How to Obtain a VPN Server
If you’re looking to secure your personal data while travelling or engaging in other online activities, you’ve come to the right place. In this article, we will discuss how to obtain a VPN server so that you can hide your IP address and protect your personal information when you are online.
Selecting The Right Type Of VPN Server
When you’re choosing a VPN server, you need to consider a few different aspects. First, do you want to pay for the service? Next, what type of encryption do you need? Finally, what is the quality of the service you’re buying? Let’s examine each question in turn.
Do You Want To Pay For The Service?
Paying for a VPN service is substantially more affordable than you’d think. Remember, all you need is a powerful computer (or server) with a fast internet connection. You don’t need to purchase expensive and complicated equipment to run a VPN. Additionally, many services allow you to connect multiple devices (e.g., tablets and smartphones) for free. Thus, you might not have to pay much at all.
What Type Of Encryption Do You Need?
Like with most other forms of payment, there is a wide variety of VPN services to choose from. However, before making your decision, it’s important to understand what type of encryption is required. In most cases, you’ll need to go with a VPN service that supports the most common and secure protocols. These are OpenVPN, L2TP/IPsec, and IPSec. If your needs are more specific (e.g., you need a VPN service that supports Perfect Forward Secrecy (PFS) on an OpenVPN server), then make sure to look for that particular option.
What Is The Quality Of The Service?
Another important question to ask when buying a VPN service is, “What is the quality of the service?” In most cases, you’ll want to go with a well-known and reputable provider that has a good history of protecting user data. Additionally, look for services that have a no-logging policy, operate on a no-worry 99.99% uptime guarantee, and offer a money-back guarantee if you are unsatisfied for any reason.
When Obtaining A VPN Server, You Should Always Think About
Before we start installing and configuring a VPN, it’s important to think about a few other topics. First, make sure that the device you purchase is compatible with your operating system. If you’re planning on using a Mac or Linux-based operating system on a computer, then make sure to get a VPN that is also compatible with those types of systems. Similarly, if you’re going to use a smartphone, then be sure to check the specifications of the device before making any purchases. For example, do you need an Android or iOS device to use the service? You may not be able to use a non-Android/iOS device with most VPN services.
Where Should You Install The Server?
Another important decision you need to make when setting up a VPN is where you should install the VPN server. As we discussed above, you can use nearly any device to serve as a VPN server (e.g., desktop computer, laptop, or a mobile phone). When choosing this option, you need to decide between a software-based solution or a hardware-based solution. We’ll discuss each one in turn.
Software-Based
If you prefer to go the software route, then you can download and install a VPN client on your device. Installing a VPN client is straightforward and only takes a few minutes. From there, you can connect to a VPN server and begin securing your data.
Hardware-Based
If you go the hardware route and decide to build your own VPN server, then you have a variety of options. You can go with a dedicated device such as a VPN server, a virtual machine, or a container. When choosing this option, you need to decide how much space you have and whether you want to pay for bandwidth or purchase a static IP. We’ll discuss each one in turn.
Dedicated Device
If you have a dedicated device such as a VPN server, then the next step is to determine how you should configure it. When choosing this option, you need to decide between a software-based solution or a fully configured solution. For the former, you can download and install a VPN client on your device. For the latter, you’ll have to follow a guide to manually configure the VPN server.
Virtual Machine
If you have a limited amount of space on your device (e.g., a smartphone) and decide that you don’t want to dedicate a whole device to the VPN server (e.g., you have a tablet that you plan on using for other purposes as well), then you have two options. First, you can install a virtual machine and run the VPN server in that. Second, you can use a cloud-based service such as Google Stadia to host and run the VPN server. When choosing this option, you need to decide between using a free service or paying for a premium one (e.g., Google Stadia is free but has a one-month free trial and then costs $20/m).
Container
Finally, with all of the above, you have a container. A container is essentially a small standalone server that you install on your device. This is the cheapest and most convenient option since all you need is a data connection and enough free disk space. Installing a container-based VPN server is easy and only takes a few minutes. From there, you can connect to a VPN server and begin securing your data. Additionally, since the server is running on your device, you don’t have to worry about compatibility issues or whether or not the service will work on your specific device.
Which One Should You Choose?
With all of the above, it’s important to keep in mind the fact that there is no single “perfect” answer. Instead, it’s a question of what’s important to you and what works best for your situation. Remember, all you need is a VPN server and you can start securing your data (e.g., credit card information, personal emails, etc.). With so much choice available, it’s important to think about what’s important to you so that you can select the right VPN for your needs.