What Is a VPN? And Why You Should Use a VPN on Public Wi-Fi

If you’ve ever wondered if it’s safe to use public Wi-Fi, you are not alone. In fact, according to the Norton Cybersecurity Insights Report, 6 in 10 consumers believe using public Wi-Fi is riskier than using a public restroom. And it is. Surfing the Web or transacting on an unsecured Wi-Fi network means you’re placing your private information and anonymity at risk. That’s why a virtual private network, better known as a VPN, is a must for anyone worried about online security and privacy.

What Is a VPN?

A virtual private network gives you online privacy and anonymity by creating a private network from a public Internet connection. VPNs mask your Internet protocol (IP) address so your online actions are virtually untraceable. Most important, VPN services establish secure and encrypted connections, guaranteed to provide greater privacy than even a secured Wi-Fi hotspot.

Why You Need a VPN

Think about all the times you’ve been on the go, reading emails while in line at the coffee shop, or checking your bank account while waiting at the doctor’s office. Unless you were logged into a private Wi-Fi network that required a password, any data transmitted during your online session was likely vulnerable to eavesdropping by strangers using the same network.

The encryption and anonymity that a VPN provides protects all of your online activities: sending emails, shopping online, or paying bills. VPNs also help keep your Web browsing anonymous.

Beyond Security

VPNs essentially create a data tunnel between your local network and an exit node in another location, which could be thousands of miles away, making it seem as if you’re in another place. This benefit makes VPNs valuable for people who live in countries that censor access to specific websites. It will also allow you to continue enjoying your favorite apps and websites from anywhere in the world, as if you were at home.

How to Choose a VPN

The best way to stay secure when using public Wi-Fi is to use a VPN solution, like Norton WiFi Privacy, which is compatible with Android and iOS smartphones and tablets, as well as with Windows PCs and Apple Macs. Here are some questions to ask when you’re choosing a VPN provider.

  1. Do they respect your privacy? The point of using a VPN is to protect your privacy, so it’s crucial that your VPN provider respects your privacy, too. They should have a no-log policy, which means that they never track or log your online activities.
  2. Do they run the most current protocol? OpenVPN provides stronger security than other protocols, such as PPTP.
  3. Do they set data limits? Depending on your Internet usage, bandwidth may be a large deciding factor for you. Make sure their services match your needs by checking to see if you’ll get full, unmetered bandwidth without data limits. Remember, some packages may not cost you money, but you’ll be subjected to frequent advertisements instead.
  4. Where are the servers located? Decide which server locations are important to you. If you want to appear as if you’re accessing the Web from a certain locale, make sure there’s a server in that country.
  5. Will you be able to set up VPN access on multiple devices? If you are like the average consumer, you use between three and five devices. Ideally, you’d be able to use the VPN on all of them at the same time.
  6. What happens if the VPN goes down? Be sure that your provider implements a kill switch system in the event of failure. This means that your connection would automatically be locked down and would not default to an unsecured Internet connection if something goes wrong.

There are many points to consider when you’re choosing a VPN provider, so do your homework to make sure you’re getting the best fit for your needs. Regardless of which provider you choose, rest assured that any good VPN will provide far more security, privacy, and anonymity online than any public Wi-Fi hotspot ever could.

 

Watch this 30-second video that highlights how VPNs protect you on public Wi-Fi.

[norton-video:youtube-id:yC9hsjjvZ2g]

 

 

Want to know more about the dangers of using public Wi-Fi? And how to protect your private information on public hotspots? Read these blogs to learn even more tips about staying safe on public Wi-Fi.

The Dos and Don’ts of Using Public Wi-Fi

The Risks of Public Wi-Fi

Your Summer Vacation Guide to Mobile Device and Public Wi-Fi Security

Why Hackers Love Public Wi-Fi

How to Avoid Public Wi-Fi Woes on a Business Trip

How Safe Is Surfing on 4G vs. Wi-Fi?

What Is a No-Log VPN?

How a VPN Can Help Hide Your Search History​

I'm unable to send emails on my iphone6+ when the Nortons WiFi privacy app is on.  I can receive emails and use the Internet but can't send any emails it stays in the outbox. I have done a live chat, had a phone call and neither could help and was advised to ask question here. 

Thank you for your response. This information is helpful because last year I was at a hotel and a family member had just bought his first ever Android smartphone. When we were deciding if we should order pizza through a website, we decided against it because we weren’t sure if it was safe. I am so glad that we listened to our instincts!

I like the article you linked too. Please keep up with these informative articles. They are generally easy to read even for people like me who are not technically informed. They are very helpful and the information could help prevent a lot of future aggravation for smartphone and computer users.

Hotel connections for guests are never secure, and they do not use VPN for such connections. If you’re concerned about privacy, you should use a VPN. And if you’re using a laptop and not your phone, Norton’s current app will not help. Use EXPRESS VPN or something similar. And once Norton comes out with something for laptops, compare prices.

I see somebody from the Product Team responded to your question. I hope you find the information useful!

Please stay tuned. :)

Hi NortonUser48221! Thanks so much for being a loyal Norton customer! I'm glad you're excited about Norton WiFi Privacy. Your question is a good one. I have asked someone from the Product Team to respond to your comment. Please stand by ... :)

Hi LRenayHawk. Thank you being a loyal Norton customer! We're glad you're interested in Norton WiFi Privacy, and wanted you to know that thanks to user feedback like yours, we are constantly evaluating new features and platform/OS support. Keep an eye on our blogs for future product update announcements.

Edited to clarify future offerings.

Hi Anonmous123. Thanks for your question. Thanks to user feedback like yours, we are constantly evaluating new features and platform/OS support. Keep an eye on our blogs for future product update announcements.

 

Edited to clarify future product offerings.

Hi NCHoser. We're glad you subscribed to Norton Hot Spot. Many customers loved that app, so we're hopeful that people will enjoy the public Wi-Fi protection that Norton WiFi Privacy provides. 

Thanks for your question. Thanks to user feedback like yours, we are always evaluating the possibilities for new product features and expansion on to other platforms. For more questions, you may want to see if they are answered in the the FAQs here: https://community.norton.com/en/blogs/product-update-announcements/introducing-norton-wifi-privacy-protect-your-private-information.

 

Edited to clarify future offerings. 

Thanks to great user feedback like yours, we are constantly evaluating new features and platform/OS options. Stay tuned to our blogs for future product announcements.

Edited to clarify future offerings.

I use ExpressVPN. I did a lot of research on VPNs and this one was given the highest marks. It works very well for me, and you can put it both on your phone and on your laptop. It is a paid service; for 12 months, it's $9/month. Well worth it. Norton's new product is only half a loaf. And we're all still waiting for some Nortonite to respond to all these messages. If Norton were really all that concerned about your laptop's security, they would at least give you some useful information about how to do that, if they do not have such a product themselves. And why don't they? Beats me. ExpressVPN does the trick.

A fun aside: I'm what's called a "Russia hand." I managed a lot of our science cooperation with the USSR and later. 20 years ago, I met a very nice Russian couple in Moscow who were both computer programmers who told me that they worked in a secret facility (the Russians call it a "yashchik," literally a "post office box"). They had a dog. They named the dog "Norton." I actually thought that was a pretty good endorsement for Norton and I've used it ever since. But then again, there's that dog. What were they thinking? Go figure.

Many companies have vpn for laptops, I do not know which ones are the best.