4 Reasons You Need a VPN for University
Using your university Wi-Fi network can be as perilous as navigating your freshman year. As if balancing your newfound freedom with your academic targets wasn’t challenging enough, you now have to contend with the untold annoyances, interferences, and security threats that arise daily in campus cyberspace.
For one thing, school IT admins monitor your every move on their networks, so you have to watch you don’t stumble into forbidden territory. Then, you face the possibility of stalkers, bullies, or cybercriminals around the next corner ready to nab your passwords.
You may also have to contend with overzealous firewalls and content filters keeping you from the very websites you need to get your research done. Your college network may even block social media platforms and streaming and gaming websites.
A VPN is vital for protecting yourself on public school networks. It’s also the quickest, most reliable way to unblock websites on university Wi-Fi and enjoy access to a world of resources. But more on that later… First, let’s take a look at what a VPN is.
Private Internet Access is an affordable VPN with powerful encryption, unlimited device connections, and apps for all major operating systems. It’s the easiest way to secure your data on campus, and using it is as simple as downloading the app, logging in, and connecting.
What Is a VPN?
VPN stands for virtual private network. It’s an app you install on your phone or laptop that allows you to encrypt your traffic and keep your browsing activity private. It works to protect you whether you’re on campus, in the dorms, or studying at the coffee shop down the street.
Encryption prevents network administrators or anyone else from seeing what you’re up to. It wraps your data in unreadable code, helping make sure no -one can see what you’re doing online.
A premium VPN should give you access to a network of servers around the world. When you connect to a VPN, the VPN routes your traffic through its private servers. This masks your real IP address behind one belonging to the server, keeping trackers and advertisers off your tail. Even better, you can also use it to get an IP address in another country to unblock resource libraries and other content.
What Is an IP Address?
An IP address is a set of identifying characters assigned to your device when you connect to the internet. Your IP address is unique and gives away information about your network and general location.
Your IP address is visible to everyone from the college network administrators, to your ISP, the websites you visit, their advertiser partners, and even the government.
You can mask your IP address using a VPN. Connect to the location of your choice with PIA VPN and change your IP address to make it appear as if you’re in another country.
Why Get a VPN for University?
You’d be surprised at how much online privacy, security, and freedom you can reclaim with a VPN. Let’s zoom in on the advantages you get the moment you connect.
1. Boost Your Privacy
It’s always good to remember you’re not alone when you connect to college Wi-Fi. Thousands of lecturers, students, and visitors share the network. Administrators can see what you’re doing online, and so can anyone else with the tools and the motivation. That’s to say nothing about how much your browser, digital advertisers, and even the government snoop on you, in blatant violation of your right to privacy.
If you’d hoped incognito mode was keeping prying eyes off your case, no such luck. Your search logs and online activity remain visible to all but your browser provider.
You don’t need someone looking over your shoulder watching what you’re up to. Instead, you can use a VPN to encrypt your traffic to keep your private business to yourself.
2. Survive Campus Wi-Fi
If you forget to turn on your VPN, shady characters on your college network can use man-in-the-middle attacks or Wi-Fi sniffing to get their hands on your student number, passwords, photos, contacts, reference URLs, and more.
It’s not enough to have a VPN on your device, you need to remember to turn it on. PIA VPN lets you set your VPN to connect automatically every time you enter an open, unsecured, or unknown Wi-Fi zone. You’ll be free to access almost any website or app, transact online, submit papers, and share personal images and videos, all without worrying about anyone intercepting your sensitive information.
Reduce your anxiety level with PIA VPN. Connected to your VPN, you never have to worry about bumping into snoops, scammers, hackers, and bullies on campus cyberspace.
3. Bypass Restrictive Firewalls
Do you struggle to access TikTok and ChatGPT on the campus Wi-Fi? Network administrators may block services they deem a temptation or a distraction. This might include social media sites and entertainment services like Netflix, YouTube, and Steam.
