Who should be considered the best VPN service for US residents? Out of the dozens of VPN providers out there, this can be a daunting choice to make if you’re looking for a reliable VPN that is packed full of all the goodies.
So, what company would be considered the best VPN service for US residents out of all the options out there? The answer could very well be CyberGhost VPN. Currently, CyberGhost has 1,031 servers in operation in the US alone!
With so many servers located in the US, residents have a wide array of options pertaining to server choices. That coupled with an outstanding service and a host of features, CyberGhost VPN pulls ahead of its competition for people that live in the United States.
About CyberGhost VPN
Founded in 2011, CyberGhost is based in Bucharest, Romania, and has a base of research and development located in Germany. To date, CyberGhost VPN has over 6,200 servers in their arsenal. These servers are spread out through 90 countries in 110 different locations.
They enjoy an astounding userbase of around 36 million users worldwide and is the first to have voluntarily published transparency reports.
Is CyberGhost VPN Safe to Use?
Is CyberGhost safe to use? Yes, it is. You’ll have a hard time finding a VPN that is safer to use. CyberGhost uses AES-256 encryption, which is so effective, militaries, and governments worldwide use it to prevent being compromised.
With a no-logs policy securely in place, none of your browsing history, information content, search preferences, or traffic destinations are kept or saved anywhere in their system. That coupled with an integrated firewall, a built-in kill switch, and automatic Wi-Fi protection, your devices will remain safe and secure.
CyberGhost VPN Features
1 Month Price- $12.99 US
Over 6400 Servers in 90 Countries– CyberGhost VPN offers one of the largest selections of servers amongst all of its closest competition. Finding a fast and purpose-oriented server is not an issue with such a strong server presence.The CyberGhost website makes it perfectly clear that only the CyberGhost team has any form of interaction with their servers. There are no third parties involved in any area of server maintenance, or anything else for that matter, involving their hardware or software. Their independent operation is one plus to their integrity that other VPNs don’t have.
Hide your IP– You can hide your IP address with just one click if you choose to do so. Each server will provide you with a new IP address, keeping your location and identity a mystery to any prying eyes.
DNS and IP Leak Protection– DNS leaks have proven to be a serious threat to your online security and privacy. DNS data is easily accessible by your internet service provider or even third parties.When you use the DNS leak protection provided by CyberGhost, your system becomes forced to run using CyberGhost’s DNS instead of it reporting in with your ISP.
256-bit AES Encryption– You’ll be protected by military-grade protection at all times. As mentioned above, militaries and governments use 256-AES. Banks and other businesses that work through personal and sensitive information also use this form of encryption.
Unlimited Bandwidth and Unlimited Traffic– There are some VPNs out there that have monthly limits to the amount of bandwidth you can use while utilizing their services. CyberGhost does not do this, enabling you to do whatever you like, when you like.
No-Logs Policy– No activity is tracked, and servers keep no records. A solid no-logs policy is a staple in a VPNs ability to ensure that your privacy is protected at all times.
7 Device connectivity– You can operate up to seven devices simultaneously. To make the most out of CyberGhost’s connectivity, you can use their service on your router at home. Meaning, any device that utilizes that router will be protected under that umbrella. Instructions are provided in-depth about how to do this on their website.
24/7 Customer Support– Live chat or email is available any hour of the day if you run into any problems or wind up having any questions.
P2P Torrenting– CyberGhost VPN has a large number of dedicated servers that have been optimized for torrent sharing.
Throttle Removal– The encryption tunnel removes opportunities for speed throttling by ISP’s. If you download large files often or use up a great amount of bandwidth, your ISP may be throttling you. Throttling slows your connection, and they do this to try and prevent their systems from backing up. You’ll know that your ISP has been throttling your connection if you notice that everything works much faster while using CyberGhost.
Access to Restricted Content– Bypass geo-restricted materials or other blocked media through CyberGhost’s anti-censorship software. Your connection will be routed through servers that have no location-based restrictions on data or media.
Unlimited Wi-Fi Protection– CyberGhost VPN has designed apps for all of the world’s most popular mobile devices. They’ve done this as an effort to make sure their customers are completely kept safe and anonymous wherever they go.
Dedicated IP Addresses– This is an optional addition to their regular services. Normally, with their service, any IP you wind up being assigned is shared with other users. This option helps to make sure your information is as untraceable as possible. However, for an additional fee, you can purchase your own unique IP address that is static and not being used by any other user. This choice is beneficial if you operate the VPN for a business or your own website. In circumstances like that, you’d be better off having a dedicated IP.
Video Game Console Apps– For some people, this is a game-changer. Not many VPN providers cater to the video game console, which is odd when you think of all the personal information that runs between the consoles and the internet.CyberGhost covers all of the popular game consoles out there and provides detailed instructions concerning setting them up to operate through the VPN.
Conclusion
Yes, it’s true. If you purchase CyberGhost on a month by month basis, it’s among the most expensive out there. However, you get every bit of what you’re paying for.
Also, you get extreme price cuts if you order for a longer period. For example, if you order for 18 months, you’re only paying the equivalent of $2.75 per month. If you think of it at $2.75 per month, that’s a whole different picture considering all of the features that come with CyberGhost VPN.
Collectively, these are all of the reasons why we’ve chosen CyberGhost VPN to be the best VPN service for US residents. It might possibly be one of the best in the world. So, go to the CyberGhost website now to check out the awesome deals they have running and to bec0me better acquainted with them.
The last thing is that we’d love to hear from you! Drop us a comment or question below and we will be sure to get back with you promptly. Thanks for stopping by today. 🙂
We’ve been covering quite a few different VPNs here on the site. In this article, we’re going to answer, “What is Tunnelbear VPN, and how does it hold up to the competition?”
