VPN on your phone: what it is, why, and how to activate it on iOS and Android. Internet security of mobile devices

Using a VPN is one of the easiest and most reliable ways to hide your real location and protect personal data and messages on your smartphone, computer or tablet from theft. At the same time, you do not need complex setup steps or high costs. Sites and services will be sure that you are in the country where the VPN server is installed.

In this article we will tell you what a VPN is and how to set it up on an Android smartphone.

What is VPN

Virtual Private Network - virtual private network. The term means the creation of a closed network within a public one, such as the Internet. Initially, the mechanism for creating virtual private (private) communication spaces was created to ensure greater security. By logging into a VPN server, you find yourself inside a network space protected from external attacks.

The degree of trust in this technology can be judged because it is actively used by large corporations to create their secure distributed networks. They trust sensitive data to the strong cryptography built into it.

When logging into a virtual network, the user does not need to physically connect any additional wires. He simply enters his username and password on the VPN server. From this moment on, all requests to Internet resources are made on behalf of the virtual IP address issued upon entry.

Some experts compare working in a virtual private network to driving through a tunnel located under a busy highway where ordinary users move. Your channel is encrypted and cannot be attacked from outside. But you still use the same hardware and cables as non-secure users.

How to set up a VPN on Android

There are two options to enable VPN on Android: install the application from Google Play or set up a login and password in Settings. Below we present these methods in order of increasing complexity for the user.

Installing the VPN app

We recommend starting with the program Turbo VPN . It does not require registration or entering passwords and is free for most typical application scenarios: web surfing, instant messengers, and so on.

The user is required to:

After a 3-second wait, the traffic is already redirected to the server selected by the application itself.

To “change citizenship”, in the program settings you can select a server from a specific country. Just click on the flag icon in the top right corner.

Here in Settings you can set the function to automatically connect when you launch the application.

It is convenient to control the operation of the application using the messages displayed in notifications. When you click on them, the program reports the channel parameters: download and upload speed, the total number of transferred data in MB.

If you need to return to normal operation with a real IP address, click on the program icon in the notification window and turn off the VPN with the cross button.

Currently, Android users have access to dozens of VPN programs. They are:

Paid. Traffic is charged; the user pays a fixed amount for the program upon installation or uses a paid monthly subscription. For example, application OpenVPN Client.
Conditionally free. Basic features are free, but you will have to pay extra for speed or traffic beyond the limit. You may also be charged for additional components and features. In particular, this is what developers doVPN Master-Free unblock proxy.
Free. The existence of such projects is paid off by advertising, which you will view from time to time. They are very popular. Yes, application Hotspot Shield Free VPN has over 500 million downloads.

Using standard Android VPN connectivity

Modern versions of Android support work via VPN without third-party applications. In Settings, find Connection.

Let's go to the VPN setup and management category.

Please note that after installing the Turbo VPN application, the menu already has one setting for working with a virtual network. To make your own, click the Add button.

To correctly fill in the server name, login and password, you will need to register on one of the free or paid virtual network services. For example, you can use the service ExpressVPN . Its operation is possible in 90 different countries, torrents are not blocked and high-resolution video streams up to 4K are supported.

In Russia it is considered the fastest and most inexpensive VPN99 . The subscription fee at the time of writing is no more than $1 per month.

A search in Yandex or Google will help you choose such a service. When comparing services, focus on their reliability and speed, as well as user reviews. You can organize your own VPN server yourself. Even a novice system administrator can handle this job.

What can you use a VPN for?

Typical scenarios where using such services is useful:

Protection your personal data from websites and online stores. Traffic to the server is encrypted, the real IP address cannot be determined. At the same time, anonymity is ensured not only in the Internet browser, but also in instant messengers and other programs on your phone.
Change country and region. You can pose as a user from the United States or European countries to receive special prices and terms of service on certain Internet resources.
Bypassing blocked resources. Using a VPN is the main way to bypass services blocked in your country. This is how Ukrainian users bypass VKontakte and Yandex, which are blocked in Ukraine. Russian users using a VPN can work with blocked Telegram.
Saving mobile traffic. In some cases, the protocols used for working with VPN servers make it possible to reduce the volume of charged traffic and reduce communication costs.

Limitations of Free VPN Services

The benefits of free services are obvious. They are enough to meet the needs of an ordinary Internet user who uses a web browser, instant messenger and other applications that do not consume too much traffic.

