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Tag: VPN

  • Everything you need to know about VPNs

    Everything you need to know about VPNs

    Privacy has been among the major concerns for most internet users in the last couple of years. We have had so many data breach scandals in recent years, which have left many internet users worried about how their data is handled by the various apps and websites they access on the internet.

    Among the best solutions for safely using the internet is installing a VPN app on all your devices. But what is a VPN and how exactly does it ensure your privacy while using the internet? Let’s find out.

    What is a VPN?

    A Virtual Private Network (VPN) is a service that protects your internet connection by encrypting your browsing information hence hiding it from all third parties, including your ISP and government. Even the websites and online services you use won’t see some of your personal information, including your location, the browser you are using, and the IP address of the device you are using.

    However, you need to choose a reliable VPN app if you are to enjoy all the benefits that come with using a VPN service.

    How does a VPN work?

    While browsing the web or using a mobile app, you are constantly sending data from your device and getting feedback (data) from the website or web application you are interacting with. Without a VPN, this raw data can be intercepted and accessed in between the journey by your ISP and several other third parties. If you are using a public WiFi network, people using the same network can easily know your device’s IP address or even access your device.

    When you use a VPN, all your browsing data is encrypted before it leaves your device. This data is then sent over to the VPN’s server. The request to the website or web app you are interacting with will now come from the VPN server and not your device. That is why the websites and apps you use will never know your real location if you always use a VPN.

    Since all your browsing data is encrypted, they also won’t get any of your other browsing details such as your IP address, the browser you are using to access the internet, the operating system of your device, etc. This makes it almost impossible to profile you unless you agree to give them your personal information voluntarily.

    To ensure fast and reliable connection speeds, VPN services build several servers in different locations. Users are then distributed among these servers to ensure no single server slows down due to congestion. For example, a VPN service like Surfshark has over 3200 servers in 65 countries. So, always make sure to check the number of servers a VPN has and where they are located before choosing the VPN app to install.

    Users also have the option of choosing a server which they would want their data to be sent through. For the fastest connection speeds, it is best to choose a server in a region closer to you. However, if your main reason for using a VPN is to access location-locked content and apps, choose a server in one of the unrestricted countries.

  • What to Know If You Want to Get a French VPN

    What to Know If You Want to Get a French VPN

    VPNs are beneficial in more than one scenario. This is why not only tech-oriented people should use them. They are useful in cases of wanting to watch USA Netflix in France, they offer you protection over public networks and give you the anonymity you need while surfing the web.

    What is a VPN?

    VPN comes from Virtual Private Network. This private network is meant to create a secure connection over home networks and also public networks – those in malls, cafés, restaurants or hotels. What a VPN does is that it routes your traffic to other, specialized servers. You can read more on the subject of VPN types right here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virtual_private_network.

    In this way, they get to encrypt your data, guaranteeing to protect you from attacks. VPNs are different and come in many categories. In this way, they provide the users with exactly what they need – be it protection or anonymity.

    Decide why you need a VPN

    As I stated before, there are many types of VPNs. This is why before purchasing one you should know exactly why you need it.

    To watch more content

    This is probably one of the most common reasons for using a VPN – you simply want to watch that Netflix TV series that is only streaming in the USA. With a VPN, you can do that in France. But it’s not only for Netflix. This idea of more content also applies to YouTube, for example. There are videos that are available only in some countries, but with a VPN you will be able to watch everything posted on YouTube, without having to worry about the fact that you might get restrictions. If you want to see more situations when a VPN is godsent, you can go through this article.

    To buy cheaper

    This one might sound strange, but it is true. Just think about it. Let’s say that you are trying to buy your favorite perfume and in France, it’s way more expensive than in Italy. You can use the VPN to make it seem that you are from Italy and thus benefit from the lower price.

    To protect data when in a public place

    Imagine that you are waiting for your girlfriend to have dinner together at your favorite restaurant. In the meantime, you access your Facebook account, maybe even check your bank account. If you are using the restaurant’s Wi-Fi to do that, another person who is connected can steal important private information.

    In order to prevent that from happening, you can use a VPN and make sure that you are safe. This gets us the answer to your question: yes, you can also use a VPN on a phone. Now, there are a lot of things that a VPN can do, but there are some things that they can’t do.

    How to choose the best VPN

    Now that you know what you need the VPN for, there are other things you should take into consideration before buying one. The first idea for the non-tech savvy ones is to pick a VPN with a user-friendly interface. While those who love technology cannot wait to get their hands on a new toy and discover all its features, there are those who do not know how to configure a VPN. For those, there are user-friendly platforms and even VPNs with a virtual setup.

    Apart from being user-friendly, a good VPN must come with good customer support. You never know when you might use some help, so it’s good to have someone specialized around anytime. You can discover here more insights on how to pick the best VPN: https://www.zdnet.com/article/how-to-choose-the-vpn-thats-right-for-you/.

