A cousin of mine is addicted to watching movies, sitcoms, and documentaries. Interestingly enough, he does not agree with Netflix or any of the live streaming channels, because he has theories of his own. So, he resorts to downloading the media via torrent.
What is torrenting? It is a process by which metafiles are shared through a peer-to-peer network online. In other words, you locate a certified torrenting website, find the right media torrent file (one that does not have copyrighted material—because that is illegal), and use a credible torrent client like uTorrent (free software) to download the file onto your computing device. The most important thing in all of this is that you have a lightning-fast connection, like the one offered in Spectrum internet plans, to speed up the downloading process, which can take some time. Once it is completed, you can watch the media file easily.
With that said, let us come to the security side of the equation. Yes, there is always this dimension whenever you do stuff over the internet. Torrenting, especially, can become a gateway for hackers to tap into your network. How? When you share the torrent files over a torrent client, your IP address becomes visible to anyone and everyone who is surfing the site. This exposure makes your network vulnerable to attacks. That is why a good majority of the cybersecurity experts recommend using a VPN during torrenting.
What does a VPN do? Encrypts your data, hides your original location, and protects you from hackers. However, with so many VPN varieties out there, which one should you choose for your torrenting needs? Let me help you out with that by listing the top VPN services of 2020. Check them out below:
NordVPN
This has been declared as one of the best VPN services when speaking in terms of security. NordVPN has more than five thousand fully-functional servers with all the right security protocols. It supports up to six devices and offers a double shield for encryption—making your data pass through two separate servers before reaching the end of the tunnel. The download speeds it provides are nothing short of the first-rate mark. In addition to this, it maintains a strict no-logs policy, keeping zero tabs on your activity.
Price-wise, NordVPN is quite reasonable, only if you do not opt for the monthly plan. It costs around $11.95 per month for the one-month plan, whereas $3.99 per month if you go for the two-year plan. Cool, right? There is even a free trial option too. So, try and then decide.
ExpressVPN
Having 148 server locations and more than two thousand secure servers, ExpressVPN is an excellent option for protecting the P2P traffic. However, it can only support up to three devices simultaneously, which might be its only drawback. Other than this, speed and airtight security are very seriously maintained by this all-around service.
ExpressVPN has a split-tunneling system, which means that you can choose to route some of your devices or apps to go through the VPN channel while keeping the others connected directly to the internet. This feature becomes super-handy when downloading torrents, as you can protect the particular torrent file via a VPN while continuing your other online activities in an unaffected manner. Conve*nient, right?
Price-wise, it costs around $12.95 per month for the 1-month plan, while $9.99 per month for the 6-month plan and so on. Right now, they have a deal going on, so do check it out. More importantly, there a 30-day money-back guarantee, if you do not like it.
IPVanish
Just like its creative name, this VPN service offers a range of outstanding features. Covering more than a thousand servers on more than sixty locations, IPVanish has amazing downloading speeds, a clear no-logs policy, military-level encryption protection with the right protocols, and a kill switch feature, which is automatic.
Not only that, it can support more than five devices at a time and allows unlimited P2P traffic to pass through. Price-wise, it is $10 a month for the 1-month plan and only $6.49 a month for the 12-month plan, etc.
Final Words
So, the next time you are torrent-ing, use the aforementioned VPNs. To find the right internet plans for yourself, enter your zip code and street address on Local Cable Deals and you will be presented with the best internet packages that are available in your area.