But it’s worth remembering that free servers have a number of limitations:

Low speed and traffic restrictions. In many cases, torrents and other programs that require a large amount of transferred data are blocked. Operators of free servers are trying in this way to reduce the load on the equipment and encourage users to switch to paid plans.
Low reliability. No one guarantees that the server will be available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Users sometimes have to change the server due to it being closed or overloaded with clients.
Advertising. Often, to recoup their costs, free operators resort to displaying advertising and paid advertisements to their users.

Advantages of paid VPN servers

High reliability and availability of technical support. This allows you to count on stable operation of the service and maintaining the confidentiality of user data. Do not forget that the server itself knows your real IP address and some other information.
No restrictions by streaming video in high definition. The capacity of these companies is incomparably higher than that of free ones; they can provide their clients with higher data transfer speeds.
Confidence that in the near future the server will not be closed.

From a legal point of view, the use of VPNs is not yet prohibited. Virtual personal networks will allow you to maintain anonymity on the Internet and provide a number of other advantages. But using the blocked resources themselves is associated with a certain risk. This should be remembered.

How to set up a VPN for Telegram or how to bypass blocking

Bypassing blocked resources is one of the popular uses of VPN. The principle is simple. Telegram is blocked in Russia, but not in the USA. You log into a virtual network server located in the United States and gain access to any resources permitted in that country.

Telegram also has a special proxy bot that will help ensure that the messenger works under blocking conditions without redirecting all smartphone traffic to the VPN. The bot gives you a link to register. After clicking on it, the user receives the server address and port, username and password.

To set up a proxy yourself, you need to:

Especially for our readers - do repost this entry and leave

Eyes are the mirror of the soul. Or at least that's how it used to be. Now a smartphone opens the way to the soul... and to the heart, and to the head, and to the wallet. When you think about how much we trust in our portable pocket computers, it's surprising how little attention we pay to security and privacy.

In its simplest definition, a VPN establishes a secure connection between your device and the server running the VPN service. Some companies may have specific VPN requirements, but in general, they all have the same technology.

The differences, therefore, lie in the technologies used in the individual VPN service. What sets it apart from its competitors? What makes it the best on the market and worthy of trust? Let's take a look at the best free mobile VPN services available.

Notes on testing methodology: VPN services were tested on a home network, which had the following indicators: 75-80 MB per second (download) and 30 MB per second (upload). In each case, an attempt was made to connect to a server in the Netherlands. The VPNs are listed in no particular order.

This is one of the best free VPN solutions, offering an initial 2GB of VPN traffic. It instantly increases to 10GB if you verify your email address. What's more, you can get an additional 1GB for every friend you convince to sign up. And even better - if one of those friends decides to upgrade to the Pro plan, you'll get an unlimited account too.

Windscribe has a really reliable VPN with a limited number of free server locations. Windscribe VPN was one of the slowest in the test, with 10 MB per second download and 13 MB per second upload. The app uses OpenVPN combined with AES-256 encryption, SHA512 authorization keys, and a 4096-bit RSA key. There is also support for IPv6 communications and DNS leak protection.

To top it off - and this is a big plus for a free VPN - Windscribe really takes security and protecting your personal information seriously. Windscribe “does not keep any permanent access logs or monitor what users do.”

Platforms: Windscribe is available for iOS, macOS, Windows, Linux and routers. Android support is available, but requires manual configuration. In the second half of 2017, it is planned to launch a native application for Android.

SurfEasy (iOS, Android), owned by Opera, is the best free VPN for mobile devices for those who need low traffic.

Their Starter VPN package lets you protect up to five devices simultaneously, but you're limited to 500MB.

On the plus side, you can expand your traffic volume by 500 MB by inviting friends, family and work colleagues to register. Confirming your email address will give you another 100 MB. Adding another device will add 250 MB, and following on Twitter will add another 50 MB. There's even more: if you use SurfEasy for five consecutive days, you'll get another 100 MB added to your account, and an additional 75 MB for changing regions.

SurfEasy uses “bank-level encryption”, but unfortunately they don't explain what exactly that means. SurfEasy has a secure torrent feature, as well as a built-in blocking tracker (so you don't have to track cookies that follow you everywhere).

SurfEasy has high connection speeds, reaching up to 58 MB per second (download) and 22 MB per second (upload).

Platforms: SurfEasyavailable ForiOS, Android, Windows, macOS, Chome, Opera.

CyberGhost (iOS, Android) is an extremely popular choice for a free mobile VPN.

