What is VPN protection and what is it for?
Please note: Dashlane’s VPN is currently only available in paying Premium accounts. It is not available in Dashlane Free, free trials of Dashlane Premium, or Dashlane Business.
We might visit social media, consult our bank accounts, or communicate with friends and family, and we can't always wait until we're at home or on a trusted network.
Or maybe we'd just prefer our internet service provider or online companies not track our every action online.
A VPN, or Virtual Private Network, addresses these concerns.
What is a VPN?
As its name suggests, a VPN is about privacy. It creates a network, or a closed system of communication between you and the VPN provider. And that network is virtual because, unlike a "real" network, there is no preexisting, dedicated infrastructure.
Some people are familiar with VPNs already through their company or school, as one may be necessary to gain access to those institutions and their resources.
But many people simply use a VPN to protect their privacy and improve their security on unsecure networks. This is where Dashlane's VPN comes in.
Why should I use a VPN?
In many cases, your access to the internet, be it at home or at work, is safe and secure.
But when you're on the move and use free or unfamiliar networks such as in airports, hotels or cafes, you're opening yourself up to your data being observed and potentially stolen. This is especially true if you visit web addresses using “http”, not “https”, or access an email account using unsafe protocols. A VPN allows you to go online through a secure connection even when you're on an unsecure network.
Also, when you're on the internet, you're anything but anonymous. Notably, your IP address is public information, and locates you geographically. Using a VPN means that your internet traffic is routed through the VPN provider. Instead of your own IP address, your traffic now reaches the internet from the location of the VPN's server. And in doing so, your service provider cannot see what websites you're visiting, since the traffic through the VPN is encrypted.
It's important to note that Dashlane's VPN does not allow you to choose the location of the server you are routed through, which will most often be in the same country or region as you are actually located. And of course, no history is kept of your browsing through Dashlane's VPN. For more detail about how Dashlane's VPN respects your privacy, see our FAQ.
When and how do I use Dashlane's VPN?
We recommend you use the VPN feature whenever you feel you need an extra layer of privacy.
Especially, we recommend you connect to the VPN when using WiFi in public places like cafes and airports, or on any open network that’s unfamiliar. Dashlane's VPN is a simple and easy way to ensure that your online traffic is protected from prying eyes.
Remember that you must choose when to connect and disconnect the VPN.
For more specifics about how to use the feature, please see our instructions for How to set up and use Dashlane's VPN protection, or else consult our Frequently Asked Questions.