VPNs and anonymity on the internet

Without a VPN, your location and identity can be easily tracked thanks to your IP address. Your IP address is unique to your internet connection/device. It’s like a postal address that tells people who you are and where you are, linking your online activities to your person.

The VPN hides your IP address and therefore your real location. When you use a VPN, your internet traffic is routed through an encrypted virtual tunnel, and your online activities can only be traced back to the VPN server’s address, but no longer to you (and your real IP address).

Using a VPN ensures that websites, marketers, streaming services, governments and cyber criminals can no longer identify you by your IP address, as they can only see the IP address of the VPN server you’re connected to. Moreover, they will not be able to detect your real location. Connect to a VPN server in Germany and you become a German user for everyone.

So with a VPN, your online activity will no longer be connected to your own IP address. This way, you can browse the internet and engage in any online activity you want without any third party being able to track it.

VPNs and internet security

A VPN encrypts your data traffic with strong encryption protocols that make it impossible to intercept and read your data. Why is this important? Nowadays, there are many third parties (including governments and cybercriminals) who want to listen or look at what you do online.

The security offered by VPNs makes their job much harder. However, we must remember that VPN is not the ultimate solution for all things related to cybercrime. We always recommend combining a quality VPN service with a good antivirus solution to make sure you’re covered in all areas.

VPN and geoblocking

Some online services restrict access to their content in certain regions. This happens with streaming services that only have broadcasting rights in certain countries and not in others.

If you’re on holiday or have moved to another country, you may not be able to watch your usual programmes. A VPN allows you to connect to the internet through servers in your home country, so you can re-watch your favourite show or access blocked websites.

Of course, it also works the other way around. If you want to access websites or streaming services from another country (for example, to watch the US version of Netflix), you can do so using a VPN.

VPN and torrenting

Downloading certain files is illegal in some countries, and downloaders are being tracked and even prosecuted more than ever before.

Of course, we are not advocating any illegal actions. However, we understand that people want privacy and anonymity not only when browsing the internet, but also when uploading and downloading files.

To make sure no one knows what you’re downloading or uploading, you can use a VPN. With encrypted traffic and IP forwarding, VPNs help you download anonymously.

VPNs and censorship

In many countries (such as China, Turkey, Russia, Iran) governments heavily censor the internet. These countries block access to certain internet services and websites. Examples of apps and websites that are often blocked are WhatsApp, Google, Instagram, YouTube, Skype, Spotify and Facebook.

News sites are also often blocked because they are perceived as a threat to local government authorities. In these countries, censorship significantly affects their citizens’ freedom of expression.

There are also online restrictions in some Western countries. For example, many regions block file-download websites because they do not want their citizens to download illegal material.

A VPN can help you bypass censorship and restrictions by allowing you to connect to a server in another country. This way, you can connect to the internet as if you were in another country, and access websites and services that are not available in your own country.

VPN and hackers

Using a public Wi-Fi network, for example at an airport, hotel or cafe, can be risky. Other users on the same network (such as hackers or other cyber criminals) can easily hack into your data and personal information.

Since you don’t want others to have access to, for example, your email credentials, pictures, files, or credit card information, it’s wise to use a VPN connection at these hotspots.

A VPN encrypts all your data so that a hacker can only see the encrypted data and can’t exploit your personal information.

VPN and data collection

Advertising networks such as Facebook, Google and Twitter are constantly collecting information about you. With this information, they can show you tailored ads, but more importantly, they can also sell this information to a third party.

Encrypting your data with a VPN will make it harder for these networks to collect information about you. They will also have less influence on which ads you see.

What’s more, many VPN services offer ad blockers and tracking codes in their products, so you can get rid of annoying ads for good.

Want to start using a VPN right away? We encourage you to try out the VPN services that have excelled in our tests and won our Excellent VPN Service award. The VPN services listed below offer great speeds, strong security, and have a number of other benefits available.

