If you don’t know the difference between a VPN and IP: Port proxies, don’t worry all will be explained.
IP Port: Stands for Internet Protocol Port. There are thousands of ports, and each one is like a letter box for different services. For example, the Internet will use port 80; email will use a different one, etc. So you have to “open the ports” on your firewall to let various traffic through, or block ports to stop attackers connecting to your computer.
VPN: Stands for Virtual Private Network. VPN is a service that encrypts your Internet connection and makes it anonymous and as such all applications on your computer or device will be secured.
They will both re-route your Internet traffic which change your IP. This will make your Internet usage look as if it is originating from a different location; using a different Internet provider, leaving no direct link between the IP being used and your identity.
They will both re-route your Internet traffic which change your IP. This will make your Internet usage look as if it is originating from a different location; using a different Internet provider, leaving no direct link between the IP being used and your identity.
The main advantages can be found in terms of security, for example:
• Proxies can only be used with applications that specifically support the use of proxies. This will leave all other applications unprotected, so that for example, your browsing is partially secured after you configured it to use a proxy, while other applications keep using your real IP and expose your identity
• Proxies can only be used with applications that specifically support the use of proxies. This will leave all other applications unprotected, so that for example, your browsing is partially secured after you configured it to use a proxy, while other applications keep using your real IP and expose your identity
• A VPN works system-wide and not on a per-application basis. That means once connected to a VPN, all applications on your system will automatically be protected by it without needing to configure them manually
• Proxies only offer a minimum amount of security, and you rarely know who is running the proxy server and what they are doing with your traffic data
• A VPN offers maximum security through government level encryption standards, and you know who’s behind it
There are a number of differences, for example:
• Compatibility: When configuring, for example, a web browser to use a proxy, only the browsing web traffic is encrypted. External applications that are used by the browser, e.g. plugins like Flash, Java, Silverlight, etc., are simply ignoring the proxy and continue to send and receive data with your normal Internet connection and IP
• Compatibility: When configuring, for example, a web browser to use a proxy, only the browsing web traffic is encrypted. External applications that are used by the browser, e.g. plugins like Flash, Java, Silverlight, etc., are simply ignoring the proxy and continue to send and receive data with your normal Internet connection and IP
• Speed: Proxy servers can be run by anyone on slow machines with poor Internet connections, resulting in low speeds. HMA! VPN servers run on high-end server machines located in top data centers around the world. This guarantees you maximum speed, performance and reliability
• Variety: You can consider yourself lucky if you have found a fast, secure and reliable proxy from your favourite country or location. But only HMA! Pro VPN offers you 498+ VPN servers in 63 countries with more than 59,500 usable IPs. Compare that! Click Here
Christmas is one of our favourite times of the year. If you have been following our Facebook group you will have seen our international offices are in full festive gear. The santa donkey is up on our office walls in London and our Serbian team are still on the hunt to find a small HMA mascot to place on top of their Christmas tree.
From working practices through to entertainment and our social lives, the ability to share information and communicate across hundreds and thousands of miles with the touch of a button has arguably been one of mankind's greatest advances in the past century. But with every advance in technology, problems soon follow and, unfortunately, the internet is no exception. All that increased connectivity and the benefits also leave us open to a wider range of threats from those who seek to profit from the misfortune of others. Hackers can tap into unprotected networks to access personal information, financial data and private work, which can be exploited to cost individuals or companies dearly. That is why it is important to use the advances of technology to remain safe and secure.
