When traveling abroad, prioritizing online security and privacy becomes crucial. One way to achieve this is by using a travel VPN, which safeguards your devices and personal information when accessing unprotected public Wi-Fi.
Hackers often exploit open hotspots, making them vulnerable entry points for stealing personal data. By utilizing VPN security, you can protect sensitive information.
It prevents identity theft, and enjoy the added benefit of accessing region-specific streaming content from your home country.
Leading VPN services employ advanced encryption ciphers to encrypt your online data and queries. They also offer additional security features, such as a kill switch, ensuring the protection of your IP address even if the VPN connection drops.
What is VPN Protecting While Traveling?
A VPN establishes a secure and encrypted connection, known as a “tunnel,” between your device and a server. Through this tunnel, all your online activities like browsing, streaming, and downloading are transmitted, making it challenging for anyone to intercept and access your data. The robust encryption offered by VPN services ensures the utmost security, even during interception.
Furthermore, when you connect to the internet using a VPN, your device is assigned a new IP address, which makes it difficult for anyone to track your location or identify your device. This feature proves especially useful while traveling, as it allows you to bypass geographical restrictions on various websites and services.
In summary, a VPN protects your privacy by establishing a secure and encrypted connection between your device and a remote server. When accessing the internet, your data is transmitted through this secure connection.
Additionally, the VPN acts as an intermediary, masking your real IP address when interacting with websites. As a result, your connection appears to originate from a different location, enabling you to bypass geo-restrictions and access blocked content, even while traveling.
Some VPN services also offer additional features such as kill switches, which disconnect your internet if the VPN connection drops, ensuring your privacy at all times. Moreover, split tunneling is another popular feature that allows you to select specific apps and websites to use the VPN connection.
How to Choose a VPN for Travel?
When selecting a VPN for travel, it is crucial to consider various factors that ensure optimal service for your specific requirements. These factors include:
- Prioritize security and privacy. Prioritize strong VPN security technologies, such as AES-256 encryption, secure protocols like OpenVPN or WireGuard, and a strict no-logs policy. These components ensure the privacy of your online activities.
- Ensure a broad server network with coverage in different countries. This will allow you to access content from anywhere. Pay close attention to the VPN’s server coverage, especially in your vacation destination.
- Choose a VPN that provides fast speeds for streaming and browsing.
- Take advantage of VPNs that offer trial periods to ensure the service meets your needs.
- Verify that your chosen VPN is compatible with all the devices you plan to use during your vacation. Most VPNs support multiple devices simultaneously, ensuring a secure connection across your laptop, smartphone, and tablet.
- Opt for a VPN with reliable 24/7 customer support to address any technical issues you may encounter while traveling.
- Before downloading any VPN software, thoroughly research and evaluate the service’s reputation based on reviews and user experiences.
Conducting thorough research before making a purchase decision can save you potential troubles during your travels. If we were asked which service is better to use to change iPhone location safely, we could recommend VeePN.
The service allows you to change location on your iPhone using 2500+ VPN servers in 89 countries. Moreover, VeePN has a no-log policy, 256-bit encryption, a kill switch, support for all common devices, and 24/7 support.
Why Use a VPN When Traveling?
1. Safety
Many governments, such as the US and Canada, have issued safety guidelines to safeguard their citizens when using public WiFi. Connecting to unsecured, password-less public networks can leave you vulnerable to hackers, who can access your personal information including emails, banking details, credit card information, and login credentials.
However, if you use a VPN, all your data will be encrypted, rendering it useless to hackers.
2. Access blocked websites
Enabling a VPN allows you to freely browse the internet, change your IP address, and navigate past censorship. VeePN provides obfuscated servers specifically designed for use in restrictive regimes. You can even use an online VPN with no download by adding an extension to your browser or setting up your router.
If you happen to work, study, or travel a VPN with an extensive server network becomes an essential tool. Picture yourself visiting the Great Wall of China and desiring to update your social media or catch up on the news. Suddenly, you confront another barrier: China’s Great Firewall.
This term signifies the widespread internet restrictions imposed by the country, prohibiting access to Western media and websites like Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Netflix, and Twitter.
China is not the only country imposing these limitations. Iran, Vietnam, Russia, Cuba, and other nations actively censor the internet, determining what their citizens can access.
3. Watching TV
On rainy days or when we can’t sleep due to jet lag, many of us enjoy logging onto our favorite streaming services to watch movies or binge-watch the latest series. However, it’s frustrating to learn that some services like Hulu, BBC, or Starz Play are only available in specific countries.
Even though Netflix and Amazon Prime are now accessible in most countries worldwide, the content library differs in each country. This means you might not be able to access the series you’re currently binge-watching. By setting your ‘end-point’ as your home country, you can access the streaming service as if you were at home or in university and college.
4. Prevent frozen bank accounts
When traveling abroad, nothing terrifies a globetrotter more than having their bank account frozen. It’s an absolute nightmare to be stranded thousands of miles away from home without access to your own money.
To prevent such a predicament, using a VPN while conducting online banking on your phone or laptop in remote locations is highly recommended. This precaution becomes crucial because if your bank detects a login from a foreign location, let’s say the Philippines while you’re based in the UK, they might flag your account and freeze it.
In such cases, you’ll have to contact your bank and resolve the issue accordingly. Additionally, to further avoid such complications, it is advisable to inform your bank in advance about your travel plans, providing them with detailed information about the locations and dates of your itinerary.
How to Set up a VPN for Traveling Abroad?
Setting up a VPN for travel abroad is simple. Here’s how:
- Choose a suitable VPN provider.
- Download the VPN apps directly from the app store or the VPN provider’s website on your smartphone, laptop, and tablet.
- Repeat the process for all your devices.
- Open the app and follow the company’s on-screen instructions.
- Restart all devices after installation is complete.
- Once back online, open the VPN app and connect to a server in your preferred location.
- The app will run in the background, but be careful not to disconnect it.
Conclusion
More generally, hackers are always trying to attack us, and not just while traveling. However, stepping outside your comfort zone comes with big risks, especially when using public Wi-Fi networks. It’s always a good idea to use a VPN, but when traveling it’s a must.