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Using a VPN is one of the best ways to increase your security and privacy online. At a time when almost everyone uses the Internet to perform tasks as sensitive as paying taxes or checking bank balances, It is more urgent than ever to put cybersecurity at the forefront.
A VPN is a technology that allows its users to enjoy all the benefits of using a virtual private network in the context of a public network. In other words, it is a cybersecurity service thanks to which you can browse online as if you were directly connected to a private network.
The most common uses of a VPN
The world market for VPN services is already valued at more than 45 billion dollars, and VPNs are most commonly used for two functions: for browse the internet privately is for access geographically blocked content on streaming services like Netflix or the BBC.
However, as we will see below, a good VPN can have many additional uses…
Free VPNs vs. paid VPNs
Before we explore the 5 most interesting additional uses of a VPN, it is important to review the differences between a free VPN and a paid VPN.
Installing a free VPN for PC or smartphone can be tempting, but it carries some risks that are not associated with paid VPNs. Unlike what happens with a paid VPN, a free VPN it could be infected with malware, fail to unblock online content, and even slow down your internet connection.
In turn, paid VPNs are a product, so they must necessarily safeguard all your rights as a consumer. Additionally, paid VPNs have premium services that can be very useful, as we will see below.
Before we look at the 5 most interesting uses of a VPN, it is worth remembering what characteristics a quality paid VPN should have:
- Strong encryption. Essential to ensure you browse online privately and securely;
- DNS leak protection;
- Multi-factor authentication;
- Open source protocols. These protocols are supported by a global community, which means that any IT issues can be resolved faster.
The 5 Lesser Known Uses of a VPN
1. A VPN can speed up your internet connection
In truth, a good VPN can protect you against purposefully slower connections, also known as bandwidth throttling. Portugal is one of the best countries in europe when it comes to fixed broadband access, but that doesn’t mean that certain providers don’t intentionally try to delay their customers’ access to the Internet.
Bandwidth limitation is already a crime, but continues to happen occasionally. A VPN is the ideal technology to address broadband limitations because it encrypts your online traffic, hiding it from your ISP.
2. Access the home network from abroad
Have you ever found yourself abroad and been afraid to access your personal files remotely?
If so, it is important to know that you can access your files safely with the help of a Windows VPN. Almost all of us have sensitive files on our personal computers, which can save us the day in a moment of greater stress. From passport photos to important information documents, with a VPN you can securely access all your files from anywhere in the world.
3. Avoid price discrimination
Like any inhabitant of Madeira and the Azores surely know, many merchants like to change prices depending on the customer. On the Internet, some online stores offer lower or higher prices for customers in certain countries. Happily, can avoid price discrimination with the help of a VPN and buy online with greater security and equity.
Imagine you visit a website based in Brazil and want to buy an item at the cheapest possible price. Just change your IP location to a Brazilian server to enjoy the same price given to local clients.
4. Buy cheaper items
Changing your location to shop online isn’t just about avoiding price discrimination.
An excellent way to save on airline tickets, hotel reservations, or car rentals (basically, any service that is most commonly sold to foreign customers) is to change your IP location to a server in a country with less purchasing power.
As a rule, tourist services tend to be cheaper for Indian customers, for example, than for customers based in Europe and the United States.
5. Kill Switch
The best paid VPNs take cybersecurity a step further with extra features like Kill Switch functionality. A kind of last-ditch protection measure, the Kill Switch feature serves to ensure that if a security issue occurs, the problem can be “nipped in the bud.”
After detecting a privacy breach, for example, the Kill Switch feature automatically disconnects your devices from the network.
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