We all hate it when we go onto Netflix hoping to find a specific show or film to watch, only to find out that, disappointingly, it isn’t available in your region. But even more frustratingly, it is available to watch if you’re sitting on the other side of the world in a different country. How does that work?
The use of a VPN is able to bypass a lot of these issues that we all run into online and makes watching movies a breeze, no matter where you are. It’s also great to use when looking at it from a security perspective because the signal is bounced around and won’t lead back to your actual IP address. Even better, you can use your VPN to play online, so you never run into any regional issues when wanting to play a particular multiplayer game with your friends! But how does this actually work? To find out more about all things VPN related, keep reading below!
What Exactly is a VPN?
VPN stands for ‘Virtual Private Network,’ and the name is pretty self-explanatory. It’s a network that is private to you, which means that you’re able to bypass any regional restrictions that may be applied to subscription streaming services or games. Thanks to installing a VPN, you can even ‘change’ the region or area that you’re in so that a wider variety of content is available to you.
When we say change your location/region, physically you’re in exactly the same place that you always were. But virtually, your IP address is encrypted, and any traffic that would typically come your way is rerouted somewhere else. Because of this hidden IP, you could be sitting in New York, but your location may be showing up within a city in Brazil!
Why Should I Use VPN?
If the name ‘Virtual Private Network’ doesn’t sound appealing enough, then there are definitely more reasons why you might want to download and use a VPN for your day-to-day use, whether that be for streaming and entertainment purposes, or simply just to make yourself a little more protected against unwanted external attacks, or anyone misusing your personal information through an unsecured public network.
Access to More Content
One of the most common reasons people use VPN is to avoid the problem we mentioned at the very beginning: to bypass regional restrictions that may have been applied to a particular show or film on any streaming service. By masking the IP and rerouting the traffic elsewhere, suddenly, all the shows that were inaccessible to you before, are now all available to watch at just the click of a button.
Having access to such a vast library of content means you can browse and see what’s trending and popular in other parts of the world, and may even introduce you to your next favourite film! Something you might not have discovered if you had stuck to your own region’s film choices.
Increased Security
Even if you’re not really interested in using a VPN for streaming purposes, the increased security that a VPN can offer you is also reason enough for you to want to use one for yourself. Your browsing history and data being used by third parties, advertisers, and random companies without any of this ever being in your knowledge is much more common than we realize, and many times our safety and online presence end up being compromised.
A VPN can help you solve a lot of this, especially if you’re someone who finds yourself working a lot outdoors, at coffee shops or anywhere that you think you’ll be using public wifi. There has been a much bigger call for awareness surrounding the risks when using public wifi networks and how you can use public wifi safely. A VPN can protect you from any external attacks from hackers or anyone misusing your information because all of it is encrypted and hidden, meaning that your browsing history, personal information, and any sensitive information that you may have entered are all safe and secure.
