Do I Really Need a VPN at Home? (2024)

A VPN adds a layer of privacy protection to your online activities by routing your traffic through an encrypted tunnel between you and anyone who tries to spy on you. Security-conscious readers probably already know that it makes sense to protect yourself when you're out and about, using Wi-Fi networks about which you know nothing. Many may not realize that a VPN can also protect your privacy at home. To get the most from your VPN, you have to understand what it does and doesn't do.

How to Protect Yourself at Home

There are a couple of reasons to use a VPN service at home, like keeping your ISP from spying on your activities and streaming video from other markets. But there are limitations.

Even with a VPN, advertisers and snoops may still be able to gather data about you using advanced techniques like browser fingerprinting. For more complete protection, we recommend also using a tracker blocker and enabling the built-in tracker blocking capabilities found in most browsers.

It's also important to know that much of your web browsing is already encrypted with HTTPS. This means that an observer could see what websites you visit (such as www.pcmag.com) but not which specific pages (www.pcmag.com/your-pal-max) or any information being sent back and forth. ISPs, however, have more insight into your online activities, as this report from the FTC revealed. Using a VPN covers the little that HTTPS can't and protects against ISP nosiness effectively.

In addition to using a VPN, therefore, PCMag also strongly recommends using antivirus software on your devices, enabling multi-factor authentication wherever it's available, and using a password manager. These tools all protect your devices and data from the most common threats.

Why Do I Need a VPN?

Outside your home, it's hard to tell which networks you encounter are safe. If you're at a coffee shop, for example, how can you tell which Wi-Fi network is legitimate? Unless the SSID is posted somewhere, you're just going to have to guess. That's a problem because clever bad actors set up access points with familiar names hoping to trick people into connecting. Once victims are online, the bad guy executes an attacker-in-the-middle strike, potentially letting them monitor your web traffic and even intercept some of it.

An attacker doesn't even need to trick you; they just need to trick your phone or computer. Many devices are configured to reconnect to familiar networks by default. But if an attacker uses the same name of a popular Wi-Fi network—think Starbucks or Boingo Hotspot—your devices may automatically connect, even without your knowledge. It's easier than you think to pull it off since many businesses have easily guessed Wi-Fi network names.

Both of those attacks require a lot of guesswork, but a good attacker won't bother. Instead, they'll configure their evil access point to switch SSIDs to match the ones devices are asking for. Granted, this is an exotic attack, but one that can be carried out successfully. At the Black Hat conference a few years ago, a security vendor detected an evil access point that had changed its SSID 1,047 times, tricking 35,000 devices into connecting.

These are all situations in which you definitely need a VPN. The encrypted tunnel it creates blocks anyone on the same network as you—even the person managing the network—from seeing what you're up to.

How Safe Is Your Home Network?

For the most part, you can be assured your home networks are safe. It's highly unlikely a bad guy broke in, replaced your router, and then waited for the good stuff to roll in. For one thing, that's just too much work. For another, attackers need more than one successful hit to make an attack worthwhile. They want to rack up as much information from as many victims as possible. Unless you live above an airport, it's unlikely there's enough foot traffic in your home to justify an attack.

That said, there are threats to consider when at home. The biggest one is from the company that provides you access to the internet. The US Congress has allowed ISPs to sell data about users and their online activities to anyone interested. ISPs say this information will be anonymized, but the idea is still unnerving.

ISPs aren't the only ones interested in what you're doing online. A VPN service makes it much harder for an outside observer, such as an advertiser, to correlate your online traffic to you. Keep in mind, however, that there are numerous other ways to be tracked online, and a VPN won't protect against all of them. A determined and well funded attacker will likely achieve their goal, given enough time.

Use a VPN to Unlock Streaming Content

I have to assume that most people aren't interested in the privacy benefits of a VPN, and are more interested in streaming online video. That might seem odd, considering the negative effect that VPNs have on your upload and download speeds, but it makes sense.

Not all streaming video content is available everywhere. Each streaming service has a contract to carry shows and music that are sometimes limited to specific areas. Each streaming service has a contract to carry shows and music that are sometimes limited to specific areas. For example, the shows and movies available to US-based subscribers may be different than the ones for UK subscribers.

That's where VPNs come in. You can use your VPN to tunnel to a distant server and access content restricted in your home country. This trick is also useful for sports fans seeking matches or commentary unavailable at home. Sometimes the best games aren't available for US audiences, or the US coverage is so annoying that die-hard fans would rather see how the BBC or CBC handles the games. Note however that many companies, and especially Netflix, are adept at detecting and blocking VPN use.

How Do I Choose a VPN?

VPNs are all about securing your traffic from prying eyes, and that's sometimes a problem when you want your traffic to be seen. If yours is an especially smart home, you're more likely to encounter some problems when using a VPN.

One solution is to look for a VPN that offers split tunneling. Split tunneling lets you designate which apps, and sometimes URLs, must use the VPN connection, or which should not use the VPN connection. Some VPNs make it even easier by allowing local area network (LAN) traffic, meaning the machine using the VPN can still talk to the devices on your network.

Alternatively, you can install the VPN on your router. That way, all the data from your local network to the internet is funneled through the VPN, giving you all the protection without causing any of the fuss on the local level. Setting up your router to use a VPN can sound daunting, but some VPN companies will sell you a preconfigured router if you want to give it a try. Still, this solution is not for everyone. It's perhaps best left to people with a determined DIY sensibility.

Services like Apple AirPlay and Google Chromecast also aren't likely to work if you are using a VPN. You'll likely have to switch your VPN off to use them.

While many people are using VPNs to stream online content, many (if not most) streaming services are very good at blocking VPN usage. One possible solution is purchasing a static IP address from your VPN service. These "clean" addresses aren't associated with VPNs, giving you a better chance of slipping past attempts to block your access. Keep in mind that there's no guarantee these IP addresses will be a free pass for streaming.

Speed will always be an issue with VPNs. When a VPN connection is active, your web traffic is going through more machines and more fiber. The result is increased latency and slower transfer speeds. Not all VPNs are the same in how much they affect your connection, but you will see some impact.

Home VPNs Can Protect Your Privacy

In truth, the answer to the question of whether you "need" a VPN in your home comes down to your preferences. There are lots of good reasons a home VPN might be a valuable addition to your security and privacy arsenal, but what's most important is whether you use it. If you find yourself too frustrated with reduced internet speeds, or juggling streaming devices, don't use a VPN at home. An unused tool isn't useful to anyone.

Congress allowing internet service providers to sell anonymized data about their customers is a huge motivator for VPN use. It's why we recommend keeping your VPN app switched on as often as possible, even at home. Note, though, that we also recommend switching it off when you need to, for example, cast content to your TV.

If a VPN for your home seems excessive, or something you're not likely to use, consider getting a free VPN. That way, it's there when you need it and costs you nothing in the meantime. Our favorite VPN with a free version is Proton VPN, although the friendly (but limited) TunnelBear VPN is worth considering as well.