What do the remote worker storing company info, the coffee shop patron checking social media on their phone, and the gamer firing up League in their college dorm all have in common? The same thing millions of people have in common: Internet access. What differs between people is how we access the Internet. Do you consider the source of your connection? Do you take a minute to wonder who else is using that same connection? Are you conscious of how personal the data you’re currently exchanging is? These are things that we all need to be asking ourselves in 2020.
One of the most common tools to ensure that we’re protected has become the Virtual Private Network (VPN for short). With the capability to encrypt connections and guard against intrusion, VPN has become an answer to common forms of cyber attacks. While they’re easy to get and simple to use, it’s important to understand how and why you can most effectively use VPN to protect the data you hold most dear.
How To Use a VPN on Your Phone or Tablet
When you’re using a VPN on your phone or tablet, you’ll want to take into account your Internet connection. While encrypting is always a wise choice, the primary use for VPN on mobile devices is to secure a Wi-Fi connection. When you’re out in the world using public Wi-Fi, this is especially crucial. Snoopers are capable of easily gathering data for unprotected Wi-Fi users, so ensuring that your device is encrypted is a great way to prevent this common type of data theft.
It is also important to consider how you’re using your device. Phones and tablets are commonly used to access personal information quickly. The convenience of banking apps, access to health information, and perusing social media are all nice perks to modern tech, but they also leave you vulnerable to having your passwords and information stolen. Encrypting when working with personal information is key in order to protect that information from falling into the wrong hands.
Again, it can’t be overstated that you can never go wrong encrypting your device. While the above reasons are top priorities, being encrypted via VPN all of the time is a smart move. You never know when or how you may become vulnerable to cyber attacks, but VPN functions as a simple preventative measure to keep your phone and tablet locked down. A strong defense is always a smart strategy, especially when it comes to privacy.
How To Use a VPN on Your Desktop
Desktops and laptops tend to hold our most intimate and important files. These are where we do our jobs, where we file our taxes, where we store our personal photographs, and all of this information needs to be protected with the utmost care.
Using a VPN effectively on your primary computer is simple: encrypt absolutely everything. Your IP address for your personal computer is not something you want falling into the wrong hands, and VPN is a great tool for preventing that from happening. Because a breach of your computer can spell disaster for your data, it is imperative to guard it from all angles.
At the very least, you should always be encrypting when an exchange of private data is happening. Always encrypt while you work to guard company information against those who may be looking to steal it. You never want to be the source of a data breach for your company. As with your phones and tablets, always encrypt when accessing financial or medical information.
There are uses for VPN that come up recreationally as well. If you use a PC for gaming, encrypting while you play can protect you from DDoS attacks, a form of cyber attack that can easily ruin your gaming experience. Using a VPN while browsing online or doing online shopping can guard you against advertisers and other entities attempting to collect your data for their own purposes.
At the risk of approaching “broken record” territory, best practice is to always remain encrypted and secured.
How To Use a VPN on Your Router
While you may have been familiar with some uses for VPN on mobile devices and computers, router use is a little less common. The truth, however, is that an encrypted router is an invaluable tool for securing your home as a whole. While some devices are capable of installing and running apps for protection, others are not. Think of devices like your gaming consoles and smart home gadgets. Anything that connects to your WiFi network is a potential risk, so how do you solve that problem? You encrypt at the source.
When your router is encrypted using StrongVPN, every device connected to it is encrypted by extension. From the smart fridge in your kitchen to the Roku in your living room, the protection against snoopers is extended to every device on your home network. This is a phenomenal protection against hackers who can make use of technology-driven households. It also has distinct perks, such as protecting your game consoles against those dastardly DDoS attackers mentioned earlier.
When it comes to guarding your private info, your smart home requires a brilliant defensive strategy, and encrypting your entire home network is a key piece of that strategy.
How To Make the Most of VPN
Now that you understand why and when encryption is needed, you can properly implement it for yourself.
Step one is to get the proper VPN apps for your devices. StrongVPN is capable of securing Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, and Amazon Fire through apps, with VPN router capabilities to cover the rest of your devices. Since a StrongVPN account allows for up to twelve simultaneous connections, you can easily encrypt all of your devices at once. (Encrypting your router counts as a single device, the gadgets connected to your network are not individually counted.)
Once you know which apps you need, you’ll need to create a StrongVPN account. We have a monthly subscription plan, but you’ll save money by signing up for an annual subscription. Once your account is created, you can begin encrypting your device via the StrongVPN apps.
Encrypting through StrongVPN allows you to mask your IP address through any of our 950+ worldwide endpoint servers, and also allows you to connect with the incredibly powerful WireGuardⓇ protocol. This protocol is cutting-edge VPN technology that offers superior protection without hurting your connection speed. You can select your endpoint server of choice or allow our apps’ “Best Available” feature to set you up with the ideal option for your area.
Once you’ve completed these steps, you’ll be ready to protect your information from snoopers, allowing you to breathe a sigh of relief.
Get started with StrongVPN today. You can sign up for a monthly or annual subscription here to begin browsing securely and freely.