What's a VPN and How Does It Help Me?

A VPN, or Virtual Private Network, allows you to create a secure connection to another network over the Internet. VPNs can be used to access region-restricted websites, shield your browsing activity from prying eyes on public Wi-Fi, and more.

They originally were just a way to connect business networks together securely over the internet or allow you to access a business network from home.

What Is a VPN and How Does It Help Me?

In very simple terms, a VPN connects your PC, smartphone, or tablet to another computer (called a server) somewhere on the internet, and allows you to browse the internet using that computer’s internet connection. So if that server is in a different country, it will appear as if you are coming from that country, and you can potentially access things that you couldn’t normally.

So how does this help you? 

Good question! You can use a VPN to:

1. Bypass geographic restrictions on websites or streaming audio and video.
2. Protect yourself from snooping on untrustworthy Wi-Fi hotspots.
3. Gain at least some anonymity online by hiding your true location.
4. Protect yourself from being logged while torrenting.
5. Many people these days are using a VPN for torrenting or bypassing geographic restrictions to watch content in a different country. 
6. They are still very useful for protecting yourself while working at a coffee shop, but that’s hardly the only use anymore.

How Do You Get a VPN?

Depending on your needs, you can either use a VPN from your workplace, create a VPN server yourself, or sometimes host one out of your house — but realistically the vast majority of people are just looking for something to protect them while torrenting or help them watch some media online that they can’t seem to access from their country.

The easiest thing to do is simply head to one of these sites, sign up, and download the VPN client for your Windows PC, Mac, Android, iPhone, or iPad. It’s as easy as that.

How Does a VPN Work?

When you browse the web while connected to a VPN, your computer contacts the website through the encrypted VPN connection. The VPN forwards the request for you and forwards the response from the website back through the secure connection. If you’re using a USA-based VPN to access Netflix, Netflix will see your connection as coming from within the USA.

For example, you have a CCTV in your house connected to your network and you wish to see what's happening in the house. You can connect to your house network by VPN and watch the live footage from any part of the world. Here is how to access your home network via VPN.

Which are the best VPN services?

Some of the best VPNs are

Hide My Ass

Pros

• You can use the Hide My Ass account with 5 devices simultaneously 
•  It also has 867 different servers in 311 locations across the country and around the world.
• This proxy service has more than 52,500 IP addresses. In testing the best proxy services for anonymous browsing.
• HMA VPN doesn't restrict your bandwidth. This means you can transfer unlimited data and HMA VPN won't stop or slow down your service. However, keep in mind that you're still subject to your internet provider's usage limits.
• During HMA VPN's business hours, tech support representatives respond to your email within about 6 to 12 hours, unless you send the question before a weekend. Otherwise, they'll answer your email within 12 hours.

Cons

• The company privacy policy states that the company keeps your data for two to three months, while most other companies do not keep your data for more than one week to one month. 

Get Hide My Ass VPN