NordVPN TOP PRODUCT

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Surfshark VPN TOP PRODUCT

Premium VPN service with a discount of up to 87% for VPN365 readers

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ProtonVPN TOP PRODUCT

Premium VPN service with a discount of up to 75% for VPN365 readers

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ExpressVPN TOP PRODUCT

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VPN Guide – Part 1 – What is a VPN
VPN Guide – Part 2 – How a VPN works
VPN Guide – Part 3 – Why use a VPN service (you are here)
VPN Guide – Part 4 – Security of VPN services

Príspevok Why should I use a VPN service? zobrazený najskôr VPN 365 DAYS A YEAR.

1. What is a VPN and how does it work?

The abbreviation VPN stands for Virtual Private Network. This name might seem complicated, but the function of VPNs is quite simple. If we had to define it in one sentence, a VPN is a service for protecting privacy and security on the internet.

With a normal Internet connection, your traffic is unencrypted, so third parties can see your complete activity on the web – where you are from, what sites you visit, what you buy, and who you communicate with.

After installing the VPN application and connecting to any VPN server, all your communication on the internet is encrypted and therefore cannot be tracked.

A VPN is the ideal solution for you if:

• You don’t want third parties (internet providers, marketing advertisers, employers, the state) to spy on your internet activity
• You cannot watch the latest movies, series or sports broadcasts due to geo-restriction
• You want to visit sites that are blocked by censorship
• You worry about copyright-protection organisations when downloading files, for example via P2P networks (torrenting)

2. Where can I use a VPN?

You can use a VPN on your computer, laptop, tablet or smartphone – or simply on any device you use to connect to the world of the internet. A VPN can even be installed on selected routers, which immediately protects all devices that connect through them. You will be protected whether you are working on your laptop, browsing the web on your smartphone, texting with friends, or online shopping.

3. How difficult is it to use a VPN?

It couldn’t be simpler. You choose your VPN service and payment frequency (for example, monthly or yearly). Immediately after making a payment online (with a payment card or cryptocurrency), you can download the software (client) for your devices and install it like any other application for a computer or smartphone. After that, you can connect directly from the application to any VPN server from around the world by pressing one button. From now on, you can consider your connection secure.

4. How much does a VPN cost?

Each VPN provider offers different monthly or annual plans. The advantage of an annual flat rate is that it comes at a much lower price than with recurring monthly payments. With multi-year subscriptions, you pay around 2 to 6 euros per month of use, which can save you up to 80 percent of the cost of your secure connection on average.

5. What are the best VPN services?

We regularly test dozens of VPN services on our site. Below you will find the top-rated VPN services for the current calendar year.

NordVPN TOP PRODUCT

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Surfshark VPN TOP PRODUCT

Premium VPN service with a discount of up to 87% for VPN365 readers

1,99 €15,45 € BUY Surfshark VPN Review

ProtonVPN TOP PRODUCT

Premium VPN service with a discount of up to 75% for VPN365 readers

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ExpressVPN TOP PRODUCT

Premium VPN service with a discount of up to 61% for VPN365 readers

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Príspevok The five most frequently-asked questions and answers about VPN services zobrazený najskôr VPN 365 DAYS A YEAR.

All you need to do is sign up with the VPN service provider of your choice, install their VPN apps on your devices, create a secure VPN connection, and then use the internet as usual.

Most VPN services offer software for all types of devices and operating systems, including Windows, Mac, iPhone, Android, and Linux.

There is also an option to install software on a router, which means that all devices connected to the router will automatically pass through the secure VPN connection.

Here’s a quick guide to signing up and using a VPN service:

Want to start using a VPN right away? We encourage you to try out the VPN services that have stood out in our tests and won the Excellent VPN Service award from us. The VPN services listed below offer great speeds, strong security, and have a number of other benefits available.