    How to get a French VPN

    There are some steps you should follow when getting a VPN in France. First, you should choose the top service. This one should offer you both French and international servers, great performance and privacy. Then, just like any other purchase, you have to go to the provider’s website and create an account. Then comes the most complex part of them all – you should download and install the app on your device. If you purchased one with a user-friendly interface, you do not have to worry.

    Last, but not least, launch the VPN, then choose a French server and connect. Now you will be able to enjoy all the benefits of surfing the web freely, without having to worry about hacks. This is a good article on how to get the best VPNs when in France.

    Are VPNs legal in France?

    The issue of lawfulness in the case of VPN usage is very interesting to follow. To begin with, you should know that there are countries where using VPNs is illegal, but fortunately, France is not one of them. So, you can go purchase the VPN you wanted without worrying.

    Anyway, there is a limit to using a VPN, no matter the country you are in. It’s one thing to use it to make sure that nobody is reading your e-mail, but any form of illegal usage will be punished accordingly. If you are interested in the legality of VPN usage around the world, you can read more about it here: https://www.comparitech.com/vpn/where-are-vpns-legal-banned/.

    There are numerous reasons for purchasing a VPN. You could be using it to be able to watch Netflix from another country, buy cheaper plane tickets or keep your data safe from hacking. Whatever the reason, buying a VPN will definitely improve your Internet user experience.

  • Are VPNs Really Good for Privacy?

    Are VPNs Really Good for Privacy?

    If you are looking for a VPN and you are worried about the traces you might leave behind while browsing the internet, below you have a list of some rules you should keep in mind while searching for one.

    Just in case you don’t know how it works, a VPN is short for Virtual Private Network. By using a dedicated app, you are browsing the internet through that network. Your connection with the network is encrypted and shields you from prying eyes from outside.

    Your ISP, for example, won’t be able to see the websites you are browsing, they would be aware only of the fact that you are a using a VPN.

    You probably asked yourself the following question: how do I know a VPN is trustworthy and won’t record my browsing history or other personal data?

    The first thing you should learn is that your concerns are legitimate and you should choose carefully before you trust any VPN provider.

    Some providers can record your personal data, like the time you connected to the VPN, your IP address, some may even take a peek at your browsing habits. This, of course, defeats the purpose of using a VPN, unless privacy isn’t one of your main concerns.

    Some providers come up with all kind of excuses, tracking your activity “to make sure you are not doing something against the law” or “damaging their service”. Therefore, in order not to pay for a glorified proxy, you should make sure the provider has your best interests at heart.

    Do Your Research

    There are, of course, some VPNs on the market that take privacy very seriously, but you need to distinguish those from the ones who only brag about security.

    The first thing you should look for while researching a VPN provider is if they keep track of your activity of any kind. The ones that care about your privacy are usually up-front about what data they store and for how long.

    Not only they make it clear that they won’t record unnecessary data (none, even), they also signal the authorities the fact that they can’t get any data from them. If it’s important to you not to leave any traces behind, choose a provider with a zero data-logging policy. But there can always be a catch!

    Don’t rush and read the fine print. Check the Terms and Conditions on the company’s website to know in detail what are they logging, whether they can turn over your data, and other useful info.

    If you don’t find the question you’re looking for already answered, try searching for it on Google. Alternatively, you can just ask using the chat on their website or by email. Of course, some can even lie about it, so make sure you check the reputation of the VPN you intend to use.

    The Trap of Free VPNs

    It’s best to avoid a free VPN, because, although they are not necessarily unsafe, chances are you are paying for that “free” service somehow.

    You can become the primary source of income for your provider if he decides to monetize your data, by storing and selling it to third parties. Some companies like Hola even used their customers’ devices as endpoints, to help other people go online.

    This is one of the worst things a shady service provider might to do you without your knowledge. So, in order to quickly filter out the providers that might not care so much about anonymity, choose a paid VPN. Many are not expensive at all for what they can offer.

    Keep in mind that even if a small company wants to protect your identity, which might just not be enough. They need to do a great job in order to ensure the level of privacy you might need.

    It’s pretty easy nowadays to setup a Virtual Private Network, but unless the provider has the right technology, it could put both of you at risk of getting hacked.

    It is true that some free VPNs have your privacy in mind, but they more than often manage to keep the service free of charge by showing you ads (not targeted, of course), by limiting the features to determine you to upgrade to a premium version or by limiting the functionality itself.

    Low bandwidth is not something you want to experience while watching Netflix from another country for example.

    For as little as a few dollars per month you can forget about that and enjoy your ad-free experience, without wasting time waiting for the websites to load or while downloading large amounts of data. That’s because a VPN can encrypt all your traffic, not just what you type in your browser.

