Want to know what are VPN uses? Using a VPN is an excellent way to secure your browsing. But a VPN can do so much more — from protecting your digital identity to letting you access your favorite content wherever you are.
Many users don’t realize how much their VPN can do and only take advantage of some of its capabilities. If you know how to use it right, your VPN can become an everyday cybersecurity tool that keeps you, your data, and your devices safe.
In this post, we’ll cover all the VPN uses so that you can enhance your digital experience in every way possible with just one VPN subscription. We’ll start by briefly looking at how a VPN works.
What is a VPN, and how does it work?
VPN stands for “virtual private network” — a service that secures your internet connection for more privacy and security online. A VPN uses encryption to protect your data, making it unreadable to anyone not authorized to access it.
A VPN encrypts all the data you send and receive and creates a secure “tunnel” for your data to travel safely to its destination. This process hides your IP address — the internet protocol address that can reveal your geolocation to websites.
Connecting to a VPN provides more online privacy and lets you access the internet safely. Premium VPN providers typically have a range of servers worldwide, letting you change your IP address to virtually any country. Let’s look at the main benefits that using a VPN can provide.
VPN Uses
1. Securely access public Wi-Fi
One major advantage of using a VPN is that it allows you to access the internet securely — even on unsecured networks.
Connecting to public Wi-Fi comes with serious security risks. Many public Wi-Fi hotspots have weak security measures, allowing hackers to steal your data or money.
Common cyberattacks on public Wi-Fi include man-in-the-middle attacks (intercepting your data traffic), Wi-Fi sniffing (spying on your online activity), and malware injection. These could have serious consequences — from hacking your accounts to digital identity theft.
That’s where a VPN can help. A virtual private network secures your internet connection, even if the public network isn’t secure. A VPN encrypts your internet traffic and sends your data through a secure tunnel, protecting it from hackers and snoopers that could be lurking on public networks.
2. Bypass bandwidth throttling
Bandwidth throttling is when ISPs slow down your connection speed to prevent you from taking up too much bandwidth. You’ll likely experience problems streaming, gaming, or downloading files if an ISP is throttling your bandwidth.
The good news is that using a VPN can help with bandwidth throttling that’s based on your traffic type. ISPs don’t typically reduce the bandwidth of all users equally: they might throttle specific types of traffic. Internet service providers need to know what online content they are accessing before they can throttle it.
A VPN encrypts your traffic, hiding what you do online from your internet service provider. You could be streaming your favorite show in HD or simply browsing the web — your ISP won’t be able to distinguish between the two. Without seeing your online activity, they can’t slow down your bandwidth based on your traffic type.
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3. Avoid internet censorship
A VPN can also help bypass internet censorship and restrictions in more restrictive regions.
Some countries have strict internet censorship, making accessing your usual content while traveling difficult. You may need help accessing your social media or streaming platforms while visiting those countries.
Using a VPN, you can access your usual sites, watch your favorite shows, and visit the social media pages you prefer. You gain more internet freedom while staying safe and secure online.
4. Protect your digital identity
Identity theft is a serious cybersecurity problem that happens more often than you think. Hackers can use stolen identifying information to impersonate someone, take out loans in their name, or make unauthorized purchases.
One common way hackers get hold of personal information is by attacking unsecured networks. A VPN secures your internet connection and hides your data behind a wall of strong encryption, making it unreadable to those not authorized to access it. You can go online without worrying about hackers, snoopers, governments, or ISPs spying on your activity.
Most reputable VPN companies use AES-256 encryption combined with a secure VPN protocol (like OpenVPN, IKEv2/IPsec, or WireGuard).
How to Choose a reliable VPN provider
You can use a VPN for more than safe online browsing. Choose a highly rated and reliable VPN provider to unlock the full potential of a VPN.
While looking for a cheap or free VPN service may be tempting, these VPNs have several drawbacks. Because they need to make money, they may track and sell your data to third parties. They may also keep pushing you to upgrade to a paid version or bombard you with annoying ads.
