You hear about it more and more – computer and network security. A network breach will make the news, and the conversation about computer security comes back to the spotlight. One break of a company’s system puts millions of users’ data at risk.
Interestingly, there is more to computer and network security than that. As a traveler, you most likely utilize public networks to gain access to the internet. How often do you connect to the airport Wi-Fi while traveling, or the local coffee shop to check the internet? Those public networks typically are not secure. Although you get the same benefit as you would surfing the web at home, you do not have the password protection. As soon as you connect, all of your data and what you do on online becomes vulnerable to peering eyes and hackers.
Add one more issue to the mix – geo-restrictions on particular web services. If you travel a lot, you have probably come across a network that has blocked you from using their services due to your location. That is called geo-restriction and can be quite frustrating for travelers.
There is a solution that resolves all of these issues. It is called a VPN (Virtual Private Network). A trusted VPN source will protect your information while you are connected to a public network, as well as give you access to blocked content while traveling.
How a VPN Works
Once connected to a public network, your device sends data across the network to load what you see on your screen. However, what you don’t see is how vulnerable your data is as it travels through the network.
Think of what it feels like walking down a busy road. Every driver has clear access to what you are doing. They can follow you to your end destination and continue following you back to your home.
Now imagine there is an underground tunnel for pedestrians. Although you are still taking the same path as before, the tunnel now covers you. No commuters can see where you are going and what you are doing. You are essentially invisible.
A VPN works similarly. Without one, your data is visible to anyone peering into the network (hackers, government, anyone other than you). When you enable a VPN, it creates a tunnel for your data to flow through, just like the walking tunnel. Now your data is covered and encrypted so that outside eyes cannot see, and steal, your information.
Essential for Travelers
When linked to free Wi-Fi, you cannot guarantee the network is what it honestly says it is. Anyone can change his or her network name to whatever he or she feels like. So, say you are doing work at a Starbucks. Just because a Wi-Fi connection says Starbucks, that doesn’t mean it actually is theirs.
Public Wi-Fi has no form of authentication when establishing a connection. It is completely open and vulnerable. Once logged on, a hacker sitting right next to you can access all of the information on your device. If you like to access services like online banking, that information is detrimental if stolen.
What makes a VPN quite appealing for travelers, besides the security benefits, is getting past geo-restrictions. Many web services block people accessing their content from outside designated regions. You will find this quite often with streaming services, but regular internet websites will do this, as well. There may be many reasons behind the geo-restriction, including legality and operating costs. When you connect your VPN, it will automatically bypass the geo-restrictions and give you full access to the content.
So, if you like to travel around, whether it be for business or pleasure, you want to have a VPN with you. Protect your information from malicious attacks. Gain access to blocked content that you would otherwise not be able to use. Don’t let yourself fall into a vulnerable situation where you end up having data stolen and compromised.
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It doesn't matter whether you're just a traveler or a businessman. You must have a VPN service installed in case you're packing for a trip abroad. Why? Not all countries are so liberal about Internet freedom. While your country is providing full access to most popular websites and social networks, the other part of the world has expressly forbidden them. Among those countries with a high level of the Internet, censorship are China, Qatar, Iran, Uzbekistan, Vietnam, Belarus, Russia, Thailand, etc. So, what is the way out?
If you connect to a VPN service and have vpn software installed on your device, you won't have any problems accessing your favorite Internet content. It should be done in advance, as those countries mentioned above block not only social and political media content but also VPN services provided on the Net. So, if you decide to install a VPN after arriving in the country you're traveling to, this strategy will probably fail.
If you're not using a VPN while traveling, you're browsing the Internet wrong.
Why Do You Need VPNs on The Road?
As we have already mentioned, both travelers and businessmen can't go anywhere without a VPN, especially when traveling abroad. Why?
If you're putting most of your private and professional data in the cloud, you have to ensure that you're doing it 100% securely to avoid your data being stolen by hackers. Strong passwords and antivirus programs are not enough today to fully protect your devices. If you have multiple business trips all year round, you know how difficult it is not to use public networks somewhere in the airport, cafe, or hotel. And those are the places where using your devices makes them very vulnerable because of unprotected WiFi signals.
It Is High Time For A VPN
A VPN provides a tunnel, which is the connection between your smartphone/laptop and the Internet it comes through. A VPN encrypts all data, making it invisible to other people in the public network. You still can browse the Internet, answer the emails, receive messages in social media, and make banking operations. The only difference is that people outside your VPN tunnel can't see what you're doing. Your location will be hidden, too. The VPNs change the IP addresses of your smartphone, tablet, or whatever device you're using. For example, in one of the most Internet-banned countries – China – you can change the location saying "I'm not in China, I'm in the UK" while being still in China. The same way you get full access to your favorite websites, which are blocked in those countries. The only downside of using a VPN is that the speed of connection and uploading might be a little bit slower.
And now let's talk about the country with the highest level of Internet censorship in the world: China.
VPNs and the Internet in China
A number of websites are not accessible when you're using a standard Internet connection in China. To make it clear to you, we're going to name some of those banned web pages. In China, you cannot connect to:
So, what services are the best to use? Best VPN services to use in China are:
If you connect to a VPN service and have vpn software installed on your device, you won't have any problems accessing your favorite Internet content. It should be done in advance, as those countries mentioned above block not only social and political media content but also VPN services provided on the Net. So, if you decide to install a VPN after arriving in the country you're traveling to, this strategy will probably fail.
If you're not using a VPN while traveling, you're browsing the Internet wrong.
Why Do You Need VPNs on The Road?
As we have already mentioned, both travelers and businessmen can't go anywhere without a VPN, especially when traveling abroad. Why?
If you're putting most of your private and professional data in the cloud, you have to ensure that you're doing it 100% securely to avoid your data being stolen by hackers. Strong passwords and antivirus programs are not enough today to fully protect your devices. If you have multiple business trips all year round, you know how difficult it is not to use public networks somewhere in the airport, cafe, or hotel. And those are the places where using your devices makes them very vulnerable because of unprotected WiFi signals.
It Is High Time For A VPN
A VPN provides a tunnel, which is the connection between your smartphone/laptop and the Internet it comes through. A VPN encrypts all data, making it invisible to other people in the public network. You still can browse the Internet, answer the emails, receive messages in social media, and make banking operations. The only difference is that people outside your VPN tunnel can't see what you're doing. Your location will be hidden, too. The VPNs change the IP addresses of your smartphone, tablet, or whatever device you're using. For example, in one of the most Internet-banned countries – China – you can change the location saying "I'm not in China, I'm in the UK" while being still in China. The same way you get full access to your favorite websites, which are blocked in those countries. The only downside of using a VPN is that the speed of connection and uploading might be a little bit slower.
And now let's talk about the country with the highest level of Internet censorship in the world: China.
VPNs and the Internet in China
A number of websites are not accessible when you're using a standard Internet connection in China. To make it clear to you, we're going to name some of those banned web pages. In China, you cannot connect to:
- Google Maps
- YouTube
- Blogspot
- Vimeo
- SoundCloud
- Bloomberg
- AllMovie
- Reuters
- The Economist
- etc,etc,etc too long of a list to include them all
So, what services are the best to use? Best VPN services to use in China are:
- ExpressVPN
- AirVPN
- VyprVPN.
So, make your Internet a lot safer by using a good VPN, especially when traveling all over the world.