How Does A VPN Disguise Your Location?

VPNs are one of the easiest ways for users to disguise their location online and prevent their activity from being tracked and monitored.

Understanding how a VPN disguises your location and works can help users and companies decide whether a VPN service would be beneficial to them and if they feel the need to disguise their location at all.

 

What Is A VPN?

 

Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) are essential for hiding your actual location when you’re online. They work by routing your internet connection through a server in a different location, replacing your real IP address with the VPN server’s. This allows you to access content and services that are restricted based on location.

Using a VPN protects your online activities, ensuring privacy and data security. By connecting to servers around the world, you can virtually change your location. Your internet traffic becomes encrypted, and you are assigned a different IP address which increases your online anonymity.

 

 

What Does A VPN Hide?

 

A VPN disguises your real IP address with a VPN IP address, making your location much harder to track. It also encrypts your internet traffic, thereby masking your online activity and location, which makes it much harder for unwanted eyes online to detect your whereabouts.

 

Why Would You Want to Hide Your Location?

 

There are many reasons why people will use VPNs to hide their location, some of these top reasons include:

• Increased Privacy: By disguising the IP address through a VPN server, sites should not be able to collect personal information about a user. This helps that sites don’t personalise advertised content.
• Accessing Geo-Restricted Content: By hiding your IP address you will be able to access content that might be restricted in your area. This is especially great when trying to access content that might not be available on your country’s Netflix.
• Using Public Networks: When using a public network people use VPNs to protect their internet data as well as hide their location from hackers and spoofers.
• Avoid Internet Throttling: Your ISP might spy on your internet usage and habits and can throttle your internet as a result, by hiding your IP address you can avoid this.

 

How Does A VPN Change Your IP Address And Location?

 

When you use a VPN, it acts as a shield for your online activities, protecting your privacy, data, and location.

A VPN works by allowing you to connect to servers located around the world, which gives you the ability to virtually relocate to any of these server locations.

Once connected to a VPN server, all your internet traffic is encrypted within a secure tunnel, ensuring that your data is protected and inaccessible to others.

Additionally, the VPN assigns you a different IP address, hiding your actual IP address and enhancing your anonymity while online.

 

Benefits Of Hiding Your IP Address

 

There are many benefits to hiding your hiding your IP address with a VPN IP address, some of the the best benefits are:

 

Added Security

 

Every online action or activity leaves a digital footprint, by hiding your IP address you regain some of your privacy.

 

Reduced Web Tracking

 

Hiding your IP address helps that websites can no longer track where you are visiting from and additionally, they cannot determine if you have visited their website before.

 

Limitations Of Using VPNs Alone

 

While VPNs are effective in masking IP addresses, they do not automatically change GPS locations, which are frequently used by apps and websites to determine user locations. Even when connected to a VPN, apps can still access GPS data, potentially revealing your real location.

 

What Does A VPN Not Hide?

 

Although VPNs are great at hiding your IP address there are certain things that a VPN cannot hide, and these include:

• Account Activity: If you’re logged into an online account that provider will be able to see your activity. For example: Yahoo will be able to access your search history when you use their search bar, but your ISP for instance can’t.
• Online Identity: VPNs do give a source of anonymity, however, it doesn’t provide 100% anonymity. Remaining 100% anonymous is impossible if you have signed up for online accounts.
• Cookies: VPNs do not protect you against cookies that have been previously stored on your computer.
• Threats Or Malware: While VPNs do give you extra protection from threats and hackers, they do not replace the need for an antivirus.

 

Utilising VPNs To Hide IP Addresses

 

Using a VPN can help protect your privacy online and give you access to content that might be geographically restricted. To hide your IP address and spoof your location effectively, follow these steps:

1. Choose a Reliable VPN Provider: Look for a well-known and trusted VPN service in the UK (TechRound suggests some of the best VPNs).

2. Install The VPN App: Download and install the VPN app on your device. Make sure to choose the right app for your device’s operating system.

3. Connect To a Server: Once the app is installed, select a server location that matches the virtual location you want to use. This will make it appear as though you’re browsing from that location.

4. Clear Browser Data: Sometimes, you might encounter issues accessing certain content while using a VPN. In such cases, try clearing your browser’s cache and cookies to see if that resolves the issue.

5. Troubleshoot: If you’re still having trouble accessing content or if the VPN isn’t working as expected, you can try switching to a different server within the VPN app. If the problem persists, reach out to the VPN provider’s customer support for assistance.

 

 

What If My VPN Doesn’t Help With Geo-Blocking?

 

Encountering issues with geo-blocking despite using a VPN is not unusual. Here are some troubleshooting steps to resolve this:

First, check for IP address leaks by visiting websites like IPLocation.net to make sure your real IP address is not exposed. You can also try switching to a different server location within your VPN to see if that helps.

Review your browser and app settings to revoke any unnecessary permissions granted for location tracking, especially regarding the HTML Geolocation API. Deleting cookies and browsing history before accessing geo-restricted content can also prevent websites from detecting your actual location.

Consider opting for a reliable third-party DNS provider and experimenting with alternative browsers as potential workarounds for geo-blocking issues. Temporarily disabling location services, especially for apps reliant on geolocation data, could also help bypass geo-restrictions.

By using these strategies, you can potentially resolve geo-blocking challenges and enjoy uninterrupted access to content while maintaining your online privacy and security.

 

How Do Websites Track Users’ Location?

 

Websites use various methods to determine the location of their users.

These methods include using IP addresses, which are unique identifiers used to estimate a device’s location, as well as GPS, which is utilised by smartphones to establish precise geographical coordinates.

Additionally, HTML5 Geolocation combines GPS data with nearby cell towers and Wi-Fi networks to determine a user’s location. Another method is through DNS traffic, which involves requests made through the Domain Name System and can reveal the user’s real IP address and location if not properly routed by the VPN.

 

Is A VPN Worth It?

 

If you value privacy and anonymity while online, then a VPN is crucial. In today’s digital world, protecting your personal information and securing your online activity is more important than ever.

There are many benefits to VPNs hiding your IP address, such as added security, reduced web tracking, and the ability to access content that may be restricted in your region. By connecting to the internet through a VPN server, you can make it appear as though you’re browsing from a different location. This is especially useful for bypassing geo-restrictions on websites, streaming services, or even online shopping discounts available in other countries.

Whether you’re a casual internet user or a business professional, investing in a quality VPN service can be a smart decision for your online security.