One of the benefits of remote working is the freedom to work from anywhere. You will want to work in a coffee shop each week because it’s an excellent way to deal with isolation.

That said, when you’re using WiFi hotspots in public spaces, they can be insecure, which means that there’s a potential someone could gain access to your laptop and acquire any personal or company information stored on it.

What is a VPN?

VPN stands for Virtual Private Network and means connecting to a service that lets you access the Internet safely and privately by routing your connection through a server that hides your online actions.

In this article, we aren’t going into the technical side of how a VPN works, but if you’re interested in learning more, visit this article by ExpressVPN.

Here are the Benefits of Using a VPN for Remote Working for remote working.

Protection From Insecure WiFi Hotspots

You protect yourself from hackers on untrustworthy WiFi hotspots by enabling your VPN. You never know who is snooping; you don’t want people to gain access if you work on a client project. You must protect your data at all costs.

WiFi hotspots are set up in popular public areas to gain access to add trojans and keyloggers that record what keys you’re pressing when entering passwords to access websites, like Internet banking.

Hiding your True Location

Gain anonymity online by hiding your location, especially if the GPS location is displayed on social networks like Twitter and Instagram.

While traveling, you can have issues accessing websites and social networks in some countries depending on your location, e.g., Ukraine and China. This is because they have blocked access from these countries. It doesn’t happen often, but it will.

Again, due to the location, you might be unable to log in to websites, or there are additional layers of security because of where you are using the Internet.

For these scenarios, you can enable the VPN for the UK and not have any issues accessing websites.

Secure Internet Banking

As a long-term traveler and remote worker, you access Internet banking to transfer money and other transactions. You must not use unsecured WiFi connections for Internet banking, but a VPN will protect you if there’s an urgent reason.

My advice would be not to login in any public place to make banking transactions. You’re best doing these from the comfort of your apartment or hotel on a more secure WiFi connection.

Secure your Data

As a business owner, you are responsible for the data on your website and laptop. Working while at the airport or in a cafe is a regular occurrence. However, since public WiFi connections are often unencrypted, hackers and identity thieves can potentially access valuable company data.

A VPN encrypts your data and keeps it out of the wrong hands, allowing you to work safely and securely no matter where you are.

Consider the websites you’re accessing and ask yourself, does this website display client, customer, or company data? If so, ensure you enable the VPN before you log in and make any transactions.

What VPN to Choose?

Over the years, having tried many VPNs, some services slowed down the connection or caused connection issues to the point that it was impossible to connect to the Internet to work. A wide range of desktop, browser, and mobile apps is on my list of features when choosing a VPN.

In the past, I have used ExpressVPN and SharkVPN, which I recommend, but my preferred service at the moment is NordVPN, and there’s a reason for this. You can receive a 64% discount on their 2-year plan. This gives you peace of mind because you do not have to worry about the subscription ending and being unable to connect to a VPN while working in a public space.

Though they offer annual and monthly subscription options, you do not need to be tied into a two-year subscription.

Who is NordVPN?

NordVPN is a virtual private network (VPN) service provider. It offers desktop applications for Windows, macOS, and Linux, mobile apps for Android and iOS, and Android TV applications. Manual setup is also possible for wireless routers, NAS devices, and other platforms.

As a VPN service, NordVPN can create a secure connection to another network over the Internet. It can shield your browsing activity from prying eyes and, more importantly, enable you to access region-restricted websites.

Check out NordVPN’s 2-year deal and find out more.

Remember that a VPN can provide more privacy and security than browsing the Internet without one. Still, it does not make you completely anonymous and does not protect against all possible threats. Always use best practices for internet safety.