How to Use a VPN

A VPN, or Virtual Private Network, is a way for individuals and companies protect your personal data and identities. VPNs are used to block your IP address and redirect it somewhere else. This is useful for blocking parties from tracking your data and browsing habits, or viewing websites or services that may not be available in your area. VPNs also give you an extra level of security against government agencies or hackers, especially when using a public Wi-Fi service. Some VPNs allow employees of a company to gain access to company resources outside the office. There are many VPN services for you to use which are both free and paid. Using a VPN is as easy as installing the software on your computer, tablet, or even smartphone and launching the application.

Part1

Getting a VPN

1. 
   1
   Turn on your computer and connect to the Internet. If you are at home, your computer should connect automatically. If you are working someplace other than home, such as an airport or coffee shop, you may need to manually connect to the Internet if you have not connected from that location before.
   

   • Since you don’t have a VPN yet, be careful of which public Wi-Fi you connect to. It’s best to close any sensitive applications like email until you are secure.^[1]
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   Decide between a paid VPN and a free VPN Software. VPNs are offered in both paid and free versions, and both have merits. You may not need a full scale VPN if you simply want to access Netflix or BBC iPlayer from different countries, or you want to make sure that your social login information is safe while at a coffee shop; you can get typically what you need from a free service. However, if you are looking for more comprehensive encryptions that hide all your activity from government surveillance or disallow data trackers from advertising companies, you may need a paid service.^[2]
   

   • Be aware of free services as some will add unwanted toolbars, third-party applications, and place third-party ads on websites you visit.
   • There are plenty of trustworthy free VPN services like VPN Gate, TunnelBear, and Starter VPN. Note that most free options offer a data limit for free before charging you for more data.^[3]
   • Most VPNs also work across Windows, Mac, tablets, and smartphones.
   • VPNs can also be used within a company to connect everyone privately and protect sensitive company data.
3. 
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   Download your desired VPN. Navigate to the website for your desired VPN. You should see a download button on the homepage, or a link in the page’s navigation bar for downloading. Click the download button and follow the prompts to download the version for your operating system.
   

   • If you need a VPN for work, contact your company's IT department to get the VPN software. You will need to install the client software onto your computer to access your company's servers. Your IT department will determine if your computer is compatible with the VPN software, help you make your computer compatible if it is not, and help you install the software and configure your access to the VPN.
   • Many VPN softwares offer options for downloading to iOS and Android. If you are on the company’s website on your computer, click the link for your phone’s operating system. You will be directed to your phone’s app store.
   • If you are not on your personal computer and want to download a VPN directly to your smartphone, go into your phone’s app store and search for the VPN, downloading directly on your phone.
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   Install your VPN Software. Once you have downloaded your VPN software to your computer, locate the downloaded file. Open it and follow the prompts to install and start. Some VPNs like CyberGhost are ready to use right away without creating an account. Other VPNs require you to sign up with an email address.
   

   • On a Mac, you will typically launch the .dmg file and be asked to drag the application into your Applications folder. If you’re computer is password protected, you will be asked to input your password upon first launching.
   • On Windows, you will typically run the .exe file and follow the installation prompts. Once you have installed your VPN, launch the application from your Start menu.
   • On your smartphone, launch the app from your home screen. You will be asked to login with your account or create one if you don’t have an account already.
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   Read the terms of use. If you’re using a VPN for personal use, make sure you read the terms of use. Some VPNs, especially free ones, might install third-party applications, or give you a data limit. Make sure you are educated on what your VPN is providing you, what it is requiring of you, and what kind of information it collects.^[4]
   

   • Search online forums to see what others have said about a particular software.

Part2

Using a VPN

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   Launch your VPN software. Once you have downloaded and installed your VPN, it’s time to start it up. Locate your application from your Applications folder, Taskbar, or desktop/home screen.
   

