Most of us have heard about a virtual private network at some point… after all its 2018, we at the least know that they’re great for security along with privacy.

Except for some reason, you’re not using a VPN? You don’t have time for Netflix, social networking, online gaming, or any of these alternative activities that conjointly use VPNs. So why would you risk not having one with your important work?

Virtual Private Network’s (VPN) is reasonably straightforward to use. Working alongside a firewall, with antivirus/anti-malware protection. Keeping your information or data secure along with encrypted, is why you should be using a VPN.

Whether or not you’re a freelancer working from a business office, or taking a couple of days out of your company headquarters to work from home, or even if you work at a desk in a cooperation, you ought to be using a virtual private network.

Here are 5 reasons why anyone working online, but even more so as a freelancer or working from a remote location ought to be using a VPN.

1. It’s Cheaper Than traveling

This may surprise you, however using a VPN to connect to your company network is cheaper than traveling. Even once you take into account the electricity prices along with the VPN subscription, it’s still cheaper. If your IT department has organized a VPN from your work PC direct to you, even better!

Picture waking up in the morning, burning your hand on the coffee machine, falling into your vehicle along with your tie in the wrong way, or your makeup still to do. It’s a simple trip, but you soon realize you’re short on gas, which suggests a stop on the way to your workplace. Then you get caught within the traffic, causing your arrival to work to be even later. And you forgot to prepare your tie/makeup.

It’s alarming. Really, if you can avoid living like that, you should, trust me I am speaking from experience. I do not miss rushing to work every morning!

If performing your work from home is a possibility, by using a virtual private network, you’ll keep your information encrypted remotely thus keep it personal along with being secure. Your work will be shielded from hackers by the VPN’s encryption. All for a couple of bucks a month, bargain!

2. Productivity Is Improved

Working from home, or at a table in your favorite restaurant, or perhaps in an exceedingly great looking desk space is really nice, it feels really nice, you feel happier, thus you work harder! As long as you’ve got the determination along with discipline to work instead of play/veg out with Game of Thrones, then you’ll expect a huge increase in productivity.

Is it entirely that easy? Well, it takes some effort. However, one factor you don’t wish is to be worrying about is the protection and privacy of your data, work or assignments. That kind of distraction can cut back productivity, not increase it, not to mention if you are working with some private disclosure agreement then that information could be leaked through not using a virtual private network.

3. Gain Remote Access to Your Work Network

It doesn’t matter if you’re coming up with a schedule for your team or developing policies. If your access to the work network is secured by a VPN, nobody is going to be able to remotely hack this information.

But for this to be true, you’re ideally going to want your IT team to make a VPN for you. This secure tunnel would then provide you with the encrypted access you would need to gain access to the very important files held on your home network.

Of course, this all depends on how you’re employed. If you’re a freelancer or virtual assistant, maybe there’s a cooperative portal you often use. Your very important files may well be held within the cloud. Aside all this a VPN can also help to secure VOIP calls, regardless of how you work this is important.

4. Access Your Work Laptop or Computer via RDP

While reading this, you’re in all probability wondering “how am I going to connect with my work PC?” It’s quite easy. Using the Remote Desktop Protocol or RDP (several variations are out there, though we’re focusing on the main platform here being Windows ), by using an RDP you’ll establish a remote connection to your work desktop.

If you’re employed in the IT department of a corporation that has an in-house network, the chances are pretty high that you have had to use a Remote Desktop once or twice in the past.

As long as RDP is permissible by the organization’s IT policy, along with the technical team enabling it, you should be able to connect with ease.

Again, a personal work-arranged virtual private network will be needed here, to keep your data connection to the RDP along with your company information safe.

5. A VPN Protects You on Public Wi-Fi

One of the best things regarding operating as a freelancer is that you can work from just about anyplace. The most effective place I have found on my travels is a restaurant. Bars are tempting, however, I find they have a larger negative impact on productivity, with louder music alcohol, combined with the party atmosphere thrown into the mix.

Need a web connection? No downside. The bulk of cafes supply free wireless networking, thus you’ll be able to get online as you relish your caffe latte and doughnuts. But is it safe?…

Over the years, numerous threats have been found in free Wi-Fi hotspots, I have witnessed these first hand working at my company Best Computer Repair. Open Wi-Fi networks are renowned for hackers by putting a virus or malware that reports back to the hacker, on somebody’s computer or even in these days more common laptops, tablets, smartphones, even smartwatches!

You most likely don’t fancy losing your username or password to a hacker over an unprotected public connection or in this case wireless hotspot. You might love using public Wi-Fi, however, so do hackers! for this reason along please whatever you do, use a virtual private network.

Regardless of whether or not the wireless network is public or not, if it isn’t yours and you don’t have management over it, you shouldn’t connect ESPECIALLY while not using a VPN.

Little extra tip: Remember to stick to Your Company’s IT Policy!

Although you’re operating away from the workplace, if you’re accessing your organization’s network or platform provided by your company, you should make sure that you’re adhering to the IT policy. As you’ve in all probability already signed an agreement to try to do this.

It’s can be that the IT usage policy could exclude you from working from your favorite restaurant or remote working spot. Despite whether or not you’ve got a VPN running on your PC, this might be an enormous no-no, thus tread fastidiously. Contact your IT department for clarification.

Wrapping up Why Freelancers Need a Virtual Private Network

However you’re operating, full time in the office, a couple of days out of the workplace to work from home or as a full-time freelancer, you should by now at least realize you need a VPN. Freelancers along with virtual assistants are not short of options from a spread of nice VPN subscription services, however, avoid the free ones since they have a tendency to be slow. ( Not to mention sell your data, as always nothing is truly free in this life )