A VPN provides an encrypted connection between your computer and another network over the internet. Mac users can install a VPN for a variety of reasons. Some of these include protecting your activity on public WiFI or accessing content restricted to specific regions, or connecting from home to an enterprise network. The good news is that installing VPN on your MacBook is fairly simple regardless of your technical knowledge. This article will guide you through the steps to manually configure your Mac to connect to a network VPN using an online or free service.

There are some key differences between the two options and we’ll go over them both here. Free services typically have limited server locations and/or slow speeds. Paid services provide a greater choice of servers. If the location or speed of a server don’t meet your requirements you can change it once you’re connected.

When you connect to a VPN your data will be encrypted. This means that it will be scrambled into code, which only your VPN can decipher. This protects your data from cybercriminals, ISPs, governments, advertisers, and other third parties. This makes it much harder for them to spy on your browsing history even on unsecure networks such as public Wi-Fi.

Depending on http://securesoftwareinfo.com/the-algorithm-of-choosing-antivirus-for-windows-10 the VPN service you use, you’ll need enter both your server’s address and account name (also known as “local ID” or “remote ID”) and then click Create. Certain services display these information within the System Preferences, while other require you to select your VPN and then enter the details in their own app.