You probably know that a VPN is a popular solution for sending encrypted and anonymous data over the Internet. Initially, VPNs were mainly used by large companies to keep information secure on their own networks. The use of VPNs in private environments has led VPN providers to add more features to their offerings.

One of the most popular new benefits is the ability to bypass streaming restrictions and watch Netflix movies and series from the US, among others. Today, we’ll take a look at the most important advantages that services like Surfshark VPN now offer and also show you what you should consider when using a VPN.

In addition, you have the opportunity to secure an offer from Surfshark VPN with an 81% discount.

A virtual private network

Before we look at the advantages of a VPN, let’s recall the basic operation of a virtual private network. In a VPN connection, the user’s own computer serves as the VPN client. Via the VPN software, the client is connected to a VPN server of the respective provider.

From now on, the IP address used to identify the Mac, iPhone, etc. on the Internet is replaced by the IP of the VPN server. The actual user is disguised in this way. In addition, the transmitted data is encrypted within the VPN tunnel and thus cannot be viewed from the outside either.

Advantages of VPN services

VPN access is important for companies and there is often no way around its use here. The connection ensures that employees can securely access the company network while on the road or from home. In private use, of course, this is less necessary, unless you want to access your own network while on the road. However, privately there are other advantages.

More data protection on the Internet and security in public networks

A VPN is recommended when it comes to privacy on the Internet. There can be several reasons for this. For example, Facebook, Google and other service providers prefer to store the behavior of their users and use the collected information to implement advertising.

Those who do not want to reveal their IP here reach for a VPN service. The issue has just gained momentum again, as Apple has drawn attention to the problem again with the introduction of the App Tracking Transparency feature (ATT) in iOS 14.5.

Moreover, since the connection is encrypted all the way to the VPN server, it is also made difficult for ISPs or governments to intercept personal information. Other methods like ad blockers, Shadowsocks or Multihop offer additional protection, but are not offered by every VPN provider.

Those who use a public WLAN also benefit from encryption via a VPN. In a public WLAN, such as the one offered in an airport or café, it is relatively easy for a local hacker to intercept data. Since the data traffic is encrypted in the VPN, the intercepted data is unusable for attackers here.

Bypass streaming restrictions

While VPN services are primarily used to protect and anonymize data, the system offers another advantage with some extensions, which is the real reason for many users to use a VPN service.

One of the most popular additional uses is to bypass a so-called geoblock. The technique used on the Internet is used for regional blocking of digital content by the provider. Geoblocking can be done in different ways. We encounter it most frequently with streaming services.

Popular streaming providers like Netflix want to ensure that users only get to see content that is intended for that market. We don’t even get to see regional offerings like Hulu or HBO Max. The demarcation has licensing reasons. For example, Netflix may have the rights to offer a certain series in the US, whereas a pay-TV broadcaster gets preference in Germany.

If you select a VPN server in the appropriate country, you can watch the blocked series, movies and sports broadcasts from now on. Of course, the streaming providers also know this and block various VPNs. However, there are ways to get around this, which in turn VPN providers like Surfshark also do by using techniques like Smart DNS or DNS proxy. This way, you can successfully access the blocked offers from Netflix, Amazon Prime, Disney+, SkyGo, HBO and other providers – provided you have a user account with the respective provider, of course.

Surfshark explains how to change your Netflix region to any country in a blog post on the subject. The provider has also compiled an interesting list that shows how many series and movies you actually miss on Netflix, since the streaming service uses a geoblock. We immediately tested Surfshark VPN with Netflix USA and did not receive any proxy errors or similar error messages that prevent access to the US library with many VPN services.

Accessing blocked websites

A VPN connection is similarly handy when websites are only available in selected countries. For example, some local news websites restrict their coverage to a specific region. It gets even more interesting when trading or shopping online. For example, some brokers or stores only allow orders from certain countries or charge different prices depending on the country.

Although this has been prohibited in EU countries since last year under the EU Geoblocking Regulation, exclusive offers can often only be secured in the USA via a VPN. Moreover, the geoblocking regulation does not apply to everything you can buy. Social services, financial services and bookings of tickets for air, train and ship travel, for example, are exempt.

Here’s what you should keep in mind

Even if a VPN greatly improves your online security, you are not one hundred percent protected from data theft and tracking. If anonymity on the Internet is particularly important to you, you should make sure when choosing a VPN provider that the service does not store any connection logs. This way, online activity cannot be viewed by third parties, even after the fact, whether due to a server hack or an inspection by the authorities.

Most providers now promise not to create any log files of the connections, but this should still be taken into account when making a choice. Users should also be careful not to violate applicable rules, because not everything that a VPN service technically enables is also permitted.

When you use the Internet via VPN, the Internet speed slows down. This is because the Internet connection is first routed through the VPN server. With today’s connection speeds, this is usually rarely noticeable. A good VPN provider utilizes the full bandwidth of one’s Internet connection.

Generally, you should choose a provider that uses modern protocols and encryption algorithms. So-called multihop connections also increase privacy protection. In this case, the data stream is routed not through one, but through two VPN servers. Ideally, the servers are located in two different countries. This makes it even more difficult for attackers to find out about the user’s communication or true whereabouts.

81 percent discount at Surfshark

The provider Surfshark VPN offers such a package. Another nice feature here is a technique that locks out ads, trackers or other logs, making it difficult for advertisers to get usable data. Thanks to a coupon code, you can even get the complete Surfshark VPN package at a great discount. If you use the code “surfsharkdeal”, you will receive the 24-month subscription for the equivalent of 2.06 euros per month, instead of 10.69 euros (49.32 euros for 24 months).

Conclusion

There are many possibilities that speak for the use of VPNs. Whether it is ultimately worthwhile depends on your own situation and expectations. Even if there is no hundred percent guarantee of anonymity and data protection in the vastness of the Internet, a VPN service offers the best anonymity that is technically possible.

Accordingly, it is advisable to use a VPN service if you want your browsing habits to remain private. Access to foreign Netflix and other streaming services is one of the most used features of a VPN service and worked very well, at least in our tests with Surfshark VPN.