Why Should I Leave VPN On All the Time?

By providing you with an encrypted end-to-end tunnel for accessing the internet, a VPN is an essential security and privacy upgrade for your computer and mobile phone. But do you leave your VPN on all the time? And when exactly is the best time to turn it off?

The simple answers to these questions are as follows: Yes, you should use your VPN all the time! In fact, there are only a few very exceptional occasions when it is necessary to turn off your VPN.

In this article, we will run through how a VPN works and why you should leave it connected, and we will take a look at when you might need to turn it off.

What Is a VPN?

A virtual private network, or VPN for short, is a service that provides your device with a secure, encrypted connection to another network (like the internet), allowing you to surf online privately, anonymously, and free from hacking.

You can imagine it a bit like driving a car. Under normal circumstances, you drive on the highway and you are totally visible. Anyone can see where you go and what you do, and your image and number plate (your IP address) will be logged everywhere you go – much like speed cameras and CCTV both monitor roads and car parks.

But having a VPN is like having your own private, underground tunnel that you can drive in to get to wherever you need to go. No one knows where you are, and no one can see where you have been. It’s the ultimate security upgrade for your computer.

Should I Leave my VPN on All the Time?

Absolutely, yes. A bit like you wouldn’t ever turn off your home security system just because you don’t think you’ll be burgled, you should always keep your VPN service active in order to protect you from unexpected attacks.

When your VPN is active, you’ll be kept safe from hackers, data breaches, leaks, and even from your own internet service provider (ISP) who might be snooping on your activity and selling your information to third parties such as advertisers. By connecting you to a remote server with secure encryption, no one can watch and intercept your data.

Using an Unsafe Connection Spot

It is particularly important to have your VPN activated whenever you are using an unsafe connection. The most unsafe connection in today’s society is public Wi-Fi. These are notorious for using cheap ISPs with very limited security measures in place, and they are fertile ground for cybercriminals – especially dataminers who can remotely install malware on your laptop that forces it to mine for Bitcoin.

Going Abroad

Another important occasion for using a VPN is if you are in a foreign country with harsh internet restrictions or that places limitations on the types of websites you can access. Using a VPN will allow you to securely and privately bypass geo-restrictions. All you have to do is choose a server located in a different country.

Bandwidth Throttling

ISPs often use bandwidth throttling to limit customer connection speed. They do this if they don’t have the server resources to cope with peak-time, heavy internet use. If you ever experience bandwidth throttling, then you should be using a VPN. This will let you skip around any attempt to throttle your connection.

To Boost HTTPS Security

Most of the time when you connect to a website, you will do so through the HTTPS extension. HTTPS employs TLS protocols to encrypt data, but it only encrypts the data between the user and the website. You should still use a VPN because it will encrypt not just this individual connection, but all your connections (such as music streaming in the background). What’s more, it’s a much securer connection than HTTPS.

Online Banking

Finally, it is especially important to use a VPN whenever you are conducting online banking or making online payment – any time that you enter your payment information, really. This is when you are most vulnerable, and when you should ensure that you have military-grade encryption in place, such as that provided by BitVPN.

When Can I Turn Off My VPN?

We advise that you disable your VPN as infrequently as is possible. This is because you never know when an attack will come or from where. However, there are one or two exceptions:

When there is a need for speed

When you download large files, stream a movie in 4K, or play a bandwidth-intensive game, you might find a VPN slows your connection down as it tries to encrypt massive quantities of data. But, rather than switching it off, we suggest simply ensuring you use BitVPN, which deploys state-of-the-art high-speed encryption. So you can game, download, and stream to your heart’s content.

To access content in your area

If you use a VPN that doesn’t have a server in your current location, and you want to watch a geo-restricted service that is only available in your location, then you will need to disable your VPN. But instead of leaving yourself vulnerable, we’d recommend using a VPN service like BitVPN, which has thousands of servers all around the world.

Why BitVPN Is the Best Always-On Protection

If you need a VPN that has the security and speed to remain active all of the time (which we recommend!), then consider using BitVPN. It’s your ultimate privacy solution, ensuring you an anonymous online experience across its decentralized data structure. That means totally untraceable, unlimited internet connection with encryption based around blockchain technology.

Distributed

All of our VPN data is decentralized, meaning that no one entity can collect all of your data and personal information for malicious purposes.

Log-Proof

Utilizing a decentralized network means that BitVPN cannot access, track, or store your online activities. So if we are subject to a data leak or hack, your information remains safe.

Secure

We use the latest encryption technology to ensure every modicum of outgoing and incoming data is scrambled, eliminating the opportunity for surveillance.