what is a VPN and why do I need it? (2024)

Lawrence Finch

204,998 points

Stormybay wrote:

A VPN (Virtual Private Network) is a tool that helps you protect your privacy and security when you're online. It encrypts your internet traffic and routes it through a secure server, making it harder for anyone to spy on what you're doing online. VPNs are also useful for accessing websites and content that might be blocked in your country.

There are many good VPNs available, but here are a few that I recommend:

--Purchase--

ExpressVPN

NordVPN

Surfshark

IPVanish

--Free--

ProtonVPN

PrivadoVPN

Windscribe

Keep in mind that while free VPNs may be tempting, they often come with limitations and potential risks, such as slower speeds and less reliable connections. Paid VPNs usually offer more features and better performance, but they can be more expensive.

We hope this information helps you choose the right VPN for your needs. If you have any questions or need further assistance, don't hesitate to reply or ask for other ways of contacting.

(I added a link that might help)

The only “right” VPN is NO VPN, except for the uses posted by Rudegar. VPNs do NOT make you more secure; they make you less secure because there is a middleman who sees all your traffic, can make use of that information or sell it. And who can also be hacked. Free VPN especially should be avoided, because the VPN provider needs to make a living somehow, and that “somehow” is by selling your usage information. And even the paid ones aren’t that safe; for example, Avast a couple of years ago was caught selling their customer’s browsing information. The say they stopped doing so.

Your communications are already secure, even over public networks, because all content into and out of an iPhone is end to end encrypted.

If you want VPN for privacy about the sites you visit, that’s not a good choice as discussed; instead you should download and use the TOR browser.

With iOS 15.2and later for iOS/iPadOS and MacOS Monterey 12.2 and later Apple now has iCloud+ Private Relay, which is not VPN, but provides a safer browsing environment than VPN, and it doesn't spy on you→About iCloud Private Relay - Apple Support

KiltedTim

197,416 points

Using a VPN to access the Internet is counterproductive. It does NOT provide you with any additional security. It routes all of your Internet traffic through a single point, the VPN provider, who then has access to all of your data traffic.

VPNs are intended to provide a secure connection from your computer or device to a private network, such as your employer or school.

VPN providers prey on fear and paranoia by pushing their “service” to people who have bought into the hype. That’s how they make money. If the service is “free”, the situation is even worse. Remember, if the service is free, you are not the customer, you are the product they are selling…

Roysrun

13 points

I started using a VPN ( I have a choice from express VPN and Norton VPN) and I have tried both and it just doesn't work out.

For starters if you are using wifi calling over a VPN the person who calls you does not actually get through when I answer the call ( their phone keeps ringing even though I have answered the call)

Web searches have trouble loading.

I don't use a VPN now and I never will on my iPhone until something changes

Rudegar

171,480 points

I use VPN because of the reason it was invented, when I work from home the VPN make a tunnel across the internet making my computer be on the LAN network of my work place with access to work resources

Virtual private network - Wikipedia

other people use it to bypass censorship and blocking of material in the country one reside in, though while I connect to the VPN server on my workplace, these people rely on third-party VPN servers where one in some cases can worry about how much of ones data they sniff and collect.

Stormybay

19 points

A VPN (Virtual Private Network) is a tool that helps you protect your privacy and security when you're online. It encrypts your internet traffic and routes it through a secure server, making it harder for anyone to spy on what you're doing online. VPNs are also useful for accessing websites and content that might be blocked in your country.

There are many good VPNs available, but here are a few that I recommend:

--Purchase--

ExpressVPN

NordVPN

Surfshark

IPVanish

--Free--

ProtonVPN

PrivadoVPN

Windscribe

Keep in mind that while free VPNs may be tempting, they often come with limitations and potential risks, such as slower speeds and less reliable connections. Paid VPNs usually offer more features and better performance, but they can be more expensive.

We hope this information helps you choose the right VPN for your needs. If you have any questions or need further assistance, don't hesitate to reply or ask for other ways of contacting.

(I added a link that might help)

Lawrence Finch

204,998 points

Roysrun wrote:

While we are on the subject,do you know why I can't make successful phone calls while a VPN is active? Just curious 🤨

Because you have Wi-Fi calling enabled, and your VPN provider doesn’t carry Wi-Fi calls. Get rid of the VPN. And everyone gets spam calls. You aren’t being singled out. You are getting more spam calls now because coincidentally spammers have recently discovered a way around spam call blockers.

Roysrun

13 points

That's great, its bad enough with spammers being able to leave a voicemail message ( not that they ever do but they do get through to voicemail even when blocked) now we have to block the same number again and again.

I did get rid of the VPN, like you I don't see the need for one on today's smartphones android or iPhone. I was just playing around with it when I got this new toy Thanks for your response and help

Lawrence Finch

204,998 points

Roysrun

13 points

Ok thanks for that. I tried the spam blocker you mentioned but I couldn't get it to work. I think it's only good in the United states.

You did jog my memory though, I used to use an app called true caller so I downloaded the apple version. It did a great job with my android I quite forgot about it. 🤔 Old age addling this brain I suspect

Roysrun

13 points

I used to use it on my old Nokia Lumia phones but when I swapped to android I found that the phone filters were enough .

Fast forward to today and the lengths spammers go to well its come back into fashion I suppose .

It does the job

Roysrun

13 points

Lawrence Finch

204,998 points