So, what is Tunnelbear VPN? Tunnelbear VPN is a VPN provider from Toronto, Canada, and has been around since 2011. In 2018, the company was bought out by McAfee and is still providing its services to this day.
About Tunnelbear VPN
It doesn’t take long before you’d find out that Tunnelbear VPN does its best to make everything as simple as possible. They also appear to have as much fun with their brand and services as they possibly can.
This doesn’t necessarily mean that they’re any better or worse for it, but is in itself, something different to observe in the world of very serious VPNs.
And why not have fun with it? Important things, such as internet security, safeguarded identity, and personal privacy doesn’t diminish due to a lightened heart.
A business can do both- and they appear to do it well.
AES 256-bit Encryption– AES-256 encryption is the best and most difficult form of encryption that is out there today. It is often referred to as “Military Grade” encryption. That’s because this form of encryption is used by governments around the world and is responsible for safeguarding all kinds of sensitive information.
Always On– If you set the program to run at startup, you will run Tunnelbear VPN automatically, never having to worry about logging on every time.
GhostBear– Makes encrypted VPN data less detectable to governments, businesses, and ISPs. This feature isn’t necessary if your device has no problem using Tunnelbear VPN. It’s there to help if a device has a hard time operating the main program. Otherwise, it’s not needed for the regular user- but a thoughtful addition to the service.
Public Wi-Fi Protection– Tunnelbear VPN keeps your devices safe while being connected to untrusted public Wi-Fi servers.
Covers Five Devices Simultaneously
1,800 Servers in 23 Countries
Strict No-Log Policy– If there’s nothing to store, there’s nothing to find if anyone demands certain information. Tunnelbear VPN adheres to its strict No-Logs policy to do two things: First, to protect the privacy and security of their users. If a VPN can’t protect their customers, they’re ruined. Second, is to protect the company itself from harboring any information and being forced to hand it over via something like a government request. A No-Logs policy protects the integrity of the business as well as the customer’s data.
Vigilant Mode– TunnelBear will block all unsafe traffic if your connection gets interrupted. The purpose behind this feature is to make sure that your system is not compromised by maliciously intended people, programs, or code if you lose your Tunnelbear VPN connection.
Closest Tunnel– This feature is for speed purposes, and selects the server closest to your location if you prefer. By choosing a server closest to your location, your data has less distance to travel, thus making it respond faster. This feature is automated if you select the ‘Fastest” option in the dropdown menu.
App Operated System– With the ease of use being a goal of this company, they have made their apps as user-friendly as they possibly can. Their website claims that Tunnelbear is the easiest to use VPN out there.
Customer Support– Tunnelbear has a knowledgebase featuring the most commonly asked questions for you to browse through. If all else fails, you can send them a message for further assistance.
<=== Hackers would love to find out who you are and steal
your identity and your money!
But a reputable VPN will keep you anonymous while online and safeguard you and your information from these invisible creeps.
Neither hackers nor any other prying eyes will be able to figure out who the heck you are!
What is Tunnelbear VPN’s Free Service?
Tunnelbear VPN offers a free VPN service with everything at one’s disposal on one device and is limited to 500MB of secure browsing per month. This service is only enough to occasionally do some browsing, check up on your social accounts once in a while, and maybe watch a video or two.
It isn’t particularly meant to be much more than a testing ground for people to see how Tunnelbear VPN works on their device. In fact, they say it themselves on their site that it’s for “testing and limited use.”
That said, there’s nothing wrong with being able to test out a service to make sure that it runs well on your system and doesn’t gum up the works. But unless you have it installed on a device you don’t use very much, you’ll have a hard time staying under that 500MB data restriction.
Tunnelbear’s Purchase Plans
If you like how Tunnelbear VPN works with your device or devices, you can upgrade to their “Unlimited” paid plan. This plan grants you unrestricted access with unlimited data usage. Through this plan, you’re also able to operate five different devices simultaneously.
Their other service geared more for businesses, “Tunnelbear for Teams,” is also available for a different monthly rate. The price for this package slides up depending on how many people you intend to cover within the business.
Security Audits
Security audits are a means by which a VPN can show its transparency to their customers, or potential customers, to ensure them that they are trustworthy.
I noticed on their website that they dedicated a section to talk about making regularly scheduled security audits, and was immediately impressed! However, when I went in to take a look at their latest audit, it was back in 2018.
What a BUMMER that was to see!
A lack of updating isn’t to say that they stopped doing the audits, I suppose. It’s possible that they only stopped posting it to their website. Either way, it was a bit of a letdown to see that that much time has elapsed since their last audit report.
Final Thoughts
If it’s the ease of use that you’re looking for, I’d highly recommend giving Tunnelbear VPN a shot. You can do so for free, so you’d have nothing to lose. You might just be comfortable with the free package, and don’t use your device in a way that would exceed the 500MB limit.
What Tunnelbear VPN has to offer is security, privacy, and anonymity. Those are its strengths, which is why it continues to be a popular name in the world of VPNs. But there are some features that many people have become accustomed to using or expecting with a paid service.
Unfortunately for Tunnelbear VPN, there are a ton of other services out there that offer all of the expected goodies and reportedly do it better.Goodies like P2P filesharing, coverage for video game consoles, and a reliable method of getting around geo-restrictions. (Tunnelbear does claim to bypass geo-restrictions, but ample reviews tend to label it as unreliable at best.)
Again, free is painless. If it works well for your purposes, then there you go. But if you want more, there are larger brands out there such as NordVPN or ExpressVPN, that are faster, more reliable, with all the bells and whistles.
If you have any questions or input regarding this article, please drop us a comment below. We’d love to hear from you and we will be sure to respond quickly.
