VPNs are software that is increasingly used by a large part of the population. And for good reason, this tool has become almost essential in the connected world in which we live. Do you know why? We invite you to discover it without delay.
Let’s start by first explaining to you what VPN means. This acronym designates a Virtual Private Network. These software are very useful in several aspects when we are connected to the internet.
To get started, here are the main five advantages of VPNs.
1) Security
Today, cyber attacks have multiplied, including against individuals. They have decided to arm themselves with effective protection such as VPN to deal with hackers. Indeed, security is certainly the major asset of VPNs and this explains why they are used by so many people.
To help protect you effectively, VPNs establish a fully secure, encrypted connection between you (the user) and the internet. For example, a reliable VPN for PC relies on AES (Advanced Encryption Standard) technology and very sophisticated encryption algorithms using 256-bit keys. If these terms seem a little technical to you, remember above all that thanks to this encryption technique, your data is inaccessible and unreadable.
The VPN protects all your online activities and secures your connection. You are protected against the theft of confidential information (usernames, passwords, banking data) but also against the resale of your data and your browsing history to advertisers.
Finally, it happens that you occasionally connect to a public Wi-Fi network. Although they have the merit of being free and convenient, public networks are not secure. It is the site of a lot of hacking and data theft. Therefore, the VPN is an essential protection when connecting to public Wi-Fi.
2) Online anonymity
Some people use VPNs to gain anonymity on the net. Indeed, privacy is another strong point of VPNs because they are able to hide your IP address. Since the IP address is a way of identifying your computer (or other device) and your location, hiding it will allow you to remain anonymous. Virtual Private Networks manage to achieve this feat by rerouting your traffic through one of its servers which has a different IP address. You will then get a new IP address that is impossible to trace and in the location of your choice. In practice this means that websites will no longer be able to determine your geographic location. Advertisers will no longer be able to show you ads to entice you to spend money. In short, your online privacy will be protected and you will be completely anonymous.
3) Streaming
Streaming fans should see their interest in this benefit. If we mention streaming as an advantage of VPN, it is because they allow you to enjoy it fully and without any limits. It should be noted that audio-visual content is subject to numerous regulations relating to broadcasting rights. Content is limited to a certain geographic area, often nationwide, for reasons of cost and audience. This is due to the IP address, that identification number that determines your geographic location. So, to be able to enjoy more content no matter where you are, VPN is the go-to solution. The servers you are connected to are located in various places around the world.
4) Download
If you are a fan of online downloads, you are going to appreciate this fourth benefit of VPNs.
While we do not encourage downloading content illegally, some internet users use VPNs to hide their identity and online activities. Several Virtual Private Networks have also set up dedicated servers allowing the downloading of torrents in P2P.
5) Bypassing government censorship
Although Western countries are relatively unaffected by internet censorship, there are still countries in 2020 where censorship is required. Some sites are inaccessible to residents. The governments in place voluntarily censor them for questions of religion, political regime or even ideology. The most telling example is certainly that of China, which blocks several sites and networks such as Google, Gmail, Facebook and even YouTube. If you are staying in one of the countries where internet censorship is in force, there is no choice but to use a VPN to bypass them. This is one of the major advantages of the VPN. This tool will change your IP address and hide your online activity. Thus, no access can be refused to you.
