Do I Need a VPN at Home?

“Do I need a VPN at home?” This is one of the most commonly asked questions, especially for all those who work from home. The short answer would be that yes, a Virtual Private Network does offer a great deal of benefits, even if you’re using the internet at home. In fact, most users who surf the internet at home are often more at risk due to the lack of security infrastructure.

There are a lot of potential risks that you could encounter, and a VPN is one of the safest ways to be rid of them.

Table of contents

• What is a VPN?
• Do I need a VPN at home?
• Reasons to use a VPN
• Do I need a VPN for my smartphones and other devices?
• Are VPNs good for business or remote work?
• Do I really need a VPN?
• How to choose the best VPN
• How to use a VPN
• Conclusion

What is a VPN?

A VPN, short for Virtual Private Network, is a security software. It’s designed to create a secure connection over the internet, protects data running from your device passing it through an encrypted tunnel and then sends it to the internet or any user-end device. Every VPN offers virtual servers that you can connect to, which shields your physical IP address with a new one. It’s why we recommend using iProVPN to secure your connection over the internet, wherever you may be, even from the comforts of your own home. Plus, there are requirements for users to access geo-locked content, which is something a streaming VPN can help with. For a full and better understanding of what a VPN is and how it works, head over to this guide.

Do I need a VPN at home?

Yes, you do need a VPN at home. In the age where cybercrimes are at an all-time high, a VPN is one of the best ways to protect yourself, your data and your device from anywhere in the world. With a VPN, you will be able to encrypt your connection, passing all traffic through a secure and private tunnel. Using any one of the VPN’s servers you will be able to geo-spoof your location. Other than that, there are many reasons as to why you need a VPN. Take a look below to get a better idea.

Reasons to use a VPN

As mentioned above, there are many reasons as to why you need a VPN. Apart from a VPN being used to spoof your location, there are many other reasons why you’d need one in general.

Here are some of the reasons to use a VPN:

• Gets you past geo-blocks and restrictions

There are many users who want to access streaming services that offer the best movies and TV shows. The sad reality is that most of the streaming services available or that are popular are often subjected to geo-restrictions or geo-blocks.

For starters, if you’re trying to access a service like Netflix, you’re going to need a new IP address, one where Netflix is allowed. Then, on the other hand, there are many libraries to access, and again they’re only accessible in certain regions. If you connect to a VPN’s US IP address, you will be able to access the US Netflix library. In this way, a VPN allows you to change your Netflix region and so on. This is just one example, there are many streaming services, apps, or websites that are accessible with the help of a VPN.

• Protects you from potential cyberthreats or cyber crimes

In times of the pandemic, which hit the world back in 2019, almost 99% of the population resorted to work from home. Because everything was online, there was a sudden spike in cybercrimes or attacks. Regardless of whether you’re discussing business, personal bank details or even using Facebook, everything is susceptible to cyberattacks.

A VPN will keep your connection and data private, secure, or anonymous. iProVPN offers some of the best security features to give you the online freedom that you need – even from home. Other than that, a VPN protects you from free WiFi or unknown networks.

• Safeguards all your devices

Almost all the devices you are in possession of, whether it’s your smartphone, your router or your smart TV, all need protection and security from potential threats. A good VPN will help secure all your devices from external threats, especially when downloading malicious apps or entering unsecure websites. iProVPN offers protection for numerous devices.

• Prevents data logging and surveillance

With the amount of days you spend online, and the number of websites you visit in a day, there will always be one circumstance when you enter a website that could be malicious or vulnerable to cyberattacks. Websites or apps often log user data, and use them in different ways.

The same also applies for your ISP (Internet Service Provider). Do you have any idea the kind of data or personal information tracked, surveillanced and logged by your internet service provider? When you connect to your VPN, your ISP won’t be able to monitor your web-traffic nor tab into your search history.

• Bypass ISP throttling (speed and bandwidth)

As mentioned in the point above, your ISP often monitors the kind of information you have online. Along with that, your internet service provider can also meddle with how fast your internet speeds work, and also limit the bandwidth you can use. A VPN helps bypass ISP throttling and more!

These are just the tip of what a VPN can do for you. It’s why we recommend using iProVPN for a better and secure internet.

