Why you need a VPN?
“A VPN? That sounds complicated. Do I even need one of those?”
The short answer is: “no” its not complicated (or it doesn’t have to be) and “yes” you do need one.
A VPN, or virtual private network, is a widely offered service that protects you from a variety of internet/network threats. Simply put, when you connect to the internet via a VPN your connection is routed through an encrypted tunnel to a distant server, which then connects you to the outside world. This serves both to protect you from any eavesdroppers on your local network (i.e. if you happen to be connecting via an open coffeeshop wifi) and disguises your location by making it appear that you are connecting from the server’s location, not your own.
A VPN provides a variety of benefits. Besides the “open wifi” protection mentioned above, a VPN also protects your privacy from your own ISP (internet service provider), which can monitor your internet usage and sell anonymized data about your habits to interested parties. By encrypting your traffic, a VPN can also help shield you from surveillance of other sorts (government and otherwise) and protect company data when used to protect company networks.
PSMail offers our own in-house service, PSVPN, which is included with every annual subscription. Set up and use is straightforward and we offer quick, responsive customer service if you need any additional help getting your VPN up and going. Questions? Drop us a line and we’ll be glad to help out!