The Internet plays an essential role in our lives. As students, we use the Internet daily to keep in touch with our friends and do research for exams or access the university’s network and resources. The huge benefit of the Internet is that all the information is a click away. But have you ever wondered what information you send over the web in exchange?
Starting with essential information like your IP address, you also share your location, the websites that you visit, and even sensitive information like usernames or passwords. Also, you need to know that you will share this information with your ISP and the mighty hackers hiding behind unprotected WiFi networks. Therefore, to rest assured that all your online activities and personal data are managed in complete security, you need to use a VPN.
What is a VPN, and how does it help you?
Launched as a solution for big corporations to allow employees to access the company’s network and resources securely, the VPN technology is popular for regular internet uses.
The benefits this online security tool brings are (almost) mindblowing. From quickly changing your IP address and allowing access to geo-restricted content to military-grade encrypting your connection, a VPN can do them all.
No wonder the number of VPN users increases from one year to another. Moving our focus from companies to universities, we can easily find the resemblance. Just like an employee needs to secure his connection while accessing the company’s network, so must students.
How does a VPN work?
By combining a series of advanced components (VPN server, VPN protocol, and an encryption standard), a VPN acts like a shield between your device and the internet. So, all the data sent and received via the secure tunnel is encrypted and secured.
In the long term, as soon as you enable the VPN connection, all your data is handled by the VPN server. Then, helped by the VPN protocol and the encryption standard, the server will encrypt your data and reach its destination on the web. As this process works back and forth, every time you access your university’s network and resources, you will be doing it with complete security and privacy. So, no hacker or another intruder can interfere with your online activities.
Plus, enabling a VPN connection is easier than you may think. A VPN app will help you do the job. As we use different apps daily, adding a new app to your routine shouldn’t be that difficult.
Thus, as soon as you find a VPN provider that you can trust, you will need to install the app and press the Connect button. You can rest assured that your online activities are all private from that point on.
Should you test your VPN? Of course, you should!
When it comes to your VPN, you better be safe than sorry. So testing your VPN is mandatory, not only when you are about to buy it, but anytime you are about to go online, and you need the maximum security that you can get.
Just like in the case of using a VPN, testing your VPN is an easy task. So, if you’re wondering how hard it is to try my VPN or what exactly should I do, here are some
clarifications.
Why do I need to test my VPN?
If the answer is not obvious enough, you will need to ensure that your VPN is properly working and that you’ve successfully connected to the VPN server. Next, you will need to access a website that allows you to check your IP address. Such a website can be XMyIP or any other website that you can find by performing a simple search on Google.
Furthermore, you will need to ensure your VPN is not disclosing any critical and personal information. You will need to check for IP, DNS, or WebRTC leaks. To connect to the VPN and check for leaks on websites like IP leaks.
Moreover, after getting a new VPN, it takes time to check its behaviour. So if your brand-new VPN continuously or frequently disconnects, you will surely need to get a new one. However, it would help if you kept in mind that occasional disconnects are normal. However, you will still need to ensure that your security is not compromised while accessing sensitive information. The solution that provides your peace of mind is the VPN Kill Switch – an advanced feature that will terminate your Internet connection or a list of selected applications when your VPN no longer works.
The VPN solution in a nutshell.
Without a doubt, the VPN is one of the most popular online solutions among internet users. The
Why this technology gained so much word of mouth is more than clear.
The VPN knows everything about securing a university’s network and sensitive data, which will help you enhance your experience while going online.
Still, this technology has its flaws, just like anything on this planet, just like me and just like you. The great thing is that you can always check your VPN’s performance to ensure your most high online security expectations are met.
University Magazine is part of the 