Regarding security, free VPN providers may not always follow the latest cybersecurity practices. Make sure you choose a VPN company with a developed infrastructure that takes your cybersecurity seriously.
A premium VPN provider will hire a reputable audit company to conduct external audits of their services to guarantee that they don’t log user activity.
About NordVPN
NordVPN (Special discounted link) is a leading VPN service from Nord Security – a global cybersecurity company offering business and personal solutions. Nord Security’s other products include:
- NordPass – an encrypted password manager.
- NordLocker – file encryption and storage solution.
- NordLayer – a business VPN.
- NordWL – a toolkit for building VPN products.
NordVPN has more than 5,400 global servers in 59 countries, allowing you to change your IP address to almost any country with one click.
You can use one NordVPN account on up to six devices (Windows, macOS, Android, Linux, or iOS). You can also secure your browsing with Chrome, Firefox, and Edge browser extensions.
NordVPN supports OpenVPN, IKEv2/IPsec, and NordLynx VPN protocols. NordLynx is NordVPN’s new-generation WireGuard-based protocol that delivers better connections and faster speeds.
NordVPN doesn’t track your online activity or sell your information to third parties. As a twice-audited VPN service, it ensures your online activity remains confidential.
For more information about NordVPN, including its protocols, servers, and benefits, visit NordVPN’s knowledge base.
If you need help, you can reach NordVPN’s customer support 24/7 by email or live chat.
NordVPN delivers more than just a VPN. The service has several advanced cybersecurity features like Threat Protection and Meshnet that offer additional security benefits.
What is NordVPN’s Threat Protection?
NordVPN now includes Threat Protection — an advanced cybersecurity feature that takes the capabilities of a VPN even further. Threat Protection provides extra digital security and privacy by:
- Blocking intrusive ads and trackers.
- Preventing you from visiting malicious sites.
- Protecting you from malware by scanning the files you download.
What is Meshnet?
Meshnet is a relatively new NordVPN feature that allows users to form a secure, encrypted private network. Instead of connecting to a VPN server, users can connect to other devices anywhere in the world. Meshnet traffic is also encrypted and keeps your traffic secure.
Meshnet is excellent for secure file sharing, team projects, storing files in a centralized location, and even traffic routing to unlock location-based testing and IP-based access.
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Conclusion
VPN is a very important tool to browse and access the internet securely. VPN provides lots of benefits to secure your browsing data. Using a trusted and legit VPN service like NordVPN provides the best browsing experience. As discussed in this article, VPN provides these uses to enhance the browsing experience along with the security of the data.
I hope this tutorial helped you to know about the 4 Must Know VPN uses: How to get the most out of your VPN. If you want to say anything, let us know through the comment sections. If you like this article, please share it and follow WhatVwant on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube for more Technical tips.
4 Must Know VPN uses: How to get the most out of your VPN – FAQs
What are the types of VPNs?
The four main types of VPNs are Remote access VPNs, Personal VPN services, Mobile VPNs, and Site-to-site VPNs.
What does a VPN not protect you from?
A VPN helps you stay invisible and behind the scenes, but it doesn’t give you immunity against online risks like malware, ransomware, phishing attacks, or even computer viruses.
What ports does VPN use?
The default protocol and port for Mobile VPN with SSL is TCP port 443, which is usually open on most networks.
What is mesh net in NordVPN?
It’s a NordVPN feature that lets you access devices over encrypted private tunnels. Sounds somewhat similar to VPN? You’re absolutely right! But instead of connecting you to a VPN server, Meshnet lets you connect to other devices directly no matter where in the world they are.
Does NordVPN work with Netflix?
Yes, it is legal to access Netflix with NordVPN. NordVPN is a well-known and trusted VPN service that allows users to browse the internet anonymously and securely. It is also one of the few VPNs that has been able to bypass Netflix’s recent crackdown on VPNs.