What Is VPN and How Do I Use It?

Many people use the Internet  tend to have the “I have nothing to hide,” mentality. But such mentality is same as saying “I do not care about my rights.” This article is for those who do care about their rights, as well as for those who think about security on the Internet. We’ll tell you in simple terms about what a VPN is, why it is needed, and how to use it.

What is VPN?

VPN stands for Virtual Private Network. VPN is a technology that provides an encrypted connection on top of your Internet connection.  Thanks to VPN you will be protected from interception of logins / passwords in unprotected or public WI-FI networks, your browser history will not be accessible to anyone, and you will stop worrying about compromising your credit card details.

What does VPN do?

1. VPN replaces your real IP with a mock one, for example, from a different country. If you use VPN, then you are almost invisible online.

2. Encrypts the connection – neither your provider nor the system administrator at work will know what sites you’ve visited. When someone will try to access or track your browsing history, all they will see is that you are connected to a VPN – and nothing else.

3. In total, the combination of the mock IP and the encryption of traffic makes you anonymous.

Why do I need a VPN?

• If you like going to cafes and sit there while using their Wi-Fi or you often ravel and connect to open Wi-Fi points – no brazen hacker sitting at a nearby table will intercept your plastic card data with a CVV code or steal the password from the payment together with your money.  And it does not matter whether you work from a laptop or from a mobile device – with VPN they are equally protected.
• You appreciate anonymity and you dislike the fact that your ISP has access to the sites you visited or payment services you have used. With a VPN, your Internet Service Provider will no longer know which sites you visit, and the sites will not know who visited them.
• If you like to casually browse the Internet while at work, but don’t want your boss to know about it 
• You are going abroad to a country where some of the services that you’re used to are not available. A VPN is a great way to bypass restrictions that might be imposed in certain countries on certain websites.

How do I set up a VPN?

Luckily, setting up a VPN is very easy these days, although not free. There is plenty of companies who provide VPN services together with user-friendly applications for a modest price. Those programmes are usually available for both computers and mobile devices.

Even more luckily, there are also free alternatives to paid VPN services. For instance, browser extensions, such as Hola VPN for Google Chrome, or even browsers with in-build VPN, such as Opera. Many of the companies, that provide paid VPN services also provide you with a free, although downgraded version of their apps.

Nevertheless, we recommend that you take your privacy seriously and invest into a paid VPN service. Most of them cost no more than $10 a month, but can save you from a lot of trouble online.

All in all, VPN is a simple feature that can dramatically improve your privacy and safety online. Would like to set up a VPN on your computer, but not comfortable doing it yourself? Give Moreton Bay Computer Repairs a call, and we will help you install a VPN on your computer or mobile device in no time.