Several factors are involved when answering, “What is a secure VPN?” and in this article, we’re going to talk about how NordVPN checks every box. Every VPN is a little different than others, and the levels of security vary. Still, there are a handful of different standards that most reach to be deemed “secure.”
Well, what is a secure VPN? Here are a couple of extremely basic things to look for to answer this question. First would be a high level of uncrackable encryption, and second would be a strict no-logs policy. These aren’t the end-all, but if you’re looking at VPNs and either one of these are missing- move on.
If a VPN claims a no-logs policy, that’s great! But there are many kinds of logs kept by sophisticated systems. They may mean no logs of websites you visit, or no logs of how much data transfer you used, or perhaps no logs of timestamps associated with your browsing, or maybe no logs of incoming and outgoing IP addresses. The VPNs that keep zero logs are the ones you would want. They should keep none of that!
What Else A Should a VPN Do?
Aside from those two crucial features mentioned above, there are several different methods used to keep your data, systems, and devices safe. But also, many VPNs have included other features that cater to gamers, streamers, and torrent downloads. Why not go with a VPN that can do it all with the best speeds?
The world of VPN features is getting larger every year, as more companies step up their game to outdo others. Those that are wanting to be transparent with their promises utilize the services of independent auditors who publish reports after extensive reviews of the VPN company’s technical side and business practices, including physical files if any are maintained.
There’s no reason to trust a VPN that doesn’t submit to regular independent audits.
Despite the newcomers, there’s one VPN that continues to stand out of the crowd with all of these, and that’s NordVPN. Nord satisfies the two major pieces of criteria, and then some. Let’s have a look at NordVPN, the company, then the many features this service offers to its customers.
About NordVPN
NordVPN first hit the scene in 2012 and has enjoyed servicing over 14 million customers worldwide throughout time. Their current base of operations is in Panama City, in the Republic of Panama.
NordVPN isn’t just among the most successful VPNs out there but is among the largest that you’ll find. They maintain over 5400 servers stretching out around the world in 59 different countries.
The variety of countries and the number of servers help to ensure that you can find a fast and reliable service when you need it where you’d like it to be. The number of options these create helps to ensure getting your hands on the fastest possible servers when you’re doing things like streaming or downloading.
5454 Servers in 59 Countries– As stated above, the quantity of servers helps you to find some to use that will be less cluttered and faster.
No-logs Policy– The policy means that nothing you do is ever saved, collected, shared, or recorded. A sound no-logs policy is a must-have feature that NordVPN is very open about in their “About US” section of their website. Upholding this policy and being transparent to customers is something that they know can either make or break their reputation.
Uninterrupted Streaming– Having a concealed IP address prevents your ISP from slowing down your connection in any way, which allows you to stream uninterrupted without any interference.
AES-256 Encryption– All your internet data is safe behind a wall of security, including for mobile. AES-256 encryption is the safest method of encryption to date. It is used by governments around the world to keep their sensitive information safe. A high level of encryption is another “must-have” feature that a VPN should have, and NordVPN uses the best that’s out there.
Bandwidth Throttling Bypass– Bandwidth throttling can happen for several reasons and results in repeated buffering and sudden speed drops. Some of the reasons that an ISP does this is are: to control data usage during prime time, to promote an “upgraded” service that runs faster, when an ISP becomes suspicious over too much data being shared via P2P, and bandwidth caps when you’ve exceeded the allotted limit.Using NordVPN will keep your IP private and conceal your activities from your ISP, which will prevent any throttling protocols.
One Account Protects up to 6 Devices– You can load NordVPN on to as many devices as you’d like, but can only use six simultaneously. But they allow you to make the most of this service. Your home router counts as one device, which means that every device using it will be protected. This trick opens everything up at the homestead, and after all, how often are you on the go with five different personal devices that would need protection?
Personal IP Protection– Using NordVPN ensures that your IP remains safe behind multiple walls of security and cyber-disguises.
IP Masking– When you use their service, you are hiding your location information and IP address through the VPN, using different IP addresses through different locations around the world.
P2P Servers– NordVPN provides special features that enable safer and faster P2P downloading. They maintain servers that are specially set up for P2P filesharing, ensuring a smooth experience.
Double VPN– Hides your activity behind two servers instead of one- otherwise known as server chaining. The way this works is: your device and information are encrypted, and your traffic hits a NordVPN server. Then, from the first server, it bounces to a different server, then to the traffic’s destination.
CyberSec– Blocks dangerous websites, malware, and blocks ads. (Can be toggled on or off.) This feature is incorporated to help keep your systems safe from any malicious behavior from any sites that you wind up visiting.
Browser Extensions– Can be applied to your favorite browsers. This feature allows you to maintain a secure connection when visiting sites that haven’t upgraded to HTTPS, rather than the less secure HTTP.
DNS Leak Checker– Prevents openings for your traffic to wind up being intercepted by a third party. When you connect to NordVPN, all of your DNS queries runs directly through their privately owned DNS servers.
24/7 Help and Support– One of the largest gripes of customers to any VPN service is a slow and distant customer service system. NordVPN’s customer service is active 24/7 and is available to answer any questions from anywhere in the world.
Mobile Device Security– All of the same features meant to protect all of your personal information is available to keep all of your personal information safe and secure on any mobile device through their app.
NordVPN Answers “What is a Good VPN?”
NordVPN is a well-established company with millions of users. Any business that doesn’t deliver what they say they deliver will never reach the heights that NordVPN has been able to reach, nor satisfy such a large customer base.
Anywhere you go to search out a comparison review between several different VPNs, you can almost bet that NordVPN will be among those being held to the test. And you’ll also find that in most of these types of comparative reviews, they take the lead over their closest competition.
For these reasons, and also due to the high levels of security and many additional features, it’s more than worth it to check them out and learn more about their service. To see current pricing and sales GO TO the NordVPN Website.
