We use the internet everyday, for trivial purposes such as checking the latest sports scores and celebrity gossip to catching up with friends on social media, checking email and buying stuff online. But the internet, as amazing as it is, is not safe. There are bad people out there in cyberspace.
There is a solution to this problem: the Virtual Private Network (VPN). By connecting to one of the many VPN services available, you anonymously encrypt your internet activity from spying eyes and ensure that all the applications on your computer, iPhone, tablet, or whatever you use to go online will become anonymous with just a click of a button. Its not rocket science, just a simple installation of software.
VPN providers offer different packages, but the benefits of a VPN are universal. Here are a few of the best:
Boost online security
A VPN encrypts what you do online and stops hackers and prying eyes from intercepting your internet traffic. A VPN creates a virtual tunnel between your computer and that of your service host to enable safe internet surfing – a layer of security you won’t get elsewhere.
Safe Wi-Fi connectivity
We are so connected now that we take internet access for granted without stopping to think about the risks involved with public Wi-Fi networks. And that is exactly what hackers want. Everything on your electronic device is open to interception. Use a VPN to keep attackers away and ensure that you can do your personal banking and other sensitive online activity securely, even when you are not at home or in the office.
Restriction free internet
Especially helpful for people living overseas, particularly in countries like China where the government censors information, a VPN gives you completely unrestricted internet access to all publicly available websites. Why worry about whether or not you will be able to check your emails or Facebook account when travelling or living abroad when you don’t have to?
Miss the TV or radio shows back home?
Connect to services like the BBC and Hulu with a VPN.
Also useful is being able to use a domestic IP address from your home country to buy things online. These days banks and credit card companies are quick to block any suspicious activity instantly, which means endless waiting in customer service center phone queues to unblock your card. A VPN means your overseas home is truly a home from home.
Connect all your devices
iPhone, Android, iPad? Check. More and more VPN providers are now offering software that can connect all of your personal electronic devices to the internet, meaning you can always stay connected on the move.
Even mom can use it
The software in most cases is so simple even your mom or grandma could install it. Just download, enter your login details and open sesame: the internet is yours.
Virtual Firewall
Internet attacks and viruses are pain in our online lives, and expensive security software cannot always guarantee safety. A VPN upgrades your computer’s defenses by blocking your home IP address, which online attacks are most often directed at.
Avoid the hassle of a proxy
Proxies have long been used to bypass office restrictions on internet browsing, but they are cumbersome, break down easily, are frequently blocked and often come attached with malware. They are hard to use on mobile phones and tablets, if they work with those devices at all. Why deal with the hassle? A VPN gives you peace of mind.