NordVPN TOP PRODUCT

Premium VPN service with a discount of up to 74% for VPN365 readers

2,99 €12,99 € BUY NordVPN Review

Surfshark VPN TOP PRODUCT

Premium VPN service with a discount of up to 87% for VPN365 readers

1,99 €15,45 € BUY Surfshark VPN Review

ProtonVPN TOP PRODUCT

Premium VPN service with a discount of up to 75% for VPN365 readers

2,49 €9,99 € BUY ProtonVPN Review

ExpressVPN TOP PRODUCT

Premium VPN service with a discount of up to 61% for VPN365 readers

4,99 $12,99 $ BUY ExpressVPN Review

VPN Guide – Part 1 – What is a VPN
VPN Guide – Part 2 – How a VPN works
VPN Guide – Part 3 – Why use a VPN service
VPN Guide – Part 4 – Security of VPN services
VPN Guide – Part 5 – Legality of VPN services
VPN Guide – Part 6 – Using of VPN services (you are here)

Príspevok How do I start using a VPN service? zobrazený najskôr VPN 365 DAYS A YEAR.

Some people wonder whether VPNs are legal or not. After all, the service allows you to become more anonymous in the online space, which can be quite useful for hackers or other internet scammers. If these people cannot be traced, it is much harder to punish them for any crimes. Nevertheless, this does not necessarily mean that VPNs are an illegal service.

On the contrary, many official companies and businesses work with VPNs and recommend their use. The European Union also supports the internet freedom that a VPN can give you.

There are a few countries that consider using a VPN illegal, but generally speaking, using a VPN will definitely not get you in trouble in most of the (democratic) world.

Exceptions include, for example, the United Arab Emirates, where the use of VPNs is currently banned. Some countries in the Middle East, such as Saudi Arabia and Iran, are wary of VPNs because they give people access to all the content on the internet worldwide.

Nevertheless, the laws in these countries generally do not prohibit VPNs themselves, but rather the use of VPNs to circumvent state censorship efforts.

This is also the case in China, where the government is beefing up its “Great Firewall” to block VPNs and websites. Russia is also trying to ban VPN use.

These measures often fail. This is simply because the VPN traffic itself can be hidden to make it look like normal HTTPS traffic. There are several VPN providers that can handle these limitations very well in their applications. These include NordVPN, Surfshark VPN and ExpressVPN.

Important Note: VPNs are commonly used by businesses around the world to secure their networks. We will never see a complete ban on all VPNs, as they are absolutely essential for the security of both businesses and individuals.

Can’t people use VPNs to do bad things? Of course. You can think of VPN as steel. Steel can be used for good purposes, such as building bridges, buildings and transport – but it can also be used to make bombs, weapons and tanks that harm people. A complete ban on the use of steel would be ludicrous, even if it is sometimes used for bad purposes.

The same logic applies to encrypting traffic over VPNs. Banks, businesses and other websites that handle sensitive data need to use encryption technologies every day to keep people (and their data) safe. VPNs and encryption are essential tools that we all need to use, even if some people abuse the technology.

Want to start using a VPN right away? We encourage you to try out the VPN services that have stood out in our tests and won the Excellent VPN Service award from us. The VPN services listed below offer great speeds, strong security, and have a number of other benefits available.

NordVPN TOP PRODUCT

Premium VPN service with a discount of up to 74% for VPN365 readers

2,99 €12,99 € BUY NordVPN Review

Surfshark VPN TOP PRODUCT

Premium VPN service with a discount of up to 87% for VPN365 readers

1,99 €15,45 € BUY Surfshark VPN Review

ProtonVPN TOP PRODUCT

Premium VPN service with a discount of up to 75% for VPN365 readers

2,49 €9,99 € BUY ProtonVPN Review

ExpressVPN TOP PRODUCT

Premium VPN service with a discount of up to 61% for VPN365 readers

4,99 $12,99 $ BUY ExpressVPN Review

VPN Guide – Part 1 – What is a VPN
VPN Guide – Part 2 – How a VPN works
VPN Guide – Part 3 – Why use a VPN service
VPN Guide – Part 4 – Security of VPN services
VPN Guide – Part 5 – Legality of VPN services (you are here)
VPN Guide – Part 6 – Using of VPN services

Príspevok Are VPN services legal? zobrazený najskôr VPN 365 DAYS A YEAR.

