VPNs have a place, they have specific applications that are valid. These include:
- Accessing a secure local network from a remote location (working from home and accessing a secure business)
- Accessing the internet while on a insecure public (not your own mobile hotspot) network (airport or café)
- Illegally circumventing copyright laws by pretending your are located in another country
- Stopping your secure internet provider (Telstra) seeing your browsing behaviour
A VPN creates a secure tunnel from your device to a remote server. This is used effectively by organisations that require remote workers to access securely internal networks.
However, they are meaningless if you simply want to safely access the internet using your own private mobile or home internet connection. They do not protect (or encrypt) your data once your are on a website. Websites do this will an SSL certificate.
VPN for internet services begun to enable people to illegally access protected media, music, video, and software usually located overseas. Users used a VPN to pretended to be located in another country. This enabled them bypass international copyright restrictions.
With the increase in cybercrime and identity theft, VPN providers are using fear and misinformation to market their products. The complexity is what the VPN providers use to sell almost meaningless services.
These VPN services connect remote users (the paying public) to a remote server. This server has normal access to the public internet. The server provides no extra security. For all intents and purposes, you are using the serve to browse the internet. Naturally with so many people using the one server to access the internet, this can significant slow down your access. It is not slow because it’s filtering or cleaning data.
Your ISP (Telstra) can’t see the data inside the tunnel. (This is useful if you want to distance yourself from the homeland security jurisdiction imposed on Australian companies by the USA.) That is the extent of the protection. It does not secure your browser data once it leaves the server for the public internet. That data is usually encrypted by SSL certificates on most decent websites (including shops and banks).
We have personally tested 7 VPN services. Very few VPN services offer “business grade” solutions or support. IP addresses assigned by the VPN services are regularly blacklisted which effects your email and reputation. This means your email bounces.
The only two VPN solutions we are prepared to suggest are:
https://www.goodaccess.com/pricing (preferred)
https://www.vyprvpn.com/business-vpn
GoodAccess offer businesses the ability setup and access virtual secure networks, equipment’s and applications. They are excellent.
VypreVPN enable business customer to setup a private server which does not limit performance.
Note: this article is not written for those of your who are concerned about privacy from governments. This level of protection is far more complicated than getting a VPN.