How to use a VPN

Once upon a time, virtual private networks were mostly used by employees who needed to access work networks from home or on the go—since then, they've come a long way. There are now hundreds of commercial VPNs available to just about everyone.

The best VPNs keep you safe online, protect your digital privacy, and can help unblock international streaming content—which is great, but might sound a little intimidating to VPN newbies. However, you don't have to be a tech expert to use one.

I'll show you a quick and easy way to get set up with your VPN and why you should invest in one in the first place.

Written by

Written by

River Hart

River helps take care of cybersecurity content on TechRadar—ranging from breaking news pieces, reviews, and buying guides.

What is a VPN?

In a nutshell, a VPN is a privacy tool that routes your traffic through a secure tunnel, where it's encrypted. This encryption prevents third-party snooping—so, your internet service provider (ISP), government, and any nosy cybercriminals won't be able to keep tabs on the sites you visit.

VPNs also assign you a new, temporary IP address based in a location of your choice. Connect to a server in the US, for example, and you'll be given a US IP address—and the sites you visit will think you're in the US, too. This is how VPNs can help bypass geo-restrictions and other blocks that might otherwise prevent you from checking out region-specific content.

How to use a VPN

Today's top VPNs make it incredibly easy to get up and running—no matter what device you’re using. Here's a whistle-stop tour of the process:

1. Pick a VPN provider

There might be hundreds of VPNs available, but they’re not all made equal. So, whether you want a super secure VPN or fancy bagging a bargain with a cheap VPN, make sure you stick to reputable services.

2. Download and install the VPN app

Once you've found your perfect match, head to the provider's website. Here, you'll need to decide on the length of your subscription and download the appropriate app for the device you're using.

3. Log in to the VPN app

Installation only takes a second or two—and your next task is to input the login information you created when signing up for an account.

4. Choose a VPN server

You're almost ready to go. In your VPN app, you can usually tap a 'quick connect' button to be automatically paired up with the best server based on your location. After a few seconds, you'll be connected and your data will be traveling through the secure VPN tunnel.

How to choose the right VPN server

As I mentioned earlier, most VPNs have a handy 'quick connect' feature that'll match you with what it thinks is the best server for you. However, there might be times when you want to take matters into your own hands—if you want to access content from a specific region, for example, or find a server that’s closer to your current location and, therefore, a little quicker.

Severs are typically organized into lists; some VPNs let you rifle through them via a search bar and some even have servers dedicated to specific tasks, like unblocking streaming platforms, gaming, and torrenting. NordVPN has a pretty nifty interactive map that you can use to click on the location you want to connect to.

Why use a VPN?

So, now that we've gone over the setup process and how to pick out a server, you might be wondering why VPNs are worth using in the first place. There are plenty of reasons—and here are my top picks:

Protect your privacy

Okay, let's start with the big one—VPNs are, by design, tools that improve your online security. When your data runs back and forth through the secure tunnel connecting your device to the VPN server, it’s encrypted, and unreadable to anyone who might try to take a peek. That means any sites you visit, any files you download, and any apps you use will remain private.

Stay safe in public

Public Wi-Fi hotspots (the kind you find in airports, cafes, and hotels) are pretty handy—but they’re also notoriously dangerous. They're often unencrypted and lack security measures, which means your data is pretty much served up on a silver platter to any opportunistic hackers waiting for you to log in to an app, make a purchase, or share other sensitive details.

Luckily, VPNs put a stop to this by funneling your data through a secure, encrypted tunnel, keeping those nosy third parties at bay.

Unblock content

You're probably already aware that streaming platforms, like Netflix, offer different content libraries in different countries. This is down to licensing agreements—but it means that some of your favorite shows might not be available in your current location.

Lots of people are now using VPNs to expand their digital horizons and bypass these restrictions. Connect to a server overseas and you’ll be assigned an IP address based in that same place—it’s a process called 'geo-spoofing', and it’s how you fool Netflix, BBC iPlayer, and other sites into thinking you’re somewhere else in the world.

Supercharge your speed

ISP throttling is a particularly annoying technique that your ISP can leverage if it thinks you're using up too much bandwidth. For instance, if you're streaming a lot of HD content or torrenting. A VPN can prevent this, however, by encrypting your data, meaning your ISP won't be able to monitor your data usage. If your ISP doesn’t have a clear picture of what you're doing, it can't hit the breaks, and you'll be able to continue your marathon of The Office uninterrupted.

Secure downloads

Peer-to-peer (known as P2P) is a perfectly legitimate way to share and download files—but it does have a bad reputation. That's because certain protocols, like BitTorrent, are often used to share copyrighted files.

Your ISP might decide to throttle P2P traffic or block it altogether, and when you're connected to a P2P network, your IP address is visible to other connected 'peers'. As you can imagine, this isn't totally secure. VPN encryption stops your ISP from filtering out specific traffic, like P2P, conceals the contents of your downloads, and means that other users connected to your network will see the VPN's IP address—and not yours.

Engage gamer mode

Concealing your original IP has other benefits, too—especially if you're an avid gamer. Some players, sore losers, and all-around vibe vampires can try to overwhelm your home network with traffic—AKA, a DDoS attack.

If any of these dweebs try to do this while you’re hooked up to a VPN, however, they'll be attacking the VPN servers rather than your home connection, and you can simply switch servers and carry on your way.

Our top VPN recommendations

1. Our top VPN recommendation: NordVPN
Coming out on top thanks to its great content unblocking capabilities, huge range of servers and amazing connection speeds is NordVPN. NordVPN is also amazing for security, with malware protection and ad blocking included as part of your VPN.

Plus, you can try out Nord risk-free using its 30-day money-back guarantee.

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2. A great VPN for beginners: ExpressVPN
ExpressVPN's easy-to-use apps make it an excellent choice for VPN novices. On top of this, it offers great connection speeds and security, with a verified no-logs policy.

While it may be more expensive than other VPNs, ExpressVPN is currently offering an extra 3 months free when you sign up for a 12 month subscriptio, plus one year's free secure cloud storage from Backblaze. It even has a 30-day money-back guarantee, so you can see if it's right for you without committing.

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3. The best budget VPN: Surfshark
Surfsahrk is a great option if you're in the market for a VPN that won't break the bank, with prices at just around $2 a month on its two-year plan. Cheap does not mean fewer features, though, as Surshark has built-in antivirus and ad blocking. Not only this, but Surfshark offers you unlimited connections, meaning you can use it across all your devices.

With a 30-day money-back guarantee, Surfshark even lets you try it out risk-free.

FAQs

Edited by

Edited by

Andreas Theodorou (MRes, BA)

As a digital privacy advocate and expert, he's spent the past four years leveraging his master's degree to research VPNs, cryptography, and other cybersecurity topics.