VPN For Beginners

What if there was a way to encrypt everything you did online, all your web browsing, banking, and email correspondence, so that it was that much harder to be hacked?

Are you someone who loves to surf the web and shop, or stay up-to-date with your family online through your social media sites (i.e. Facebook)? Or, are you someone who would love to surf the web and use social media, but you’re apprehensive due to concerns about the security of your online activity and data?

Regardless of which category you fall into, you’ll need to become aware of the term “VPN“, or virtual private network, and how it can protect your data online if you’re not already. No worries if the term is foreign to you, we’ve created this VPN for Beginners guide just for you!

Note: A VPN is a critical security measure for staying safe and protected online, but it’s not a replacement for other security measures, such as using strong passwords, Anti-virus software, and keeping your software and devices up to date.

Disclaimer: Please note that some of the links in our blogs may be affiliate links, which means we may earn a small commission if you click through and make a purchase. This allows us to keep our training free of charge.

DID YOU KNOW:

According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), seniors are the most targeted group for online scams. In 2020, people over the age of 60 reported losing over $1 billion to fraud. By using a VPN, seniors can protect their online activity from hackers and scammers who might be looking to steal their personal and financial information.
Phishing attacks are a common tactic used by scammers to trick people into revealing their personal and financial information. Seniors are often targeted with these types of attacks because they tend to be more trusting and less tech-savvy. By using a VPN, seniors can encrypt their internet traffic and protect themselves from phishing attacks, which can help them avoid falling for these scams.
Many seniors use public Wi-Fi networks to connect to the internet in their senior living communities. They could also unknowingly be accessing public Wi-Fi networks when out and about if their devices are set to automatically connect to public Wi-Fi when one is detected. Unfortunately, these networks are often unsecured, which means that anyone on the same network can potentially see what you’re doing online. By using a VPN, seniors can create a secure, encrypted connection to the internet, which helps protect their online activity from prying eyes.

What is a VPN?

Since most seniors will likely be beginners to the concept of a VPN, let’s start with the basics.

A VPN is a service that allows you to access the internet securely and privately by creating a secure connection between your device and a VPN server located in a different location (i.e. state or country). This connection is encrypted, which means that all the information you send and receive online is protected and secured.

When connected to a VPN, you are able to choose which location it appears to others that you’re connected to the internet from.

For example, you could live in Montana and access the internet from your home in Montana, but when using a VPN you could go into the VPNs application and set your location as Florida, making it appear to others that you are located and access the internet from Florida. When, in reality, you are kicking back with your feet up to a toasty fire in a log cabin in Montana, without a worry about getting hacked because your information and location are protected within an encrypted VPN tunnel.

What’s fascinating about this process is that you do not have to sacrifice your internet speed to have such protection. I have noticed no difference in the speed at which I am able to send or receive information.

What are the Benefits of a VPN?

There are many reasons why you might want to use a VPN. For example, when you use a voice assistant or a smart home device like Amazon Alexa or Google Home, you share a lot of personal information with them.

This can include your voice commands, location, and even other devices in your home. But this information can also be vulnerable to hackers who can use it for bad things. While all we can do is take Amazon or Google for their word that they are not monitoring our private conversations, we can know for a fact that VPNs can protect us from being hacked.

Here are some of the main benefits of a VPN:

1 Protection of your online activity and information: A VPN encrypts all your internet traffic, protecting your online activity from being monitored or intercepted by hackers, internet service providers (ISPs), and government agencies. This includes the protection of your passwords, bank details, or any other sensitive information you might be sharing online.

When using smart home devices, a VPN encrypts your internet traffic so that your voice commands and data sent to and from your smart home devices are scrambled and unreadable to anyone who tries to intercept them.

2 Anonymity and privacy: VPNs hide your IP address (online identity) and location, making it difficult for others to track your online activity. As a result, your personal information is protected from being collected and sold by hackers, ISPs, or other companies.

3 Access to geo-restricted content: Some websites and services are only available in certain countries. With a VPN, you can easily change your IP address to that of a different country and unblock all the content that would otherwise be unavailable to you.

To sum it up, there are many VPN services available, each with its own features and benefits, which we explain later in this blog.

Some of the popular ones include apps like NordVPN, ExpressVPN, and Surfshark, which work on a range of devices including Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS, and Android.

You can subscribe to these services for a monthly fee, and access everything you need to stay secure online.

What is a VPN tunnel?

