Using a VPN Service When Traveling | Protecting Your Connection & Data

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.