How a VPN Could Help You and How You Can Install It on Your Home Router
Are you worried about the ever-increasing threat of cybercrime? Or, perhaps you’re looking to get around the geo-blocking practices put in place by services such as Netflix. Either way, a VPN can help you with this and so much more.
With that in mind, the following article will take a closer look at how a Virtual Private Network enhances your online life. As well as this, we’ll delve deeper into how to install a VPN on your home router. So, without any further delay, let’s get to it!
Improved online privacy and security
Cybercrime is undoubtedly a huge issue that continues to affect millions of unsuspecting web users year after year – with the 2019 Official Annual Cybercrime Report indicating that ransomware attacks worryingly occur every 14 seconds. For that reason, there’s never been a better time to take precautionary measures to protect yourself.
So, if you’re looking to enjoy truly safe and anonymous browsing, the perfect solution comes in the form of a VPN. Encrypting your web traffic and masking your true IP address, a VPN ensures that any third-parties cannot intercept any of your personal information while preventing any other prying eyes such as the government or your ISP from snooping in on your web activity.
The ability to unblock websites and services
Over the last few years, there has been a huge increase in the number of websites and services implementing geoblocking practices. This can be described as any instance where a user is denied access to content due to their geographical location.
A perfect example of geo-blocking practices being implemented is Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and other streaming services who block user access to content if they aren’t based in a certain area of the world. Thankfully, a VPN helps you to get around this by allowing you to change your IP address to a country of your choosing.
So, if you’re based in the UK but would like to access the US version of Netflix, you can do just that with certain VPNs. However, one thing to bear in mind is that not all VPNs allow you to unblock websites and services as their servers have been blocked. Therefore, it’s worth checking out reviews and the website of services prior to making a purchase if you need a VPN for this particular purpose.
How to install a VPN on your router
Now that you’ve found out more about how VPNs are useful, one thing that you may be interested in is installing one on your router. If that’s something you’re hoping to do, then you’ll be happy to know that it is most definitely possible.
But, just what exactly are the benefits of installing a VPN on your router? Well, the main reason is that you’ll be able to enjoy all-round protection across each of the devices on your network. This removes the need to set up your chosen service across multiple devices and means that you won’t need to worry if there is a limit on the number of devices you are allowed per subscription. This makes it perfect for those who have multiple internet-connected devices in a large household.
However, the downside of having a VPN set up on your router is that you may experience a slowdown in your internet connection due to multiple devices being connected to the same VPN server at once. Not only that, but you’ll also have less flexibility when it comes to setting up your service. This is because you’ll need to follow a more complex process to get things up and running, and users of your network will also have to use the same VPN server.
So, it’s all about weighing up your options to decide whether or not installing a VPN on your router would be right for your particular needs. If you do decide to go through with it, just be aware that there’s no ‘one-size-fits-all’ process. Thankfully it’s possible to find step-by-step set-up guides for various VPNs scattered across the web.
One final thing to consider is that your router will need to support either DD-WRT or Tomato. The problem is that not all VPNs will support this as standard. You can get around this by either purchasing a router that is proven to work with this feature or check for firmware updates for your current router. Once you have taken this into account, simply gather specific information on your chosen VPN server, and then you can follow the instructions on how to configure your VPN router.
Conclusion
By this point, it should be clear to you that a VPN can be useful in more ways than one – particularly with regard to the points outlined throughout the article. But, if you’re looking to enjoy network-wide online anonymity and protection, installing a VPN on your router may well be the answer to your prayers.
