In today’s age, many people just know that VPNs only provide privacy and security. However, it offers much more than you expect. VPNs protect your data by encrypting it and help you browse anonymously by masking your IP address, unblocking geo-restricted sites and content, and letting you save some bucks during online shopping. Read this guide to find out more about VPN advantages and disadvantages.
Our lives are strongly connected to the online world in this digital age. Privacy and security have also become vital due to increased cyber threats. Therefore, many individuals and organizations seek effective ways to secure their data.
One of the robust tools to fight against privacy breaches and cyber-attacks is a Virtual Private Network (VPN). It provides privacy and security by encrypting the users’ data. In addition, it routes the data through encrypted tunnels, which helps users to hide their online activities from third parties.
Many users think that the benefits of using a VPN are only privacy and security. However, it isn’t true. A decent VPN like ExtremeVPN offers more benefits than you can expect.
This article highlights the importance of VPN network security and its advantages and disadvantages for business and personal use. So, let’s dive deep and find out what a VPN offers.
Benefits of a VPN – Quick List
Below are some of the benefits that a VPN offers:
- Encrypt your data traffic: Top-notch VPN services, like ExtremeVPN, offer various protocols that transfer your data between the device and a VPN server using an encrypted tunnel.
- Hide your IP address: These tools mask your IP address and assign a specific IP address according to the server you use. It helps you to keep yourself anonymous.
- Bypass internet censorship and geo-blocks: It allows you to access geo-restricted sites and content by changing your IP address.
- Download files safely and anonymously: Premium services hides your IP address and provide encryption so nobody knows who you are. Therefore, you can download files anonymously, and it keeps your data secure.
- Save money on e-commerce platforms: A VPN assists you with saving a few bucks on internet shopping stages. For instance, an item costs more for clients with an American IP address and less for clients with a Canadian IP address.
- Improve online gaming & get better access and security: You can download and play computer games inaccessible in your region using a VPN. Moreover, using the VPN server with the best ping assists you with playing without lag.
- Prevent bandwidth throttling by your internet service provider: ISPs throttle your internet to restrict your transfer speed, resulting in a slow-speed connection. However, ExtremeVPN prevents your ISPs from throttling your bandwidth because your internet traffic is scrambled, and they won’t understand what you are doing.
- Get extra protection from ad trackers and phishing attacks: Quality VPN services protect your information from ads and digital assaults by encrypting it and offering a few different features.
- Gain safe access to the Tor network: Numerous users use Tor to access the Dark web. Although it gives security and privacy, its servers are openly listed, and your ISP can track you using Tor. ExtremeVPN helps to spoof your IP address and makes it difficult for anybody to track you. Furthermore, it protects you while using the Dark web.
- Secure multiple devices with one account: Top VPNs let you connect multiple devices with a single account. With ExtremeVPN, you can connect up to 10 devices simultaneously and protect your data on multiple devices with one account.
What is a VPN, and What Does it Do?
A VPN is a technology or software that creates a secure and encrypted network between two machines – a user’s device and a VPN server before your private information goes to the internet.
VPNs encrypt your internet traffic before it reaches its destination and route it through their servers. After encryption, nobody can track your online activity, data, and other private information.
Browsing the website using a VPN will show it your fake IP address and information (provided by the connected VPN server). It keeps your information secure if any website wants to use your data. In addition, a VPN provides an extra layer of security to keep you safe from cyber attacks.
Why are VPNs Necessary?
Everybody uses the internet, but we think our WiFi is safe and protected by a password. However, it isn’t true. Your ISP, Govt. agencies, and hackers can still steal your data and track your online activity. They may misuse or sell your data to third parties, like advertising brands.
Therefore, you should use a quality VPN service like ExtremeVPN. It encrypts your internet traffic and changes your IP address, keeping you safe from your ISP and Govt. agencies. It increases the difficulty for third parties to attack your network. However, a VPN can’t protect you from all threats. So, it suggests users invest in an antivirus.
VPN plays an important role in providing online security and anonymous browsing.
What are the Advantages of Using a VPN?
We briefly discussed the benefits of a VPN above, and now it’s time to discuss them in detail.
1. Encrypt Your Data Traffic
A VPN offers protocols that encrypt and securely transfer data between your device and a VPN server. This encryption keeps your data safe from the hands of third parties, like cyber attackers, ISPs, Govt. bodies, and more.
Public WiFi cafes are a hub of cyber attackers. If you don’t use a VPN or any other software to encrypt your data while using public WiFi, it is easy for anyone using the same WiFi network to steal your information. However, ExtremeVPN protects you while using public WiFi.
2. Hide Your IP Address
This is one of the impressive advantages of using a VPN. It changes your IP address with the IP address of your VPN server. It helps you to browse anonymously without showing your real IP address. Click here to learn how you can hide your IP address.
In addition, it helps you to access geo-restricted websites and content. Nobody will know you are accessing (some specific) website or content from a geo-restricted region. However, keep yourself away from illegal activities.
