A virtual private network (VPN) lets you send and receive data as though you’re from somewhere else by pushing your network traffic through a remote server. Here are 5 great uses for a VPN.
Watch Great Online TV Content
Broadcasters like CBS (United States of America), ABC (Australia), and BBC (United Kingdom) have content you can stream online at no cost, but only if you’re present in these respective countries. If you wish to watch such country-specific content like Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, use a VPN as it lets you move your network traffic from the country of your choice. To do so, simply find an end-point in the country of the service you wish to use.
Securely Work from Public Places
Those who have the option of not having to work from an office can choose to work from anywhere—parks with municipal WiFi, cafés, pubs, and the like. However, the networks at these places are not secure as they send and receive traffic without encryption, unlike the WPA2 networks commonly used at homes.
A VPN can help you in this regard as VPNs generally encrypt traffic using military-grade encryption. This means you can work, and surf the internet without having to worry about your network being insecure.
Use Netflix without Having to Wait
ISPs like Verizon can make watching content on Netflix a dull experience as you may have to wait for the content to buffer. By using a VPN, you can watch content on Netflix with the platform working at lightning speed, helping you skip the needless buffering. All you need to do is find an end-point in the U.S.
Shop online hassle-free while abroad
If you’re abroad and pay using a credit card issued in your country to shop online, the payment may be flagged as suspicious. Avoid this by using a VPN with your credit card’s country of issue selected as the origin point. For instance, if you are abroad and utilizing a credit card issued in the U.K., use a VPN based in the U.K.
Play games at lightning speed
With ISPs, online games, especially those that are bandwidth-intensive and/or are illegally downloaded, load slowly. Using a VPN could help you get rid of this problem, but it is a double-edged sword—your latency may increase, reducing your gaming speed.