You must have certainly come across the acronym VPN, either in workplaces or in business networks. Statistics indicate that by 2027, the VPN markets will reach a value of $107.5 billion! So, the straightforward question is – What is a VPN?
In simple parlance, VPN refers to Virtual Private Networks. And in this blog post, we delve into the fundamentals of VPN, how it works, why you need it, and so on. By the time you reach the end of the post, you will be knowledgeable enough to decide whether to buy a VPN.
What is VPN?
VPN expands to Virtual Private Network. It essentially involves a service that creates a private network, a kind of link between your device and another computer located elsewhere which is owned by a VPN provider. This computer is referred to as a VPN server.
The link connecting your device and the remote computer is known as a tunnel and sends data in an encrypted form, ensuring absolute security.
Diving deeper, when you are online, you send out and receive data in various formats such as texts, images, files, and more. During this process, your data moves through the internet and is susceptible to intrusion by someone.
However, when you download a VPN and use it, you install client software on your device, and this service connects to the VPN server located elsewhere. The two points form the tunnel and ensure that the data is sent in an encrypted format before entering the internet. This prevents your ISP or anyone else from viewing the data as it will appear encoded.
How does it work?
A VPN usually comprises thousands of computers located across the globe. When you download the VPN app and start it, you connect to any of these computers through the encrypted tunnel. Encryptions come in various forms, and modern ones use highly secure protocols. As a result, they offer the benefit of super-tight security, enabling you to choose from the thousands of computers spread globally, thereby offering a plethora of choices to change your location.
The VPN service makes it appear as though you are connecting from the VPN server and not your own PC or device. In other words, it hides your actual location, granting you a kind of online anonymity. Besides, using VPN, you can connect to those websites or content that might be blocked in your home country.
Why do I need a VPN?
A VPN service offers a bouquet of benefits. The first and foremost benefit is that it significantly enhances your security as your data is encrypted. If someone intrudes or accesses your data, it will appear in a scrambled and unreadable form, thereby retaining its confidentiality. In addition, this protects you in other riskier online scenarios like using Wi-fi services in a public place.
Secondly, you can gain access to restricted content using a VPN. For instance, if you are in a country where certain content is blocked, you may still access it using VPN as it does not reveal your geo-location.
Thirdly, an interesting feature is that when you download a VPN and use it, it hides your true identity or location of your device, imparting anonymity. This is particularly useful to those groups of people who don’t prefer to be traced by advertisers or other third parties.
Finally, there are some additional perks that a VPN service offers, such as booking flight tickets. You may be able to avail of some benefits or discounts as the booking agency or airlines adjust their prices depending on where you are from. As VPN does not reflect your true location, you may enjoy the advantage of cheaper rates by appearing to be from a different geographic location.
How do I get a VPN?
Once you have made up your mind to take up a VPN connection, the first step is to select a provider. Next, you go to their website and sign up to create an account. Several providers offer free VPN trials, which is a good option to test the waters before taking the plunge. However, free versions are not very useful for long-term investment and enhanced data security standpoints as they come with limited benefits.
You can check out annual plans or multi-year contracts once you have tried the free version for some time and are convinced of having a VPN service.
After creating the account, you need to download a VPN client app and install it. You can then start the app and instantly connect to the VPN server to enjoy the benefits of secure data transfer.
Closing thoughts
In a world dominated by the internet and social media, VPN is a must-have. It is a highly resourceful service that encrypts the data and enhances data security by hiding the computer’s true location. All you have to do is download the VPN app and install it on your device and start reaping the benefits by connecting to its server in no time.