If you have any comments or questions, please leave them below. We’d love to hear from you!
VyprVPN has been around for a while now, but is it a top-rated VPN Service provider? It doesn’t take a lot of digging around to find that the competition is fierce in the VPN industry. Especially as more and more people are downloading all of their sensitive information into systems that are far from crack-proof, VPN’s are popping up all over the place.
So, is VyprVPN a Top-Rated VPN Service Provider even though there’s tons of competition? Well, VyprVPN is a solid system that has many useful features that will satisfy a variety of needs. Though there are better and faster VPN’s out there, VyprVPN has proven itself to be a reliable source of protection, security, and anonymity.
This article will discuss many of the different features that VyprVPN has to offer. When you reach the end of the post and like what you see, you can try it out risk-free for 30 days (which is always something nice to take advantage of).Either way, at least you’ll know what you’re getting into.
VyprVPN- Based out of Switzerland
The parent company of VyprVPN is Golden Frog and is based out of Switzerland. The fact that this company is based out of Switzerland is important as far as privacy laws are concerned.
Back in 2000, Switzerland’s Right to Privacy Article (Article 13 of the Swiss Federal Constitution) was cemented, which protects one’s online activity privacy. Also, in 2010 the Swiss Supreme Court recognized that one’s IP address is considered to be personal information, making it unlawful to track activity without the user’s knowledge.
In the world of VPN’s, online privacy, and internet security, a place that has strict privacy laws is a good place to hang one’s hat. Switzerland is such a place and is the base of operations for several VPN companies out there.
The two major products produced by Golden Frog are VyprVPN and OutFox, with OutFox being geared toward gaming network performance.
VyprVPN Features
1 Month Price- $12.95 12-Month Plan $3.75/mo 2-Yr Plan $2.50/mo
Over 700 Servers dispersed through over 70 locations around the world.
Supports up to Five Devices at One Time
Dynamic Server Switching- This feature prevents a server from being overloaded and helps to make sure all of the servers operate uninterrupted.
24/7 Customer Support- Most of the people who have ever needed to reach out to a customer service department can appreciate a 24/7 service. For many VPNs out there, this is where many are found wanting.
IP Address Protection- VyprVPN has over 200,000 IP addresses that you can use rather than having your system’s IP visible.
Chameleon- The Chameleon feature is VyprVPN’s effort to fight back against censorship. With this feature, you gain access to regionally restricted or censored content.
High-Speed Streaming through Updated Servers- All VyprVPN servers are owned by VyprVPN and updated accordingly.
VyprDNS- This protects you from any DNS leaks or breaches that might occur. It protects against any man-in-the-middle form of attacks. No 3rd party DNS is involved, just you and VyprVPN.
VyprVPN Cloud- This opens your own dedicated business VPN server and also grants security as you traverse through other cloud type systems.
Public Wi-Fi Protection- VyprVPN apps are always on the ready to protect your devices from any suspicious behavior when connecting to public Wi-Fi.
Kill Switch- Blocks all traffic from your internet or network if your VPN connection becomes compromised. The purpose is to prevent your system from ever being left vulnerable to attack.
No-Log Policy- VyprVPN will not log any of your activities. This is a popular feature because if for any reason, anyone wanted to search their system to track activity, there’s nothing to find. A strict no-logs policy protects the VPN as well as their customers.
Is VyprVPN Safe?
After reading the low-down on all of the features available, you may still ask, “Is VyprVPN safe?” Yes, it is.
VyprVPN utilizes government-grade AES 256-bit encryption. This form of encryption is used worldwide and has long since proven to be effective against those who would like to pry, spy, or otherwise stick their nose where it doesn’t belong.
<=== And you don’t want this guy sniffing around your beezneez!
Coupled with the government-grade encryption is DNS protection to keep your system safe from malicious attacks. Something else to think about is that they claim to never use any 3rd parties for anything involving their system.
Without extra hands in the soup, they know everything that’s going on within their network of servers, without having to rely on “good faith” with other vendors.
Then What’s the Deal with No-Logs VPNs Keeping “Some” Logs?
Great question! There are a lot of answers with a convoluted list of reasons why any VPN would keep logs when they aren’t required to by law in their country. One reason is that computer systems are programmed to log everything! That’s government-oriented from the start in most technicians’ opinions. It gives the government access to things most people don’t even know exists.
But as stated in their list of features, VyprVPN maintains a strict no-logs policy.
We may question that proclamation of “no-logs” due to the events in recent years with a few major VPN services having identical policies with whom warrants or letters from authorities have requested personal customer data and info to assist in their investigations.
Which VPN Can I Trust?
It caused a tainted reputation for all VPNs’ that claimed a no-logs” policy when a few of them caved when pressured by law enforcement; even when the law didn’t require them to keep logs, nor did it give authorities a legal avenue to demand such info.
Doesn’t it make you wonder what tactics law enforcement may be using on this level that would cause a successful company to compromise their promise and risk losing several million dollars as they release info they don’t have to release (and that they supposedly didn’t log anyway… huh?)
Because of this, any real contender in today’s VPN market will make sure they never let that happen again. If a VPN were to do that now, they just issued their own immediate death sentence. It would be over. Consumers are now keen, or becoming so, on how all of this works.
So, what VyprVPN has done, along with all of the other reputable players, is to go the extra mile to be sure that not only do they not have to keep logs from a legal standpoint but that they, in reality, DO NOT keep any logs! So, if the men in black show up, there is nothing to find even if they were to take over the company. It just ain’t there!
And they are all submitting to regular independent audits from top tech companies that review their servers, their relays, their internal storage devices, and even the info from their employees.
