Unfortunately, the world of the Internet has not become the free utopia that some had hoped for. The global network is run by governments, multinationals and other stakeholders while also being riddled with malware, hackers and cybercrime. That is why some extra security for the home user is not a luxury at all.
VPNs are a good solution. Although this won’t protect you from all ills, it is an extremely useful contribution that improves your internet experience in several ways.
In short: VPNs can help you with your online freedom, security and privacy. This is done in several ways.
- You are extra protected online
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VPN Shield IconQuality VPN services encrypt all your internet traffic. Your unsecured data is converted into a secure, unreadable code on your device. This code goes through your router, past your internet provider to a VPN server. This VPN server converts the code back into readable data and communicates with the website you are visiting. Then the VPN server gets a response. This response is converted back into code. This code is sent back to your computer, where the code is converted into readable data for you.
Compare it, as it were, with a toll road. If you want to use a toll road, you have to pay for the infrastructure, just like with the internet. The only difference is that they let you pass through a toll road without any problems, and that internet providers and governments want to see what you are transporting and where you are going with an internet connection. Very strange, right? Instead of paying and being allowed to use the toll road, you also have to make clear what is in your car and where you are taking it. This is essentially what happens online. However, if you use a VPN, this is not necessary. They will then not be able to see what you are transporting on the toll road and where you are going.
With a VPN, all your data remains safe. Hackers, but also internet providers, network administrators, companies and governments can no longer just access your data. In addition, many VPNs have the option to enforce HTTPS. This means that if you go to an unsecured HTTP web address, you will be automatically redirected to an HTTPS address if there is one. If it isn’t there, you’ll get a warning asking if you want to continue. These measures all provide an extra piece of security when you are on the web.
2. Your real IP address is protected
Anonymous surfing incognito internet user When you use a VPN, your own IP address is hidden and you get the IP address of the VPN server you use. Also, the good VPNs do not keep track of what you do online. This is also very important. The purpose of encrypting and anonymizing your internet traffic is not to store all data neatly and transfer it to, for example, the Brein foundation.
Where websites and other parties can normally build a profile of you based on your IP address, this is not possible if you have a VPN on. This means that your data cannot simply be collected and sold to the highest bidder. Beware: by means of modern techniques such as browser fingerprinting you can still be tracked online. But a VPN already has the greatest chance of being detected harmlessly.
3. You can download anonymously and securely
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Anonymous Download with a VPN Laptop This is actually a combination of the first two points, but it becomes an advantage in itself when you consider how many people want to download securely and anonymously. With the increasing threat of download fines and the dangers of malicious download websites, it has become even more important to ensure that you are anonymous and safe while downloading.
With a VPN you kill two birds with one stone, you are anonymous so that you avoid download fines and you protect yourself against hackers who are after your data on download websites.
4. You can bypass censorship
Bypassing Censorship Red Stripe Facebook Online censorship is an increasing problem in the world. In addition to China, Russia and North Korea, more and more countries are blocking certain websites, social media or the entire internet, sometimes temporarily. You can bypass this censorship with a VPN. Since you are connecting through a server from another country, you can still visit sites that are blocked in censored countries.
In China, for example, this is almost necessary if you want to do business. Sites that we use every day here in the west, such as Google, Gmail, and YouTube, are not even accessible in China. Very inconvenient if, for example, you need to have an important spreadsheet in your Gmail.
But this is also sometimes necessary in other censored countries. Think of journalists or whistleblowers who are critical of local government uncovering scandals. With a combination of a VPN and, for example, the TOR browser, they can still communicate relatively safely and protected with the outside world and express their criticism of the local regime.
5. You can access location-specific websites and services
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Netflix App Icon The same principle as circumventing censorship works here. In this case, you are trying to access a service instead of publishing certain information.
A lot of content is only accessible to residents of the relevant country by means of a stronghold of licenses and broadcasting rights. However, with a VPN you can connect to a server from that country and still access it. For example, did you know that they have a much wider Netflix range in America? Here in the Netherlands we have access to a local range of Netflix including Dutch films. But we don’t have The Office US on Netflix, for example, while they do have it in America. Moreover, you cannot always see the Dutch offer from your holiday address.
With a VPN you can select a server in another country. This allows you to access a wider range of content than you normally would. This also includes international sports competitions. Or watch live sports such as F1, basketball, American football, boxing, ice hockey and more.
A VPN cannot be an unnecessary luxury, especially for Dutch people who go on holiday for a long time. With a VPN you can also watch Dutch television from abroad via, for example, NPO Start, RTL XL and other websites and apps from channels. Please note that you no longer need a VPN in the EU to watch Dutch TV abroad. This is only necessary if you are going on a holiday or business trip outside the EU.
6. You can save money on purchases and travel
VPN computer with a bag of money What many people do not know is that a VPN not only costs money, but that you can also save money. This has to do with location-specific pricing. For example, where in the Netherlands you pay €200 for a plane ticket, in Romania you only pay €130 for the exact same ticket. The prices are adjusted per country. The Netherlands is quite prosperous, which means that the prices of services and goods here often rise.