    For example, you can enjoy Netflix not only in your browser (where the streaming resolution is currently limited in some cases), but in their app too, in order to watch content in 4K.

    Another good practice is to google their name plus “logging”. Skip the search results that go to the company’s website and see if there is some information online about their real logging policy. You might find what happened when the FBI knocked at their door or learn from other users’ experience.

    Additionally, there are some steps you should take to protect your security while using a VPN:

    • Install an antivirus on your device (even if you are using a smartphone/tablet) and make sure it’s always up to date (they usually have the option to update automatically).
    • Update your operating system. Make sure you receive all the security updates as they are released and consider upgrading to the latest edition of the OS you’re using.

    If you have to choose between two similar products, choose the one that offers the best compatibility. In this way you will never be forced to compromise on security and privacy. You can go online on your PC, mobile phone or even Smart TV, knowing that your identity is protected at all times.

    All in all, there are good deals out there from trustworthy service providers, and if you take into account most of the rules depicted in this article you shouldn’t encounter any issue.

  • How To Access Blocked Websites: All You Need To Know

    How To Access Blocked Websites: All You Need To Know

    It can be seriously annoying not being able to access a website because it’s blocked, particularly if you need to get something done urgently.

    Yet it can happen so often, public spaces will often deny access to certain websites on their WiFi, including sites such as Facebook, betting sites and other aspects of social media.

    However, there are ways around this and if you’re clever enough you can open up the web to whatever you need.

    Use a VPN

    If you’re looking how to accessed block websites, one of the best places to start is using a VPN.

    A Virtual Private Network essentially gives you a secure connection to a different network in the internet, enabling you to access websites that would be otherwise blocked.

    What that does is place your IP address somewhere completely different, bypassing the network you’re actually connected to.

    This is also great for streaming the likes of Netflix and BBC iPlayer even if you’re not on the correct country. Website namely Top50VPN listed best VPN for streaming that can be used and well-recommended.

    Proxy websites are another way around accessing blocked websites and are incredibly easy to use.

    There are hundreds of proxy websites out there which will give you unrestricted access to the internet. How this works is the proxy basically camouflages the blocked site allowing you to use them.

    Switch your Nnetwork proxy

    In many cases, such as in schools or offices, your network may have multiple proxies.

    This could mean that while a website might be blocked on one proxy, it may not be on another. Switch them around and you could be given open access to the internet.

    It’s relatively easy to switch, all you need to do is head to the connection settings and select the other proxy. It really is that simple.

    Use an IP anonymizer

    An IP anonymizer will keep you anonymous online and is worth using simply for that. However, if you use one then you can also access blocked websites.

    It’s a double win in this case too as you’ll also avoid any tracking on the network as you’re accessing the blocked websites via a piece of kit that will keep you in the shadows.

    Use IP over URL

    It’s usually the URL which gets blocked on networks so by using the IP instead you may be able to access these blocked sites.

    To get the IP of a website, you can use “nslookup” followed by the domain name which will reveal this.

    From there just paste the IP address into the browser and it could open up otherwise blocked sites.

  • Advantages of a VPN Server: How to Set It Up

    Advantages of a VPN Server: How to Set It Up

    Virtual Private Network, or a VPN server, is an Internet-based private network that is set up between several computers. With recent news that the NSA monitors a great deal of Internet-based communication, setting up a private network to give an extra layer of privacy between yourself and government agencies overstepping their bounds can’t hurt. A VPN might sound complicated to set up at first, but the advantages are well worth the effort you put into the server search and configuration.

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  • How to keep Yourself Safe Using VPN Software

    How to keep Yourself Safe Using VPN Software

    VPN stands for virtual private network. This is often used as an application which lets the computer or other device access information from wider sources. A VPN also lets the user access information from sites which have been blocked by certain servers at a national level. However, when using a VPN, the information that is transferred between you and the Web server is completely secure. A person can get filtered and safe information from the use of this VPN.

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  • Need to Hide Your IP Address? VPNs Can Help

    Need to Hide Your IP Address? VPNs Can Help

    In this age of the Internet, many people are trying to find ways to keep themselves protected online, by hiding their IP address, for various reasons. Some may just want the privacy aspect of being anonymous, while others may want to access specific services without being monitored. Privacy has always been at the forefront of technology, and with the Internet, privacy has become a big issue.

    There are many reasons why you might want to hide your IP address when accessing the internet. Some of the most common include:

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  • How Virtual Private Networks Can Protect Your Mobile Device

    How Virtual Private Networks Can Protect Your Mobile Device

    Needing a safe way to communicate through the World Wide Web has never been more crucial. You no longer need a computer to log on. Your handheld mobile device can fit in your pocket and go pretty much everywhere with you, which means you’re that much more vulnerable to hackers since you’re spending more time on these networks. There are several ways to safeguard yourself, however, and here’s a good one to read up on: VPNs.

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