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Browse The Internet Like A Ghost Through A VPN And Stay Completely Safe, Secure & Hidden

Monit Khanna
Monit KhannaUpdated on Aug 06, 2017, 15:53 IST

Did you know that you’re practically naked on the Internet? It's true.

When you browse the Web, every page you go to, or every website that you sign in on, every activity you perform is being monitored and tracked to deliver you the content according to your browsing choices.

You would have noticed that while liking your bestie’s picture on the news feed on Facebook you’re often greeted with ads of the products you recently looked for or shopped on Amazon or Flipkart. This is because websites spy on you by accessing a digital footprint that stays within the browser in the form of cookies and use it show you ads or content according to it. Creepy, right?


A VPN helps you stay anonymous online...

VPN shields users from this very exposure of a user on the internet by preventing websites from tracking and spying your personal data. VPN or Virtual Private Network basically simulates a virtual environment while you’re browsing, making you completely anonymous over the web.

Avira Phantom VPN

Example of what VPN can do

In simpler terms, it’ll make the websites believe you’re from a different location by showing a fake location. A VPN client can alter your browsing location from one country to another. You could be sitting in India while the websites see that you’re in Canada or United States. Basically, websites cannot track back to you, as a VPN keeps switching between locations. The only people who know about your browsing are you, the website you’re logging into, and the VPN client. Content that is restricted in terms of geography can be easily unlocked by going through a VPN, too.

If you’re still confused how this works, imagine a spy who needs to a reach a secret location without being seen. So instead of using a cab or a public transport, he uses the sewers underneath the city and walks his way through the pipes to reach his destination. However, since the sewers aren’t as precisely laid out as a normal road, there are quite a few detours, which takes him a while longer than the usual time. However, in the end, he makes it to his destination without being spotted.

How to use a VPN?

Users can browse the internet like a ghost using a VPN client which is an application which allows users to connect to the virtual network. There are numerous VPN clients to choose from. You have browsers like Opera which come with built in VPN.

If you don’t mind spending a few bucks for a better and secure user experience, you could look at Private Internet Access which is known for its secure networking and easy-to-use user interface. Norton, the anti-virus brand also recently launched Wi-Fi Privacy VPN app that delivers bank-grade encryption security for five devices per subscription which include smartphones and tablets, at a price of Rs 2,999 per year This also includes an Ad-blocker.

However, the one we found most convenient to set up was Hotspot Shield VPN. It is available as a Google Chrome extension on the Chrome web store for free! Here’s how you can set up Hotspot Shield VPN on your desktop.

1. Download Hotspot Shield VPN Extension from here

2. When the pop-up appears, tap on ‘Add Extension’.

3. Once the popup is added, you’ll see a red shield on the top right corner of the browser.

4. Tap on the logo, and it’ll ask you to either use it as a free user or pay for its elite services. For the time being, let’s use it as a free user.

5. Now your VPN client is all set to go. Simply enter the website you’re wanting to use, and when you’re on it, tap the shield. Once you do it’ll show you a power button. Tap on it, and once the shield turns green, you’re all set to browse that site like a ghost.

Speed throttling on a VPN

 This is a common problem that VPN users face. With the VPN active, there is a considerable drop in the internet speeds. You won’t notice this while casual browsing, but try playing videos on YouTube and you definitely feel the sudden drop in speed. This is one big drawback while using a VPN and sadly there is no perfect solution to it, so proceed with caution. Also, it is highly advisable that if you intend to download any file from the web, disable the VPN once the download has begun, to get faster download speeds.

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