Free VPNs software has been in use for many years. In fact, this popular way of providing secure communication across the Internet is one of the first resources that came into heavy usage when people started telecommuting. VPN software allows the user to utilize the Internet as a means of providing a secure connection to a business server or another resource that needs to be kept unavailable to the public at large.
If you started using VPN services for your work, you’re probably familiar with starting up the VPN and then logging in on whatever application you need to be secured via the virtual private network. There’s much more than this to a VPN, however.There are quite a few programs out there that promise users anonymity online. Many of them are free. These services are generally bound to one particular program or another.
For example, these programs sometimes anonymize your Internet surfing and require you to install a browser plug-in. The browser plug-in, however, only provides security when you’re actually using your Internet browser. If you hook up to a networked resource using another type of connection – such as an application, an FTP server, an e-mail client, and so on – you don’t have the anonymizing service.
VPN software is designed to route all of your Internet traffic through the secure tunnel. This means that any program you use, whether it’s your e-mail client or your gaming platform, is routed through the VPN network. Of course, a VPN network is not ideal for all applications. What it’s perfect for is any application that needs to have the communication it conducts with its server secured from prying eyes. This is why these programs are so popular with people who work from home.
To Use or Not to Use?
Because VPN software will work with any software you have installed on your computer, it’s usually a question of whether or not you need security that dictates whether or not you use the VPN software. Some people demand complete and total privacy and, therefore, they use their virtual private network for any and all Internet communication in which they engage. Other people aren’t quite so concerned about the security of some of their programs and only turn on the VPN when they’re using specific applications or when they’re communicating with specific servers. The choice is essentially up to you.
Make certain that you check any VPN services you’re interested in for their bandwidth rates. If you’re using an application or if you’re downloading information from the server, you want to make certain that the transactions can be conducted in an acceptable amount of time. Free VPN software tends to be a bit slower than the commercial versions. If you want to pick up an account at a VPN service provider, make certain you let them know what you’re using the service for so they can let you know whether or not they have a package that is more appropriate for your particular style of usage.
