VPN technology is been around for quite a long time and millions of internet users use this facility to accomplish many tasks. Being one of the most popular tools, VPN connections are associated with a considerable amount of myths and a surprising number of users believe in them. This article emphasizes some of the top VPN myths around for your reference.
- VPN connections are used to do something illegal online
A surprising number of internet users thoroughly believe that VPN connections are needed only to do some illegal activities online. As an example, some of them believe that the VPN connections are used only to access an online content that is restricted in their country or region. It is practically true that VPN connections do help you to do so. However, that is not the most significant benefit associated with VPN connections; the main purpose of using such connection is to stay away from potential intruders and safeguard your online privacy.
- All the VPN connections are terribly slow
It is true that VPNs with highly strong encryption protocols are slightly slower than the original speed of your internet connection. However, if you end up with a good VPN connection, you will experience a marginal slowness in the connection. The speed of the connection depends on several factors including bandwidth offered by the respective company and the distance from your workstation to your server. If you end up with a VPN that has a server closer to your geographical location and a good bandwidth allocation, you can experience a good speed.
- No need to go for paid VPN connection when we have free services
Free VPN is a very attractive tag line that can encourage many internet users. Although there are a plethora of free VPN services, they come with significant downsides. One of the most common and dangerous downsides associated with free VPN services is that they may collect your personal data instead of hiding them from the hackers. In fact, such VPNs make you provide your sensitive information in return for the service they provide. This is totally against the purpose of using a VPN. Also, free VPNs offer limited bandwidth, which will be too slow to watch videos and download heavier contents. Annoying ads are another downside of free VPN connection. So, it is always better to go for a paid service.
- There is no difference between different VPN services
Many internet users believe that all the VPN services are same. However, the truth is otherwise though; one VPN connection might differ to another on many fronts such as the server location, the bandwidth, the encryption protocol, price etc. Therefore, before you subscribe to a certain VPN connection, you should obviously check for the specifications and see if it matches your purpose. For instance, if the server is located far from your work station, you are likely to experience slowness in the connection because of the increased traffic and that might not be the best option if you need a speedy VPN connection.
- If you use a VPN, you are completely safe no matter what you do online
If you think that you are completely safe from potential cyber-attacks just because you are using a VPN connection, you are WRONG! You can be a victim of many other attacks including phishing, fraudulent emails etc. Therefore, it is very important for you to have a good understanding of the cyber security and have a virus guard installed in your device without solely relying on a VPN.
When you are looking for a VPN service, you will come across many options in the market. Some of these services are free while others are paid services. Opting for a free service sounds pretty worth at once, but you should know the consequences as we have mentioned in this article. Don’t make your decision solely depending on the price factor; you must always remember that you get what you pay for. Be sure to check all the aspects like the amount of bandwidth, the server location, the quality of the customer service, the uptime (reliability) etc. before you make the final decision.