Pros
Network Security
Applications and websites can keep track of your activity online. The data can be analyzed and used to serve you with targeted ads. Popup ads can also degrade your browsing experience, something that a VPN can often mitigate.
In essence, if you use a VPN, it can stop people, software, and web browsers from gaining access to your connection. This keeps the information you transmit and receive secure and anonymous.
Hiding Your Private Information
Hackers can use a variety of methods to intercept sensitive information you enter on websites. Using that information, they can try to impersonate you, gaining access to bank accounts, credit card information, and more.
If someone knows what sites you commonly visit, they can use that information together with other available public data about you to target you via email phishing scams. They can present you with links to website that seems legitimate, from services that you regularly consume and therefore are more likely to click on.
With a VPN, however, you can enjoy high-level security, such as 256-bit encryption. This makes all your communications online look like nonsensical, garbled text and characters to anyone who is able to find a way to intercept them.
We all have a significant virtual footprint, how comfortable are you with third party services brainwashing you with ads that for the most part do not really enrich your life, but rather deplete your funds.
Prevent Data Throttling
Data throttling happens when you have consumed a specific amount of your available data, and your internet service provider (ISP) then decides to slow your service down. If you have a VPN, you can avoid a data cap, particularly because not even your ISP can see how much data you are using. This may be especially helpful for employees who have to use data plans on their smart devices while accessing the internet when on the road.
This part is tricky and it doesn't always work, for instance if the service provider is able to measure the data usage from the endpoint device perspective then a VPN would be less effective. Nevertheless, a VPN service can help.
Avoid Bandwidth Throttling
While data consumption measurements are hard to fool, bandwidth throttling is another story.
Bandwidth throttling is when your internet speed is intentionally slowed down by your ISP or someone else who can control how your network performs. This is sometimes done when you visit certain websites or engage in certain internet activity. If you use a VPN, the traffic coming from your device can be encrypted. With the encryption, others cannot see the websites you are visiting.
Bandwidth throttling can happen when the ISP wants to discourage users from visiting competing services. It is a nasty practice, but one that is quite common. If you are having a bad experience on the competing website, you might not choose to consume that service and look for an alternative. This would be a great opportunity for your ISP to target you with ads about a service they offer in hopes to steal you away from another vendor.
Because bandwidth throttling is sometimes triggered by the sites you use or the type of activity you engage in, if your ISP cannot see the data going to and from your device, they cannot throttle it down in these situations. They may still throttle your data during certain times of the day, however, to free up bandwidth for their other users. Using a VPN can conceal data transmissions and eliminate the possibility for bandwidth throttling based on the websites you are visiting altogether.
Access to Geo-Distributed or Geo-blocked Services
With a VPN, you can get another Internet Protocol (IP) address. IP addresses indicate where the device is located as it browses the internet, streams content, or engages in other online activity. Some sites and services do not allow users from certain countries to access some or all of what they have to offer. This is common with streaming services that cater to specific locations.
Want to get Netflix content available only to users on a different continent? A VPN is a perfect way to do it. Ok, so I don't actually watch Netflix so I wouldn't know if they have specific content for specific regions. However, I do know that TV providers like Comcast offer a streaming app, but certain shows you can only watch from your home network. Here they are looking at your Internet Address associated with the connection at your home. Therefore, if you are traveling you will not be able to watch those shows. That is unless you have a VPN that routes traffic through your home before its final destination.
It is also common for some business websites to limit how you can use their services based on where you are, such as getting quotes or accessing more specific information about their services. If you use a VPN, you can make it look like you are using the internet from a location that is acceptable to the service you are trying to access.
Reduced Support Costs
From a consumer perspective, there are hardware and software VPN services. Hardware VPN services are those where you purchase a router that has VPN capabilities built in. While there are many advantages to this option, it also means that you are responsible for the hardware configuration and maintenance costs.
With a software VPN setup that incorporates cloud computing architecture, you have the opportunity to save considerable money on support services. With a software cloud centric VPN, all upkeep, performance checks, and security measures fall under the purview of the service provider. Their IT expenditure is supported by a vast number of paying clients, making their cost per client relatively low. These cost savings get passed on to you in the form of fees that are lower than what you would pay to have a to manage dedicate hardware infrastructure. To ensure this is the case, it is wise to carefully check the services the provider offers, as well as the kinds of hardware they are using. More modern components and security measures often result in a better experience for you, the client.
Cons
Lower Internet Speeds
The encryption process a VPN undergoes as it secures your data takes time, and this could negatively impact your online experience. The problem is more pronounced with certain VPNs than with others, so it is important to check the specifications before you agree to use the service.
Somewhere in the End User Licensing Agreement, there should be information about speed guarantees, etc.
VPN Blocker
VPN blockers can negate the effectiveness of a VPN. Some sites, and even some nations, block people who use VPNs from accessing websites and content. This happens in several countries, such as Iran, Iraq, Turkey, China, and Oman. Typically, this is done to prevent their citizens from consuming content they feel is inappropriate, including news websites, entertainment, and anything else from other countries that they feel could negatively impact their residents.
In the west VPN blocking services are not uncommon in public places. Hotels for example, will sometimes not permit the use of VPN due to security or compliance reasons. In other words, if you are using their network, they would like to keep a certain amount of oversight. In other cases, it is a matter of money, with some hotels offering free and paid wi-fi, where the paid wi-fi allows the use of VPN and the free wi-fi does not. This makes sense, since a lot of VPN usage can be associated with media consumption and paid wi-fi offers greater bandwidth.
Configuration Complexity
VPNs have a few moving parts that can be difficult to understand. If you do not have much exposure to networking terminology, you may be better off choosing a VPN provider equipped with the support services necessary to get you up and running.
Software VPN solutions are better suited for customers who just want to mask their digital footprints in order to better protect personal information on the internet with minimal effort. If this sounds like you then check out the link below.
J.
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