Remember the days when you went through a bank’s drive-through as a kid and a sucker would magically appear out of the sky, or so it appeared? When it comes to explaining how a VPN tunnel works, a good analogy is the vacuum tubes used at banks for drive-through customers. As a kid, I was always amazed at how the capsule in the plastic tube would get sucked into an unknown realm before reappearing inside the bank in front of the teller. The part is when the teller would send it back with some sugary, delicious suckers for my sisters and me (at least that’s how I remember its purpose 🙂

A VPN tunnel works in a similar way, but instead of a capsule, it sends data, and instead of a plastic tube, it uses a secure “tunnel” to send and receive data across a realm known as the internet. When you use the internet without a VPN, your ISP can see everything you do online. This includes the websites you visit, the videos you watch, and even the passwords you enter. Talk about a lack of privacy…

But when you use a VPN, your internet traffic is encrypted and sent through a secure tunnel to the VPN server which protects your internet traffic from prying eyes and ensures your ISP can no longer track your online activities. Your ISP will only be able to see that you’re connected to a VPN server.

To continue with the bank drive-through analogy, imagine that you’re sending the capsule through a secret tunnel that no one else knows about. Only your friend knows how to access the tunnel to retrieve the capsule and its contents. In the same way, your VPN creates a secret tunnel that only you and the VPN server can access.

Here’s an example: Let’s say you’re at a coffee shop and you want to check your bank account online using your smart device. Without a VPN, anyone using the same Wi-Fi network as you could potentially see your login information and steal your money. But if you use a VPN, your internet traffic is encrypted and sent through a secure tunnel to the VPN server. This means that even if someone is snooping on the Wi-Fi network, they won’t be able to see what you’re doing online.

So, in simple terms, a VPN tunnel is like a secret, secure tunnel that protects your internet traffic from prying eyes.

Will a VPN hide my location?

Yes! That’s exactly what it does.

As mentioned in the previous section, “What is a VPN tunnel”, a VPN hides your location from websites and online services. So, when you connect to a VPN, your internet traffic is routed through a server located in a different location than your current physical location.

This means that websites and online services will see the location of the VPN server instead of your current location.

Are VPNs legal?

In the United States, ABSOLUTELY!, you are free to use whatever VPN you’d like. As a matter of fact, the majority of countries allow the use of VPNs.

However, if you are traveling abroad you will want to check the laws of the country you are visiting because some of them prohibit the use of VPNs, such as North Korea and Iraq, where if someone is found guilty of using a VPN they will suffer stiff penalties and pay fines.

Russia is currently cracking down on VPNs, while Iran and China only allow a few VPNs approved by their governments.

What are the Top Three VPNs and How Much do they Cost?

There are many VPN providers to choose from but we are only going to list our top three picks along with their pricing as of the time this blog was written. We determined the top three based on the results of our online research, and our first-hand knowledge of two of the top three (NordVPN and ExpressVPN).

Before we dive into our pick of the top three VPNs, it’s important to understand what security protocol they use to encrypt your data. As it turns out, the top three all use Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) 256-bit encryption, in addition to other layers of protection, making them nearly impenetrable and highly secure.

AES 256-bit encryption explained:
- AES encryption is widely considered to be highly secure. AES has become the standard encryption method used by governments, financial institutions, and security experts around the world because it has been extensively tested and proven to be very difficult to crack.
- AES encryption uses a secret key to encrypt data, and that key is used to decrypt the data when it’s needed. The longer the key, the stronger the encryption and AES is available in a variety of key sizes. The most commonly used key sizes are 128-bit, 192-bit, and 256-bit. Of these, 256-bit AES encryption is currently considered the strongest and most secure.
- While no encryption method is completely invulnerable, it would take an enormous amount of time, resources, and computing power to break 256-bit AES encryption through brute-force attacks. This level of security is why AES encryption is trusted by governments, military organizations, and other entities that require top-level security for their sensitive data. Overall, AES encryption is widely recognized as one of the most secure encryption methods available.

It is equally important to understand what a VPN kill switch is. A VPN kill switch is a safety feature that helps protect your online privacy by automatically disconnecting your internet connection if your VPN connection drops for any reason. Think of it like a light switch that turns off your internet connection if your VPN stops working. This helps ensure that your online activity remains private and secure, even if your VPN connection is interrupted.

Without a kill switch, your device could continue to send and receive data over an unsecured network, potentially exposing your online activity to hackers, surveillance agencies, and other prying eyes.

By enabling a VPN kill switch, you can add an extra layer of protection to your online browsing, and ensure that your privacy is never compromised, even in the event of a VPN connection failure.

For some reason, if you do choose to continue to use your Internet you have the ability to disable the kill switch and continue browsing online. You will just do it at your own risk.

