A VPN doesn’t only provide security when using the Internet. With its help, we can, among others, use the possibility of bypassing geo-blocks. It is worth knowing that VPNs are available for devices running on different operating systems. See how VPNs work and why you should install one on your iPhone.
What is a VPN?
A virtual private network (VPN for short) is a solution that primarily provides us with anonymous and secure use of the Internet. This is possible thanks to encrypted connections passing through a virtual tunnel created on the line between our device and a VPN server. Ultimately, we connect to the network through the aforementioned server.
If we do not use solutions offered by VPNs, our device first connects to the Internet service provider and then to the network. However, it is worth knowing that our equipment is assigned an IP address, which we receive from the ISP. The IP address, among others, determines our approximate location, and such a connection is not encrypted in any way, and it is definitely easier for unauthorized people to intercept our data. By using a VPN, we minimize such risks. In addition, our virtual location is determined by the location of the VPN server. In practice – we can be in the US, but if the VPN server we connect to is located in France, the IP address of our device will indicate that we are in this European country.
So, what is a VPN on iPhone? Most often, such a VPN is understood as a dedicated app for iPhone and iOS. Through such an app, we connect to a VPN server of our choice. Let’s check out the benefits of such a solution.
VPN on iPhone – advantages of this solution
Certainly, for many users, the iPhone is a device that is the main communication tool. Most of such communication is carried out using the Internet – instant messaging, messages, emails, etc. In addition, network activity on the iPhone includes mobile banking, social media or simply a web search engine. A lot of data can pass through our iPhone every day. It is therefore worth thinking about a VPN.
The most important advantage is security. Nowadays we often use public Wi-Fi networks, which are available, among others, in shopping malls, train stations, airports, restaurants, offices, etc. If we come across an unsecured network, we could fall victim to a hacking attack. However, by using a VPN, our network traffic is encrypted – our online activities become unreadable code for a potential hacker.
A VPN on an iPhone also provides us with anonymity and privacy. An important feature of virtual private networks is hiding our IP address, which makes it much more difficult to determine our true location. We can virtually be found in a country even thousands of miles away from us. The IP address will indicate the location of the VPN server we connected to. It is worth knowing that privacy, however, will only be ensured by a verified VPN. Surfshark, for example, does not record its users’ data. Before installing a suitable application, it is worth reading the privacy policy of a given VPN service provider.
Many VPN users associate VPNs with bypassing geographic blockades. Geo-blocks are imposed, for example, by private companies on certain content like movies, music or articles. What does this look like in practice? We are in England and want to watch a movie on a streaming service that is only available in the US. So all we need to do is connect to the Internet via a VPN server located in the country where the content is available – in our example, the US. In addition, bypassing geo-blocking is useful when we go to another country and want to follow Internet content from our country.
A VPN on an iPhone will also provide us with organic results from a search engine, without suggesting the best-paid sites from various advertisers in first order. In addition, a VPN can bring us big savings. When we book hotel accommodations or airline tickets, for example, their prices change depending on our interests (this is influenced by our Internet traffic). By making such purchases via VPN, we search for favorable deals anonymously, which can translate into the aforementioned savings.
VPN on iPhone – what should you watch out for?
As we can see, the advantages of a VPN solution are many. If we want to use a VPN on an iPhone, all we have to do is choose the right app and download it from the App Store. After that, we usually create a user account and pay for a subscription. Any user should be able to handle this process.
However, we may wonder, are there free VPN solutions for iPhone on the market? The answer is yes. However, they often carry certain limitations. First of all, even though a VPN is synonymous with security, such a free solution may prove to be the opposite of that. There may be a situation in which the provider of such a VPN collects our data in order to sell it. Such a procedure may, for example, cover the cost of maintaining the servers. In addition, among the limitations, we may encounter such difficulties as limited data transfer, low connection speeds or a small number of dedicated servers. It is therefore worth choosing only a proven VPN, preferably one with good reviews and a transparent privacy policy.