There are two great reasons for this: it doesn't have a traffic cap on free accounts, and it doesn't keep any user logs. Instead of a traffic limit, CyberGhost limits time. Free accounts can use CyberGhost's VPN servers for three hours at a time - but you can reconnect immediately.

Once the app is live, both Android and iOS users can use CyberGhost Premium for free in a seven-day trial before the account becomes free.

CyberGhost uses OpenVPN (unless you have a paid account) and has servers in 27 countries. The free account uses 256-bit AES, RSA key matching, and uses a hash method called HMAC as well as MD5 (HMAC-MD5).

CyberGhost seemed slow to load. Several tests carried out showed 17 MB per second when downloading and 20 MB per second when uploading (the latter figure is a good speed).

Platforms: CyberGhost is available for Android, iOS, Windows, macOS, Linux, Kodi, on routers, etc.

Yoga VPN (Android) is an Android-only VPN. It's considered one of the best VPNs for Android on the Google Play Store, and it's easy to see why.

Yoga VPN has unlimited traffic, unlimited time, server switching, DNS leak protection and other features. For free.

Initially, such limitless offers from Yoga VPN looked suspicious, but they turned out to be reality. You contribute to their free model by viewing ads, downloading apps that come with it, and earning money within the app. This money is then spent on the VPN location.

For example, I have 2500 coins. A tier 1 VPN server “costs” 900 coins per day, which reduces my savings to 1600. … There is a “coin boost” that can be used when it is unlocked, which happens often. In addition, you can earn coins by inviting friends, or by launching the application every day without skipping.

Yoga VPN says it will “never record your online behavior.” And, it should be noted, so far there have been no complaints about this online. The service uses OpenVPN UDP and successfully passes the DNS leak test. Speed: 22 MB per second (download), 13 MB per second (upload).

Platforms: Yoga VPN is currently available on Android devices, but an iOS app is in development.

HexaTech (iOS, Android) is a new VPN service developed by Betternet (a popular VPN provider). Betternet have developed a new VPN protocol - Hexa - specifically for working with smartphones and mobile networks.

The idea is that you can still connect to a VPN server even if your connection is spotty, giving you the ability to anonymously surf on a network whose quality is poor.

Although VPN service providers actively try to avoid censorship (yes, VPN server IP addresses can be censored), there are times when they do get caught. Betternet claims that “the Hexa protocol is not as easy to block as traditional protocols,” although they don’t say how much. This is presumably done in order to maintain an advantage over the censors.

The application is easy to use. HexaTech offers one connection to the nearest VPN server - there are no other choices. If you need control over where your data comes from, HexaTech is not for you.

Speed – 12 MB per second when downloading and only 8 MB per second when sending.

Platforms: HexaTech is currently available for iOS and Android.

VPN or Virtual Private Network- a tool for a truly free and secure Internet. It is a virtual private intermediary network between the end user and the World Wide Web. The technology allows you to access the network from a foreign IP address, which is required to access resources blocked in your home region. In addition, VPN should be used in public Wi-Fi networks to anonymize and protect against interception of transmitted data. VPN applications are the easiest way to evaluate all the advantages of the technology, about them below the cut.

Opera VPN- a client from the well-known Opera Software, created after the takeover of SurfEasy, one of the leaders in this field.

The appearance of the application is at the proper level: it looks modern and works smoothly. I was pleased with the mascot - a Scandinavian warrior, who symbolizes the security of VPN networks and notifies about the status of the application.

Connecting to a secure network is done in one click. By default, the nearest VPN server is used. The list of available regions is as follows: Germany, Canada, the Netherlands, Singapore and the USA.

A separate section is devoted to the security of Wi-Fi connections. The developers recommend activating VPN on public Wi-Fi networks to anonymize and prevent traffic interception.

An interesting feature of Opera VPN is that it blocks ad trackers that collect users' online activity for use for advertising purposes.
The service is provided absolutely free, without restrictions on the amount of traffic. There are no paid plans. The application has built-in unobtrusive advertising.

To test the service, we used a recommended VPN network located in the Netherlands.

Speed measurements were carried out using the Speedtest.net service in two stages. First of all, the speed was tested to the server closest to the VPN network, located in Amsterdam, the capital of the Netherlands. Afterwards, the connection speed was measured to the server closest to the actual location.

Connection speed without VPN.

