Whether you are a freelance coder, writer, or even graphic designer, you only need to have a decent laptop, a steady internet connection, an ergonomic workstation, and probably a fresh brew of coffee. A Virtual Private Network (VPN) is a vital requirement for any avid freelancer, asides from the aforementioned essential freelancing requirements. Besides providing top-notch privacy protections that put cybercriminals at bay, a VPN confers plenty of other benefits, which enhance your productivity as a freelancer. As you’re busy living the freelancer dream, here are several ways a VPN can increase your productivity. What Are Virtual Private Networks? As the online space continues to grow, online security has become one of the biggest concerns for the virtual workspace. With increasing security issues such as Firesheep and Wi-Fi spoofing, it’s now more vital than ever to keep your online activity secured. There is no better way to do this than by using a VPN. A Virtual Private Network (VPN) is a network of private servers that allow users to connect to the internet through a safe and encrypted tunnel. In simple terms, a VPN is a technology that will enable you to create a secure network connection while using a public network or even some unsecured private networks. With a VPN, you can anonymize your online activity on a network, hide your IP address, browse the internet without worrying about being tracked, and most importantly, ensure that your connection is always secure. That said, here are several ways a VPN can increase productivity as a freelancer. 1. Increased Bandwidth One of the most significant benefits of using a VPN as a freelancer is automatically increasing your internet speed thanks to the additional bandwidth. As a freelancer, you’re most likely working from home or a café using a private network supplied by a local internet service provider (ISP). ISPs usually throttle the bandwidth of their users during congestions or whenever they deem necessary. This action leads to a slow internet connection, significantly affecting a freelancer’s efficiency and productivity. Using a VPN, you’re assured of additional bandwidth since VPN clients use faster servers that surpass the bandwidth cap and speeds put in place by the internet service provider (ISP). With an increased internet connection speed, you’ll be able to get many tasks completed in less time, translating to increased productivity. 2. VPNs Make Connections More Secure As a freelancer, you may at times find yourself working in public places such as airports, libraries, shared workspaces, hotels, or your local coffee shop. You’ll need to use public Wi-Fi in such areas, given that mobile connections are much slower. However, public Wi-Fi connections are not often secure and are usually an easy target for cybercriminals preying on unprotected devices. A VPN allows you to use public Wi-Fi networks securely and without worrying about cybercriminals in public places. As such, with a VPN, you can take advantage of public networks and get the work done in time wherever you are. 3. Bypassing Filters and […]
