, our information goes through a virtual tunnel that encrypts it so that it cannot be encrypted.
For example, our IP is masked to go unnoticed regarding the information we require. In the same case of content, VPNs now allow us to access information blocked in our country.
It is worth noting that There are free and paid VPNs. The first ones are usually the most used, they are also less reliable and present greater instability. Depending on your requirements, you can opt for a paid version.
Types of VPN
Are there different types of VPNs? Yes, but they all work in the same way. What does vary is how users use them. The two types of VPNs are as follows.
Dedicated VPN for users or clients
In the case of VPNs for users or clients, the virtual private network protects our data through intelligent encryption or masking. What characterizes these VPNs is their need for a personal username and password.
Network-based VPNs
In this case, the VPN also masks our browsing in order to make it more secure. The difference is that Many users can connect from different locations. All these features make it ideal for companies that need to connect from different locations, even countries.
Advantages of using a VPN
Some of the most important advantages of using a VPN:
Extensive content in different countries
Surely one of the reasons that brought us to this world of virtual networks was wanting to see content not available in our country. As we well know, many platforms such as Netflix, Amazon and HBO have different titles and releases by location. Thanks to the masking that VPNs have, we can browse as if we were in that location and best of all, without any content restrictions.
VPN for sports
If you are a sports lover, then it is an excellent option. Its ability to connect to different servers will allow us watch leagues or tournaments that are sometimes not broadcast in our countryA clear example is the fact that many users use it to watch football matches, boxing matches, access events such as the Super Bowl and more. If you are a fan of narrators from particular countries, the use of a virtual private network will be of help to you.
Save money
This is thanks to the possibility of acquiring discounts that are only available in a specific country. In this way, Amazon, AliExpress, Ebay and others can be taken advantage of with exclusive promotions. The best thing of all is that all these platforms can send products to almost all countries.
A VPN can also be very cost-effective when purchasing travel tickets or booking a hotel remotely. It is known that making reservations remotely is expensive, but if we do it from within the same country, the price can be reduced.
Information without limits
Users in countries with government restrictions use VPNs to acquire information from other countries for study purposes. A clear An example of this is China, a country that allows connecting to other networks only for academic reasons.Therefore, if you want to know detailed information about countries where the information is only local, this virtual network will undoubtedly help you a lot.
Easy to connect and disconnect
Turning your VPN on and off is very easy. When you need to, you can enable it and browse in complete privacy. Once you're done, you can use your modem as normal again. However, remember that disabling the VPN will allow your provider to access your browsing logs again.
Disadvantages of using a VPN
Some of the most important disadvantages of using a VPN:
Internet connection becomes slower
This is one of the main disadvantages. By going through an additional intermediary, your internet speed may be compromised and navigation usually becomes slower. While this isn't a huge issue if you just want to visit websites, it is noticeable when you want to play online games or perform a download.
Risk of being blocked from certain services
Platforms like Netflix make huge efforts to detect and block VPNs that are used for the sole purpose of accessing to watch a movie. To do this, block IP addresses that access it with many users at the same time. Fortunately, some VPNs, especially the paid ones, ensure that there is at least one server available that will allow you to access Netflix without any problems.
Some VPNs are illegal
There are certain countries, such as Russia or China, that directly prohibit the use of a virtual private network that is not authorized by the government. Others, such as North Korea, have made the ban complete. However, if you do not live in any of them, do not worry.
Unable to verify encryption quality
The average user does not verify or check whether your traffic is being properly encrypted and blindly trust that a VPN is enough to browse with total security. Therefore, it is advisable to inform yourself well about our provider, read some reviews and opinions from customers.
Possible resale of your data to third parties
It’s true that a VPN prevents your ISP from knowing what you do online. However, the truth is that you’re just changing the “watchdog.” A professional VPN service will encrypt all your traffic and ensure your anonymity, so they’re not supposed to log your data or sell it to third parties.
This is especially common with free VPNs, although paid VPNs do not guarantee complete confidentiality. Therefore, it is always advisable to read the fine print and make sure that the service guarantees your privacy.
Connection drops and losses
Another characteristic problem of a free VPN is that The server may go down and you may lose the encryption it offered youIf this happens and you don't notice, your ISP will once again have access to all your traffic. However, paid VPNs ensure stability and this is unlikely to happen.
What's the problem with a free VPN?
Many first-time VPN users opt for a free VPN. However, there is one problem with these versions that may be worse than you might imagine.
In general, A free VPN has data limits, speed, ads and download blocks. They may also contain malware that can infect your device. However, the biggest problem is that they end up selling your information to third parties: by offering them as free, they make money from your data, thus removing the anonymity they promised.
Therefore, if you want to use a free VPN, you should go for those that are safe and have good reviews. Two good options are ProtonVPN and Tunnelbear.
When is it advisable to use a VPN?
Our advice is that unless you really want to avoid all types of internet tracking, use a VPN occasionally. It's true that it's annoying that our provider and search engines collect our data and use it for their own convenience, but it's impractical to keep the VPN on all the time.
If you ask us, these are the cases when it is worth having or enabling a VPN:
- You seek to maximize privacy and security when accessing websites that generate little trust.
- You want to avoid regional restrictions on certain services or websites.
- Your ISP has censorship policies that you want to avoid.
- You need to perform anonymous P2P downloads.
- Your company needs a virtual private network to connect branches spread across multiple countries.
Using a VPN can be a real relief from many restrictions we encounter on the Internet. If you have already decided to opt for one, Find out well about what it offers you and compare various services. For related content, visit our other posts.