You have probably heard of VPNs. Very popular in recent years, these services allow you to enjoy a completely anonymous and secure connection, masking your IP address or your geolocation. So you can browse the Internet without leaving any traces and without even your Internet service provider being able to track your activity. You can also bypass content restrictions like media timeline or country exclusive content.
How is it possible ? By connecting to a network of secure servers spread across many countries. Some VPNs have servers in over 90 countries, most of which are optimized for a fast connection. However, VPNs can be very handy, they still have limits and drawbacks and it is important to know about them to know if a VPN is right for you.
VPN: many advantages… but no drawbacks?
The benefits of a VPN are well known. By connecting to a VPN service, you can encrypt your Internet connection with just one click. Your computer connects to a server, and the server creates a secure, anonymous tunnel that allows you to browse the Internet in complete privacy. Thanks to this tunnel, it is possible to mask the IP address and choose the geolocation, which can have interesting consequences, for example, on booking sites that vary prices depending on the country. If a movie or series is not available on the French version of Netflix, simply connect to a server located in another country to take advantage of its catalog. When you’re at a train station or a shopping mall, you don’t necessarily trust the security of the public networks available. A VPN ensures that you have a secure connection at all times.
That said, VPNs also have drawbacks and limitations:
- Internet connection can be slow
- A VPN can be used for malicious or even illegal purposes
- Some VPNs do not necessarily respect their privacy policy and keep their logs or resell them
- The best VPNs are usually paid
Using a VPN can sometimes slow down your connection
A VPN involves connecting to a server that connects to the Internet. Adding this intermediary has a disadvantage: it slows down your connection, since the route is no longer direct and the VPN protocols and their encryption take their toll. This is especially true if you connect to a VPN to watch the international catalog of a service like Netflix.
If you want to watch a movie available on American Netflix, it must go through a server located in the United States. The much greater distance between your computer and this server will inevitably slow down the connection. That said, this is not always the case: most VPN services have reliable and fast protocols like Wireguard and its variants (NordLynx…). And of course, if you use a VPN to anonymize your traffic and go through the server closest to you, the impact will be less. However, for these reasons, it is not recommended to use a VPN for activities that require very low latency, such as online gaming.
Don’t use a VPN to do anything illegal!
In and of itself, there is nothing illegal about a VPN. You are completely allowed to use an encrypted server to connect to the Internet and you can browse the web without displaying your IP address or leading a site to believe that you are connecting from the United States, Japan or Germany. On the other hand, keep in mind that a VPN does not give you the right to engage in illegal activities that you might hide from your internet service provider. There are many benevolent uses of a VPN: protecting against data theft on public Wi-Fi, accessing a show from a TV catch-up service when on vacation abroad, hiding your IP address and other information from eyes of sites or services known for their lack of confidentiality… It is important to note that these services should not be used to cause harm to an individual or group of people.
High performance VPNs are often paid for
A VPN, most often, is distributed on a subscription basis. And inevitably, in addition to one or more streaming services, a cloud storage service, game console subscriptions, and why not an antivirus or office suite, it starts to do a lot. Unfortunately, this is how the VPN market is made, and you have to admit that if you want a high-performance VPN with lots of features and solid service, you have to pay.
Of course, there are alternatives, but be careful what you install in this case. Free VPNs are a reality, but they can be much more limited in their functionality, in the number of servers available and the speed at which they connect, and even in the size of weekly or daily traffic. A free VPN can be useful for very occasional use, but a paid VPN covers many more scenarios.
Free VPN can use and resell your data
You know the phrase: “When it’s free, the product is you!”. Free services need funding, and this sometimes involves the use and resale of personal data. Note that we are not saying that this is the case for all paid VPNs on the market. Some free VPNs are simply funded by paid subscriptions and offer a limited version of their services without necessarily selling data behind it.
However, in any case, it is very important to read the privacy policy carefully when subscribing to a VPN, free or paid, and clarify any points that may be confusing. Does the service have a strong no-logs policy? Do you use independent audits whose conclusions can be consulted? These are points that should not be overlooked, and that is why it is recommended to turn to the top paid VPN services whose reputation is well established.
The BFMTV newsroom was not involved in the production of this content. BFMTV is likely to receive compensation when one of our readers makes a purchase through the links in this article.
Source: BFM TV
