Streamers often use VPNs while binge-watching their favorite content and tell others to do the same. But if you are new to this, you might wonder what it means. VPN (short for virtual private network) encrypts your online activities. This means that whatever you do on the internet is hidden from everyone except you. In this way, VPNs provide you with greater security.
For streamers, a VPN does more than that. It helps them unblock geo-restricted content. Thus, it enhances their viewing experience. Have you ever tried to watch content from another country and received a message about it being unavailable? With a VPN, you can easily unlock this restriction and enjoy content from anywhere.
In the absence of VPN, your online activities are at risk of being intercepted by third parties. Keep reading as we explore streaming experience without VPN.
Your Streaming Are Not Protected
A VPN hides your IP address. Your real IP address can give out important location-based information. It can be used by hackers to learn more about your online activities. Some can even sell your IP on the dark web for profit.
When you stream without a VPN, your IP address isn’t hidden. So, hackers, governments, and any other third parties can track your activities. In other words, your activities are exposed to online criminals. VPN encrypts your connection. It ensures that both your IP address and your browsing history are hidden. This protects you from cyber threats.
You Cannot Access Geo-Restricted Content
Streaming services impose regional restrictions on content. It means you cannot watch movies and TV shows from certain countries on your streaming device. The restrictions are because of differences in licensing agreements worldwide. A VPN can easily bypass these restrictions. It redirects your traffic to a remote server located in a region where there are no such restrictions. Thus, it appears as if you are accessing content from an approved region.
However, not all VPNs efficiently bypass regional restrictions on streaming devices like Firestick, Roku, Chromecast, etc. Only the VPNs for Amazon’s Fire TV Stick and other streaming devices with access to hundreds of servers in multiple countries can do this well. Most of these VPNs have a dedicated app, which does not take up much device space and is easy to use. Researching and reading reviews of various VPN services before choosing one for yourself is vital.
You Will Have to Endure Slow Internet Speed
Streaming isn’t fun with a slow internet. However, it also consumes a lot of bandwidth. If you stream without a VPN, your ISP can see that you are engaging in data-intensive activities. They can deliberately reduce your connection speed. This is done to offset network congestion. It is particularly common during peak hours. Due to it, you have to experience long periods of buffering while streaming.
VPNs hide your online activities from your ISP. Those with advanced encryption are particularly good at this. When your ISP cannot see what you’re doing online, they cannot throttle your bandwidth. Thus, you no longer have to endure long buffering times. On the other hand, you enjoy long, uninterrupted periods of streaming with consistent speeds. It doesn’t matter which platform you use to stream; you’ll enjoy buffer-free streaming on each one.
You Run a Risk of Landing in Legal Troubles
In the US, it is not permitted to stream copyrighted content without permission from the owner. But several websites host copyrighted content. If you access such content without proper permission, you expose yourself to legal troubles.
Besides, in some places, the government strictly monitors online activities. So, there is a log of every website you visit, the videos you watch, etc. If you access something that isn’t in the government’s good books, you may be questioned. Using a VPN in all such cases helps. VPN encryption ensures that no one can see the type of content you are accessing. As a word of caution, it is not recommended to browse unsecured websites that host copyrighted content. However, if you want to access such content, a VPN will help you avoid legal troubles.
You Cannot Watch On-Demand Live Events
Evey sports enthusiast wishes to watch exclusive live events related to their sport. However, this premium content isn’t available for free. You need to subscribe to a streaming service offering ESPN, a channel that isn’t cheap. Due to this, many fans can’t enjoy exciting live events.
A VPN proves helpful in this case as well. Connecting to it, you can access live events from another region. For example, places like Austria broadcast F1 races at zero cost. If you do not reside here but want to catch up on the Formula 1 action, just connect to a VPN. It will make it seem that you are accessing the content somewhere in Austria itself. Thus, you can watch all the races at no cost. Want to watch a sporting event in Britain? Simply connect to a VPN server in the region, and voila! You get access to the desired event.
Your Security Is Threatened While Streaming on a Public Wi-Fi
Public Wi-Fi is a convenient way to access the internet while outside. However, they have very low encryption. These networks can be openly accessed by anyone. You do not know who is connected at a specific time. While you log into your streaming service account, a hacker may be on the same network, working with tools to intercept the data from your device. Once they have your account credentials, they can exploit it in various ways. This includes stealing your personal information and using it for malicious motives.
VPN encrypts all the data leaving your device. Thus, it ensures that the criminal cannot access it. Even if they access it, they cannot decipher the data as it is encoded. So, a VPN helps you stream securely on untrustworthy public Wi-Fi networks.
Final Thoughts
VPN serves a streamer in various ways. From bypassing regional restrictions to safeguarding your streaming activities, it helps you get the best viewing experience. Streaming without it makes you prone to various legal and security troubles. Hopefully, you now have a greater understanding of this tool and will use it to enhance your streaming at home as well as on the go!
