Posted on 03/20/2025 7:48:42 PM PDT by DoodleBob
Research has found that nearly half of adults in the U.S. use, or have attempted to use, a VPN. A majority use VPNs to protect their IP addresses and usage is highest among Gen Z and millennials.
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Experts expect America's 43% figure to rise and VPN usage to become more important than ever. But what exactly are people using VPNs for and should you get in on the act too?
A survey from CNET has found that 2 in 5 (43%) of American adults have used, or do use, VPNs.
Their motivations for using a VPN vary, but over half (52%) use one to protect their IP address and 47% want to keep their online activity private – masking your IP address and encrypting your internet traffic is a vital feature of the most secure VPNs.
The best streaming VPNs allow you to access content not available in your country and 15% of respondents said this was the primary reason for their VPN use. Playing or streaming video games was also the reason for VPN usage for 15% of Americans.
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The recent TikTok ban saw many Americans try to access the app via a VPN. This was ultimately unsuccessful, however 12% of people said they use VPNs for accessing banned apps.
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Interestingly, U.S. VPN usage does appear to be more popular with men. Half of men surveyed use one, compared to 36% of women. Gen Z and millennials are the largest adopters of VPNs, with 50% of each group using one.
The length of time individuals have used VPNs varies – 19% have used one for more than two years, 10% have used one for one to two years, and 15% have used one for less than a year.
(Excerpt) Read more at msn.com ...
If you want to watch porn you need a VPN. Just saying.
I bought an Asus router and installed their Merlin software and configured it to Private Internet Access VPN so all my devices are behind a VPN. Sometimes I have to turn it off for a few minutes to access a site that blocks VPN IP addresses. For $40 a year it’s worth it.
Ok, what’s a VPN?
What’s a VPN?
Very private network
Thanks.
Back in the 2005 time frame, I had some specialized Linksys routers the allowed me to set up a 3 premise VPN. My house in Idaho, the lab in Vienna, VA and the locomotive software shop in Illinois. It was cheaper than flying. All of my embedded system controller were in the Vienna lab. That included a handbrake actuator, cutlever actuator, anglecock actuator, brake piston position sensor, temperature sensors in each bearing adaptor, tri-axial accelerometers on the bolsters, high frequency accelerometers on the bearing adapters. The locomotive shop could see and manipulate all of them. As the designer of the electronics and firmware, I had full access to monitor operation and update firmware/software as necessary. Very cost effective.
My next router will happen after I retire. I want it to have WiFi-7 capability. Depending on monthly cost, I might upgrade the current 1 Gbps symmetric fiber ($79/month) to Google Fiber at 8 Gbps. Google is rolling out now. Google fiber makes an appearance in a box next to my current ISP. It's just a matter of making sense. The WiFi-7 routers have WAN side connections at 10 Gbps, but will support slower 2.5 Gbps and 1 Gbps.
I would think a translator would be needed to communicate with ordinary humans at some point.
Windows 11 has built-in Fedware that captures screen images and sends it to the Feds, so it doesn't matter where your IP address claims to be.
Virtual Private Network
Thank you for that but who believes it really works. The Feds aren’t going to give up their spyware.
We have Merlin on our ASUS, as well.
I only trust ASUS routers, at this time.
My wife and I had Linksys routers and installed DD-WRT on them. It was an excellent way to go.
For the past eight years, we’ve had only ASUS routers with Merlin.
I don’t have recall on my W11 PC.
They are made in China so I have my doubts, but what else are you going to do?
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