With the world becoming completely digitalised, online security has become a much sought after concept. There are a lot of security options that one can resort to, but some of them stand out as most reliable. Most popular among them is the VPN.
What is a VPN?
To put it in lay man’s words, VPN or Virtual Private Network, is an online security service. A user with this service can connect a particular device to a secure offsite server. The connection enabled by a VPN takes place, like all other connections over a network. The difference is, an encrypted and tunnel-like connection is used here.
What does this tunnel-like connection through a VPN help to do?
Well, it helps to mask a user’s IP address providing security. VPNs are so effective that any data that is transferred through it can be said to be a hundred percent secure.
Who should use a VPN?
Anyone who operates online and has an inclination towards security should use a VPN. Innumerable people can benefit by using a VPN.
- A company or business using a VPN can be stress-free about keeping company data, resources, files and printers secure.
- Setting up a VPN for personal/home network allows the user to access the network even when away.
- A VPN allows the user to connect to multiple networks without much hassle.
- It protects the online privacy of a user when using Wi-Fi or other public networks.
To sum up, a user with a VPN can be rest assured that the information sent and received is encrypted. This makes the user’s web experience anonymous.
How to choose a VPN provider?
Some people set up their own VPN while others choose to go to a service provider.
VPNS are of two types – Free tier VPN and Paid VPN
A free tier VPN is a service that is supported with ads. This free tier VPN provides a secure service but there are chances where they might log into a user’s activities to deliver ads. This service comes with either a limited or an unlimited data.
A paid VPN service is advisable for businesses and companies. It does not come with the restrictions of a free tier VPN. There are a lot of options that one can choose from depending on the kind of money that one is willing to splurge.
The increase in demand for VPN has made the market jam-packed with VPN providers. Each provider has something different to lure customers. Some of the things that a buyer should take note of are as follows:
- Look for providers who give a list of the connection protocols that they use.
- Read through the details like privacy policy and terms of use.
- Avoid service providers that log into the user’s web experience and collect data.
- Make a list of the number of connections that is supported by the provider.
It is possible to create one’s own VPN. All one needs to do is establish a point to point connection. This point to point connection can be established by using the various types of protocols that tunnel traffic. There are various types of protocols. The most popular are the PPTP, L2TP, IPsec SSL and Open VPN.
Everything has its own pros and cons. VPNs are also subject to pros and cons.
Benefits of Using VPN
- It provides the users with high security. This security comes armed with a strong advanced encryption facility and also with authentication protocols.
- It provides the user with reduced operational costs.
- Users with VPN need not worry about enjoying global networking opportunities that are also pocket-friendly.
Cons of using VPN
- It is difficult to create a VPN without expertise.
- Users do not have direct control over the usage of VPN.
- There is no vendor interoperability.
When we weigh the pros and cons, obviously the benefits of using a VPN is more than the cons. Issues like network speed, accessibility to locations, and many other factors are affected by the kind of VPN service one chooses. It is important that users know exactly what they want from their VPN service providers. The bottom line is that choose wise and make personal and business browsing experience a secure affair.
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