Testing in real conditions is much more interesting. Here Opera VPN shows itself extremely positively. Connecting to the network hardly affected the responsiveness of web pages and applications, however, from time to time the access speed drops, this manifests itself in noticeable delays. At the same time, through a VPN you can watch online videos up to 1080p.

Hola is one of the most common VPN services. In addition to the Android application, plugins for various browsers are available.

The application interface is designed in a modern flat style. Unlike other clients, the VPN connection is opened for a specific application. At the same time, other programs continue to transmit data directly.

In addition, the Hola client app comes with a built-in browser that allows you to visit web pages at your desired online location without creating a system-level VPN connection.

The list of available regions is the widest among free VPN clients. Among them are the usual Netherlands, Germany, the USA, and Angola, Indonesia, Italy, Estonia and others.
The service is provided free of charge and without restrictions on the amount of data transferred.

There are no banner ads in the application, however, unlike other solutions, Hola works on the principle of a peer-to-peer network. Each connected smartphone is used to transmit traffic to other participants. This approach allows you to reduce the cost of maintaining the main VPN servers by placing part of the load on users.

It is argued that the resources of user devices are consumed only when idle, when connected via Wi-Fi. To disconnect from the P2P network, you will need a paid Hola Premium subscription, costing $5 per month.

Connection speed was tested when connecting to a Dutch server. The VPN network exhibits excellent latency performance, especially when working with the server closest to the actual location.

When other regions connect to the network, the trend continues. Germany.

USA.

Hola is a service originally designed to work with services: hulu, Netflix, Pandora, Spotify. Thanks to this, streaming video is played without problems, including 1080p. There is nothing to say about the web pages; they work as expected.

CyberGhost- VPN service with an unusual client application aimed at the average user.

The main menu is divided into 4 banner sections with pre-configured modes of use.

The first one is Secure Wi-Fi Hotspot designed to work on public networks. After its activation, the ability to intercept traffic, as well as malicious sites, is blocked. Changing the region is not possible; the most optimal one is used by default.

I liked the ability to automatically activate protection when connecting to selected networks.

Safe streaming- catalog of services with regional reference.

The corresponding online location is used to connect.

Anonymous navigation - connect to a VPN network with options to ensure anonymity and security. The service can compress data on the fly to save traffic on mobile networks.

By default, the optimal VPN server is used, the list includes Germany, Canada, the Netherlands and Ukraine.

The last tab is connecting to a VPN with the ability to select a server manually, based on load data.

Anonymization and protection against malicious sites can be activated separately.

The free plan includes unlimited traffic and access to VPN servers in 30 regions. For 229 rubles per month you can get a higher connection speed.

The application has the function of automatically selecting a suitable server; during testing, a recommended server located in Ukraine was used. The service demonstrates high connection speed.

The remaining regions show comparable figures. Netherlands.

In real operation, the service shows itself positively. Web pages load quickly, but there is a slight delay due to high ping. Video content is provided without problems.

Turbo VPN- an alternative service that provides access to a secure channel without traffic restrictions.

The application interface is made in Material Design and looks modern. There was no need for a mascot; the developers used a hare.

There are no additional functions other than the VPN itself. Servers located in the following countries are available for connection: Germany, Canada, Great Britain, the Netherlands, France, the United States, India and Singapore. By default, the most optimal server is selected.

Using the service is absolutely free, the amount of traffic is not limited. There are no paid plans. The application is filled with advertisements, including full-screen ones.

In everyday use, the experience is similar: web pages load without significant delays. Online videos in 1080p work; delays when rewinding are comparable to connecting directly.

TouchVPN- free VPN service without traffic restrictions from North Ghost.

The client's style is reminiscent of MIUI. The interface is focused on connecting in one click.

An unusual feature is statistics of the current session. The application also draws graphs, but their information content and usefulness are questionable.

The list of available servers includes 19 countries, including: Germany, Russia, Hong Kong, Italy, Sweden and Japan.

Among the additional options, noteworthy is the warning about connecting to an unsecured network, which is triggered when using public Wi-Fi networks.

The service is provided absolutely free of charge without restrictions on traffic and connection time. There are no paid plans. The client uses full-screen advertising.

The client considers the Russian server to be optimal; it doesn’t make much sense. Therefore, a VPN server located in France was used for testing and speed measurements. The connection speed was a pleasant surprise! However, Speedtest.net is unstable on the network, and it was not possible to get speed results to the server closest to the actual location. Changing the region does not change the situation.

The unstable operation of the speed measurement service does not affect normal web surfing in any way; even heavy sites load normally. There were no problems with online videos.

