VPN Usage 101: Best Practices for Safe and Effective Use

VPNs are necessary as they provide an extra privacy layer, unblock geographically restricted content, and even circumvent your ISP’s (internet service provider) throttling restrictions. However, they can be complex to use at times, and often have an air of uncertainty. To help you steer clear of this and use your VPN without worry, we’ve created this guide that lists the best practices of using VPNs.

Choose the Right Provider

Your VPN’s effectiveness and safety largely depend on which provider you use. Consider these aspects when choosing a reliable online VPN service: 

• Check the VPN provider’s privacy policies; opt for a strict no-logs policy, which indicates that they don’t maintain online data records. 

• Pick a service that employs robust data encryption methods, like AES-256, for maximum safety.

• Research about the service’s reviews and user feedback to review their reliability and proven track record of performance. 

• Check if security organizations like KPMG and Cure53 have audited the VPN service to verify its claims for safety and reliability. 

Set Up Your VPN Account Right

Although simple, setting up your VPN account requires strong authentication for safe usage. Start by creating a complex password using letters, symbols, and numbers. Consider using a password manager to generate and store passwords. Lastly, set up multi-factor authentication to add extra security, and authenticate every time before logging in. 

Use the Kill Switch Feature

Almost every VPN service, especially prominent ones, has a ‘kill switch’ feature that automatically disconnects your device from the internet if your VPN connection drops. This feature is essential for safeguarding your data from unauthorized exposure, so turn it on in the settings section before you start using your VPN. 

Choose the Server Location Wisely

When you set up your VPN account, it will automatically select the best server. However, the best practice is to choose the location manually and smartly. Remember, proximity matters, so choose a server location geographically closer to your area for the best performance. Only choose specific locations when you need to access geographically restricted content. You can also experiment with various server locations to identify the one with consistent access and speed.

Steer Clear of Bundled and Free VPNs

Paying for a VPN may seem unnecessary initially, but remember that it uses and deals with your internet data. If a monthly subscription provides reliable VPN service and you require it daily, it’s worth the investment for data protection and hassle-free usage. 

Free VPNs are notorious for exposing users to bandwidth resale, data harvesting, and data breaches. Such providers are known to sell user data to advertisers or co-opt their network resources to botnets. Either way, it’s an invasion of privacy and potentially implicates the user in malicious online activities. Moreover, the low-budget nature of such VPN services typically means mediocre throughput speed, user experience, and security. 

Bundled VPN services aren’t too different either. They are also known for creating security risks; providers often use DPI (deep packet inspection) methods to monitor a user’s internet traffic, potentially exposing their online activities and VPN traffic. VPNs offer security benefits, so anything that doesn’t provide that isn’t worth your time. 

Use Your Browser’s Incognito Mode

Despite its security protocols, a VPN can’t protect you from all unwanted online tracking methods, especially cookies. Anytime you visit a website, it has cookies (which you can accept or reject), but some sites may not give you this option, which exposes your data to tracking. 

The best way to avoid this is to use your browser’s incognito mode before starting up your VPN, and then using the two together. This maximizes shielding against tracking and privacy breaches, no matter what website you are browsing.

Leverage Split Tunneling

Prominent VPNs also offer ‘split tunneling,’ a feature that lets you choose which apps your VPN should access and which shouldn’t. This feature is excellent for protecting the most vital types of internet traffic, like banking or shopping apps, and using everything else typically (connected to local networks) to ensure a faster connection speed.

In Conclusion 

Even the most premium VPN software cannot guarantee 100% security and effectiveness. Hence, to ensure seamless VPN usage, you can refer to these steps and stay worry-free about the safety of your online data. Remember to choose a trusted VPN provider to get the best possible experience!