That’s the kind of VPN service you want. VyprVPN is one of them. See, keeping their hands clean of your information is a great way to ensure that your privacy is secure, as the other safeguards keep your systems secure. This also places Vypr and other reputable companies in a position of trust.
Finally, we are getting somewhere with VPNs being transparent and reliable.
Downloading and Streaming
VyprVPN opens up the gates so that you can stream or download content from anywhere in the world. According to the various testing sites, however, they aren’t the fastest in the world as claimed on their website.
However, they do run fast enough to stream uninterrupted and also download large files faster than other VPNs.
Is VyprVPN a Good VPN for Gaming?
The absence of any talk about gaming or consoles on their website doesn’t bode well to answer this question. However, this could be due to Golden Frog’s other product, “OutFox.”
OutFox is specifically geared toward gaming and is likely why they kept gaming out of VyprVPN. SO, if it’s for gaming purposes that you’re looking for a good VPN, either try a different one that caters to games and consoles better, or check out OutFox rather than VyprVPN.
Conclusion
VyprVPN is a solid, safe, and secure VPN and will work well for anyone. Is it the best? No, it isn’t. But though it’s not the best, it is certainly among the best out there and is ranked in the top 15 out of nearly 400 different VPNs.
Every VPN has something different to give, different features to display, or different niches to cover. The best out there isn’t always the best for you. Perhaps better services have more bells and whistles that you’d never need?
All in all, VyprVPN is an outstanding overall service that will do everything it’s supposed to. If what it’s supposed to do is what you’re looking for after having read this article, then it will serve you well. Go to the VyprVPN website to download their app or to just gather more information about this trusted company.
Definitely check out VyprVPN’s website, but also shoot us a note below with any comments or questions you may have. We’d love to hear from you. 🙂
There are several different VPN companies out there that boast of being the best VPN service for gaming. On the other hand, they also boast of being the best overall VPN’s in general, so I suppose that their marketing departments are doing their job.
Well, who is the best VPN service for gaming? The answer is ExpressVPN. The reasons are: reduced ping times, unblocking of restricted skins and maps, concrete DDoS attack protection, easy to use apps, apps for compatible routers (enables consoles to be protected), media streamer services, and more.
Aside from answering the posed question above, this article is going to take a good look at ExpressVPN. We’ll be showcasing its features and benefits, and bring to light why this particular VPN service is held in high regard amongst users.
Or, if you are ready for ExpressVPN now, click the banner below!
Is ExpressVPN Safe?
Is ExpressVPN safe to use? Yes, it is. Military-grade encryption and OpenVPN protocol are used to protect all of your data. If getting around government restriction or intrusion is your intention, this is the grade of encryption that you’d be looking for.
Because of their no logs policy, ExpressVPN ensures that there is no information stored at any time for any reason. If anyone were to try and gather information, there’s none to give. This policy not only protects the users but also protects the company from being responsible for having such information.
The management of ExpressVPN took an additional huge step to reassure their customers that their privacy is of utmost concern. They are one of the first, if not the first VPN to ever submit to an audit of their system and servers.
In October of 2019 PWC (PricewaterhouseCoopers), one of the top 4 auditing companies in the world, was brought in with complete and unrestricted access to all of their equipment, files, and employees in order to establish a comprehensive audit.
It took most of a month.ExpressVPN made this move to prove transparency in regards to their privacy policies, especially their “No Logs” policy. They passed! The results of the audit reinforced their firm commitment to the complete privacy and anonymity of every customer.
More information about the safety features of ExpressVPN will be listed in the “Features” section below.
Recognized Among the Best VPN Service Providers
Try it for yourself. Search any list of the best VPN service providers. In every one of them, you’ll see a variety of opinions. However, there will be one thing that you’ll notice. ExpressVPN is in almost every one of them (they’ve been included in every list that I’ve ever seen).
The fact that they’re always in the mix should mean something, considering the number of VPNs out there that exist today. Not only is ExpressVPN a very popular choice for gaming, but it offers a complete package to protect your devices- be they mobile or home-based.
Price per Month: $12.99 US (Price is drastically reduced when choosing to make a yearly payment rather than monthly.)
160 VPN Servers in 94 Countries Worldwide
Content-Based Throttling Bypass– ExpressVPN bypasses the throttling that can occur. This feature makes your system run as fast as you’re paying your ISP to provide, rather than dealing with a throttled internet connection.
Blocked Content Bypass– This feature gets you around any content blockages that are regionally set up by governments. Bypassing these efforts removes you from being under their intended censorship.
Unlimited Bandwidth– You don’t have to be careful with what you use, what you watch, or how long you’re using any of your devices.
Unlimited Streaming– Stream as long as you see fit. ExpressVPN is compatible with opening up streaming all of your favorite channels and services.
IP Address Masking– Hides your identity by giving you an alternative IP address to places you visit online. In so doing, your privacy is protected, and your location remains a mystery.
Anonymous Browsing– ExpressVPN has a strict no-logs policy, which means if they’re ever forced to share information, they’ve got nothing to share.
Network Lock Kill Switch– Interrupts your internet connection if your VPN connection becomes compromised or shut down. This feature helps you to stay safe and secure until your connection to the VPN server is back up.
Apps Available for Every Popular Device– Protect every device that you utilize online. Whether it’s a mobile device or a Roku, ExpressVPN can do its work through its apps.
Around the Clock Live Chat Support– One of the biggest gripes between VPNs and their customers is the shoddy or lack-luster customer service. ExpressVPN’s live 24/7 customer service is an answer to this problem.
VPN Split Tunneling– Split Tunneling allows you to run some devices through a VPN server, and other devices without.
Private DNS– ExpressVPN owns its encrypted DNS on every one of their servers. No middle-man companies need to be relied upon.
