Like many institutions, Northwestern has an established Virtual Private Network (VPN), provided so that its members can securely connect to the University’s network from off-campus. While you should continue to rely on this University service, there are many reasons to consider also using a VPN to protect your personal internet use.
VPNs provide an extra layer of data privacy by creating encrypted tunnels that shield your internet traffic from prying eyes as data is routed. Using a VPN ensures that anyone monitoring traffic on a site you access sees only the VPN’s IP address and not the IP address for your device. This added confidentiality is essential because your IP address reveals information about your device location.
Another critical use of VPNs is to protect your traffic against anyone snooping on public Wi-Fi networks. Using a VPN will prevent would-be hackers from seeing your information, such as the usernames and passwords you use to access various websites while connected to public Wi-Fi networks.
While it may be tempting to opt for a free VPN when considering personal-use options, remember that nothing is truly free—VPNs are no exception. A “free” VPN still needs to earn value in the transaction of providing a service for their users, so while a VPN may not collect a service fee, they are likely collecting your data and selling it to advertisers. When you use a free VPN, you likely end up unwittingly paying with your data instead of money.
Here are a few things to consider when purchasing a VPN:
- The number of servers available to support internet speeds, and accessibility in the countries where you need service
- Encryption strength – AES256-bit is the industry standard
- Fail-safe presence of an automatic “kill switch” in the event the VPN is disconnected
- Price – is it within your budget?
- The fine print in the terms of use. Does the vendor sell or otherwise share customer data?
We’ve gathered some basic information on two leading VPNs. We are not endorsing any specific VPN but are providing information and a source to begin your search and further consideration.
| ExpressVPN | NordVPN | ||
| Range | 1060 Locations in 94 Countries https://www.expressvpn.com/vpn-server | 59 Countries Worldwide https://nordvpn.com/servers/ | |
| Encryption | AES-256 | AES 256 https://nordvpn.com/features/vpn-security/ | |
| Automatic Kill Switch | Yes | Yes | |
| Price | “ExpressVPN offers three standard subscription plans. Subscriptions cost $12.95 per month for a one-month plan, $9.99 per month for a six-month plan, and $8.32 per month for a 12-month plan.” | 3 Plans: 2-year plan $3.71/month
One year plan: $4.92/month One month plan: $11.95/mo
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| Guarantee | 30 Day Money-back Guarantee
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30 Day Money-back Guarantee
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| Vendor privacy statement | “Many VPN providers say they offer complete anonymity but actually track what you do online. ExpressVPN believes everyone has a right to privacy. That’s why we never keep logs of your online browsing activity. Stay private, stay secure, and enjoy a higher degree of anonymity.” | “What makes the technology so fast is the fact that it’s built around the WireGuard VPN protocol, the fastest one out there. The only issue with WireGuard is that user privacy is not guaranteed. Luckily, NordVPN has found a solution: we developed a double Network Address Translation (NAT) system to reinforce NordLynx. This means that no identifiable information will be stored on any of NordLynx’s servers. Your privacy is paramount to us.”
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For additional reading, check out this article from The Verge: “The Best VPN to Use to Protect Your Privacy.”