Hideman Free VPN- a free version of the well-known service, unlimited in the amount of data transferred.

The application interface looks minimalistic, the main menu is to select the region to connect to. Available in the free version: Canada, Ukraine, Moldova, Türkiye, Romania and Bulgaria.

An interesting feature is support for the UDP protocol. It is faster than the usual TCP, although the latter is more reliable. Additional options include protection against malicious and spy sites, and Anti-DPI to bypass government firewalls.

In the free version of the service, only 6 regions are available. There are no restrictions on the amount of data transferred. The client uses unobtrusive banner advertising.

Along with other services, Hideman performed well in everyday use. Internet surfing and video streaming are provided without any noticeable problems.

About anonymity in public networks

Like any business, public VPN networks should not be unprofitable. At the same time, enormous amounts of money are spent on maintaining and supporting servers. If the service is provided free of charge, the monetization mechanisms are unclear, and it is unlikely that the advertising built into clients can recoup a significant part of the costs. Therefore, it is recommended to trust really important data to paid services that value their reputation and the anonymity of users. Free services are nothing more than a means of bypassing regional restrictions. That is, they are provided as is, without responsibility for users’ private data. You should take developers' claims about data security with skepticism.

In 2015, there was a scandal with the above-mentioned service, which was caught selling traffic to third-party companies. In one episode, users turned out to be unwitting participants in a botnet. After the scandal, the company changed the user agreement, and those who do not want to share device resources were offered a paid Hola Premium subscription.

With the expansion of the list of blocked resources and the emergence of great interest in torrent sites among Internet users, the popularity of VPN services and anonymizers has grown sharply over the past three years. A special breakthrough in the need for such services was the blocking of the domestic Telegram platform by Roskomnadzor in April of this year. With the growing demand for VPN services, the number of companies that have begun to supply best VPN services has grown relatively. There are currently about 500 services on the VPN market.

With so many VPN providers on the market, it is difficult to choose the right one, as each user has individual needs. Based on this, we decided to make your life easier and make a list of the best VPN services in the following categories: Confidentiality, Server speed, Log Policy, Cross-platform, Traffic encryption and access to restricted foreign sites!

Working VPN

Unblocking the site
PC, Mobile
Extension
Hiding the IP address
Country coverage
Speed
Polykika logs
Refund Policy

VPN services that work in Russia and Ukraine!

Due to increasing censorship on the Internet, in parallel VPN services have gained popularity and even some services of such companies have been banned by the government. Many VPN companies have decided to follow the law and have stopped providing access to prohibited information. And those that are banned by Roskomnadzor quickly change their domain and IP address and continue to serve users.

We will gradually update this article to provide the user with the absolute best VPN service on the VPN provider market.

Confidentiality

One of the main purposes of VPN services issafetyonline user data. However, what matters most is who provides this security. If we try to explain in simple terms, let’s assume the main office of your VPN provider is located in Russia, then according to the law, this company is obliged to store logs of your online activities for 2 years.

You can save yourself from unpleasant consequences by choosing a VPN provider that is located in an offshore zone, where there are no government requirements. Therefore, your actions remain completely safe!

In short, these VPN services are log-free!

Let's look at companies with offshore headquarters that also have high productivity.

Founded in the Virgin Islands. Serves 94 countries 2000+ server locations. VPN service from ExpressVPN is available in Russia and Ukraine. And even if the domain is banned in these territories, the company always bypasses the blocking by changing the domain. The website page and software are entirely in Russian. After purchasing a VPN service, you can use it in 3 devices at the same time!

Compared to other companies on the market, the prices of this service are slightly higher, but you get a guarantee that your actions are accurately saved and the stable and reliable servers offered are completely worth the money spent!

NordVPN is based in Panama, where there are no laws requiring VPN companies to keep any logs of user activity. Therefore, by purchasing a VPN service from NordVPN, your personal data and all your actions will be completely safe. Although the country coverage is not as extensive as ExpressVPN, the company still offers services in 62 countries, 4000+ servers.

NordVPN is not banned in these countries. If you want to access prohibited sites through a mobile device, then NordVPN is definitely for you, because the performance of the mobile application will pleasantly surprise the user. With this service you can get speed 30 Mbit!

Performance/Speed

Not every VPN provider is able to provide high performance. So far, we have managed about 20 VPN companies, and found that one provider can provide the best result in sector A, but in sector B is completely behind and one of these categories is server speed.