Fortunately, you can use VPN encryption to break past network firewalls and get back to your favorite pastimes. Your network admin won’t be able to detect what sites you’re on so you can Netflix and … do whatever else you want to.
4. Expand Your Research Scope
Suppose you hear about a brilliant ebook, just the thing you need for a paper you’re working on, only to find you can’t access it in your region.
Not a problem. Use PIA VPN to change your IP address to a place the resource is available. This lets you instantly access the information you need, get your assignment done, and earn the respect of your lecturers.
Will Your College Know if You’re Using a VPN?
Yes, your network administrators will be able to see if you’re connected to a VPN server. But that’s all. They won’t be able to monitor the websites you visit or your online activity. PIA VPN’s Multi-Hop makes it the best VPN for students. This advanced feature routes your traffic through multiple VPN servers, hiding the fact you’re using a VPN. Network admins will be none the wiser.
How to Choose a VPN for University
Not all VPNs are Division 1, so it’s good to choose wisely. Some have limited servers, security features, and bandwidth, while others have questionable privacy policies. Here are five things to remember when shopping for a VPN for university:
1. Avoid Free VPNs
While a free VPN may leave you with some extra cash for Friday night, it’s not the best choice. Besides being notorious for intolerably slow speeds, free VPNs have small and limited networks, so you’re not likely to find a server in the location you’re looking for. It’ll mean you miss out on your favorite series or even a big sports game when studying abroad.
A VPN with a large network will give you access to a wide range of server locations, which means it’ll be much easier to find a server in a country of your choice.
PIA VPN, for instance, has a sprawling network of global servers. The intuitive app makes it easy for you to change your IP to almost anywhere in the world and access the content you’re after.
A premium VPN service is well worth the monthly subscription. You can get all the security and benefits of a top-notch VPN for the price of a single cup of coffee.
Your best bet is to get PIA VPN for just {PS_PRICE} a month on our 3-year plan. It also comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee, so you have enough time to try it and see if it’s right for you.
2. Assess Device Compatibility
If you’re heading off to school, you need a VPN that covers many devices, including your laptop, tablet, smartphone, and more.
Did you know you can buy PIA VPN and download apps for Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, and Android? One subscription lets you connect as many devices as you like, so none of your gadgets go unprotected.
3. Look for Bundled Features
Some VPNs offer a higher level of privacy or security. PIA MACE, for instance, blocks trackers, ads, and malicious content, giving you additional layers of online security. You can also apply our multi-hop feature to prevent your uni from knowing you’re using a VPN.
4. Choose a VPN with Good Customer Support
Imagine you want to unblock a specific website, but don’t know which VPN server you need to make sure you can. Maybe you want to find out about the legalities of using a VPN in your country. Whatever the case, it helps to have an expert on call.
When you use PIA VPN, you’ll have a 24/7 Customer Support team available via live chat or email. You’ll be sure to get reliable answers whenever you need them.
FAQ
It’s probably a good idea. When you connect to a college Wi-Fi, your online activity is public knowledge. The network administrators and a range of other potential snoops can take a peek, which infringes on your privacy.
The public Wi-Fi on campus can be a dangerous place. Aspiring hackers can use various tactics to intercept your connection and steal your passwords, assignments, bank details, and other personal information. A VPN applies iron-clad encryption to ensure a private and secure connection, whether you’re in your dorm, the library, or the cafeteria.
Most universities allow students and faculty members to use a VPN service on their network. If you’re unsure, you can check with university management. Remember, you have a right to privacy and security on public networks, but PIA VPN does not condone any illegal online activities, with or without a VPN.
Some universities may block VPNs, but a quality VPN will be able to get past most restrictions. PIA VPN’s Multihop feature obfuscates your connection to hide the fact you’re using a VPN. This lets you bypass VPN blocks on any network.
Open the router’s web interface and copy the student’s IP address into an IP look-up tool. You should now be able to see if the student is connected to a VPN server in another country. You can also use a VPN detection tool to get more detailed information.
