Working remotely used to be only for the trendy freelancer. Now, it is for almost everyone. If the job can be done outside of an office then it is now considered a remote position. However, few people actually have a home office or a place that inspires productivity. Especially since kids in some places are also schooling remotely and so professionals need to escape trusted locations.
This creates a lot of traffic on the local cafe’s, libraries and other public wifi, which isn’t the safest wifi to be on for work. Protecting computers, business information, and client information is imperative with remote work. That is why using a VPN for your distributed workforce is a wise choice to make.
What is a VPN?
A VPN or a virtual private network is a technology that protects the location and computer of the user. It shows that you are located in a place that you aren’t actually located which makes the system difficult to hack. It takes a public location, for instance, a coffee shop with open access wifi, and turns it into a private network on the user’s computer.
There are free VPNs through different companies but there are also paid subscriptions. Do some research to find out which one is going to be better for what you need. There are places that don’t allow certain VPN services. There are also services that aren’t as secure or slow down the network.
Why Should I Use One?
You may be wondering as a small business owner, entrepreneur, or remote individual why you should even worry about using a VPN. While we all feel secure and private in our daily work environment, there are people out there looking for a weakness to be exposed. Your wifi connection, if not secure, can open you up to hacking, spam, and other types of cyber threats.
This is detrimental to your private life but it can be devastating to your business. Your computer houses everything. Your client information, bank information, business information, all of it is on your computer. If you connect to a public server then it is all out there in the open for the taking.
Working remotely has made this type of cyberthreat more prevalent because of how many people are now working from cafes and public places. Remote work is great for many industries but it does require more precautions. Businesses typically have private networks and firewalls inside the business building, but remote work doesn’t.
That is where VPNs come in. Setting up a public network to function as a private network is what VPNs are designed to do. You can be working in North Carolina but look like you are working in England. It pings the single all around the world so you are unable to be tracked and unlikely to be hacked.
How to Choose a VPN
The first step when it comes to choosing a VPN is to identify what specifically you need the VPN for. There are different VPNs and some are great for businesses while others are really better for individuals who just want extra protection.
Another tip for choosing a VPN is to compare the qualities of the companies at the top of your list. Some of these VPNs are more expensive but not necessarily better. Make sure you look at the full picture.
VPNs are not always compatible with every device. Make sure when you are narrowing down the field that you are thinking about the device you have. Choosing a VPN that isn’t compatible will do you no good.
The final tip is to make sure the interface is user friendly. How a VPN works is complicated but using one shouldn’t be.
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