Maintaining security when we connect to the Internet is something very important that we must take into account at all times. There are many wireless networks around us, but not all of them are secure. We can come across a Wi-Fi that is enabled simply for the purpose of stealing information. In this article, we are going to talk about portable VPNs and firewalls that we can use to protect ourselves and surf the Internet more safely.
Why it is dangerous to connect to insecure networks
Nowadays connecting to a Wi-Fi network is very common. We have many options at our disposal. We will find networks in airports, shopping centers, libraries … Practically in any public place where there are usually a lot of people. But of course, this also means that there may be insecure networks.
Hackers can set up a Wi-Fi network in order to steal user information . For example, view the browsing history, collect data, redirect traffic … All this can affect security and privacy when accessing the Internet with our devices.
To avoid these problems we can make use of certain tools. An example is a VPN , whose mission is to encrypt the connection and allow more secure browsing. They are really useful when we are going to connect to a public Wi-Fi that we cannot trust. This is to make the connection private and reduce the risk of problems.
Especially Wi-Fi networks that don’t have encryption or use outdated encryption could be a bigger threat. They may have been created as bait by hackers, but even a legitimate network could have been attacked and used to access other connecting computers.
However, beyond thinking only at the software level, we can also take physical devices into account. We are going to talk about it. We are going to explain what is a portable VPN and a portable firewall. Two types of physical equipment that could help improve our security when connecting to a network.
Portable Firewall and VPN, a Security Solution
We all know that there are many programs that can help keep the network safe . We can talk about antivirus, firewall, browser extensions … This is something that we can find for all types of operating systems, since there is none that is 100% safe and is free from suffering some type of attack.
Now, beyond computer programs, ultimately software, we must also think about hardware . There are devices that can help us improve safety in our day to day and even when we are traveling, since we can find portable options.
That’s where portable VPNs and firewalls come into play. Both teams help to improve security, to avoid risks when connecting to the network. We can even take them physically and use them anywhere. They serve as complements to security programs that we install and that we can use in our day to day on any device.
Portable VPN
A VPN is a very useful tool to protect your connections . They improve security if we connect to a public Wi-Fi network, for example, since it encrypts the content and prevents third parties from accessing the information and compromising our privacy. It is very common for us to install a VPN service on our mobile or computer, in addition to having extensions for browsers.
We also have the option of having a portable VPN . Basically it is a device that acts as an intermediary between our equipment and the Wi-Fi network we access. Let’s take as an example that we are connected in a cafeteria or an airport. They are places where there are many users every day and a hacker could create a network to attack.
A VPN device acts as a Wi-Fi router to connect us to the network more securely. This type of device has OpenVPN or TOR clients and allows you to improve security when browsing the network. The built-in firmware allows our devices to have an extra layer of security.
An example is GL-AR150 , a small device that is capable of becoming a secure Wi-Fi network so that we can connect from anywhere. They usually have a built-in battery, so we could even use it on a bus trip if we don’t have electrical connectivity available.
Within all the options we have, we can change the firmware and carry out certain configurations in these portable VPNs in order to further enhance security. Of course, we must bear in mind that the connection speed is going to decrease, something that happens whenever we use a VPN service.
This type of tool, whether software or physical, is the most advisable when we are going to connect to wireless networks that may be insecure. They will encrypt the connection and ensure that our data is safe at all times.
Portable firewall
On the other hand, we can also find physical firewalls and in many cases even their size allows them to be portable and to be able to take them with us to other places. Basically we can say that a firewall acts as an intermediary between a network and the Internet. For example, if we connect to the Internet from a computer, that firewall acts as an intermediary and blocks any possible insecure connections that may exist.
A firewall is going to have the mission of analyzing the data that leaves and enters a network, the possible requests that there may be. In case there is a request from an unknown or suspicious location, I would block it. It is a very interesting system to improve security.
Now, once again we have the option of also having a physical device . It is usually a computer that has several Ethernet ports (generally four) that allow us to connect our computer and be able to navigate protected.
The physical firewall will be in charge of filtering the packets that we receive and send and thus block those that may be insecure. We can configure it and create rules so that it can act according to how we are most interested. It acts in a similar way to how a computer program of this type would, always with the mission of improving safety when browsing.
In short, both VPNs and portable firewalls are devices that can be very useful as complements when it comes to improving network security. They can come in handy when we go on a trip and we want to connect to networks that can be insecure and keep our personal information safe at all times and, in this way, improve privacy.
