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Hackers

Malware

Malicious Code

Surveillance and Monitoring

Data and Identity Theft

Invasion of Privacy, Leaked Photos

These words seem to have lost their meaning and are now considered mere “buzz” words. What’s more alarming is the fact that we have begun to use them in a rather relaxed tone and manner. This could be because of we are made to feel helpless when it comes to the protection of our own data, privacy, and intimate moments. Furthermore, this is all in the name of the greater good – national security.

It’s high time that we realize that being pro-privacy does not necessarily mean anti-government. We can and should reclaim our right to privacy, and the first step for doing so is a VPN. It is, therefore, unfortunate to see that many who are already using a VPN do not utilize it to its full potential.

PureVPN

One of the most popular VPN providers is PureVPN, and this article will talk about the features and benefits of their product. PureVPN is a well-known and thoroughly established VPN service that helps internet users keep their online activities secure and private. Since its commencement in 2007, PureVPN has steadily developed into a networking powerhouse with 500+ servers in more than 141 locations all over the world. Furthermore, their network is self-engineered and self-managed, translating to minimal inclusion of third party services.

PureVPN Configuration

Once you complete the sign up process, you will receive your VPN credentials via email, followed by another email with instructions on how you can use PureVPN like a pro. The next step is to download PureVPN’s apps for your device. PureVPN offers dedicated apps for Windows, Mac OS X, iOS, and Android devices.

Additionally, you also have the freedom to setup PureVPN manually on other OS and devices including Linux, Routers, Blackberry, PlayStation, Xbox, Smart TVs, Roku, Chromecast, Kindle Fire, Playbook, Blu-Ray players, Apple’s Airport Express, Apple’s Airport Express Extreme, and Apple’s AirPort Time Capsule. In short, PureVPN is compatible with almost any device with an internet connection.

Configuration of common devices is not going to be a hassle as we have easy-to-follow guides available at our support center . It’s kind of a treasure trove of information on devices like gaming consoles, streaming devices, smart TVs, and routers. PureVPN supports most brands of routers including DD-WRT, Tomato, Asus, Belkin, D-Link, MikroTik, pfSense, Synology (Earlier Version), Synology NAS DSM 5.0, Linksys, and TP-Link.

Just setup PureVPN on your device and you are good to go and enjoy basic perks like getting access to regionally restricted websites. Sadly, most users stop at this point since this feature alone satisfies their need for access and their requirement for using PureVPN.

Abundance of Features

The self-explanatory heading gives you an insight about the many features that PureVPN has to offer. Allow me to list and elaborate them.

Protocols

PureVPN supports the widest range of VPN protocols to make your connection secure, strong, fast, and dependable. The use of protocols depends on your region, device, ISP, and other factors. These protocols include PPTP, L2TP, SSTP, IkEv2, OpeVPN TCP and OpenVPN UDP. You can change protocols depending on your particular requirement and the type of connection you want.

For instance, if you are trying to stream a video on a regionally blocked website, then PPTP is considered the best since it doesn’t dent speed. However, it is the least secure protocol of them all. So, if you are willing to make a more secure connection, then you can change the protocol to L2TP or OpenVPN. A word of warning though, the speed might take a dip.

So if sniffers, hackers and data security is the least of your concerns, stick with the basic PPTP protocol, connect the relevant server and browse at preferably higher speeds. If you are just as concerned with your online activity being monitored/stored as we are, you should opt for one of the more secure protocols and live with slower speeds rather than expose your world for faster buffering.

Multi Login

PureVPN affords you the opportunity to use one account on up to 5 devices simultaneously. This is because we realized that a vast majority of internet users has more than one device at their disposal.

Fun Fact: setting up PureVPN on your router counts as one device!

It’s worth noting that setting up on a router is done manually. This means that you have to specify the exact server you wish your traffic to be routed through. If you need more connected devices than this would be the right way to go but you’d be giving up customizability. With the apps installed on each device, and connecting independently, each device can be connected to a different server and be used for different purposes.

SmartDNS

SmartDNS helps you unblock more than 290+ streaming channels so you can enjoy streaming your favorite shows, movies, sports, or music without suffering through the pain of buffering. Remember that VPNs and SmartDNS services cannot work simultaneously, so you have to disconnect the VPN to use SmartDNS.

