How to secure your internet connection with IPVanish

VPNs have many winning attributes that attract people to their powerful security tools. It's one of the main reasons that they've become so very popular in this day and age.

The ability to stream safely while travelling, protect sensitive work files on public Wi-Fi, and keeping browsing habits private from advertisers and data brokers all add to their allure.

But, while all those assets are useful, at its core a VPN is about web security, keeping your identity and browsing history secure.

By encrypting your traffic and routing it through secure servers, VPNs like IPVanish are there to add an essential layer of defence between you and the world wide web at large, thereby helping to secure your internet connection.

IPVanish: from only $2.19 per month

IPVanish has long been a reputable VPN provider that's packed with handy security settings and features. Despite the affordability of its plans, you still get the benefit of:

💻 Use on unlimited simultaneous devices
🎴eSIM data usable in 200+ countries
🌍 Ad, tracker, and malware protection

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How do VPNs secure your internet connection?

First and foremost, VPNs encrypt all of your internet traffic, scrambling it so that it's indecipherable to any potential interceptors. Sending everything through their secure servers, too, it should be practically impossible for anybody to get access..

These secure VPN servers mask your real IP address so you appear to be elsewhere, thanks to an assigned IP from the VPN. This not only helps shield your location but also your identity.

Some providers add even more layers to enhance security, including kill switches, DNS leak protection, and malware blocking. IPVanish is a great example, boasting plenty of features on top of its core VPN function.

What is IPVanish?

IPVanish is a US-based VPN provider that's been around since 2012.

The reputation it has built along that decade-exceeding presence in the industry is one of reliability, speed and security.

One of the reasons it's seen as a more trustworthy VPN, than many, is its clear, independently audited no-logs policy. This means it does not track or store details about your online activity.

As you may see in our in-depth review, this is a VPN that has a robust encryption and a comprehensive feature set. In particular, we lauded it as "a strong all-round VPN with plenty of features, high speeds, and better unblocking capabilities than most VPNs".

Beyond core VPN protection, IPVanish offers an array of additional tools designed specifically to secure your internet connection across devices and networks – a selection of which are highlighted and explained below:

How IPVanish secures your internet connection

Trusted Networks feature

IPVanish offers its Trusted Networks feature as a way to detect if your VPN should automatically connect or not.

So, if you're at home on your trusted home Wi-Fi network, you may not need your VPN to be up and running, leaving you free to connect to local streaming services, for example.

But when you're out and about, in a coffee shop or on airport Wi-Fi for example, you may want a more secure internet connection.

Switch this feature on in your IPVanish settings and the VPN will auto connect when you're on unknown or public connections. That should mean you're kept secure and private when online, exactly when it's needed most.

Kill Switch

If your VPN connection drops, you can be left exposed on public or private Wi-Fi. This is where a VPN kill switch kicks in, automatically turning off your internet connection.

This ensures you aren't accidentally online without your VPN protection active, leaving your data unencrypted and your identity potentially exposed to prying eyes.

DNS Leak Protection

If your DNS requests are not properly routed through an encrypted VPN tunnel, they may appear via your ISP, leaving you visible online to your provider.

By preventing DNS leaks, IPVanish keeps your browsing activity fully contained within the secure VPN connection.

Double Hop

Routing your data through one secure VPN is helpful but IPVanish's Double Hop (sometimes called double VPN or multi-hop by other providers) sends everything through two, adding an extra layer of encryption and ensuring you're even more well hidden online.

Choice of protocols

IPVanish offers a selection of protocols, so you can switch to engage the most effective option for your needs at that time and tailor your experience to suit speed, security, accessibility and more.

The provider offers all the usual protocols – OpenVPN, IKEv2 and IPSec – as well as the faster, stronger WireGuard.

Threat Protection

Some VPNs take protection further with features like threat protection, which are designed to block malicious websites, trackers, and online threats before they can load. This goes beyond encryption to help reduce the risk of phishing attacks, malware downloads, and intrusive tracking while you browse.

Now, IPVanish is going even further with this, launching Threat Protection Pro, offering "always-on security" that actively scans for threats on your device.

Secure Browser

The IPVanish Secure Browser comes as part of its Advanced plan to offer a safe browsing environment that minimizes tracking and enhances privacy.

Encrypted VPN traffic plus privacy-focused browser equates to more protection, which is ideal for sensitive sites or private online research.