There are many different reasons to start using a VPN. In summary, here are the main ones:
- It provides you with more online security.
- Increase your online privacy.
- It allows you to browse the internet with more freedom (bypassing online restrictions and censorship).
- Makes it safer to use public Wi-Fi.
We will explain the exact meaning of all this in the following sections.
How a VPN offers online security
A free VPN offers you online security because it completely encrypts your internet traffic. Even before reaching the VPN server, your data traffic is routed through a much more secure “VPN tunnel”. This makes it particularly difficult for external parties, such as institutions or hackers, to intercept and view your data. Therefore it is strongly recommended to use a VPN when browsing the (dangerous) public Wi-Fi networks.
But using a VPN is equally useful at work or at home. Providers like NordVPN or ExpressVPN offer the best, that is, AES 256 encryption levels. With a similar level of protection, you don’t have to worry about someone collecting your data and using it against you.
How does a VPN give you anonymity and online privacy?
A VPN gives you more online anonymity, allowing you to browse without your IP address being exposed publicly. With a VPN, you can keep the websites you visit confidential. Your personal IP address is hidden as soon as you connect with the VPN server, and changes to the IP of the VPN server. Normally others can link your online actions to your identity and location based on your IP address. For example, your internet service provider, the websites you visit, and many government agencies can generally see everything you do online.
But when you use a VPN (VPN for Windows), your online actions can only be traced back to the VPN server, and no longer to you. (Except, of course, if you are logged into certain websites like YouTube or Google). Many VPN providers don’t disclose or even monitor what you do through their servers. So you get a lot more anonymity on the internet, as you can’t be identified or tracked through your IP address.
How a VPN grants you more online freedom
A VPN can give you more freedom online because it allows you to connect to servers all over the world. When you connect to a VPN server- the best free VPN for Windows in a certain country, you will be able to access the internet as if you were physically located in that country. This can be useful to you because the internet is not freely accessible everywhere.
If you are on vacation or have migrated overseas, you may not be able to see streaming services from your home country.
If you want to access websites or streaming services from another country (for example to watch another version of Netflix ), you can do so via a VPN.
Would you like to try a secure VPN right away, but are unsure which one to choose? Check out our top 5 of the best VPN services.
