14 DAY TRIAL // Mostly popular for its antivirus program that offers protection against viruses and spyware, AVAST has come up with a software solution for tackling an ongoing concern when it comes to browsing on the Internet in an anonymous way.
avast! SecureLine VPN offers a private VPN service so you can hide online activities from eavesdroppers and bypass geographical restrictions in order to access banned content. The utility works on both wireless and wired networks and can be installed on all computers and laptops with Windows operating systems, Android phones and tablets, as well as iPhone and iPad.
The best part about it is that it is characterized by an overall simplicity which makes it an ideal target for every rookie out there who possesses minimal computer knowledge.
The anonymous status granted by the application doesn’t come for free. You may opt for 2-year subscription for €89.99/$123.24, one year for €59.99/$82.16, or just one month for €7.99/$10.94.
Why opting for a VPN service
Although a VPN service may slow down your connection speed a little bit, it brings up so many benefits to the table that it is worth being installed on your computer if you want to control your online privacy.
Firstly, Wi-Fi hotspots have a bad reputation when it comes to providing secure browsing sessions. Your sensitive information is actually exposed to other third-party tools and may be easily stolen. avast! SecureLine VPN’s aim is to create a private connection so that your login data, passwords, credit card numbers, and other confidential information remain encrypted and concealed from prying eye.
Secondly, VPN services are able to change your IP address so as to become harder for other users to track your online activity and find out your geographical location. The application is able to override your current IP address with one picked from its servers, so you can fool others that you are in a different state or country.
Plus, using VPN connections and altering your IP address come with a third benefit, as you can access movies, shows, songs, and other types of content that are banned in your country. Netflix, Hulu, and Pandora are just some examples of online-streaming media providers that are not able to broadcast all content outside of the USA because of copyrights agreements. By simply connecting to a US server, you can pretend you are from a certain city in order to gain access to the restricted data.
Last but not least, you can cloak your VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) calls for making sure services such as voice communications and multimedia sessions over IP networks remain anonymous, as well as make use of search engines, such as Google or Bing, without having to worry that they store information about your searches and link them to your current IP address.
Intuitive looks and supported servers
The interface makes it easier for every user, be they programmers or rookies, to tweak each dedicated parameter with minimal effort. The primary panel displays your current status (“Connected” or “Disconnected”) and lets you choose the desired server that you want to connect to.
avast! SecureLine VPN gives you the possibility to select from several preset cities from The United States (Dallas, Miami, New York, Salt Lake City, San Jose, or Seattle) or others, namely Amsterdam, Frankfurt, London, Paris, Prague, or Singapore. Additionally, you can make the program connect to your nearest location.
A few configuration settings
The tool offers support for several tweaking parameters that allow you to manage your Wi-Fi connections. You can automatically secure your connections when you access a hotspot, ask for confirmation if you want to encrypt or not the connection, or leave it unencrypted. Plus, you may change the language of the GUI by choosing from several preset options.
Tests and performance
avast! SecureLine VPN doesn’t need too much time to provide you access to one of its servers, so your encrypted connection is established in no time. We have tried out several servers and then checked the IP address via online lookup programs. The IP address has been successfully altered and geographical location has been changed.
Other tests have revealed that, if you connect to a US server, you can gain access to videos streamed on Hulu, or other online service providers.
The Good
The Bad
It would have been useful to view the real and assigned IP addresses in the primary panel each time you connect to a new server and create exclusion lists with the IP addresses or hostnames that are skipped from the encryption process.