Public Wi-Fi Protection– This keeps your identity and data protected when you’re using public Wi-Fi servers.
Run Up to Five Devices Simultaneously– You can install ExpressVPN on as many devices as you’d like, but can only run five at a time. However, you can get around this by installing ExpressVPN directly to your home router. Doing that will cover whatever device is being used via that router.
Many existing reviews and also customer comments reveal that ExpressVPN is true to its word as it relates to speed. Not only fast but reliable. Torrenting is also found to be fast and efficient with smooth operation, and p2p filesharing also works through their servers.
For those who are cautious- ExpressVPN offers a 30-day free trial with a money-back guarantee.
The Best VPN Service for Gaming- ExpressVPN
From any server you can choose, be it close by or on the other end of the earth, you’ll have a fast and reliable connection. This is a major factor considered when we call ExpressVPN the best VPN for gaming.
Gamers and streamers alike know all too well how important this kind of a connection is, and the frustration that lag and signal drops create. A poor or slow connection can ruin everything.
With ExpressVPN, you’ll be able to run everything as you would be able to without using a VPN.
In other words, the speed and quality of your connection will not be hampered by ExpressVPN.Slower gaming connection is a downfall for many other VPN companies and….
<=== it’ll make you feel like doing this!
But this is an area where ExpressVPN takes the lead. The speed lead!!
The same is true as it relates to any other form of media usage, be it streaming movies, TV shows, and videos. ExpressVPN takes charge as it would relate to having little to no drop in your connection speed.
To help make sure that you can find the fastest connections available, ExpressVPN has a Speed Test feature. It shows you the fastest server connections available in your network. This is a helpful addition and prevents you from having to guess which server would best serve your need for speed!
Conclusion
Yes, ExpressVPN is one of the highest-priced VPNs out there. But as we all know; you get what you pay for. There are cheaper VPNs available, but not all of them offer the whole package in the same way that this one does.
If you’re looking to secure your identity and your data, but don’t want to infringe on internet speed, gaming reliability, or throttling, ExpressVPN is a safe and wise choice.
You can also check out some of our other reviews on VPNs or other security products for the home. We strive to give you the best information we can find so that you are able to make the most informed decision whenever purchasing VPNs or home security equipment.
We’d love to hear from you. Any feedback is welcome. Just leave a comment below if you’d like. 🙂
Are you surfing around for the best outdoor security camera systems that will suit your needs and fit into your budget? This article is for you, regardless of what you have at your disposal financially. Have you noticed how many choices there are out there?
<====== If you’ve felt like that guy
when trying to figure out
which product is best for you,
we’re here to make all of that a bit easier.
(But I do like his hair, just saying)
The reason that the following are the best outdoor security camera systems for everyone is because there is a wide range of pricing, abilities, and features in the products that are on the list- 15 in all. The list will start from the most expensive systems and work its way to the cheapest unit available.
So, here’s the question…..
“What’s right for you,” is something that has been repeated several times through this site as it relates to home security. The best way to deal with figuring out which system will serve you better is first to determine what you need and what you don’t need.
If there’s a fancy camera that catches your eye that has a ton of features that you may never need, are the extra features something that you’d be willing to pay more for? Or, would a cheaper unit with fewer features that you’d actually use, be better for your situation? Only you can answer that, and this list will help you to see what’s out there.
16 Best Outdoor Security Camera Systems
The largest thing that these cameras have in common is that they’re all outdoor cameras. Everything else is all over the map. Some are battery-operated, others wired- all kinds of different shapes and sizes.
Two-way Audio- Through your app, you can listen to what’s going on and talk to anyone who has tripped the sensors. (Or you can scare the delivery guy; why not have fun?)
A Siren can be Turned On or Off via Phone App
Heat and Movement Sensors- When sensors trip when detecting heat or movement, notifications come to your device through your app.
Video Streaming- Stream from your camera using the Google Assistant & Chromecast, Google Home Hub, or Alexa devices.
1080p HD Video Recording- Faces, license plates, and car types all come into view clearly, making it easy to identify intruders.
Clips are saved for seven days locally, and secure cloud for free for up to 2 days. Thirty days is available through subscription.
Person Alerts- The Nest Cam IQ is capable of distinguishing between people, pets, and other objects that cross into the field of view.
12x Digital Zoom and Enhance
Integrated Intercom- A Speaker Microphone combo that allows you to interact with intruders, visitors, or even call the kids back into the house for dinner.
Close-Ups with Automatic Tracking- If someone walks into the camera’s field of view, it will zoom in on the face and track them as they move through the scene. Using footage for evidence is easier when the culprit is more easily identified, and that is the point of this feature.
Tamperproof Exterior
Night Vision- Infra-red LEDs assist in illuminating the night vision.
Hardwired
With the IQ, a snapshot of the situation accompanies the notification sent to your mobile device.
Floodlights can illuminate up to 3000 lumens of light.
2k HRD- Allows for clearer details and more defined colors.
Built-In Smart Siren- You can set how and when you want it to go off through your app, and you can also set it off manually if you wish.
Auto Track and 12x Zoom- It will automatically get a clear profile of an intruder’s face and track them along the field of view.
Night Vision- Color night vision is available as well as standard infra-red night vision illuminated by two powerful infrared LEDs.
Microphone with echo and noise cancellation and also a full-duplex 2-way audio system.
1080p HD Video
Floodlights have two modes- pulsing and constant.
Activity Zones- You can create activity zones for the sensors to concentrate on, to avoid activity such as traffic or wind-blown branches from sending false alarms.
Equipped with Two Floodlights- Combined, the two LED floodlights put out 1,800 lumens.
1080p HD
Night Vision and Live View
Advanced Motion Detection- The advanced motion detection will activate lights, recording, or alarm (or all of the above) when a person trips the sensor. Detection discriminates between people and objects. This is a help, so you don’t get a notification every time your dog crosses the path of the camera.
