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More Internet users like yourself subscribe to Virtual Private Network (VPN) services these days to advance their online privacy. Not only do VPNs help with security in the face of escalating cybersecurity threats, but they also open more entertainment options by helping users circumvent geo-blocks. VPNs are also handy for travelers who need to safely use unsecured public WiFi or access their PayPal accounts while away from home.
But while using a VPN can be vital, it’s also crucial to find a reputable service. Unfortunately, many free and even some paid VPNs employ one or many of the following shady practices:
- Snooping:They may secretly spy on you to share your browsing activity with advertisers or more dangerous threat actors.
- Throttling:Some free VPNs deliberately throttle your Internet speed to sell you upgrades.
- Stealing:Researchers busted VPN services like Hola for selling their user’s bandwidth.
- Malware injection:Experts suspect that many VPNs infect users with malware like viruses, adware, spyware, Trojans, and even ransomware.
So, instead of relying on any service, pick a good one that has the best VPN reviews, is reputable, and offers a trial. In addition, find a company that uses the latest technology, like the WireGuard protocol, to avoid VPN ransomware attacks. As you probably know, multiple ransomware strains spread through obsolete VPNs or VPNs with vulnerabilities.
Once you select a VPN, start your trial. You’ll need to download the VPN client to connect to the VPN server. Through the server, you’ll connect to the Internet with a virtual IP address. The technology should also encrypt your data.
Is your VPN hiding your IP address?
You can also take advantage of your VPN trial to see if the service is satisfactory. To get the most out of your trial, you should learn how to check if your VPN is working well.
- Start by launching Google in your browser and searching for your IP address.
- Copy and paste this unique numerical string and activate your VPN.
- Search for your IP address again.
- Your VPN is hiding your IP address if you see a new one on a search engine.
Is your VPN leaking?
A poor VPN may leak your data. Not only should you run the IP leak test mentioned above, but you should also check for DNS and WebRTC leaks on websites like DNSLeaktTest and browserleaks.com.
Is your VPN slowing down your Internet?
Look for an Internet speed test on Google and check your download and upload speeds. Now, start your VPN and rerun the test to compare the speeds. Modern VPNs only have a marginal impact on Internet connections. So, try a less crowded and nearer VPN server if the speed is too slow before turning to a different service.
After ensuring that your VPN is top-quality through the VPN trial, you can confidently subscribe to the VPN service and boost your online privacy.