The pricing for the top three VPN providers varies based on the length of your subscription and any current promotions. See below for the list of pricing options for the top three providers (as of the date this blog was drafted, May 2023):

NordVPN – https://nordvpn.com: NordVPN is arguably the biggest name in the VPN industry and it’s no wonder why. It provides premium services and outstanding privacy features at a great price. It offers over 5,572 ultra-fast servers in 60 countries, making it a great option for users who need a large number of server options. NordVPN uses a kill switch and AES 256-bit encryption in addition to very adaptable next-generation encryption (NGE). With computing power continuously increasing, and cryptography breakthroughs always around the corner, using NGE keeps them one step ahead. NordVPN has a strict no-logging policy and provides additional features such as double VPN, which routes your traffic through two servers for extra security. NordVPN offers easy-to-use apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android, as well as browser extensions for Chrome and Firefox. NordVPN supports most major streaming services, including Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, HBO Max, BBC iPlayer, and more.
- NordVPN offers three pricing plans with three packages:
  - 2-year plan
    - Complete – $5.99/mo
    - Plus – $4.49/mo
    - Standard – $3.29/mo
  - 1-year plan
    - Complete – $7.29/mo
    - Plus – $5.79/mo
    - Standard – $4.59/mo
  - Monthly plan
    - Complete – $15.59/mo
    - Plus – $14.19/mo
    - Standard – $12.99/mo

* NordVPN offers a 30-day money-back guarantee

Personal Comment: After six years of using Express VPN, I made the switch to NordVPN. I made the switch for a couple reasons, one being cost, NordVPN was less expensive. The second reason is that I began having issues with Express VPN, where my searches only produced results from the UK even though all of my settings should have produced results from the US. This was frustrating for many reasons, but most of all, when I was searching for a product’s price in dollars, I only got the price in British pounds. After getting Nord VPN, I no longer have this problem and I am extremely satisfied with my decision to make the switch.

ExpressVPN: – https://www.expressvpn.com/order ExpressVPN is another big name in the VPN industry. It offers over 3,000 servers in 94 countries, ensuring fast connection speeds and a wide range of server options. ExpressVPN uses a kill switch, AES 256-bit encryption, and has a strict no-logging policy, meaning that your data is always kept private. Additionally, ExpressVPN offers easy-to-use apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, and even Linux, as well as browser extensions for Chrome, Firefox, and Safari. Express VPN supports most major streaming services, including: Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, HBO Max, BBC iPlayer, and more.
- ExpressVPN offers three pricing plans:
  - 12-month plan
    - $8.32/mo
  - 6-month plan
    - $9.99/mo
  - 1-month plan
    - $12.95/mo

* ExpressVPN offers a 30-day money-back guarantee

Surfshark VPN (MAKE A HYPERLINK ON WEBSITE – https://surfshark.com/deal/pricing Surfshark VPN is a VPN provider that offers strong privacy and security features. It offers over 3,200 servers in 65 countries, ensuring fast connection speeds and a wide range of server options. It uses a kill switch, AES 256-bit encryption and offers IP masking, and a no-logs policy to ensure that users’ online activity and personal information are protected from prying eyes. Surfshark VPN is available on a variety of platforms, including Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, and Linux, and offers easy-to-use apps and browser extensions. Surfshark supports most major streaming services, including Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, HBO Max, BBC iPlayer, and more.
- Surfshark VPN offers three pricing plans:
  - 2-year plan
    - $2.39/mo
  - 12-month plan
    - $3.99/mo
  - 1-month plan
    - $12.95/mo

* Surfshark offers a 30-day money-back guarantee

Note: Pricing can change and there may be limited-time discounts or promotions available, so it’s always a good idea to check each VPN provider’s official website for the most up-to-date pricing information. Additionally, it’s important to consider the features, speed, and security of each VPN provider when making your decision, rather than just the pricing alone.

Tip: While these VPN services support streaming services such as Netflix, there may be additional steps involved in getting them to work properly. Based on my research, if you are having issues with a streaming service not working with your VPN, try installing your VPN on your Router and use your router’s VPN connection to stream the movie, not the VPN on the device you‘re streaming on. This may not be the solution in all cases, but it is worth giving it a go if you run out of things to troubleshoot. We recommend you always conduct your own research, not forgetting to check out the VPN Providers’ websites for solutions first. A FAQ page, if they have one, is a good place to start. Additionally, do a search in Duck Duck Go and see what results come back. Whether it be a blog or a video, you are likely to find the answer to your question, or at least find a piece of the puzzle.

Are there free VPNs available?

The short answer is, Yes, but we do not recommend using one unless you absolutely cannot afford to pay for a reputable VPN service. We highly recommend a paid VPN service because it offers better security, privacy, and reliability, in addition to offering more robust features and customer support.

With that being said, if you’re on a fixed budget and paying for a VPN subscription is not an option, we get it. If you choose to go with a free VPN, just make sure you choose one wisely, be sure to research each one, and among other things, verify whether the one you choose is trusted by others and has good reviews.