To bypass blocking in Russia or Ukraine, it would be more logical to use VPN servers from Europe and America.

SaferVPN is one of the rare companies that can truly provide high performance with a reasonable cost policy and easy to use software. A pleasant advantage of the service is that the company works well in Russia and Ukraine and as a service it is universal VPN solution.

Compared to other VPN companies, SaferVPN's country coverage is small, but there are enough servers for Russian users!

SaferVPN is one of the rarest VPN services that can really provide high performance not only for PCs, but also for mobile devices, plus the site and software are available in Russian!

The company also offers a 30-day money-back guarantee! If you want to know more about this company, then read our review !

One of the new Swedish companies. And yes, the company is located in a country where logging is required for two years. However, this category is entirely dedicated to the speed of the service.

Since the company is new to the market, the servers are not loaded, so it is quite possible to get absolutely high speed. Especially the speed in400 Mbit, which you will receive from servers in France and Holland, will provide all the opportunities to carry out actions without any problems!

Besides, speed 25 Mbit in the app with a mobile connection (4.5G) will provide the smoothest streaming and social media experience.

Downloading torrent files

I don’t think I need to remind you that downloading copyrighted files is illegal. Along with other countries, Russia has also begun to take measures against downloading torrent files.

When downloading any torrent file, make sure that your IP address is hidden, otherwise your Internet provider can track all your actions. And if enterprises deem it necessary, you can be fined a large amount. To prevent such a situation, we recommend changing your IP address using a VPN service to one where such an action is not prohibited by the state, for example to Amsterdam.

Of course, there are some points that need to be taken into account. Before purchasing a service, make sure that the Internet speed does not drop significantly by connecting to a VPN connection.After all, no one likes to wait for hours for a file to download. Therefore, you will make a successful purchase if the VPN service can simultaneously change the IP address and is not inferior in Internet speed.

One of the important mandatory factors of a VPN service for torrent destinations is the presence of a function“Autonomous Blackout”connections. This feature provides security when disconnecting the device from the VPN connection while downloading torrent files. In other words, if your traffic is not encrypted, then the download stops.

We have already mentioned this provider above! However, the company does not concede its primacy in this category.

We conducted a test by downloading a torrent file with a value of240 MB. Using the VPN service from PrivateVPN, the process lasted less than 1 minute. In addition, we were able to extract full power from our 50 Mbit Internet. If you want a VPN provider that doesn't compromise on your Internet speed, then PrivateVPN is definitely for you! To view test results, click

SaferVPN is also one of the rare companies that is able to provide high performance for torrenting purposes. File with volume 900 MB managed to download less than in 10 minutes. To view test results, click

Online Games

Contrary to the statements of VPN providers, it is completely unrealistic to get higher Ping values when using a VPN service for online games. Roskomnadzor has no prohibitions against online gaming yet. However, it is worth considering some issues that you may encounter if you do not use VPN services.

For dorm and campus users, access to Online games such as Steam, Blizzard App and torrent sites is prohibited. Therefore, you will have to connect a VPN to your device.
Games may be blocked in a certain country for various reasons.

Problems may also arise when using a VPN service:

When connected to a VPN connection in instant games like CS GO, Dota, LOL, etc. the ping value can exceed 100. For such games, the acceptable ping value on average should be about 50.
In the case of unreliable servers, your connection will be unstable and you will simply lose the game.

If we take into account all the above notes, there are 2 criteria when choosing a VPN service for online games:

Low Ping value, with an available server in Russia, working with the protocol PPTP.
VPN services with a stable and reliable server during the game.

With ExpressVPN, you can play games by selecting PPTP protocol with the lowest ping value by connecting to one of the servers in Russia. If you are facing restrictions from the hostel, you can download and configure the software by opening a mobile connection on your PC. Then you can use the service from the Internet connection of the hostel.

Especially for game fans MMORPG, with the help of ExpressVPN's reliable servers, the service will prevent connection problems. And you don't have to worry about the server suddenly disconnecting.

A company from Switzerland, VyprVPN also recently launched a special service for online players with low ping values. Even PC Gamer magazine rated this VPN service as one of the fastest for PC games!

Compatibility: Mobile and Desktop Device, Expansion.

Over time, the number of devices with Internet access is increasing more and more. Previously, we never left our desktop computers to open the Internet browser, but now the mobile device has taken precedence in our lives. If we take note of this reality, then before purchasing a VPN service, you should make sure that the software is compatible with the devices that are at hand.