There are hundreds of VPNs on the market today. Even more so when you consider the free VPNs in stores like the Apple Store and Google Play. Unfortunately, most of these services – and especially the free ones – have flaws, bugs and problems that pose a threat to your security and privacy.

In other words, there are very few quality VPN services that you can be 100% sure will realistically protect you from data leaks on all of your devices.

For example, one interesting study found that 84% of free VPN apps for Android misuse user data. Many people already know that they should avoid free VPNs. Yet these dangerous apps continue to be used by millions of people around the world.

There are plenty of reasons to avoid free VPN services altogether:

• Embedded malware – malicious software (quite common with free VPNs)
• Hidden tracking – many popular VPN providers hide tracking in their apps to collect data about you
• Third-party access to your data
• Stealing internet bandwidth
• Internet browser infections
• Data leaks (IP address leaks, DNS leaks)
• Fraud (identity theft and financial fraud)

There are also some scam VPN services to watch out for that should be avoided. For example, they offer you a lifetime (one-time) subscription or take advantage of fake ratings, reviews or comments.

Security is the most important factor to consider when choosing a VPN. Your internet traffic is redirected and passes through the servers of your chosen VPN provider. This means that the service provider’s company could theoretically see everything you do on the internet (if it wanted to). That’s why it’s important to choose a trusted, reputable and high-quality VPN service that has ideally been audited by a third party to confirm that the service provided is secure and doesn’t retain any data about its users.

Finally, we can define two golden rules for choosing a VPN service:

Want to start using a VPN right away? We encourage you to try out the VPN services that have stood out in our tests and won the Excellent VPN Service award from us. The VPN services listed below offer great speeds, strong security, and have a number of other benefits available.

NordVPN TOP PRODUCT

Premium VPN service with a discount of up to 74% for VPN365 readers

2,99 €12,99 € BUY NordVPN Review

Surfshark VPN TOP PRODUCT

Premium VPN service with a discount of up to 87% for VPN365 readers

1,99 €15,45 € BUY Surfshark VPN Review

ProtonVPN TOP PRODUCT

Premium VPN service with a discount of up to 75% for VPN365 readers

2,49 €9,99 € BUY ProtonVPN Review

ExpressVPN TOP PRODUCT

Premium VPN service with a discount of up to 61% for VPN365 readers

4,99 $12,99 $ BUY ExpressVPN Review

VPN Guide – Part 1 – What is a VPN
VPN Guide – Part 2 – How a VPN works
VPN Guide – Part 3 – Why use a VPN service
VPN Guide – Part 4 – Security of VPN services (you are here)
VPN Guide – Part 5 – Legality of VPN services

Príspevok Are VPN services secure? zobrazený najskôr VPN 365 DAYS A YEAR.

You can think of this encrypted connection as a “protected tunnel” through which you can access all content on the internet. From the outside, it appears that you are at the location of the VPN server that you are connected to.

Such a connection gives you high-level online anonymity and high security, while giving you access to all content on the internet without any restrictions.

Without a VPN, third parties (your ISP, your employer, a hacker, government organisations, marketing companies, etc.) can find out exactly what you’re doing online, what sites you’re visiting, and where you are. All this via your device’s IP address.

Every device that connects to the internet has a unique IP address – whether it’s a computer, tablet or smartphone. With a VPN, you hide your real location (IP address) and get the location (IP address) of the VPN server you connect to.

Connecting to a VPN is generally quite simple. After you subscribe to your chosen VPN service, you download and install the software for your device. Then you just choose the server you want to connect to, and the VPN takes care of everything else.

Do you want to know the details? Once the connection is established, your data is transmitted through an encrypted tunnel.

1. The software from your chosen VPN service encrypts all data traffic on your device and sends it to your chosen VPN server over a secure connection. The data passes through your internet service provider, but is not readable due to encryption. The provider only sees that you are connected to the internet and transmitting some data, but it doesn’t see any details.
2. The encrypted data from your computer is decrypted by the VPN server.
3. Your data is then sent to the internet and the VPN server receives a response that is only for you.
4. The traffic is re-encrypted by the VPN server and sent back to you.
5. The VPN software on your device decrypts the data so that you can actually understand it and continue to use it.