Some limitations you have with free VPNs:

Security: Free VPN services may not offer the same level of security and privacy as paid VPN services. They may use weaker encryption protocols, collect and sell your data to third parties, or even inject ads or malware into your browsing sessions.
Limited features: Free VPN services may also have limited features, such as fewer server locations, slower connection speeds, or limited bandwidth. This can result in a frustrating browsing experience and may not offer the same level of protection as a paid VPN service.
Reliability: Free VPN services may also be less reliable than paid VPN services. They may have more downtime or connection issues, which can be frustrating if you rely on the VPN for secure browsing.
Lack of customer support: Free VPN services may not offer the same level of customer support as paid VPN services. If you have any issues with the VPN, you may have to rely on community forums or limited email support to get help.

After doing a couple of searches online, we came across the following free VPNs you might want to look into first:

PrivadoVPN
Proton VPN (side note, I use their email service because it is known to be secure
Hide.me

Note: the free VPN providers we listed above are not our recommendations, we are simply providing them as a starting point for your research into which free VPN you trust will be right for you.

Can I use a VPN on various devices?

Yes!

You can download your VPN app on as many devices as you want, depending on the VPN provider you choose. You may be limited to how many VPN sessions you can have running at the same time. Here are the current limits on how many VPN sessions can run at the same time for each of the top three VPNs:

NordVPN: 6 devices at once (per subscription)

ExpressVPN: 5 devices at once (per subscription)

Surfshark VPN: Unlimited devices at once (per subscription)

Note: You can install and run your VPN on your router/WiFi (if supported by your router), which we highly recommend for several reasons.

First, if you choose NordVPN or Express VPN, you are only using one of your allowable VPN sessions to protect all of your devices connected to the router. For example, if you subscribe to NordVPN, you’re allowed to have 6 VPN sessions running at once. If you use one of those 6 sessions on your router, you’ll still have 5 sessions/devices remaining.

Here’s another example. Let’s say you have the following devices in your home that you’d like to be protected by a VPN at all times: one computer, two voice assistants (i.e. Alexa), two smart TVs, two tablets, two smartphones, and two smartwatches.

That’s a total of 11 devices, which technically speaking, means you would not be able to protect each of those devices at once if you used NordVPN or ExpressVPN.

However, if you add the VPN to a router that’s compatible with your VPN service, all of the devices connected to the internet through your router (when in range of the router) will be protected by your router’s single VPN connection.

In this scenario, that means you’ve now protected 11 devices with one of your allotted VPN connections that can be used at once, which will always be protected as long as they stay in your home and connected to the internet through your router computer, two voice assistants, and two smart TVs will always be protected as long as they stay in your home and connected to the internet through your router, which means you have just secured

How to Set up and use a VPN

Using a VPN is typically very easy and straightforward. Once you’ve chosen a VPN service and subscribed to it, you can download the VPN app onto your device, whether it’s a computer, phone, or tablet. I have downloaded VPN apps to both an Android and an iPhone with no issues and found them to be the easiest apps I have ever used.

After downloading the app, you can launch it and sign in with your account credentials. From there, you can select a server location to connect to, and the VPN will establish a secure connection to that server. Once the connection is established, all of your online activity will be encrypted and routed through the VPN server, protecting your privacy and security.

In most cases, VPN apps are designed to be user-friendly and intuitive, with simple interfaces and clear instructions that will guide you through the process. Some VPNs even offer one-click connect options, making it even easier to use. Overall, using a VPN is a straightforward process that typically only requires a few simple steps, and once you’re connected, you can enjoy greater privacy and security while browsing the internet.

Links to setup tutorials for the top three VPNs:

NordVPN – https://support.nordvpn.com/FAQ/NordVPN-setup-tutorials/

ExpressVPN – https://www.expressvpn.com/support/vpn-setup/

SurfsharkVPN – https://support.surfshark.com/hc/en-us/articles/360012791960-How-to-get-started-

Conclusion

So there you have it, folks!

Using a VPN is an easy and effective way to protect your privacy and security online. As a senior, it’s important to take extra precautions when using the internet, and a VPN can give you the peace of mind you need to surf the web without worrying about hackers, identity thieves, and other bad actors.

By using a VPN, you can hide your online activity from prying eyes, access blocked content, and stay safe while using public Wi-Fi networks. Plus, with so many affordable and user-friendly VPN services available today, there’s no reason not to give one a try.

Don’t let the internet intimidate you – with a VPN by your side, you can surf the web with confidence and security. So go ahead, take the plunge, and sign up for a VPN service today – your online privacy and security are worth it!

Acronyms

ISP – Internet Service Provider

VPN – Virtual Private Network

AES – Advanced Encryption Standard