Do I need a VPN for my smartphones and other devices?

There is no hard and fast rule to use a VPN, but it is highly recommended. Our smartphones are completely equipped with the best security to protect your data and device. The amount of apps we download and with the websites you visit, your smartphone needs more security.

When you use the WiFi on your phone, you might sometimes forget to switch it off while traveling outside the house. You could accidentally connect to an unknown and unsecure WiFi network. It takes a few seconds or minutes at the very least for anyone to compromise your device through an unsecure internet source.

Plus, most of us use banking apps on our smartphones. If you’re not protected with a VPN, your logging and other banking details can easily be compromised. It doesn’t just stop there. You need to be aware of identity theft through hacking and phishing scams through various forms. A VPN can help secure you against these threats.

Are VPNs good for business or remote work?

A VPN is among many tips recommended for work from home security. Since you’re working from home, the security levels are not the same as those at the office. You don’t have a full team of IT specialists present to take care of security issues that you encounter. It’s why you need to take precautions into your own hands and using a VPN is one of the best ways to start.

When working at home, you’re carrying large files of office data, most likely stored on your personal or corporate devices. Cyber criminals usually attack large corporate and smaller businesses on their radar. If they get access to everything on your device or system, it could lead to bigger fish.

A VPN is the best for both large and small businesses. Configuring a VPN on your router will help protect all the devices that are connected to it. It makes it a little tactful for criminals to steal any data or hack you.

Other than that, a VPN is also great for business to thrive. It has helped employees stay connected over a secure and remote access network. VPNs also help business executives stay connected and access their email accounts and other official apps while traveling to countries that restrict access to them.

Do I really need a VPN?

It’s a fact that no VPN is 100% secure, in fact, there is not a single software that is completely reliable. However, there are a couple of VPNs in the market today that are reliable enough to give you the best security and privacy online.

iProVPN is designed to give you the best experience online and that is inclusive of security protection. Using a VPN in general helps protect your personal information of every kind, ranging from your contacts, emails, passwords, messages, calls and much more!

You might assume the coast is clear using your home router or WiFi, but that’s far from true. Home networks are much more susceptible to hacking or cyberattacks. Using a VPN on your router will automatically make things 99% safer than what it was before. Also, did you know that a criminal can track and hack all IP addresses that are connected to your home network, if left vulnerable?

So, to answer your question of whether you really need a VPN – Yes, you do. Not using one comes with its own set of risks, but using one can help lower threats.

How to choose the best VPN

Now, here comes the big question, how do you choose a VPN? We all know that there are many VPNs in the market off late, and some newer additions have cropped up. But, how do you know which one is the best and which one actually works reliably? There is a particular checklist that you should go through. It will give you a better idea of how to choose a VPN. Take a look below:

• Choose a VPN that offers AES 256-bit encryption. There are many other security features to look into like a Kill Switch, IP and DNS leak protection or an Ad-Blocker. iProVPN offers all of this and more!
• Go for a VPN that offers a no-logs policy. Since most websites and apps log user information, a VPN needs to be strong enough to keep all your data and digital footprints safe. At the same time, make sure the VPN itself doesn’t log your data.
• Which brings us to a VPN’s headquarters. Choose a VPN that is located in a privacy-friendly region away from any 14-eyes regions – free only surveillance or online monitoring.
• The VPN must offer servers that are able to access geo-restricted or blocked streaming services, apps and websites.
• Make sure the VPN you choose offers protection to multiple devices and allows simultaneous device connections.

With iProVPN, you can make the internet at home much safer to use. You could always go through the multiple iProVPN reviews for reassurance.

How to use a VPN

Not sure how to use a VPN? Here’s how you can get started:

• Subscribe to iProVPN and create your account.
• Download and install the VPN on your device. You could run it on your router to secure a maximum number of devices at home.
• Launch the app.
• Connect to any server.
• That’s all!

To conclude

So, to answer your question of whether you need a VPN or not, yes, you do! The guide shows you a detailed explanation of why you need a VPN at home or a VPN in general. It secures you, helps you bypass ISP throttling and surveillance, makes sure your connection is private, and allows you to unblock numerous services right from your home.

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