Best VPN for Public WiFi Hotspots
Nowadays, it’s relatively difficult to find a hotel or restaurant that doesn’t offer its customers free Wi-Fi. This is because they’re all aware of their customer’s need to stay connected, either to conduct their work online, or to surf the web just for leisure. Up to that point, the hoteliers and restaurant managers have done their part, the problem that then comes about is the level of security involved when offering such a service. Public Wi-Fi points normally present an opportunity to ill-minded individuals to hack through other people’s devices since the connection is not well secured. Airports and office lounges also face the same predicament, where the Wi-Fi service they provide their clients with doesn’t come with any form of security, leaving them vulnerable any attacks that may be launched by hackers.
Use VPN to Stay Safe while using Public Wifi
As an individual user, it should be your priority to protect yourself from any of these attacks incase they do happen, and a great way for you to do this would be to subscribe to a credible VPN service. VPN stands for Virtual Private Network, and this is sort of like a secure channel that allows your device to send & receive information from the Internet anonymously. Using a VPN while connecting to a public Wi-Fi hotspot ensures that your data remains secure, and reduces any chances of your connection getting intercepted.
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Best VPN for Public WiFi Hotspots
We’re aware that with the many VPN services available in the market, it might be a little difficult to zero in on one particular provider. That’s why we’ve gone ahead and did a bit of research on your behalf, on the best VPNs for public hotspots in 2018. Have a look:
1. ExpressVPN
Due to the fact that ExpressVPN provides its customers with the best form of encryption through its OpenVPN service, customers are able to enjoy unrestricted access to a wide range of websites, without having to worry about anyone hacking their connection. Also among its list of security features there happens to be DNS leak protection, and an automatic kill switch where your connection gets automatically shut down in the event that your VPN service stops working for one reason or the other. The speeds you get to experience are also not discouraging, and this is as a result of the many servers the service has that are located in over 85 countries. You shouldn’t also worry about your browsing history being stored somewhere, since ExpressVPN doesn’t keep any record of their user’s browsing. The customer care team is also always at hand in case you come across an issue you’re not able to handle. The only downside that you’d have to contend with is the fact that their pricing is a bit high compared to most other providers.
2. NordVPN
NordVPN is another strong contender in the VPN market with servers scattered in up-to 45 countries. Their service is quite popular for allowing up-to 6 simultaneous devices to connect under one account, meaning you should be able to use the service and have your laptop, smartwatch, tablet and mobile phone all protected whenever you’re using a public hotspot. Double encryption is applied to maintain tight security, and other smart tools such as DNS leak protection, an Internet kill switch & VPN into Tor make the service worth your consideration.
3. VyprVPN
VyprVPN keeps in line with our most recommended VPN protocol (OpenVPN), and also offers a more enhanced Internet kill switch where there will be an automatic attempt by your VPN provider to re-establish a connection incase your service unexpectedly shuts down. Also, the service happens to own all of the servers under their network, meaning they have a clear advantage over most of the other providers that are known to lease theirs from various other companies. With this service, you shouldn’t worry about streaming your content in HD, whether you’re at the airport, or at your favourite restaurant, provided their hotspot is in good speed already. Their free trial period lasts only three days, so you should be able to make up your mind pretty quickly.
4. IPVanish
Also among the providers that we’d recommend you try out if you’ll be spending a lot of your time online at restaurants and hotels is IPVanish. This is a great option especially for anyone who doesn’t want to get too deep into their pockets. We say so becuase of their $3.33 a month offer for anyone signing up for two years of their service. Users will also be able to add upto 4 more simultaneous devices, all under the same account. Through an OpenVPN encryption, IPVanish allows its users to stay anonymous when online, meaning anyone planning on attacking you won’t even be able to spot you on their radar. Automatic Internet kill switch and DNS leak protection all come as standard for anyone hoping to sign up with the service.
Conclusion – Top 5 VPNs for Public Hotspots in 2018
In addition to having your VPN service actively work towards protecting you whenever you’re online, we have a few more tips that we’re sure will go a long way towards keeping your connection secured:
- Switch on Your Firewall : A firewall is a great way to keep yourself protected from any other user within your local network who is thinking of infiltrating your connection and getting hold of your data. You’ll find the setting required to activate the firewall under the system and security/privacy settings on your operating system.
- Use HTTPS Websites & SSL When You Can : These two are forms of security that you should rely on as indicators that your connection is secure. Look out for the websites you visit, they should contain a HTTPS handle at the beginning. Also, if you happen to use email clients such as Apple Mail or Outlook then ensure you go through the advanced settings and set it to SSL.
- Switch Off Network Sharing Options : Something else you can do is prevent your computer from getting intercepted is to switch off the network sharing options. Windows users specifically need to do turn off network discovery, public folder sharing and even file and printer sharing.
Treating your online privacy and security has become just as important as safe-guarding your physical belongings while you’re on the go. Don’t take any necessary risks and make sure you add additional layer of protection when using a public WiFi hotspot to browse the web.
ExpressVPN Review
Name: ExpressVPN
Description: ExpressVPN is a VPN service that allows you to browse the web anonymously and unblock geo-restricted sites.
Price: 12.95
Currency: $
Operating System: Windows, OSX, Android, iOS
Application Category: Multimedia
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About Author
Charles
Streaming gadgets geek. Interested in every little thing there is to know about bypassing regional restrictions. An avid believer in the right to protect online privacy. Charles has also reviewed plenty of VPN service providers and knows how to separate the good apples from the bad ones.