Hey, it's Ernest from Trip Astute. In this video, we'll be showing you how to use a
VPN service to keep your data safe when using your computer and devices while
traveling.
(light chiming music)
A few months ago, we did a video on whether it's safe to use a free
public Wi-Fi connection. If you haven't seen it, then definitely check it out. One
of my recommendations in the video was to use a virtual private network, or VPN
service, to protect your data connection. But one thing that I may have overlooked
is that it can be intimidating to install or use a VPN service, especially
if you're not a tech nerd like me. So today, I want to review the process and
show you how easy it is to keep your data secure. Keep in mind that this not
only applies to when you're traveling but really anytime that you're on a
network outside of your home. Basically any internet connection that isn't your
own and not necessarily secure, like the free Wi-Fi at your local coffee shop.
First off, what is a VPN service? At a very high level, VPNs are like tunnels
that connect your computer to a server from the VPN provider. This tunnel
prevents others from seeing your internet traffic and where it's going.
You then would access the internet from that connected VPN server. The VPN
ensures that you have a secure connection and transmission of your data
from your computer through the Internet to a specific website or service. So, as
an example, I could be sitting in a hotel in London and accessing the Internet via
the hotel's free Wi-Fi, but my connection is being tunneled to a server on the
east coast of the US, which then connects me to my website. This is safer than me
connecting directly to my web site from the connection in London since it's
possible that my traffic could be intercepted or compromised from another
guest in the hotel. For the sake of simplicity, I'm going to show you how I
use the VPN service from Private Internet Access. Private Internet Access
is one of many VPN providers and the reason I use them is that they are
consistently highly rated, especially from some prominent tech sources like
Lifehacker. You'll need to first sign-up for the
service. In the case of Private Internet Access, you can pick between a
monthly, yearly, or two-year plan. The price is obviously less if you buy for a
longer period of time. However, if you only need it for the occasional trip, you
might want to consider just going monthly and cancelling after your trip.
That way you're only paying for the service a couple times a year. After you
sign-up, you'll want to download the software. You can either download the
software from the site, or even better, Private Internet Access will send you
an email with installer links for your computer. Using the installer links is
convenient since it's already pre-configured with your username and
password. Once you install the app, you're ready to use the software. You'll notice
that Private Internet Access has servers all around the world. All you have to do
is connect the one that you like which then establishes the connection. You can
even save your favorite server locations in the app. I also used it on my iPhone. I
had to download the app from the App Store and use the login and password
provided by Private Internet Access. The app also shows you the response times
from different servers around the world, which is helpful if you're trying to
decide between a connection. I used the VPN service when I wanted to use the Chase
app to check my finances and when watching some streaming videos on my
phone. And that's how simple it is to use VPN. It doesn't require you to go into
your settings and make any changes. You literally just pick the server you want,
then the app shows you whether you're connected or not. It's really an easy and
simple way to protect your data and not worry about having your connection
compromised. In addition, here are some tips to consider when using a VPN. Number
1: VPN servers close to you will be the fastest. If you're just trying to protect
your connection, then you're usually best off with selecting a server closest to
your current location. For example, if I were traveling in Paris I would choose
the VPN server in France for my normal browsing since the US server will
usually be slower due to the distance. ThoughI might choose the US East
Coast server if I wanted to stream video that was restricted to US users. Number
2: VPNs will not protect against malware or viruses. While VPNs ensure that all
traffic that's being transmitted is secure,
it won't protect you from having your data stolen if your computer or device
is infected with a virus or malware. With that being said, it is important to scan
for viruses and malware to reduce the risk. Number 3: Streaming services are
getting smarter. We recently tried to watch the
"Handmaid's Tale" on Hulu while in the UK using our VPN connection. It actually
took a few tries and location changes before Hulu would stream the video.
We kept getting an error from Hulu saying that it was detecting a
questionable IP address. The same thing occurred when I tried to watch the
latest episode of Westworld in the lounge. While using VPN has traditionally
been a reliable way to watch content, know that the streaming services are
getting a bit more sophisticated at detecting and recording addresses
associated with VPN providers. Do you use a VPN when traveling? If so, please share
your experience in the comment section below. Also, let us know if you have any
questions. We hope you enjoyed this video and found it useful. If so please give us
a thumbs up and consider sharing our video with others. Also, if you haven't
done so already, make sure you enter our 5,000 subscriber milestone giveaway
that's open until Friday, June 22nd. Until next time, travel safe and travel smart.