A Beginner’s Guide: How to Protect Your Data and Connect to a VPN at Home
According to Cyber Risk Analytics’ Midyear Report, the first six months of the year 2019 saw more than 3,800 data breaches, which resulted in more than 4.1 billion records being exposed. This explains the widespread use of Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) not only in businesses, but also in homes.
A home VPN adds a layer of protection between you and Internet spies while also helping you access Internet content that would otherwise be unavailable.
How a Home VPN Works
Once you connect your personal computer, smartphone, or tablet to a VPN, the device adopts the same local network as the VPN as opposed to your Internet Service Provider’s (ISP’s) network. This means that all your network traffic passes through a secure, encrypted connection, letting you access local network resources safely.
Even in the unlikely event that your Internet traffic is intercepted when you are using a VPN, the data will be unreadable thanks to advanced encryption protocols.
How to Connect to a Personal VPN
Home or personal VPNs are different from a business VPN, as they are optimized for use by individuals and not corporations. A personal VPN can be used for a wide variety of purposes, including streaming movies from a different region, subscribing to services, processing financial information, or accessing blocked websites.
Personal VPNs are designed to be used by only a small number of people. This means that after installation, your network will need minimal to no maintenance.
There are multiple ways through which you can connect to a VPN from your home devices. They include:
Using a Third-Party Software
The fastest and easiest way of setting up a VPN in your home is by subscribing to a VPN service provider. This is the most popular option for people who want to stream or access content that they cannot normally access in their country.
There are hundreds of options available and a multitude of guides to support your search, but a sure-fire tip is to stay away from free services. Paying a few bucks a month will ensure you receive reliable security from a trustworthy provider.
Once you’ve conducted your due diligence and selected a VPN service, visit their website or app and you will get a download link to your personal computer or smartphone. Most popular VPN software is available for iPads, iPhones, Android devices, Mac, Windows PC, and Linux. Simply click on the download link and install. Once done, enter your preferred credentials and start browsing the web securely and anonymously.
Although every VPN software is different, most of them give you the option of selecting a server from anywhere in the world. This is useful for spoofing your location to avoid censorship or access content from different regions. If speed is your priority, select a server located close to you with high amounts of bandwidth.
Purchase a Router That Offers VPN Capabilities
If there are a lot of people in your home who will be using your personal VPN, it may make more sense to use a VPN compatible router. While setting up your home’s VPN through a compatible router is slightly more complicated, all devices in the home connected through the router will not need to be individually configured.
There are quite a number of routers on the market today, some of which come with pre-installed VPN servers. Once you buy one, log into it by keying in its IP address on your browser. You will need to be careful that you choose a router that’s compatible with your preferred VPN service.
Customize Your Own VPN Server
If you need more control over your home VPN, you can set up a dedicated server using an old PC. On your PC, download and install OpenVPN, an open-source software that provides high-level encryption and solid speed.
You will also need to install the software on your other devices, as you have to log in each time you want to gain access to your VPN. You can then configure your VPN by following the recommendations on the OpenVPN website.
Keep in mind that as you will be using a sole, centrally-located server, you will be unable to spoof your location with this method.
Don’t Browse Unprotected, Even on Your Home Network
We live in a digital age, and Internet connectivity is a necessity. While it has its fair share of advantages, cybersecurity and identity theft are hefty challenges that we need to be prepared to overcome.
Using a personal VPN is one of the best ways of securing your online data even when you are at home. Keep in mind that as with any other data security tool, it too has its limitations. Employ a full suite of security options, including antivirus and malware protection software, to minimize your risk of digital threats.
