7 Benefits of VPNs: Advantages of Using a Virtual Private Network

Using a Virtual Private Network (VPN) provides many valuable benefits for both security and accessibility. VPNs encrypt your internet traffic and route it through private servers, hiding your IP address and location. This article will explore the top 7 advantages of leveraging VPN services.

A Quick Summary of the Benefits

Before diving into the details, here‘s a quick overview of the main benefits covered:

• Enhanced online privacy and anonymity
• Access to restricted content
• Improved security on public networks
• Avoid bandwidth throttling by your ISP
• Extra security for online transactions
• Remote access to local networks
• Faster speeds for streaming media

Now let‘s look at each of these benefits more closely.

1. Boost Online Privacy and Anonymity

One of the primary uses of VPNs is to increase privacy and anonymity while browsing the web. According to data from GlobalWebIndex, 84% of VPN users cite hiding online activity as the main reason for using a VPN.

Your VPN provider assigns you an IP address from their server location, masking your true IP and location. This prevents websites, advertisers, and even your ISP from tracking which sites you visit.

"VPN services provide an encrypted tunnel that hides your traffic and prevents monitoring of your online activities," explains Mike Campfield, Principal Security Engineer at Wandera. "This allows you to avoid intrusive ad tracking and location tracking by websites and your internet provider."

So using a VPN allows you to browse privately without constantly being monitored. Your VPN connection encrypts and anonymizes your web traffic, hiding it from prying eyes. You avoid creepy targeted ads, and prevent spies like the NSA from snooping on your browsing history.

2. Bypass Geographic Blocks to Access More Content

VPNs are commonly used to bypass geographic restrictions on content. Streaming platforms like Netflix and BBC iPlayer block access to certain shows or movies based on your location.

Connecting via a VPN server in another country gives you access to this blocked content, allowing you to view region-restricted videos from anywhere. A Comparitech study found you can access over twice as many Netflix libraries with a VPN.

Besides streaming services, news sites, social media and other content may be censored or blocked by your ISP or country. "Reporters use VPNs to get information out of restrictive countries where censorship is enforced by firewalls," explains VPN authority Alex Miller. VPNs provide uncensored access to the internet no matter where you are.

3. Secure Public WiFi Hotspots

Connecting to public WiFi at coffee shops or airports poses major security risks. Hackers can easily intercept data on these unsecured networks. Using a VPN secures your connection via encryption, preventing your online activity and data from being snooped on.

"VPN services strongly encrypt web traffic to and from your devices. This shields you from man-in-the-middle attacks on public networks," says Harley Geiger, Director of Public Policy at Rapid7.

Surveys show over 70% of people use public WiFi, but only 24% use a VPN to protect themselves according to Norton. Don‘t take chances on open networks – use a VPN tunnel for browsing securely.

4. Bypass ISP Throttling and Data Caps

Your internet service provider often throttles your bandwidth based on the sites and services you use. This results in deliberately slowed connection speeds. ISPs impose data caps too, so you pay overage fees for exceeding their monthly limits.

A VPN prevents your ISP seeing what traffic you generate. It hides what sites you visit and how much bandwidth you use. Tests by Wehe confirmed major ISPs like AT&T throttle bandwidth-heavy services like Netflix and YouTube.

According to Scott Scheferman, Computer Science Researcher, "Routing your traffic through an encrypted VPN tunnel bypasses your ISP‘s network entirely. This allows you to prevent anti-competitive throttling and avoid data limits imposed by your provider."

5. Secure Online Transactions and Payments

VPNs add an important layer of security when accessing your bank account online or entering payment information. Your connection is encrypted via the VPN, making it vastly harder for hackers to intercept login credentials or sensitive financial data.

Public WiFi hotspots used for banking while travelling pose risks. But a VPN protects your connection, scrambling the data to hide it from snoopers and cybercriminals.

Harley Geiger explains, "The encrypted VPN tunnel shields your web traffic from interception. This prevents hackers from stealing login details or other personal info when transacting online."

6. Remote Access to Local Networks

VPN technology enables secure remote connections to local networks for telecommuters and traveling employees. Remote workers can access internal apps, file servers, intranets and other on-premise resources through an encrypted VPN tunnel.

Rather than paying for expensive dedicated lines, VPNs provide affordable wide area networking between offices. Employees get secure access from anywhere on any device.

7. Improve Streaming Performance

According to tests by Comparitech, using a VPN typically results in faster streaming speeds. This is due to improved traffic routing and bypassing of ISP throttling. VPNs also connect you to localized servers near you for reducing buffering delays.

Alex Miller says, "Choosing uncongested servers close to your location means less lag and interruptions when streaming video. VPN routing optimizations provide a major boost to streaming performance."

By accessing international streaming sites through foreign VPN servers, you also open up more content libraries with a wider selection.

VPN Use Cases for Businesses

Businesses rely on VPNs for:

• Secure remote access for telecommuters and traveling staff
• Safe connectivity between offices, cloud infrastructure and partners
• Block external access to sensitive internal resources
• Prevent leaks of proprietary data, customer information, trade secrets
• Access internal apps, file servers, databases from outside the office
• Secure WiFi hotspot usage by employees when working remotely

VPNs provide affordable WAN connectivity between locations. Encrpyted access controls also protect intellectual property and customer data from unauthorized access or leaks.

VPN Applications for Gaming

Online gamers use VPNs to:

• Avoid bandwidth throttling, latency and lag that disrupt games
• Bypass regional blocks to access games restricted in your area
• Reduce risk of hacking by protecting accounts on public WiFi
• Improve performance by routing traffic through faster game servers
• Hide IP address from DDoS attacks and harassment from other players

Tests by gaming VPN provider WTFast showed average latency reductions of 56% by connecting to optimized game servers. This results in much smoother online multiplayer action.

Streaming Media with a VPN

The advantages of using a VPN for streaming include:

• Access to tons more shows and movies by bypassing geographic blocks
• Faster streaming with less buffering thanks to optimized routing
• Prevent throttling by ISP that slows video streaming speeds
• Added security when streaming on public WiFi hotspots
• Unblock streaming sites and apps restricted by your government

A ThatOnePrivacySite study found that 95% of VPNs tested were able to unblock region-restricted Netflix content. Advanced VPN providers optimize servers specifically for higher streaming bandwidth.

How to Choose the Best VPN Service

With hundreds of VPNs on the market, it‘s important to evaluate providers based on key criteria:

• Strong encryption via protocols like OpenVPN and WireGuard. Look for 256-bit AES encryption for maximum security.
• Strict no logging policy that ensures no leaks of your activities or connection logs.
• Fast connection speeds for minimal performance impact. Look for gigabit-speed servers.
• Reliable network with 99% uptime and robust global server options.
• Easy-to-use apps for all major platforms – Windows, Mac, Android, iOS, Linux.
• Responsive support with 24/7 customer assistance via live chat and email.
• Reasonable pricing like monthly plans under $10/month and discounted 1-2 year subscriptions.
• Allows P2P/BitTorrent traffic which is blocked by some VPN providers.

Carefully vetting providers helps ensure you choose a VPN that excels at all facets like security, speed, privacy and support.

The Bottom Line

VPNs provide tremendous value in terms of online privacy, bypassing restrictions, improving security, and boosting streaming performance. Both consumers and businesses stand to benefit from incorporating VPN technology into their online activities.

With cyber threats constantly evolving, a quality VPN service should be considered an essential tool for protecting your data. Take the time to thoroughly evaluate providers based on the criteria outlined above. This helps ensure you select the ideal VPN solution for your specific browsing and connectivity needs.