If you’re a gamer, you know how exhilarating it is to sit down with your controller and play your favorite online game. But, did you know that your security may be at risk?
There are constant DDoS attacks on game servers nowadays, with hackers leaking or stealing data. It affects gamers all around the world – you may not be as safe as you may think. This is why you should get a VPN for gaming as soon as possible.
Why Use a Gaming VPN?
There are several reasons why using a virtual private network can help you have a seamless, stress-free gaming experience. Here’s what they are.
Hiding Your IP Address
Exposing your IP address puts you at risk of identity or information theft. Hackers that see your IP address can easily target you, and infect your computer with malware.
This is especially important if you stream on Twitch using Skype. If your Skype username is visible on Twitch, potential hackers could discover your IP address. This puts you at risk of doxing.
A VPN will hide your IP address by assigning you one of its server’s addresses. This means no one, not even your ISP, will be able to determine where you are. You’ll be completely anonymous online, so no one will be able to get into your system.
Encrypting Your Public WiFi Connection
If you ever play online games in a café, or at the airport, you also put your security at risk. Connecting to a public WiFi means that your connection isn’t encrypted. Anyone could hack your device, and steal your sensitive information. A good VPN will prevent this by encrypting your public Wi-Fi connection.
Preventing Bandwidth Throttling
ISPs often throttle the bandwidth for their users, to make sure the network remains stable. This is especially common during peak times when there’s a big traffic surge. You certainly don’t want a slow internet connection when you’re playing your favorite games online.
Getting a VPN will help you avoid this, as it will encrypt your internet traffic and route it through its servers, so ISPs can’t see what you are doing and throttle your bandwidth. You’ll be able to enjoy a stable connection with low latency.
Accessing Region-Restricted Content
Many gaming websites restrict access to their content to a limited number of countries. There’s nothing more frustrating for a gamer than not being able to access a game due to a regional lockout.
A gaming VPN (https://nordvpn.com/gaming/) will help you bypass regional restrictions so that you can play any online game you want. Again, this is because your real IP address won’t be visible and you will be virtually placed in a different country.
How to Use a VPN Properly
First things first: you need to choose the right VPN for your needs. The most important factors to consider are compatible devices, and the number of locations a particular VPN provider covers.
You want more servers close to your location so that you can reduce latency. A lot of virtual private network providers also come with ping tools, which can help you see the latency of each server on the network. That way, you can choose the server with the lowest ping time.
It’s also vital to choose a VPN that doesn’t keep any logs. If your provider keeps logs, that means that your IP address isn’t exactly hidden.
There are three ways you can set up your VPN:
- by downloading VPN software, once you choose your provider
- by configuring the network in Windows’ settings, where you would need to enter your VPN username and password (your vendor will most likely show you how to set up everything properly)
- by using your router’s built-in software (applicable only if your router supports VPNs).
Whichever way you use to set up your virtual private network you’ll instantly be able to enjoy your online gaming. Also, you won’t have to worry about information or identity theft, or any other kind of online security threats.
While this is very important, as a gamer, you certainly think about other things a bit more. With a gaming VPN, you won’t have to worry about a slow connection, or geo-blocked websites keeping you away from awesome games. Therefore, find a reliable provider right now, and enjoy a completely stress-free, safe, and seamless gaming experience.