There’s a dangerous belief out there that MacOS is somehow immune to attacks, that Apple’s computers need no antivirus, and that Macs are intrinsically protected against spies and hackers. While it’s true that malware targets specific devices, and Windows devices undoubtedly represent a larger target, those perpetrating mass surveillance and online data thieves aren’t so discerning. That’s why virtual private network, or VPN, are so important, even for Mac users.
The problem isn’t your Mac. It is, rather, the fundamental structure of the internet. The first bricks of the web were laid by government and university academics who were interested in making information sharing faster and easier. Privacy and security were secondary concerns. Fast-forward a few decades into the future, and things are quite different.
The problem is that today we use the web for far more than just trading academic papers. We transmit important documents filled with personal information; for example, we send money to our friends and request money from our enemies; we even exchange incriminating emails and compromising photos. And we do it all over a system that makes finding your location and intercepting your information very easy. So you need a good VPN to secure your Mac.
VPN Protection: Can I Hide My IP Address?
A VPN encrypts and protects your data connection online. What you do online is open for prying eyes. But you can protect and hide your IP address and data by using a VPN. A VPN secures data between you and your business, or you can obtain anonymity and protection for your personal information on your Mac.
There are loads of VPNs to choose from; and quality is on the rise. The process of choosing a VPN starts with a realistic assessment of your needs: for example, if you only use Apple products, you must find the best VPN for Mac and Apple products.
How VPN Connections Benefit You
Not everyone has the same priorities, or uses the internet in the same way. If you want to improve anonymity online, VPN providers give you a way to discreetly access the Internet through a “tunnel” service. This type of access masks your communication and displays the VPN’s IP address when you connect to a website, instead of your own.
This means that your private home IP address is hidden when browsing different websites. Using a VPN service will likely impact your Mac speed as well. If you are looking for a fast VPN, make sure that it also keeps your privacy through data encryption between your computer and the target server. By using a VPN, you can improve the protection of your data, and stay anonymous on the internet. All while streaming or browsing at top speeds.
Other benefits of VPN are:
- Fast streaming and downloading/torrenting
- Access geo-restricted content
- Anonymous web surfing
- Bypass VPN blocks
Price Matters – But Only up to a Point
Free VPNs may seem attractive on paper, but they often offer a sub-par service and may have significant privacy issues. Always keep in mind that free services are free for a reason. The best VPNs offer a balance between quality and price, and some can be really cheap.
Speed and Reliability
A VPN keeps you safe online by rerouting your traffic through an encrypted server. If this process is done well, the effect on your connection should be unnoticeable. On the other hand, if the VPN is poor quality, it may grind your internet speed down to a halt.
If you are looking for the best VPN for streaming, for example, look out for services with 99.9% uptime and no speed or bandwidth caps. This ensures your online experience will be smooth, irrespective of how heavy your internet usage is.
How VPN Connections Benefit Your Business
Businesses big and small also benefit from setting up VPN connections. VPN allows employees who are working from home to connect to a private network over the internet while still protecting their IP addresses. A VPN service gives protection to the business and the employee. The software is typically installed on the employee’s computer, and the employee uses the service to perform daily tasks as if the employee is logged in locally.
Stay Safe and Private on Your Mac
Apple has polished MacOS to a shine, and the company has always paid careful attention to stability and security. But out on the web, anything goes. That’s why you need a VPN to provide a critical layer of security and privacy on your Mac. It’s a simple but powerful tool, and you’ll be grateful for taking better control of your online experience. Chances are you don’t use a VPN on your Mac yet.
While you’re thinking about privacy for your Mac, you should also consider security. If you’re not protected yet, you ought to keep reading our article.
Can You Trust Your VPN?
As important as what a VPN company provides is how it does so, as well as the policies it has in place to protect your privacy. You must trust that the service is going to be a good guardian of your personal information, and won’t abuse its position by mining your data. The company’s legal situation is important, too. Some countries have laws that require companies to store data for set periods of time.
We don’t claim to be experts on international law, but we do ask VPN companies if they are subject to mandatory data retention laws. Also we do some investigation of our own, mostly with the help of the Electronic Frontier Foundation’s resources on data retention.
We also ask VPN providers what information they gather on user activity and whether they sell that information. Furthermore, we scour company privacy policies to confirm their answers. The first is important, as a VPN company could potentially spy on your activity. The last point refers to a particularly egregious practice that has all but died out, thankfully. Back in the day, some VPN companies also injected ads into users’ web traffic. That’s mostly not the case these days, but we do check with each vendor, just in case.
Of course, a VPN company could lie about any of these issues. But at the very least, we can ask VPN companies to explain their positions and not allow them to lie by omission.
VPN Speeds
Because a VPN routes your web traffic differently than your ISP does, many people believe that using a VPN will slow their browsers to a crawl. They are right to be concerned. Putting more fiber and more servers between you and the internet potentially increases latency time, and decreases upload and download speeds.
Many people want to know which is the fastest VPN service. In our testing on Windows computers, where we’ve examined nearly two dozen VPN services, PureVPN has shown that it can actually improve download speeds by a significant margin for two years running. But we’re also very aware of the limitations of network testing, and that PureVPN has yet to repeat this success on other platforms. We haven’t gathered enough data yet to weigh in on the fastest Mac VPN.
What Is the Best VPN to Secure Your Mac?
There are dozens of VPN services that work great for Mac. Some offer faster speeds than others. Some are more secure than others. It is important to investigate your options and see which service is right for you. Many of them offer a free tier or trial period. So you can find out whether you want to invest or not. Here are some of VPN services to secure your Mac.
Buffered
With Buffered, you can use websites that are blocked by geolocation. So you can connect to your home country’s websites while abroad or vice versa. It features extra security to hide your location, protect you from hackers, and even keep your internet provider from tracking how much data you download.
VPN Unlimited
KeepSolid prides itself on its extra-strength security. You can browse the internet and share information with people you want to share it with without fear of unwanted prying eyes. All of your web activities are kept anonymous and you can access geo-blocked sites around the world. We love KeepSolid because of its ultra-fast performance. You won’t be slowed down while staying protected.
CyberGhost
CyberGhost makes it very easy to browse the internet without being seen, like a ghost. It works automatically so when you launch a browser, you automatically connect to a VPN. CyberGhost unblocks streaming services for users in countries where certain services aren’t supported. It also has the added benefit of having an ad blocker, malware detector, and anti-tracking system. So you’re safe from more than just surfing the net.
Private Tunnel
Private Tunnel works to keep you safe from spoofing and man-in-the-middle attacks by making your internet activities unseen by nefarious groups or individuals. It uses OpenVPN, which is a trusted source. You are not required to sign up for any programs and there are free and premium services available.
Tunnelbear
Tunnelbear is a safe VPN that is always on, and always protecting you. This Vpn is one of my favorites because of how easy it is to set up and use on your Mac. It protects your data with strong encryption and has fast speeds, too. You can use one service with up to five devices and you only have to pay for the service if you use more than 500MB per month.
PureVPN
PureVPN will have your back when you’re trying to stream movies, download huge files, or listen to music on five different services. It provides super fast internet speeds while still encrypting your data with the strongest security possible. This VPN is compatible with more than just computers and mobile devices, too. It works with set-top boxes, gaming consoles, PC sticks, and more. Users highly recommended for its broad variety of options.
Your favorite?
Hopethis article helps you make your best choice. What VPN network do you use for your Mac and why do you think it’s the best? Please let us know it by sharing comments for us.
