What are the Most Important Vpn Features?
Are you worried about online privacy? Have you been looking for a way to make your traffic anonymous? If so, an encrypted connection is the most effective way of reaching online privacy and anonymity, thus circumventing censorship and geographic blocking.
The most appropriate solution for individuals searching for web anonymity is relying on a virtual private network (VPN) whenever they use the public internet. This software hides the search history, IP addresses, web activity, and geographic locations of users.
Nevertheless, it should be equipped with the right features, such as encryption, speed, secure protocols, firewall, blocking prevention, a kill switch, etc. If looking for the fastest VPN services, see the options provided by FastestVPNGuide.com, based on speed test results.
Have a detailed look at the most important features.
What is VPN?
It stands for a virtual private network whose purpose is to provide internet users with online anonymity when using a public internet connection. It masks the IP addresses of individuals in order for internet service providers (ISR) not to be able to trace their online actions. The encrypted connections provided by VPNs protect the privacy of individuals while performing online activities such as paying bills, sending emails, chatting with friends, shopping online, etc.
VPNs protect the privacy of users by creating a data tunnel between the local networks of individuals and an exit point in a distant location. The idea behind virtual private networks is to create an impression that internet users are in another location. VPNs hide the browsing history, IP addresses, locations, and web activity from ISPs.
Moreover, virtual private networks are excellent when it comes to hiding your browsing history. Internet service providers have insight into the online activities of users. The largest number of web browsers connect the browsing history of individuals to their IP addresses.
Nevertheless, a VPN is capable of hiding your search history, as it associates the web activity of users with the IP address of a VPN server. These servers can be anywhere in the world, meaning your online activity might originate from any of them. Visit this page for an explanation and example of an IP address.
Virtual private networks hide the IP addresses of users by assigning them other addresses that aren’t theirs. Consequently, you can search the internet anonymously and allow no one to view your search history. Also, a VPN protects your devices against cyberattacks when using a public network. Due to the power of encryption, the data you send and receive won’t be available to hackers.
Important VPN features
Given the increasing interest in online privacy and security, it’s no wonder the VPN industry is experiencing a boom. There’s a multitude of VPN service providers offering private network services of different quality. In order to make the right choice of service provider, individuals should look for the most important features of virtual private networks. These are the following.
Powerful encryption system
Encryption is an essential feature of VPN services, as it’s directly responsible for disguising data. Although most providers offer an encryption system, the level of encryption should be military-grade. There are supposed to be enough security layers to protect sensitive data from internet service providers and hackers.
Furthermore, encryption is especially important when entering sensitive data such as login credentials or credit card information. Therefore, make sure the service provider you choose offers at least AES encryption, either AES-128 or AES-256. The following link, https://www.huffpost.com/entry/10-things-you-need-to-know_b_8604570, includes ten things you need to know about encryption.
Speed
Even though it’s often overlooked, speed is unquestionably one of the most important VPN features. Users are supposed to be provided with maximum connection speed instead of experiencing bad connections while browsing the web. VPN providers offering this feature ensure users that third parties have no power over the speed of their internet connection.
Data encryption and sending information come with a drawback in the form of slower connection speed. The journey of users’ traffic to the final destination involves multiple stops represented by servers. The more VPN servers your traffic is routed through, the slower the connection.
Nevertheless, the most prominent VPN providers in the market rely on different techniques to minimize the loss of speed. The ultimate result should be a smooth internet experience without noticing any drop in speed. Keep in mind that a fast virtual private network enables individuals to stream, play games, download torrents, and browse the web without experiencing any difficulties.
Secure VPN protocols
Virtual private network protocols refer to the procedure of devices connecting to a VPN server. Even though there is a myriad of such protocols offered by providers, you should always look for the most reliable ones, such as OpenVPN, SSTP, IKEv2, L2TP, IPsec, etc. Reputable providers offer various VPN protocols to users before they connect to a server.
Unrestricted data transmission
Another significant feature to consider when choosing a VPN provider is unlimited data transmission. There should be no restrictions to your bandwidth, as well as to the amount of data transferred with your private connection. When the virtual private network connection isn’t limited, you can access any number of websites and types of content. You shouldn’t be concerned about saving your bandwidth every month.
Various server locations
Virtual private network providers need to provide users with numerous server locations instead of a single one. By connecting to different servers, individuals acquire their IP addresses while masking their own, thus appearing in another geographic location.
Respected VPN providers should have a vast range of worldwide servers located in different countries across the globe. While some providers offer access to servers only in Europe or the USA, others offer various servers worldwide. The more countries are covered, the lower the risk of overloading and poor performance.
Firewall
Not many providers offer a firewall as a VPN feature. Nevertheless, such a feature is more than welcome due to the additional security it provides to private connections. The firewall adds an extra layer of protection to your devices, protecting them from cyberattacks. Although private networks without a firewall are also considered secure, those with a firewall are ten times safer.
Moreover, it’s paramount for the service provider to offer multiple device support, meaning the software will be available on various gadgets. You are supposed to use any device without worrying about the protection. Therefore, make sure the service you choose supports mobiles, desktop computers, smart TVs, tablets, routers, game consoles, etc.
Blocking prevention
Another indispensable VPN feature to consider is blocking prevention. Since some countries still prohibit virtual private networks, you should choose a provider offering blocking prevention. This feature allows users to be connected to a VPN server without being detected by the country that prohibits private connections. Even if your government bans virtual private networks, you can still use such software.
A kill switch
A kill switch is yet another valuable feature to take into account. It’s an effective tool that suspends internet access in the event of a VPN connection failure. The kill switch is specifically designed to prevent the exposure of users’ IP addresses and online activity. When coping with connectivity issues, this information is immediately exposed to your ISP. Nevertheless, the kill switch ensures traffic is stopped until the user is reconnected to the server.
DNS leak protection
For those not familiar with DNS, it’s an abbreviation of Domain Name System. The role of this naming system is to translate IP addresses into webpage names and vice versa. Nevertheless, there is a potential risk of DNS leaks, referring to the requests sent to internet providers without going through virtual private networks first.
Consequently, your ISP will gain access to the site you are visiting even when using such a network. Although these leaks rarely happen, choosing a provider that offers such protection will keep you on the safe side.
Router support
The router support feature is incredibly convenient for everyone who wishes to install virtual private network software on all their devices. Instead of installing the software on each device separately, you only need to install it on the router. Hence, each gadget connected to the router will stand to gain from such protection. Users who wish to enjoy maximum convenience should look for a service with router support as well as have a compatible router.
Final word
Online anonymity is now possible with virtual private networks.
Give it a try!
