Everything you need to know about VPN’s
You may have come across VPN’s looking around for ways to secure your data, or to protect your self from malicious hackers online.
Perhaps you just want to watch your favourite show on Netflix, but you can’t get it in this country. Or you want a way to get around content that is blocked in your country.
Whatever the reason, VPN’s have so many benefits when online, in this guide we jump into the burning questions people want to be answered when using VPNs.
What is a VPN?
VPN stands for Virtual Private Network. Its primary purpose is to encrypt your browsing traffic online and keep your identity and your data safe.
When you connect to an internet provider you use an ISP (Internet Service Provider), you have a unique (IP) Internet Protocol. Imagine that is your home address online. When you type a website into your search bar, your ISP communicates with that website which is set at another IP.
When your data is not encrypted and your IP is not masked, then everyone can see what you are doing. That is how websites track you, ads target you and perhaps even malicious parties online target you with viruses and malware.
A VPN works by routing your traffic through a remote server. This hides your IP and your location as well as encrypting your data. Essentially you can browse freely and anonymously and no one, not even a government agency can see what you are doing.
What Are the Main Use Cases?
VPN’s can be used in so many ways:
- Keep your data secure: The biggest reason why anyone uses a VPN is to keep all their data secure. Some more sophisticated providers can even block websites tracking, cookies and malware, meaning you can enjoy websites ad-free. Also, you know that your data is always going to be private
- Accessing media abroad: Big streaming providers like Netflix and Amazon, alter their content based upon what country you are in. For example, did you know that most Netflix content is only 30% of what you would find in the US? Using a VPN, you can log into a remote server and access Netflix USA
- Bypassing ISP throttling: Many internet service providers limit the speed of their network. Particularly if you are a gamer or a streamer. Meaning you use a lot of data. As ISP’s cannot limit your data, they moderate the speed of your internet. With a VPN you can bypass throttling as your provider thinks you are logging on from an IP that is not your home location
- Unlock Geo-restricted content: Some countries ban types of content. For example, China and Iran ban a lot of Western media entirely. The UK blocks certain pornography sites unless you have a credit card. Using an IP, you can log into a site from a different country and circumvent these restrictions
- Torrenting: Using a Torrent site, you can download and upload files anonymously including the latest movies and films. You can even live stream live sports events on media software like Kodi. Most ISP’s don’t like torrenting, but using a VPN you can do this all from a virtual location
- Save Money: Did you know that a lot of comparison and shopping sites may alter the price of their goods based upon the country you are browsing from?
How Does a VPN Work?
When you first choose a VPN provider you download a client interface. Every time you connect to the internet you first connect to your VPN provider.
Once connected to a VPN server, your traffic is run through your ISP, but now it’s all encrypted. This encryption is usually military-grade and for all practical purposes unbreakable.
So, no one can read your data, which is generated as you browse, including your IP address, browsing history and purchases.
Therefore, a VPN is sometimes known as a tunnel. Your client encrypts the data, which is then unencrypted by the VPN server. You will then be using the IP of the VPN server which could be based anywhere in the world. So, if you are connected to a server in Mexico, to anyone trying to find your IP, who is particularly skilled. They will simply see you as being in Mexico, even though your browsing from the US, or another country.
Which Protocols Are Best?
A VPN protocol is the means by which your client and server are connected. Essentially how the tunnel is created. When you begin looking at different companies, you will see a few different protocols mentioned repeatedly. Namely OpenVPN, IKEv2, SSTP, PPTP and L2TP/IPsec. So, which one is best?
ReviewVPN cannot attest to the legality, security and privacy of the applications discussed on this site. It is highly recommended that you use a VPN service while streaming or using Kodi. Currently, your IP 216.73.216.97 is visible to everyone and your Browser is being tracked by Advertisers & ISP Provider. Here are the main reasons why you must use a VPN: A VPN works be replacing your ISP-assigned IP address and creating an encrypted tunnel. We recommend the no log service offered by IPVanish. It works well on a Firestick and offers the fastest possible speeds.
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Open VPN
The industry standard and your first choice. Originally released in 2001, it is the primary protocol used by most VPN providers. Because it is fast, secure and stable. It uses the same encryption for HTTPS as OpenSSL which you may see when you are making a purchase online.
IKEv2
Known as Internet Key Version 2. The fastest of all the protocols as it was specifically designed for mobiles. Not all providers use IKEv2 as it is not compatible with all devices. But you would expect to use this protocol with a VPN application on your phone.
SSTP
SSTP stands for Secure Socket Tunnelling Protocol. Running at the same speeds as VPN and used in Windows. Not often used as people tend to veer away from Microsoft software.
PPTP
The oldest security protocols. Rarely used anymore and thought to be the least secure. PPTP stands for point to point tunnelling. It is one of the faster protocols but offers the lowest level of protection. There are known exploited vulnerabilities, so one to be avoided
L2TP/IPsec
Known as Layer 2 Tunnel Protocol, this was originally developed in the 1990’s. This is your second choice and the most widely used alternative to OpenVPN. Some more paranoid, say that the NSA has compromised this encryption because they helped develop it. IPsec is often paired with L2TP as is thought to be faster than SSL but also potentially compromised by the NSA.
