The Internet was first introduced to the world in 1983. Since then, the purpose of having access to such a network has changed from a luxury to a necessity. As much as it is important to have good bandwidth and a speedy network, it is essential to have a secure way of using it as well. Initially, when the internet was neonate, people did not have this security. Here security refers to the confidentiality of whatever is shared or browsed on the network. Eventually, when people faced risks such as losing data, the concept of surfing via a safer portal was adopted. This started with the invention of ARPANET (Advanced Research Projects Agency) which was followed by TCP/IP (Transfer Control Protocol/Internet Protocol). The modern version of VPN was later developed in 1993 by a collaboration between Columbia University and AT&T Bell labs which was called Software IP encryption Protocol.
In this article, we will be looking at what VPN is in a nutshell and how this can be disabled on an iPhone.
What is VPN?
VPN stands for Virtual Private Network and it functions as a separate network other than the one you are connected to which provides a safe platform for internet sharing and surfing. It creates a safe portal for you to search undetected and keeps you hidden so that you do not have to worry about getting hacked or losing data. To elaborate more on how it actually works, VPN acts as a barrier between the user and ISP (Internet Service Provider) filtering out all the data related to your search. It redirects your public network to that of a server run by a VPN host and keeps your IP address hidden. An IP address is encrypted and even if leaked externally cannot be decoded. Basically, if you do not have a USA VPN, your ISP and other third parties like advertisers will be open to access your browser history, cookies, and other data. This info, if in the wrong hands, may pose a threat to your identity and data.
Advantages of VPN?
Having VPN enabled has many benefits to offer. Some of them include;
- Data like IP addresses and other protocols that might risk your identity on the network are completely encrypted to an extent that they cannot be decoded.
- The location of access is always unknown because your public connection is always routed to a VPN server located in another place.
- You will not have problems watching regional content internationally or international content locally with VPN as it follows the concept of VPN location spoofing.
- It makes data transfer secure through the internet without having to worry about risking privacy.
Features to look for in a VPN?
Here are some important features to look for before choosing a good VPN;
- The VPN you choose must be able to fully encrypt your IP address and related protocols that might risk your identity if not hidden.
- It must be able to block sites that might potentially cause harm in case the VPN has network issues, to avoid losing data during a blackout.
- Make sure the VPN has a two-factor authentication option to avoid unauthorized logins.
Need to disable VPN?
All this while we talked about how important it is to have VPN enabled. So you must be wondering if there will be a need to disable or disconnect it. The answer is “yes”. You might find yourself in scenarios wanting to disconnect your VPN.
Such situations include;
- Wanting to troubleshoot network issues.
- While setting up an internet connection for the first time.
How to turn off VPN on iPhone?
It is pretty simple to disconnect the VPN on your iPhone but always remembers to turn it back on to avoid cyber attacks.
Method: 1
- To disable VPN go to settings on your device.
- In settings, tap on “General”.
- Here, select “VPN” and use the toggle to turn the VPN status to “Not connected”.
Method: 2
- You can use the same settings icon to disable VPN but in a different way.
- Whenever you add a VPN to your mobile, the device adds a VPN section separately in settings under “personal hotspot”.
- Tap on it and disable the toggle.
- To avoid the VPN automatic connection in the future, click on the icon on the same screen and switch off “connect on demand”.
There is another way to disable VPN on iPhone. You can directly go to the VPN app and disable it in the app settings and this varies with various kinds of service providers.
How to disable VPN on Android?
The process to disconnect VPN is similar on Android as well.
- Go to settings on your device.
- Click on “more connection settings”.
- Here, select VPN and use the toggle to disable the option.
Conclusion:
Therefore it is always advised to double-check before choosing a secure VPN service provider. Though the market has many to offer, not all are worth your money. Remember to go through their specification before choosing a service provider. If you end up choosing a provider that logs all your data then it will not be any different from an ISP. Always go for a VPN that does not keep track of your activities and is good at encrypting your IP address. Do not forget to enable the VPN after you have done troubleshooting problems because not doing it might risk your privacy. Some VPNs like NordVPN provide an option that allows you to disable the VPN which will be automatically enabled after an hour. Hope this article helped you find answers to your queries on VPNs. Do comment down below on any other queries related to this subject.
FAQ:
Yes, VPN is a necessary attribute that helps optimize safe search through a public network. Since you are connected to a public platform, your internet service provider can see all your activities on the internet and might end up putting the data collected to bad use. VPN provides a safer private network to share and search data from without compromising safety.
Although VPN is helpful in avoiding malware from the internet it cannot fully protect your device from Malware. You need antivirus software additionally installed to save yourself from external viruses like viruses from USBs.
VPN comes with the advantage of hiding your location as well. Instead, the address of the VPN host server will be placed which reroutes your public connection to that of a private network. All other data like your IP address will also be encrypted and cannot be decoded making it unhackable.
I am Supriya, Bachelors of Engineering in Aeronautics. I have always been passionate about writing and am grateful that I get to showcase it on this platform. Possess great zeal towards learning new tech things and find joy in sharing the knowledge I have with individuals.