Remote Activated Alarm- This unit is equipped with a 110-decibel siren.
Two-Way Audio- You can either listen in on what’s going on or communicate with someone that is within the field of view of the camera.
Motion Zones- You can set motion zones to remove the potential of false alarms caused by innocent passerby’s, pet zones, or other traffic areas.
Hardwired- Plug into the wall wherever it’s convenient (through a window, or a pre-drilled hole through the wall to the closest outlet).
Two Way Audio Featuring Noise Reduction/Cancellation
Infra-Red Night Vision- Infra-red LEDs bolster the reach of the night vision.
Motion Sensored Detection
110 Decibel Siren Alarm
1080p Full-HD Video Recording
LED Spotlights- Lights come on to illuminate the scene when the sensors are tripped. However, the camera can be switched over to infrared manually in order to utilize that feature if you desire.
Advanced Motion Detection
Customizable Motion Detection- Customize where you want to be detected by creating monitored zones that cancel out the possibilities of redundant or false alarms.
Compatible with Alexa and can be combined with other types of smart products.
Because this is a battery-powered version of the unit above, the features are the same. However, the freedom of installing this camera anywhere you want within the Wi-Fi range can be viewed as a feature all of its own.
For the DIY type of person, this feature may win you over compared to the wired version, despite having to keep tabs on making sure the batteries are charged. For difficult to wire exteriors, it can be a reasonable trade-off.
A snapshot is provided with the instant trigger notification. Notifications are sent to a mobile app or sent to a predesignated email.
Integrated Intercom- A Speaker Microphone combo that allows you to interact with intruders, visitors, or even yell at the neighborhood kids for playing around with your lawn ornaments.
Sensors- Not only will the sensors let you know if there is an intruder who approaches, but it will also detect and report suspicious noises.
Note: A monthly subscription will grant many of the features found in the Nest Cam IQ if, at some point, you wished to do so to expand the camera’s capabilities.
This camera is compatible with various third-party services.
Night Vision- The night vision feature is good for up to 14 feet. This might not sound like much, but when you consider a porch or entrance way into the home, it’s a good deal of coverage.
Free 24hr Secure Cloud Storage
Customizable Alerts
Customizable Motion Zones- Helps to eliminate false alarm notifications.
Smart Location- Smart Location automatically detects when you’ve arrived at your home, and disables the security features so you can get past the sensors without issue. It pauses alerts when you arrive, and activates them when you leave.
Two-Way Audio- You can listen to what’s going on or communicate with someone who triggered an alert.
Far-Reaching Motion Sensor- The motion sensor can detect movement that reaches beyond the camera’s view. When active, it will send an alert when triggered.
Night Vision- The manufacturer claims that this camera can detect movement up to 30m away with the night vision.
Two-Way Communication- Threaten trespassers with police, or say hi to friends at the door.
Hardwired Operation- This unit needs to be plugged into an outlet.
This camera is compatible with all other iSmartgate smart home products.
Smart Detection- This device can distinguish between a person, pet, or automobile. It will only alert you to what you select to see.
Long Range Sensor- A person can be detected to up to 60 feet away. As soon as a person is detected, an alert is immediately sent to your mobile device via an app.
100 Decibel Siren
Two-Way Audio- This feature is equipped with noise-canceling, to eliminate static or white noise when in operation.
1080p HD Video Recording
Suspicious Car Alerts- If a suspicious or unrecognized vehicle is within the sensor’s area, an alert will be triggered.
Night Vision- Two infra-red LEDs help to give a more crisp night vision image. The manufacturer claims you can see up to 65 feet in the dark.
Smart Notifications- Y0u can adjust when and why you receive alerts. This is handy to prevent getting alerts when daily expected interruptions might occur. Kids coming home from school is one example- any daily routine can be worked out, so you aren’t getting notifications of little value.
Has a flashing light denoting that the camera is recording to anyone who has taken notice of it.
Complete Appearance of a Real Security Camera
If you don’t have the money, or if you don’t feel the desire to spend money on the real thing, these fake cameras are available. If you can’t get a good security camera to protect your home, why not give a good poker face to your house when any undesirables might come your way?
These can certainly cause someone to stop in their tracks when noticed, so make sure to place them where they can be seen. Unlike the real cameras, these are useless when placed in tricky spots.
Conclusion
There we have it! Sixteen different security cameras that all range in price and abilities. This page gave extremely brief descriptions of the capabilities for most of these cameras. The idea is to provide you a direction to go with, narrowing down between your price range and feature interests, rather than an exhaustive list of everything these cameras can do. From here, if you found one or two that you’d like to learn more about, click the links provided to head to a page with more information.
Also, while digging deeper into one that caught your eye, be sure to have a look at reviews given by customers of each product. Doing this can steer you in the right direction- whether it would be a good idea to purchase, or to check out a different option.
You are welcome to leave a message below with any questions or comments you may have. And we invite you to return and give us feedback on whichever outdoor security cameras or any home security equipment you may purchase. Thanks for dropping by today!! 🙂
A number of years back, the Video Doorbell craze took off! It all started with the invention of the video doorbell camera by one company and rapidly grew into a market craze as every security company wanted a piece of that pie. Some have improved on the concept, while others simply copied it and offered it for a better price. So, the big question now is “What’s the best doorbell camera?”
We will take a brief look at the short history of doorbell cameras and how they became an overnight sensation. Then we will look at the features people want in a video doorbell or doorbell camera followed by a review of the top products that meet the needs of most consumers. So, let’s dive in and see what’s the best video doorbell!