Are Any of These Protocols Unbreakable?
For the more security conscious. Some may wonder whether the supercomputers at the NSA can break every protocol. The industry still believes that OpenVPN is secure. A lot of bigger VPN providers will also write their own secure proprietary software on top of the open-source code. Also, for maximum security, you want a provider that has a no-log policy and is based in a country that is not legally bound to handing these logs over to a law enforcement agency.
Can I Use a Free VPN?
Yes, a quick Google search will lead you to literally thousands of free providers. But as the old saying goes, if the product is free then your data is the payment. Big provider charge money for a reason. They use it to run secure servers, develop software and fix security leaks.
We don’t advise using free VPN’s as they are generally no secure, and you may have DNS or IPv6 leaks. This completely undermines the whole point of using a VPN, by revealing your IP and possibly leaking some of your data.
Also, they will probably keep your browsing data to sell to third parties, as otherwise how would they make any money from their service?
What Does No Log Mean?
A no log or zero log policy means that your VPN provider does not keep a record of your browsing history, IP’s used, first location and data usage. This is crucial if you are going to be using VPNs to do things you should not be doing. Few people will use VPNs to commit a crime. But the whole point is keeping your data secure.
Companies which are based in countries known as the 14 eyes. Namely, the 5 eyes (UK, US, Australia, Canada and New Zealand), as well as Spain, Sweden, Italy, Belgium, Germany, Denmark, France, Netherlands and Norway, are generally avoided by the most private of VPN users.
That is because these companies can be compelled by a court of law to share their logs and may be obligated to do so by law. However, some companies like IPVanish based in the US have a great reputation for never letting that happen.
Do All VPN’s Allow Torrents?
In theory, all VPN providers allow Torrents, but some will advertise that more than others. The fact is your provider can’t see what you are doing. Though some VPN’s may limit the amount of data that you can use.
While others based in countries outside of the 14 eyes will emphasise that they are Torrent friendly, and some even have servers specifically used for P2P file sharing. Always read the privacy statement for your chosen provider, there may be clauses in their service where they will hand over your information to law enforcement agencies or ban your service if they catch you uploading unsuitable material, which could be criminal or simply breach Copywrite.
Do All VPN’s Work for Switching Netflix Regions?
No. Netflix is one of the hardest sites to access with a VPN. Their business plan is built on people only being able to access content in their country, so they are always working against VPN providers.
Most big names will be able to connect to Netflix in any region. But you will see a lot of smaller provider with fewer servers and locations denied access.
What is the Highest Level of Encryption?
VPN Encryption is how your data is transmitted backwards and forwards between your client and the remote server you are using. Encryption simply means an encoded message.
You always want to pick a provider that uses AES 256-bit encryption keys. These are unbreakable. Even a supercomputer would literally take quadrillions of years trying to brute force this key. The key when used unscrambles your data so it can become readable again.
The AES 256-bit key is the highest level of encryption and used by the US Military
How Many VPN Providers Are There?
Thousands. The market is growing every day with new providers. But there are probably only 100 or so worth talking about, some of whom were started in the 1990s. Most of the big names in the VPN industry like IPVanish, NordVPN and ExpressVPN have been around since 2010.
What Should I Look For When Choosing a VPN Provider?
So now you know a little bit more about VPN’s and how they work, let’s think about the criteria that you want to use before choosing one.
Primary Concerns
These should be key when choosing a VPN, otherwise, you may as well browse unencrypted.
- Security: This must be of paramount importance. Namely, does the VPN provider have a good track record of keeping data secure? Check out reviews and comments on Trustpilot, as well as testing a free trial and seeing if you get any DNS, IPv6 or ROTC leaks
- A number of Servers and Countries: The more servers a provider has, the faster the connection in general. Also, the more countries and location that are on offer means the more easily you will be able to access a remote server close to you. Using a VPN may slow down your connection, and the further away from the server the slower it’s going to be
- No Logs Policy: We recommend choosing a provider with a clear zero logs policy with a proven background of withholding data from law enforcement, or based in a country outside of the 14 eyes
- Encryption and Protocols: Choose a provider that uses 256-bit AES encryption and OpenVPN or IKEv2 protocols for maximum security
- Speed: There is no point using a VPN if your speed is too slow to do anything. Check reviews and find out what speeds you will be getting from different servers in the US, Europe and Asia. You want at least 20Mbps. This should go up to 40-60+ MBps in Europe and the US
Secondary Concerns
If all the above concerns are met, you can consider the following to choose what to buy.
- Connectivity: You may want to use a VPN in China or may have to use it abroad in a remote country. Check internet speeds and look for successful use cases in your country
- A number of devices and connections: If you are buying a VPN for the whole family, then make sure you have enough connections and devices. The industry standard is 5 devices, but many go higher
- Customer Support: Choose a provider that at the very least has 24/7 chat support and helpful user guides. It’s rare to find a provider that has a 24/7 phone line like IPVanish, but don’t settle for any less.
- Price: You should pay more than $9.99 a month for a VPN, and a yearly price plan can cut that down to $7 or less. You want to pay, but don’t pay over the odds
