People at home always want to connect to the Internet from their mobile device, and many prefer the WiFi network, as its low latency and speed are very attractive. Also, there are no browsing limits as with existing 5G and 4G data tariffs. But, being away from home is the option that exists to stay connected or opt for a public network. And the latter are a gamble just as in online casino games because the certainty of making a secure mobile operation without hackers stealing important information is low. This is where VPNs come into play, of which there are two types for users.
In general, for anyone who connects to a VPN, their traffic is still from the Internet service provider, however, there it is routed directly to the VPN server. In other words, the VPN server will be in charge of providing the IP address and everything that goes with it. And this is useful, especially in a country that has a website that cannot be accessed. When connecting to the network and accessing the destination website, the IP detected will be that of a different country, and access will be unblocked, allowing access to content that cannot be viewed in the country of origin.
VPN to the home server
By setting up a VPN server at home, either on a direct server or NAS on the router, you can connect to your smartphone from anywhere as if it were your home. Well, by setting up a VPN, there is the possibility that the traffic from your smartphone, either via the mobile broadband network or from a public WiFi, is encrypted and secure up to the server, and once there, it goes out to the Internet via the home network connection.
These VPNs are widely used for the following situations:
- Accessing the local network: by being connected to a VPN server from the outside, it is possible to access the local home network as if it were a connection via the home WiFi or a cable.
- Printing from another site: by being inside a local network, it is possible to print any document as if it were a physical local network.
- Sharing documents: there is the possibility of sharing folders and files quickly and securely, accessing them from the private IP of the different computers, as if they were on the local network. Although logically the connection speed is not high, because it requires an Internet connection via 5G or 4G or WiFi connectivity.
- Browse securely through insecure networks: all public connections or wireless WiFi networks in the street, despite having a password, those who know the password can decrypt the traffic easily and quickly. For this reason, connecting to the VPN server from a smartphone makes the network traffic completely authenticated and encrypted. This is in order to combat hacker attacks that are very popular nowadays.
So, employing a VPN server from home and connecting to it provides many advantages and key points. If you do not yet have one in mind, there are many service providers on the web, whose references from previous users can prove that it is one of the best for safeguarding your security while connected to the Internet.
Using third-party VPN services
If you do not have the necessary knowledge to set up a VPN server at home, then there is another solution. This consists of using third-party VPN services such as Cloudflare’s free VPN WARP VPNs, which are very useful in these cases. Third-party VPN services do not allow you to access your own local home network, nor do they allow you to print remotely or share folders and files. However, they do serve to encrypt all communication that the user has with the outside world end-to-end in order to keep personal information private and secure.
This type of VPN is used especially for the cases shown below:
- Adding an extra layer of encryption to all communications: this is ideal if the person connects to public WiFi networks from their mobile device. What this means is that all the information and history that goes from the smartphone to the VPN server, once inside, will go to the Internet.
- Eliminate geographical barriers to open websites or contract specific services: this allows the user to access restricted sites from any country, either because of their audiovisual content or because the place of origin prohibits their users from doing so.
- Filter ads and malware while surfing the net.
It is therefore easy to see that VPNs have two different uses, those installed in the home and those that come from third parties, in both alternatives the online traffic is encrypted and authenticated. For this purpose, different protocols are used, such as WireGuard, OpenVPN, or IPsec. However, to access home resources, it is necessary to install a VPN server on a router or NAS. However, in the specific case of secure browsing, filtering malicious content, and bypassing blocks, third-party service providers are a good alternative.
How to set up a VPN on an Android device
Once you know what a VPN is and its benefits, it is necessary to have the steps for configuring a VPN on Android at hand. The first step to take is to go to the networks and internet section on the smartphone, which is among the first options in the configuration menu. If the device has a heavy customization layer, you may be somewhere else, with more connections, extra, etc.
Regardless of the phone model, the user must provide certain data to create a VPN. The same will be the ones needed for the VPN provider, so just write them down:
- Name
- User name
- VPN type
- Server address
- Password
Once this information has been appended to the VPN profile, it is necessary to click on it to connect. Otherwise, the profile will be configured in settings, but browsing will remain the same as usual. However, many VPNs have their own App, so simply download and install it on your smartphone to start enjoying the advantages they offer.
