VPN practicalities
You’ve picked your VPN, now here’s how to get the most from it
So, you’re more savvy about VPNs now, and you’d like to set one up – either for use at home or while you’re on the road. If you plan to use a VPN on single devices – your MacBook, say, and your iPhone – then setup can be as simple as downloading the appropriate app from the provider you go with. Sign into the app, choose your location and off you go.
Make sure you take the time to explore the app’s settings – you’ll find options for auto-starting it with your Mac (see below), plus there may be options such as kill switches. When this is switched on, it’ll suspend your internet connection when you’re not connected to your VPN – VPN connections can drop, so it’s an extra security measure you shouldn’t skip.
Just how secure is your new VPN connection? You’ll find several online services that promise to test your connection for leaks of personally identifiable data. Start by disconnecting from your VPN and browsing to ipleak. net to perform a leak test. You’ll see that your system is officially leaking DNS requests, which is normal behaviour, plus it reveals not just your internet provider’s details, but can also be used to track your location. Now reconnect to your VPN and repeat the test – if it’s doing its job, your ISP’s IP address should no longer appear and your location should match the VPN server you chose, not your own.
More tips
We’ve focused on security and privacy, but if you’re using a VPN to bypass geographic restrictions, you may find that your connection’s performance needs tweaking. Check your provider to see if it offers a more configurable app – NordVPN’s Mac App Store app is adequate, but lacks advanced features such as being able to change your protocol settings (UDP is quicker than TCP) or encryption level (lower this if improved privacy isn’t your goal).
To rectify, download the app from nordvpn.com instead. Otherwise, don’t forget all the other usual stuff you can try: wired is better than wireless, try switching to a different server, and even restarting your Mac and/or router.