Choosing a VPN on Windows can quickly become a puzzle. Indeed, with an increasingly varied offer, many Internet users find it difficult to choose the VPN that fits their needs. What are the 7 features needed to be able to take full advantage of a virtual private network? This full article will clearly answer this question that has become popular on the web.
1. The number of servers available for a VPN on Windows
The first deciding factor to choose a VPN on Windows is the number of servers available and their location. In fact, with a wide choice of servers, a direct impact will be felt on the user's connection speed. Why is that? Because the speed of it is defined according to the distance between the antenna of the supplier and the housing receiving the services. In the same logic, using a private virtual network too far away will only slow down performance on the web. This first feature is particularly important for people who do not have an initially satisfactory throughput (although all Internet users are affected by this key factor).
2. Choosing the DNS for a Windows VPN
The second indispensable and decisive function of this article concerns the type of DNS used. Very briefly, this Domain Name System (DNS) becomes important when an address is entered on a Web browser. To do so, it "translates" the URL into an IP address to direct the connection to the desired site. The vast majority of Internet providers offer subscribers a basic Domain Name System, but often inefficient to ensure the absence of data leakage. Depending on the offer, a VPN on Windows will be able to take advantage of its own DNS and preserve the anonymity of the user.
3. The Kill Switch function
Very popular in the world of virtual private networks, the Kill Switch feature is still absent in many virtual private network subscription offers. This option simply allows you to block the transfer of data from the user if the VPN connection fails. In this way, the unencrypted information is preserved as well as the anonymity of the user. Although the stability of the available services is generally more than satisfactory, the Kill Switch function remains a weight argument for the selection of an offer.
4. Lack of activity Register
Although many users are unaware of this, some Windows VPN providers can retrieve navigation data from a history. Legally, this practice is perfectly authorized and advised by the authorities who can dispose of this information in case of necessity. Before signing up for an offer, it is quite possible to verify the existence of this type of online activity register in order to remain truly anonymous. For this, a brief passage in the "Privacy Policy" section will bring information too often ignored by internet users.
5. The OPENVPN protocol
The data encoding is obviously another major feature offered by virtual private networks. Through this process, outgoing information cannot be analyzed in case of piracy. However, there are now several types of encryption more or less performing in practice. Of these, the OPENVPN has, for some time, become a reference in this matter thanks to a large data security. This protocol includes TCP and UDP, two solutions highlighting the speed or complexity of encryption (depending on the user's choice).
6. Using a VPN from a router
Configuring multiple computers, connected to a common "box", using a single VPN on Windows can be long and tedious. To solve this problem, some Internet users go so far as to subscribe to several different subscriptions. However, an interesting feature allows you to directly use a virtual private network on a router and share the connection to all the devices. To achieve this, it is necessary to check:
- The presence of this option on the provider's site
- If the router allows this type of setting
7. Smartphone compatibility
Of course, this article is oriented towards the use of a VPN on Windows. However, smartphone compatibility is an appealing feature to always enjoy more than one secure connection. Nowadays and regardless of the model used (Android or Apple), securing a phone connected to a public network is more than advisable to protect against possible cyber-attacks. The ability to install a virtual private network on smartphone is a weighty argument for many Internet users.
What is to be concluded?
The 7 features presented in this article will allow you to quickly guide a user in the choice of a VPN on Windows. Whether it's DNS or the Kill Switch, some of the above functions may be missing from some vendors; A passage on the website of the latter before the subscription of a membership is necessary. 