3. Bypass Internet Censorship and Geo-Blocks
A few countries control the internet in their region, which increases difficulties for users to access multiple websites and streaming platforms. However, the IP-changing technology of a VPN helps users to unblock censorship and geo-restricted problems.
They can change their IP address by connecting to a VPN server according to the website or content they want to access.
4. Download Files Safely and Anonymously
ExtremeVPN encrypts your information and masks your IP address which helps you to download files safely and anonymously. It is useful for companies that have confidential and sensitive data.
You should avoid downloading content from suspicious sources and invest in antivirus to protect you from viruses.
5. Save Money on E-Commerce Platforms
It is an underrated benefit of a VPN. It helps users to save some bucks during online shopping. Many e-commerce stores offer different prices for users from different countries.
For example, a product costs $7 to a user with an American IP address and $5 to a user with a Canadian IP address.
You can change your region with the help of a VPN by connecting to a relevant VPN server. This same technique is also helpful in booking cheap flights.
6. Improve Online Gaming & Get Better Access and Security
Many games are unavailable in some regions due to geo-restrictions. However, you can access them using a top-notch VPN. Some games are released early in some regions, and you can also download them before it released in your region using a VPN.
ExtremeVPN helps gamers to join geo-restricted gaming servers and enjoy gaming without lag by joining the VPN server offering the best ping.
7. Prevent Bandwidth Throttling by Your Internet Service Provider
Many ISPs do bandwidth throttling to limit your bandwidth. As a result, you experience a slow-speed internet connection.
They mostly do it when you download an excessive amount of data. ISPs do this to decrease the traffic over servers, and sometimes they want you to upgrade your internet package.
With ExtremeVPN, your ISPs will never throttle your internet because your online activity is encrypted, and they won’t know what you are doing.
8. Get Extra Protection from Ad Trackers and Phishing Attacks
VPNs provide extra protection against cyber criminals and tracking sites. They offer some extra features to enhance your privacy and security. Below are some features that they offer:
- Threat protection: Protect yourself from cyber threats, including malware, viruses, and more. ExtremeVPN blocks sites offering malicious files and content that can hurt your security.
- Dark web monitor: VPNs tell you if your credentials are leaked to the dark web.
- Obfuscated servers: They offer extraordinary servers to assist you with accessing geo-restricted content in high-censorship regions.
- Split tunneling: Premium VPNs, like ours, offer this feature. It enables you to select whether you want an app or service to encrypt or go through your regular internet connection.
- Invisibility on LAN: Your device won’t be shown on the local area network since your IP address changes.
- Automatic kill switch: This feature automatically removes your internet connection to protect you while the VPN connection is re-established.
9. Gain Safe Access to the Tor Network
Many users use Tor to access the Dark web. Although it gives security and privacy, its servers are openly listed, and your ISP can track you using Tor.
Tracking you with a VPN is impossible as it hides your IP address. It provides a shield while using the Dark web and ensures that no one knows you are using the Tor network. It also notifies you if your credentials have leaked to the Dark web.
10. Secure Multiple Devices with One Click
With top VPN providers like ExtremeVPN, users can use the same account across multiple devices. It helps to encrypt data and secure your information on several devices using the same VPN account.
Set up ExtremeVPN on your router to secure all devices connected to the same network. It is a great benefit of a VPN and helps users to access different content and websites using a single account.
What Are the Disadvantages of a VPN?
Like many other things, VPNs also have positive and negative aspects. So, let’s discuss the negative aspects of a VPN:
- It was said that VPNs slow down your internet, but in premium like ExtremeVPN, you won’t feel any slow internet speed because the VPN technology has been improved.
- It is legal to use a VPN. However, they are banned in some countries.
- Streaming platforms like Netflix block VPN users because they are accessing geo-restricted content, which is against the platform’s policy.
- Many free VPNs are not authentic. Some of them collect your data and sell it to third parties.
What is The Best VPN Today?
Currently, ExtremeVPN is one of the best options available in the industry. It offers robust security, fast speed, and a wide network of servers, making it one of the best premium VPN services in the industry. In addition, it offers a no-logs policy and uses the best VPN protocols, including WireGuard and OpenVPN.
ExtremeVPN provides special servers to download torrents and access the Dark web. These servers offer double security and encryption to protect you from third parties.
You can subscribe to ExtremeVPN without any fear of losing money because of its 30-day money guarantee policy.
Conclusion
To summarize, it’s not always about privacy and security. We must look for other factors while deciding on a particular VPN service. Check if its benefits outweigh its disadvantages, if it allows you to access restricted content, if it’s cost-friendly, what’s the size of its server network, how good is its speed and performance, and if it’s compatible with multiple devices.
ExtremeVPN offers an ultra-fast connection speed of 10GBIT, and it has over 6500 servers in more than 78 locations worldwide. No matter what you do on the web, you can have safe, anonymous browsing, even on public Wi-Fi, and can download files easily with complete protection. In addition, it also helps gamers to experience high-quality gaming and lets users save some bucks on online shopping.
We hope our guide has cleared your queries regarding the benefits of VPN. However, if you still have questions, comment below, and we will reply soon.
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