The modern world we live in seems like a hilarious Truman Show – we feel like we control and protect our privacy but are still wide open. Unlike Truman, you have options, and a VPN is all but required these days.
Why Do I Need VPN?
It’s almost next to nothing to find a person who has never used the web or chooses to live their everyday life without it. It is now a social norm to use social media in some shape or form. Do you like sharing memes with friends on social media? Well, it’s enough just to crawl information on a search engine for your data to end up in many unexpected places. You probably don’t give it much thought, but anything you do online can be used against you. So, the best advice is to try using a VPN.
Although a virtual private network or VPN is not a panacea yet, it can help protect your online privacy on some level. But not all VPNs are created equally. The VPN market is huge and exploding, with many VPN providers promising you «perfect» anonymity. And often, it’s getting hard to define a useful service from snake oil. And it’s not always the money question.
A VPN comes in all shapes and sizes. You can find some free VPNs that offer privacy, security, and high-speed connections at a minimum. In turn, some providers include an ad blocker feature that can help prevent malicious code and other dangers from infecting your device. So, if you want to make the internet perform just how you like it, you need to get the big picture. Here are some features to look for in a VPN that many consider more advanced.
What Features Should I Consider When Choosing a VPN?
#1 Strong Encryption
The key task of any VPN is to hide a user’s data by encrypting it. Without it, your data (like credit card info or login credentials) are sensitive to stealing when you use WiFi networks. AES encryption is one of the best standards used even by the NSA, Microsoft, and Apple. It can be either AES-128 or AES-256; the latter is the highest possible to date. The best VPN provider can also offer additional data-protection measures, such as a 4096-bit SHA-512 RSA certificate and HMAC (Hash Message Authentication Code). In case you need a good and reliable VPN provider – visit https://vpnchill.com/.
#2 No Logging Policy
Privacy is the next important feature to consider when choosing the best VPN provider. Ideally, you want a VPN with a ‘no log’ policy. And most VPN providers claim they don’t keep logs. Yet, when it comes to reality, it’s their Achilles heel. So, if you don’t want to put yourself at necessary risk, pick a lo log one. It pays to carefully read the VPN provider’s privacy policy and reviews and follow recommendations from people you trust. Just because it’s almost impossible to prove that a VPN isn’t keeping logs, trust it or take it to heart.
#3 DNS Leak Protection
Most of us use a VPN because of the extra security. Without it, a VPN loses the ability to perform its core function – to help you access media worldwide.
DNS stands for Domain Name System and is an IP that translates website addresses into code so computers can read them. That’s where the magic happens. Your computer will automatically use DNS to resolve the domain name into the server’s real IP address whenever you search for any website. That way, computers recognize the location a user wants to access and help them enjoy the online world to the fullest. As a result, all users’ internet searches and website visits become a secret for everyone.
A DNS leak is a security flaw that could share your data with outside parties. It can happen even when a VPN is on. Thus, instead of encrypting that connection and hiding the browsing activity, everything goes through the internet service provider the same way it would if they were not using a VPN.
#4 VPN Kill Switch
That is another must-have feature to consider when choosing the right VPN services. Nothing lasts forever, so your VPN connection, too. Whatever the reason, your VPN connection can fail. So, what happens if that connection suddenly drops? Nothing unpredictable, your IP address and online activity will likely become visible to others. That’s where a VPN feature known as a kill switch can help.
As its name suggests, it kills the connection. It goes like this: it monitors your connection and automatically disconnects your device from your internet connection to ensure your privacy remains intact. That helps to ensure that no unencrypted data gets accidentally transmitted that contains your real IP address. Whatever VPN provider you go for, check this modern feature. It can be turned off by default, so you have to turn it on into the settings.
#5 OpenVPN Protocols
As you already know, VPN helps keep your data private by creating an encrypted data tunnel. For that, it uses multiple protocols for performing that encryption. And when top security is the key, OpenVPN is the must. It is considered the best choice for more anonymous online surfing.
It’s a great choice for connecting to public Wi-Fi or using banking services. It’s safe to say that there is no VPN protocol considered more secure than the OpenVPN protocol (either TCP or UDP). Both of them offer superb security and privacy. And yes, you can easily bypass any firewall you encounter.
#6 Plentiful Server Locations
A user can appear to be in a different geographic location than they are located in. That can have many uses, especially if you are a business person and change your location. Thus, you can connect to the services you subscribe to back home, no matter where you find yourself. Services like Hulu or Netflix are another major reason to go VPN. So, if you want as much choice as possible, you need to neutralize these barriers.
Many VPN providers have a solid track record when it comes to unblocking. That is especially true if you need to torrent and download movies and TV shows without fear of retribution. So, make sure you find a VPN service that works for you.
Other Features to Consider When Hunting for the Right VPN
Extra features like split tunneling or multi-hop connections you might not need all the time, yet they’re still useful to look for. It’s a good rule of thumb that every VPN provider offers its app with a full graphical user interface for managing your connections and settings, so it’s smart to use it, too.
As a rule, good VPN players are upfront and honest about their strengths and weakness. Some services provide a free trial or money-back guarantee if you’re not happy with what you signed up for.
Anyway, the best choice should boil down to what you need most. So, if you know what you need, you should have no problem picking the right VPN service.