   • On Windows, you may have an icon on your desktop or you may need to click on the Windows icon in the lower left corner of the screen and select the program from the Taskbar or the Programs menu.
   • On a Mac, you can find your VPN application in your ‘’’Applications’’’ folder.
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   Follow the instructions. Most VPN applications will give you easy to follow prompts that get you started if this is your first time using the software. Some services like CyberGhost don’t require you to do anything but click the big yellow button in the center of the application. Other’s like TunnelBear ask you to set up an account. You can also edit your preferences to tailor your experience.^[5]
   

   • Most applications give you the option to automatically connect upon startup of your computer.
   • You may also have the option for TCP overrides. This override means that if your internet service provider throttles your connection, you can choose to force your VPN to use a TCP (Transmission Control Protocol) which is more stable, though sometimes a bit slower.^[6]
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   Enter your username and password when prompted. If you don’t have an account you may have to sign up. If you are using a company's VPN, or most personal software, this will grant you secure access to your network. At this point, operations vary depending on how your company has configured its VPN access.
   

   • The VPN software may open a new window that looks like your desktop at work, also known as a virtual desktop, where you can access your company resources. Or, you may need to launch your web browser and enter a secure web address where you can access your company's resources. If your VPN session does not launch a virtual desktop, your IT department should provide you with instructions for accessing your resources.
4. Helpful?
   4
   Run your VPN. Now that you are signed up and logged in, you can begin running your VPN to protect your identity, access protected files on a network, or access websites and content not available in your country. You can also change your settings to allow your VPN to launch automatically and connect to a random network, or you can choose when and how you connect.
   

   • If you are using a free VPN, most likely you’ll only get a certain amount of data to use per month. Or you may be restricted to a time limit. For these reasons, it’s best to only activate your VPN when you need to secure your IP address. For example, you may want to use your VPN when on a public Wi-Fi like at a coffee shop, but not use it home.
   • You can use your VPN to watch Netflix in a different country, allowing you access to movies and shows that you may not get normally. VPNs that let you choose where you’re browsing from, by changing your IP address, allow you to pick a country that you want to view from. If you’re in the UK, you can change your location to somewhere in the U.S. to view the American Netflix.^[7]

Part3

Using Hola for Quick VPN Access

1. 1
   Go to Hola.org and install Hola to your browser. Hola is a collaborative (P2P) network that comes as a browser extension. You can install Hola to your browser easily for quick and free VPN access. ^[8]
   

   • Hola works on Macs and PC's as well as iOS and Android. You can download it to your computer or through the App store. Or, you can install the extension to Chrome, Firefox, and Opera for quick use.
   • Hola reroutes some of your activity through a peer to peer network and helps to mask your true IP address. It doesn't completely reroute it as other VPN applications do but is effective for its ease of use.
   • Once on the homepage, click the blue button that says "Get Hola, it's Free!" Follow the prompts for your browser or device to install.
2. 2
   Enable Hola. Once you have Hola installed, you will see a button on your browser's toolbar. It is identified by a little flame with a smiley face. Click it to activate the Hola service.
   

   • If Hola is off, the flame will be grayed out and you will see that it says "Off".
   • Click the icon and then wait for a popup box to load. Click the button on the center of the dialogue box to activate Hola.
3. 3
   Click your desired country. Upon activating Hola, you will have the option to browse from various countries. This is how the Hola's VPN service masks your IP address.
   

   • Click the "More" option to open a list of all the countries that are available.
   • Once you click a country your page will reload and will act as if you are browsing from your desired location.
   • This is useful for not only protecting your identity, but also to access websites that may not be available in your region.
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   Use Hola to get access to sites you otherwise couldn’t. In addition to routing your IP address and hiding it, you can also use Hola as a quick way to watch Netflix as if you’re in another country. You can also access other sites restricted to your region.
   

   • Not everyone gets access to the same content on Netflix due to licensing restrictions. The U.S. has the largest library of content online but doesn’t have some of the content that other countries get.
   • For example, you can go to Netflix and activate Hola to then watch as if you’re in another country. If you’re outside the U.S., click the browse from U.S. option. If you want to watch something on the British Netflix that you don’t get in the U.S., click the browse from United Kingdom option.