With a VPN and a little research you can often get quite high discounts. Think of the prices of laptops, tablets, mobile phones, but also software, software subscriptions and airline tickets. In our “saving money” section you can find various goods and services that will help you save money with a VPN. You can save money on most things if you book them through a VPN server from another country.
7. You can safely use public Wi-Fi networks
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VPN Router Because online data is relatively expensive and most websites and apps consume a lot of MBs, we often use public WiFi networks. Unfortunately, these are not at all as secure as you might think.
With public Wi-Fi networks, you can never be sure who the network administrator is. The network administrator has quite a lot of power over the network, and can set up the network in such a way that he can view certain information about you. This is of course not desirable, especially if you have no idea who the network administrator is.
But even if the network administrator doesn’t mean any harm, public Wi-Fi networks are not always safe. Hackers and scammers can set up their own network via the public Wi-Fi network. They then set this up to appear as if they are the official network. You think you are connecting to a network to be trusted, but you are actually connecting to the network of hackers. They can then surreptitiously send you to websites that look exactly like your bank’s website, for example. However, the entered data then goes to the hackers, and not to the bank. Before you know it, they will transfer your money to their account.
A VPN ensures that any WiFi network you connect to is made secure. Your data is encrypted, so that even the network administrator can’t do anything with the data you send. And even if hackers could intercept your data, they can’t do anything with it because it’s encrypted.
8. You can connect to a remote network
VPN Advantage Remote NetworkAnother advantage of a VPN is the ability to connect to a remote network. This is a great advantage, mainly for companies, but some private individuals will also benefit from it.
With a VPN you can connect remotely to, for example, your work network. This allows you to connect to the protected company network from home, too. Very useful for an organization with regular home workers or someone who works from home for a long time, for example due to illness. In any case, most large companies already have a VPN to secure their networks. For smaller companies, where data protection plays an even smaller role, there are of course also good business VPN solutions.
This feature of a VPN can also be useful for some private users. For example, if you have your own network at home with which you manage your security cameras and outdoor lighting, you may also want to be able to view these from vacation. With a VPN you can connect to your personal network from anywhere.
9. You can connect to the TOR network anonymously
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When you start the Tor browser, your internet traffic is encrypted and sent through multiple locations before it reaches its final destination. For example, you can request a website in the Netherlands, then this request goes to England, then Morocco, then to Germany and finally it arrives at the website. Perfectly anonymous right? Well no. All those different locations are Tor servers. Those servers are an “open” part of the Tor network. So anyone looking at the request can see that it’s coming from the Tor network.
In addition, it is also possible for your internet provider, network administrator or even government agencies to see that you have connected to the Tor network from your real IP address. This network is associated with the dark web and the dark web is associated with crime. You better avoid this.
If you connect to a VPN first, you at least hide from your ISP that you have made that connection to the Tor network. In theory, this is better than connecting to the Tor network first and then turning on another VPN.
10. VPNs also sometimes protect against persistent ads, trackers and phishing methods
The better VPN providers also provide their software with extra security measures. For example, NordVPN offers the following extras:
Cybersec: This handy addition of NordVPN gives you extra protection against malware, phishing and other third-party threats.
Invisibility on the LAN: If you enable this, all other users of the LAN network will not see that you are on your VPN connection
Kill Switch: If your VPN connection is just broken when you are downloading something or visiting a site anonymously on purpose, that is a disaster. All your anonymity is gone in one fell swoop. Unless your entire internet connection stops immediately. Sure, you’ll have to start all over again with what you were doing, but your anonymity and encryption will remain intact.
11. You can protect multiple devices at the same time with one account
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With just one subscription you can usually provide up to five devices with a VPN, with all the benefits that come with it. Some VPN providers even offer ten or more connections per subscription.
This may sound like nothing much, but it does matter. It makes very little sense to provide your desktop or laptop with good encryption and IP address disguise if you then continue there without any security without a hitch via the synchronized Chrome browser. The protection only makes sense if all internet traffic that can be linked to you is encrypted and provided with a different IP address.
Conclusion — all the advantages at a glance
A VPN offers many advantages. These advantages are mainly related to security, privacy and circumventing geographical blocks. Here are the advantages again:
All your internet traffic is securely encrypted
Your IP address is protected
You can download with relative peace of mind
You can bypass the censorship of other countries
You can access location-specific websites and services
You can get a discount if you make purchases online or book airline tickets
You can safely use public Wi-Fi networks
Connect to a specific network anywhere
Connect to the Tor network without your ISP registering
Even Phishing and other persistent attacks are less likely
You get ample protection because multiple devices are provided with the same security at the same time
All in all, VPNs are not the solution to every problem on the internet. There are several problems you can run into. Still, VPNs are an excellent way to significantly improve your online freedom, security, and privacy.
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