A free VPN is all that you need for more privacy, more security and greater website access. A free VPN is great, isn’t it? Yes it is, because as most people say, “Why shell out ANY money when you can get a VPN that might do what you need it to do?” And they’re pretty much right. You can’t go wrong if you choose one from the list you just saw.
The benefits of a VPN…even a no-cost one.
These are the core/basic benefits of any VPN:
- Security. Provides a more secure, safe connection to the internet and keeps you safer from hackers, because of encryption
- Privacy. Hides your geographical location from the government and other snoops whenever you’re online.
- Access. Unblocks most geo-location internet restrictions, so you can watch sports and other media that you might be denied access to.
You must keep in mind that every VPN you don’t pay for has some shortcomings. It’s either going to be slower, or not always available, or just not as “polished” as you would want it to be. It’s free, but not perfect.
No matter—a free VPN will come through for you, especially when it comes to doing what it does best—hiding your actual location when you’re on the internet.
Hiding your IP address: The special trick that lets a free VPN do its magic.
A reputable free VPN reroutes your internet connection through a secure “tunnel” or path that’s designed to prevent hackers from penetrating the network and stealing usable data. That’s the “security” aspect that’s so valuable when using public Wi-Fi.
If anyone (like a government agency) tried to locate you by your actual IP address, they couldn’t if you had your free VPN on. They’d think you were located in the city and country where the VPN server is located.
How to sign up for and use a free VPN.
If you’re new to all this free VPN talk, it may seem a little intimidating, but signing up is straightforward and takes no special knowledge or equipment.Here’s how to get if for free:
- All you do is click on the link to their website
- Find the button that says GET TUNNEL BEAR NOW
- Click the TRY FOR FREE button on the next page (the download of the TunnelBear installation program will start immediately).
FREE VPN GLOSSARY
Access: Sometimes a website service such as sporting events (also see Netflix), will deny you access to their content because of your location (or geolocation).
Ads/advertising: Like other free online services (YouTube, for instance), advertising on the site helps “pay” for those using the service. Sometimes, you’ll come across a free VPN that forces advertising on their non-paying customers, while another free VPN does not.
Countries: You’ll see this come up in VPN write-ups. Depending on what you want from your free VPN, it’s nice to have the option of choosing a server in a different country, if you want to get around censorship or get around geo-location blocks.
Ease of use/user friendly:When free VPN reviewers give a service good marks for ease of use, take note. It means that, compared to other VPNs, this provider makes it easy for everyone (and especially beginners) to use their service.
Encryption:A VPN uses processes to encrypt(code/encode) all the data that travels through its networks so that the data is unreadable and can only be read (unscrambled) by the intended recipient. That’s important if your only available internet connection is the free public (unsecured) network at a hotel, airport, office or coffeehouse.
Conclusion
Almost every argument for using a VPN is also an argument against a best free VPN. Anonymous surfing, secure protocols, and sound video protection are only really guaranteed with premium services.
In addition, there are high bandwidths, reliable support, modern standards, and often global server coverage. Ultimately, with free VPNs you don’t pay with money, but often with your own data — and that’s what you really want to protect with a VPN service.