Almost all VPN providers offer at least 3 possibilities for simultaneous connection of devices. For some, this figure reaches 6. However, only a few VPN companies can provide the same indicators in all platforms: PC operating systems ( Mac, Windows, Linux), mobile device ( IOS and Android), as well as a browser extension ( Chrome, Firefox, Safari).

Approximately, you already know for which devices you will use the VPN service. If you want a VPN service that is compatible with all devices, you may want to consider one of the providers below.

Since our first review, the company contacted us and said that they already have VPN extensions for Google Chrome and FireFox browsers, and are also working on developing a VPN extension for Safari. A pioneer in its sector, ExpressVPN offers its services on all devices: PC, desktop, browsers and even modems.

With the help of the extension, you can get rid of advertising and at the same time receive high speed service. We can absolutely recommend ExpressVPN as your VPN service.

SaferVPN has one of the lightest interfaces we've tested. In addition to the multi-platform software, the service has excellent server speed and is also available in Russian.

The software connects with one click on the connect button. We have already mentioned speed performance above.

The company offers extensions for browsers such as Chrome and Firefox. And in development for Safari.

With SaferVPN you can connect up to 5 devices at once!

VPN Encryption

Together with VPN services, providers integrate protocols with varying degrees of encryption. One of the commonly used examples isPPTP, OpenVPN, Ikev2, L2TP.

Each protocol comes with its own level of encryption, which affects the connection speed and your security.

For example, using the PPTP protocol, which has the lowest encryption value of 64 Mbit, you will not even notice that your device is connected to the VPN. On the other hand, by using the OpenVPN protocol with 256-bit encryption, you are running a more stable protocol, but the connection speed is quite reduced.

In addition to the usual protocols, some providers provide protocols with double encryption: in one server your data is encrypted, and through the second the data is poisoned. Double encryption can reach up to 2048 bits, but this means that the performance of such a server is greatly reduced.

In short, with a high degree of encryption, security is high, and speed is correspondingly low.

Let's take a look at the companies that can provide such a high degree of encryption.

One of the truly unique VPN providers with a complete lack of logging, a variety of VPN protocols, as well as double encryption and additional services Tor Over Onion, with which you can completely erase all your traces on the Internet.

When it comes to user privacy alone, NordVPN undoubtedly ranks first, but in the server speed category it lags far behind the leading providers on the market. For mobile devices server speed (from Germany with 4.5G connection) reaches up to 30 Mbit, when, as for desktop devices, the speed of the service for surfing social networks, downloading torrent files and watching videos is faced with an average value.

Access to geo-restricted content

There are times when you want to watch a certain program, but it is only available in a certain country. In such situations, VPN services help us out. For example, for compatriots living abroad in Russia, access to a site such as Amediateka.ru is not possible due to geographical limitations only on the territory of the federation. Therefore, in order to bypass this blocking, users will have to change their IP address to Russian.

Until now, our ultimate reliable provider for bypassing geo-restricted content is the service from HidemyAss. With the latest update, the company has separated the authorization and VPN servers. If it is blocked, the company can bypass it by changing the IP address and servers.

In the same way, you can easily bypass geo-restriction by using the service from VYprVPN. You can read all the details about the company on our page!

One of the advantages of the Hidemyass provider is its wide coverage of countries with a large number of servers. The provider serves almost all countries of the world, so with the help of the service from Hidemyass you can easily bypass blocking around the world.

Do I really needVPNservice?

In fact, the answer to this question varies from person to person. For users from Russia, we can list the reasons why you should use a VPN:

Each of your websites is monitored by Roskomnadzor. Just look at the fact that they require encryption keys for Telegram, Linkedin, Viber. You can prevent this interference.
You can access all prohibited sites in Russia and around the world
Download torrent files or watch movies in a safe Internet space.
Get rid of restricted access in the hostel or in government agencies (you will have to configure everything manually)
Bypass all restrictions on online games
Have access to gambling networks

To sum it up!

Based on the fact that each user has individual needs regarding VPN service, we have tried to list the best VPN services under different categories. For those who simply want to access restricted content, it is enough to choose a VPN provider with high speed and low encryption. And for those who want to download a torrent file or use the service for more serious actions, we advise you to choose providers with high encryption.

Gamers need a service with a lower ping value, while for those who want to make financial transactions, we recommend a provider with double encryption.

