VPN Meaning And What Do VPNs Do?
The term VPN has become more and more popular among internet users over the years. Have you ever wondered what exactly VPN means and what it actually does? If so, this post is something you should not miss out on.
Simply read on to get detailed explanations about VPN meaning, what a VPN does, and the major benefits of using a VPN.
VPN meaning
First of all, let’s find out what the term VPN stands for.
Simply put, VPN stands for "virtual private network," which is a tool or software app that enables users to protect their privacy online.
To be more specific, VPNs create an encrypted tunnel through which digital data safely travels between your device and the VPN server. This way, using VPNs means that your online identity is protected and you can stay private while using an internet connection.
Those are some basic things about the VPN meaning. To learn further details on what a VPN does and how it works, simply read on.
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What do VPNs do?
VPNs, in fact, establish a secure, encrypted, and safe connection between your device and the internet. This encrypted connection is a kind of private tunnel for all of your data and communications to travel through, improving your online privacy and security while using an online connection, especially when it comes to using public networks.
You still find it unclear what VPNs do? If so, simply imagine that the internet is like a highway, and we are riding motorbikes zipping around it, visiting our favorite locations (websites), purchasing something in shops, and whatever else.
Sitting on a motorcycle, we are visible and thus can be followed along this digital highway by anyone if they want to do so. To protect your online privacy and security, it’s a good idea to use a private tunnel (VPN) instead of riding on the very open internet highway.
Though lots of websites and online browsers now include some form of encryption, using a VPN is still so helpful since it adds a higher level of online privacy and security. In short, a VPN helps protect your privacy and online identity, allowing you to use the internet more safely.
In addition, VPNs also allow users to change or hide their IP address, which can be really helpful in many cases. Now, let's move to the next part of this post to figure out the considerable benefits of VPNs.
VPN benefits
Now that you know some basics about VPN meaning and what VPNs actually do, right? Then, it’s time to learn about VPNs benefits.
VPNs offer sustainable benefits for not only large companies but also individual users. Here are some crucial benefits of using a VPN for personal use that you may want to know:
- Data privacy
Without a doubt, data privacy is one of the biggest reasons to use VPNs. As mentioned above, VPNs help improve your online privacy and security while using an internet connection, so you can browse the internet in peace without worrying that third parties are aware of your online identity. Similarly, using a VPN also gives you additional protection that keeps hackers or anyone else from accessing your data and information.
- Security on public networks
As you probably know, internet access via public WiFi hotspots may feature some risks. In other words, it may be really unsafe to use public networks since user data on this kind of network is unprotected. However, with VPN encryption, your user data and privacy can still remain safe even when using a public Wi-Fi network connection.
- Stream from anywhere
When it comes to streaming, geo-blocking is not something rare. To be more specific, streaming platforms don't feature the same content libraries in every part of the world. Instead, they have different content libraries in different countries and territories around the globe.
So, if you are going somewhere outside your country and wish to keep up with popular shows from home, VPNs can help. By using a VPN, which lets you connect to an appropriate server location, you can easily bypass location-based content blocks.
- Access blocked websites
Similarly, it’s also not rare that some websites are blocked due to specific reasons or simply because you are in a location that restricts access to those sites. With a VPN, you can still access blocked websites.
- Other benefits
Along with the ones mentioned recently, VPNs also have other benefits, such as providing additional security when working remotely, helping evade ISP tracking, protecting data privacy from the apps and services you are using, and more.
Bottom line
Above are some things about VPN meaning, what VPNs do, and some major benefits that VPNs provide. Obviously, using a VPN means that your online identity and privacy are better protected. It’s a powerful tool; however, it’s also important to note that a VPN does not completely obscure everything about you on the internet. For example, if cookies are enabled on your devices, companies are able to follow you while you visit their websites.
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