VPN apps run in the background on your devices and have no impact on your work. They simply add another layer of security to your internet network.

Want to start using a VPN right away? We encourage you to try out the VPN services that have stood out in our tests and won the Excellent VPN Service award from us. The VPN services listed below offer great speeds, strong security, and have a number of other benefits available.

NordVPN TOP PRODUCT

Premium VPN service with a discount of up to 74% for VPN365 readers

2,99 €12,99 € BUY NordVPN Review

Surfshark VPN TOP PRODUCT

Premium VPN service with a discount of up to 87% for VPN365 readers

1,99 €15,45 € BUY Surfshark VPN Review

ProtonVPN TOP PRODUCT

Premium VPN service with a discount of up to 75% for VPN365 readers

2,49 €9,99 € BUY ProtonVPN Review

ExpressVPN TOP PRODUCT

Premium VPN service with a discount of up to 61% for VPN365 readers

4,99 $12,99 $ BUY ExpressVPN Review

Príspevok How a VPN works zobrazený najskôr VPN 365 DAYS A YEAR.

A VPN creates a secure connection between your devices and the internet. When you connect to the internet through a VPN, all your data traffic is sent through an encrypted virtual tunnel.

This results in a number of benefits for you:

• You will be more anonymous on the internet: your real IP address and location will be hidden.
• You will be safer on the internet: an encrypted tunnel protects you from hackers and cyber criminals and makes your device less vulnerable to attacks.
• You will be more free on the internet: using different IP addresses, you’ll be able to access websites and online services that would otherwise be blocked.

A virtual private network, better known as a VPN, protects your online activity and privacy by hiding your real IP address and creating a secure, encrypted tunnel to access the internet. No third party will be able to monitor your online activities.

In addition, you can achieve a new level of internet freedom by using servers in different countries to unblock geo-restricted content. After downloading the software, you can secure your device while accessing global content. All with one click in the app.

When you use the internet, your device is constantly exchanging data with other devices connected to the internet. Without realizing it, you often give websites and other prying eyes access to your real IP address (which reveals your real location), browsing history, operating system information, and other identifiers on your devices.

Without much effort, the following information can be found about you:

• IP address: [userip_location type=”ip”]
• Country: [userip_location type=”country”]
• City: [userip_location type=”city”]
• Latitude: [userip_location type=”lat”]
• Longitude: [userip_location type=”lon”]
• Internet provider: [userip_location type=”isp”]
• Internet browser: [userip_location type=”browser”]
• Operating system: [userip_location type=”os”]

A VPN service assigns you a new, anonymous IP address, reroutes your internet connection through a server on its network, and encrypts your data. This creates a secure tunnel between your device (e.g. smartphone or laptop) and the internet. It also masks your identity and online traffic, making it “invisible” to your Internet Service Provider (ISP), government authorities, marketing companies, hackers and other third parties.

A good VPN service will ensure that this sensitive data and all your online activity remains hidden from any third parties. Because you can choose which VPN server you connect to, it also helps you use the internet more freely by bypassing censorship or unblocking geo-restricted services. This includes various streaming services like Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Peacock, Hulu, Discovery Plus and more.

Want to start using a VPN right away? We encourage you to try out the VPN services that have excelled in our tests and won our Excellent VPN Service award. The VPN services listed below offer great speeds, strong security, and have a number of other benefits available.

NordVPN TOP PRODUCT

Premium VPN service with a discount of up to 74% for VPN365 readers

2,99 €12,99 € BUY NordVPN Review

Surfshark VPN TOP PRODUCT

Premium VPN service with a discount of up to 87% for VPN365 readers

1,99 €15,45 € BUY Surfshark VPN Review

ProtonVPN TOP PRODUCT

Premium VPN service with a discount of up to 75% for VPN365 readers

2,49 €9,99 € BUY ProtonVPN Review

ExpressVPN TOP PRODUCT

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Príspevok What is a VPN? zobrazený najskôr VPN 365 DAYS A YEAR.