Consider SmartDNS to be the first step to becoming a cord cutter. You don’t have to worry about finding the perfect cable package with equal numbers of sports/movies/music channels. All 290+ channels are available to every user. Every time a new channel is added, the subscription fee remains the same and the procedure remains the same. The only thing that is changing is that you now have more channels to choose from!

Internet Kill Switch

Internet Kill Switch is a failsafe button that automatically shuts down all of your online activities whenever you get disconnected. It automatically restores everything once your connection is stable again. This is done to ensure your security. In the event your internet connection drops and you are threatened with exposure of your real IP address or physical location, IKS can prove to be a worthy part of your online security arsenal. As of now, the Internet Kill Switch is only supported by Windows.

So let’s say you have one machine set up for browsing, and the other for streaming. Both are connected to the same ISP but through a VPN tunnel. You’d be about your business and wouldn’t notice a drop in the VPN connection or your ISP till it’s too late. IKS can be very handy. In such a scenario it ceases all internet activity; keeping your online existence safe from prying eyes and from falling into the wrong hands.

Split Tunneling

Split Tunneling is another advanced feature that allows users to choose which data should go through the secure VPN tunnel and which data should transmit through the regular ISP connection. You can set it up on different browsers and choose the way you want to route your data. Again, it only works on Windows.

Every VPN provider causes a dent in speed. Have something to do in which you literally can’t comprise on speed? Use split tunneling! A certain lot of your applications would use the VPN tunnel, while the rest would function without it. The best of both worlds!

Dedicated IP

Dedicated IP is a paid add-on. It is a fresh static IP assigned to one user and it is only dedicated for that one particular user only. It provides better security than a shared IP since you can use it for specific purposes that cannot be accomplished by a shared or dynamic IP. It is an advanced feature and not everybody needs it, but should you need an extra cover of security, then a dedicated IP is the right way to go about it. Currently, PureVPN offers dedicated IPs from 8 countries including USA, UK, Canada, Germany, Hong Kong, Malta, Australia, and France.

A great way to visualize the use of a dedicated IP is simple. When trying to maintain a secure network, many administrators allow access to only a few select IPs. You want to connect to your office network but can’t; your home IP isn’t recognized. If you could use the same IP, at home or at work then this could be overcome. You’d just have to ask your administrator to white list the dedicated IP provided to you by PureVPN and not only are you safe from hackers, but you can access restricted networks from literally anywhere. Dedicated IPs are also an asset for those interested in online transactions, online banking and accessing geo restricted content that actively blocks random IPs. Keep in mind that you do get multi-logins with this subscription, but the dedicated IP can only be connected on one device at a time.

DDoS Protection and NAT Firewall

DDoS Protection is also a paid add-on that helps users remain protected from the worst kind of DDoS attacks. It takes online security to the next level, specifically for users who have concerns about being DDoSed.

Nat Firewall is another paid add-on that adds another layer of security to keep you safe from any hacking or exploitation attempt. It also helps users with port forwarding.

Stealth Browser

It is also a paid add-on that provides complete anonymity to users. It doesn’t let any website store any cookies or a software code that can track a user’s activity and behavior. You simply need to subscribe for Stealth Browser and set it up on your browser to be completely tracking free. Stealth browsers can only be used on websites and servers that are hosted in UK and USA.

Dedicated Streaming

Dedicated streaming is another paid add-on that helps users boost their streaming speed up to 20 Mbps and enjoy seamless streaming experience regardless of their internet connection speed. You can stream content from USA and UK with our dedicated streaming add-on.

So, here is all the information you need to not only get complete online security and privacy, but you can also get complete internet freedom on any device at anytime from anywhere in the world. Final words: The world isn’t as nice a place. It’s not as safe as we thought. Spying, hacking and spoofing are fairly common and often go undetected. It is better to be safe than sorry. Privacy and security is every individual’s fundamental right. Get a VPN now by clicking to link for the special InfoSec discount!

Furqan Tafseer is an online security enthusiast who seeks new ways to maintain privacy and continue his digital existence in a protected and secure manner. Working in the VPN industry he explores, analyzes, tests, and writes about everything from threats to advancements. He’s a diehard Lakers fan- playing, watching, & writing about the game.