The categories were made based on the different purposes of using a VPN. We started the list of categories with providers that operate in Russia and Ukraine, and then the order is as follows: Privacy > Performance/Speed > Torrent > Games > Encryption > Access to restricted content.

If you want to purchase a VPN service that works in all spaces, then we recommend taking a look at the list above.

The development of mobile Internet technologies has made it possible to fully use phones and tablets for surfing the Internet. Mobile gadgets are used not only to search for necessary information, but with their help: communicate in social communities, make purchases, conduct financial transactions, and work in corporate networks.

But what about a reliable, secure, anonymous Internet connection? The answer is simple - use a VPN, for example https://colander.pro/servers.

What is a VPN and why do you need it on your phone?

Technologies that allow you to create a logical network with one or many connections are collectively called Virtual Private Network (abbreviated as VPN). Literally translated, this expression sounds like a virtual private network.

Its essence is to create a secure connection over or inside another network (a kind of tunnel) through which, thanks to the application installed on the gadget, the client can access the VPN server. Within such a connection, all transmitted data is modified, encrypted and protected.

Why have services that provide the opportunity to use such virtual networks become so popular and is it really necessary to have them on a tablet or smartphone?

On tourist and business trips, there is often a need to use the Internet: to log into a mobile office, business correspondence, order and pay for tickets and communicate via Skype, etc. It’s convenient to check your email, analyze quotes, and study the news using the device at hand. But for this you have to resort to Wi-Fi, which is now free in many train stations, airports, cafes and hotels.

Of course, the ability to access the Internet anywhere is a useful and convenient thing, but how safe is it? Experts involved in information security claim that through an unsecured Wi-Fi connection you can simply and without much difficulty gain access to all the data located on the gadget.

In this case, choosing VPN services will be the best opportunity to protect the user from theft of his confidential information. However, these virtual networks can be used for more than just security. Their use allows you to access a web resource that is unavailable in a certain region, bypass corporate network restrictions, and so on.

Features of mobile technologies

In order for owners of mobile gadgets to take advantage of these cloud technologies, many VPN servers have been adapted to work with such devices. The communication channels used by smartphones and tablets to access the Internet often change, it could be Wi-Fi, and then a 3G or 4G connection. This greatly complicates the ability of a regular VPN server to maintain a stable connection on a dedicated channel.

This happens because it sees gadgets accessing it from different subnets and IP addresses, which leads to applications installed on the devices losing active connections. To avoid this, special authorization methods began to be used on specially adapted servers equipped with VPN technology. Which make it possible to carry out two-way data transfer from the server to wearable gadgets, where the devices periodically change network settings.

How to properly use VPN capabilities on your phone

There are paid VPN server services and their free analogues. What is better to choose is up to each user to decide individually. If you manage to decide on the choice of service and server, you need to move on to configuration. Nowadays, the most popular mobile gadgets are iPhone and Android devices.

Activating VPN on iPhone

There are two ways to set up your iPhone to use these technologies. The first is to select the most suitable application for this from the App Store and install it. Then perform the following actions:

Visit the settings section.
Open the VPN tab and activate it with the slider.
Then select the installed service.

The second is to configure the VPN manually. To do this, you need to carry out the following manipulations:

Having entered the settings section of the device, activate the VPN and click on the “add configuration” icon.
Then select the security type: L2TP, IPSec or IKEv2 and activate the required configuration.
After that, you should fill in information about the private network settings: a description of the remote identifier, server and fill in the information necessary for registration - nickname, password.
If you have a proxy server, you should choose based on your preferences whether to use it: automatic or manual.
By clicking the “Done” button and switching the status slider to the desired position, you can start surfing the Internet.

Now all traffic from the iPhone will go through the VPN.

Setting up a VPN on Android

Here it is much easier to connect the selected VPN service; for this you need to:

Activate the “Settings” section, where in the “Wireless networks” line click on the inscription: “Advanced”.
After which, after opening the “VPN” subsection and clicking on the + sign, information about the available protocols for connecting such services will be provided.
Having selected and saved the required connection, all that remains is to enter and create the credentials necessary for work: login and password.

Of course, the settings for different smartphones may differ, but the basic steps are largely similar.

Conclusion

It is difficult to argue that the use of VPNs in mobile devices is becoming a more and more popular service. Thanks to such services, a lot of opportunities open up for users: when traveling, they have the opportunity not to break away from the work process, knowing that all their data is always protected, while being in another region, gain access to the necessary resources and other preferences.