Welcome to the world of VPN where fiction and facts are inseparable. Myths and misconceptions around VPNs aren’t new. While many people think it’s immoral to use a VPN, some think a VPN will make them disappear on the internet.
Nonetheless, we’ve seen a rise in VPN users over time. However, more and more myths related to VPNs have become the town’s talk. Perhaps, it’s time to debunk these myths so you can know what exactly a VPN can do, and what are its limitations. Read on to learn the myths you always thought were true.
Myth 1: VPN Will Greatly Slow Down Your Internet
Myth 2: Free VPNs Are Just as Good as The Paid Ones
Myth 3: VPNs are Used for Illegal Activities
Myth 4: A VPN Will Disappear You from the Internet
Myth 5: My ISP Won’t Know How Much Data I’m Using
Myth 1: VPN Will Greatly Slow Down Your Internet:
When you’re connected to a VPN, all the traffic is routed via a VPN’s server. The data first reaches the VPN server where it is decrypted and then finally sent to its intended location, i.e. your device.
For that extra mile that a VPN covers to secure your privacy, your internet speeds may slow down a bit. The VPN server you’re connected to may also play a crucial part in slow internet speeds.
However, premium VPNs often provide more servers with less traffic. In fact, you may not even feel the slightest change in the internet speeds when connected to a paid server.
Also, keep in mind that your Internet Service Provider(ISP) also has a role to play here. If it’s sluggish, then even a premium VPN will get your goat, for sure.
To use any VPN seamlessly, you may need a connection with extended bandwidth. For instance, Xfinity’s internet is a reliable option that provides exceptional bandwidth to its users and helps them with uninterrupted data transfer, to and from the VPN server. Xfinity customer service can guide you more about the data limit and overage charges.
Myth 2: Free VPNs Are Just as Good as The Paid Ones:
If you’ve only used a free VPN, you might not know what a premium version brings to the table.
A premium VPN is nothing like a free version. Here’s why:
Firstly, you don’t get to see ads on a paid VPN. Secondly, some of the best VPN servers are exclusive to premium users. This way, premium users don’t need to hop from one server to another in search of greater speeds.
Furthermore, free VPNs don’t always guarantee impeccable online privacy. Some free VPNs may steal your data and sell it to advertisers.
Myth 3: VPNs are Used for Illegal Activities:
To say that VPNs are only used by hackers and scammers to wreak havoc online is far from the truth. VPNs may be forbidden in some countries, which have quite sturdy online content censorship. As VPNs can help you access censored websites and information, governments may ban VPNs altogether.
However, there are many permissible uses of a VPN that people can enjoy. Here’s how:
A VPN can especially help a person who cares about privacy. Someone who doesn’t want their ISP, network admins, or even the government to snort their online activities can use a VPN.
Secondly, online content, such as movies, shows, or games may not be accessible in a specific geographical area. But a VPN can let you enjoy everything that’s not available where you live.
Lastly, a VPN can be a real asset for people who are frequent users of public Wi-Fi. As a VPN alters your IP address, it keeps you safe from any uninvited Distributed Denial-of-Service attack(DDoS).
Myth 4: A VPN Will Disappear You from the Internet:
Many people believe that using a VPN will make them anonymous on the Internet. It’s fair to say that a VPN should make you invisible on the internet since it disguises the IP address. But it does not mean that it will disappear your presence from the internet.
The websites you log in can trace your presence. Social media sites have cookies that follow you around the web. Also, the new IP address assigned by a VPN isn’t foolproof as it can allocate you the same IP address that you’ve been using before. So, a social media site can know if you’re visiting the platform again or not. Moreover, a VPN won’t help if you’re putting any information on the internet.
Myth 5: My ISP Won’t Know How Much Data I’m Using:
A VPN will indeed help prevent your ISP from tracking you, but it doesn’t stop your ISP from knowing how much data you’re consuming. Here’s why:
Your ISP may see your online activity till the point you connect to a VPN, but it will be clueless about your online activity as soon as you’re connected to it. However, before and after you connect to a VPN, your ISP will be able to see the data usage. The only difference a VPN will make is your ISP won’t know where the data is consumed.
Understanding VPN Limitations – Key to Using it Effectively
Owing to the myths, many internet users may not opt for a VPN. However, this digital age urges us to keep our data safe and a VPN can surely help you with that. Also, it’s important to know its limitations, as it’s not an all-in-one tool that will make you disappear from the internet or stop your ISP from knowing how much data is consumed.