The First Known Video Doorbell
In 2013, Jamie Siminoff founded a company called Doorbot whose flagship product was a doorbell camera or video doorbell (whichever way you like to say it)
which he later renamed Ring. That same year Siminoff appeared on the reality show Shark Tank seeking $700,000 in investment funding. He was denied by investment experts.
Ring continued to grow, and after the appearance on Shark Tank and the subsequent rejection, they quickly earned $5 million n new revenue. The company kept growing and gaining exposure and credibility.
In 2016 Shaquille O’Neal acquired an equity share in Ring (his intuition is 7 feet tall!!)
Shortly after that, the company raised another $200 million in investments and the rest is history…. or the future as far as the DIY home security market is concerned. Shark Tank really missed that one!
Not All Publicity is Good Publicity
In February of 2018, Amazon bought Ring for upwards of $1 Billion! The growth hasn’t stopped since then, but it has slowed at times due to other players on the market with similar products. Another factor slowing them down a time or two has been the publicity of security breaches and the public disclosure of the fact that Ring was in bed with over 200 police agencies throughout the US, allowing them to use homeowners’ Doorbell Cameras in their investigative efforts.
This triggered a public outcry over compromised privacy and caused many to view Ring as a part of Big Brother instead of the company they were trusting to keep them safe (and private). Hopefully, all of that is over! If not, go for companies that have a better track record of not allowing any government agency to use their enterprise.
Let’s Look at 3 of the Most Popular Video Doorbells
Since the craze with video doorbells took off several years ago, many companies and products have come onto the market. Some of these products are from companies that you are likely familiar with. However, some of them are basically unknown and often have no reviews or just a few reviews on their products.
For the purposes of this review article, we will stick with the products that have a proven track record with consumers and we’ll keep an eye on the other, unknown products and review them once there is enough information available to provide you with an accurate assessment.
With the more known products, let’s see if we can answer what’s the best doorbell camera!
SimpliSafe states that their video doorbell detects people and ignores distractions. They do this by having a two-sensor approach. One sensor identifies the heat signature of people while the other detects the form of a human. This means that you will not be alerted every time a car drives past your house or a gorilla wanders onto your porch (wait, I’m not sure if it will read a gorilla as a human form or not. If not, it may miss my uncle Burt!)
SimpliSafe’s Video Doorbell Pro works well integrated with any SimpliSafe security system, or as a standalone product. Two requirements to note: 1) Needs to be wired into an existing doorbell setup, and 2) requires WiFi.
SimpliSafe is known for being user-friendly and for being one of the easiest DIY home security systems. Installation is easy. Here are some key features:
Infrared Night Vision
Great app that’s friendly with both iOS and Android
Two-way Audio
160º Field of View
1080p HD Video
Motion Alerts
Door Chime
HDR Imaging
These doorbells are sleek and look great, but if a person would like a different color, there are faceplates that are available in three colors: cloud, jade, and obsidian (or white, light green, and black). When connected with a SimpliSafe security system, the Video Doorbell Pro and every other camera on the system starts recording the moment any sensor is triggered.
The downsides are:
Capturing recording requires a monthly subscription, although relatively inexpensive
Uses existing doorbell wiring, no reviews wireless options
Doesn’t support voice commands (Like Alexa or Google Assistant) or IFTTT
Overall this is a great product, especially if you are planning on acquiring or already have a SimpliSafe security system.
Ring Video Doorbell 3 Plus
Ring has several video doorbells! In fact, they also have multiple generations for at least one of their lines of doorbell cameras. One item they offer is a peephole camera. Basically, their video doorbells all offer the same thing with improved features such as better motion sensing as the newer versions roll out.
For the purposes of this article, we’ll look at their latest product, the Ring Video Doorbell 3 Plus. Ring is also a user-friendly company with DIY products that promise quick and simple installation. With this latest incarnation, they’ve made available a pre-roll video capture feature so that you can go back a few seconds before the camera was triggered. Here are some of the features:
Infrared Night Vision
1080p HD Video
160º Field of View
User-friendly App
Wired or Battery Powered
NEW FEATURE: Removable Battery Pack
Pre-roll video capture
Two-way audio with noise cancellation
Supports Amazon Alexa and IFTTT
These doorbell cameras are also sleek and stylish! In fact, the new third-generation plus series is slightly smaller than the other ring video camera predecessors.
There is really only one complaint that seems to have any merit: To view any recorded video or picture, a person must subscribe to the Ring Protect Plan which is currently $3/mo per device or $10/mo per household for accessing up to 60 days worth of footage. Not bad, but it is one more monthly expense to deal with. But the Ring Video Doorbell 3 Plus is a true DIY video doorbell.
This product would “wow” you if you were to visit a friend who had it already installed and who also has a Google Smart Home vibe going on. Since Nest is owned
by Google, it should come as no reviews surprise that the Nest Hello works well with all of Google’s and Nest’s smart home equipment and features. If that’s you, this is probably the video doorbell for you.
Although a great product, there are a few things to consider if you are in the market for the best camera doorbell or a wireless doorbell camera system. There is no reviews wireless option, and it is a bit tedious to install, usually requiring professional installation which adds considerably to the price.
If you don’t already have a doorbell chime, you will need to purchase one for this video doorbell to work. To view the video history you will need a monthly subscription, although I’ve seen it inconsistently reported that there are three free hours of backup for images. The added costs make this one of the most pricey doorbell cameras on the market.
But being called the smartest video doorbell around, it’s worth a look if it fits your budget. Here are some key features:
Advanced App with great features and easy to use
Facial Recognition (requires an additional storage fee)
2-Way Audio
Works with iOS, Android and Desktops
Geofencing and Scheduling options
Motion and Sound detection
Works with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant
160º Field of View
Sleeker design to fit on more doorframes
So, this is a great product! There’s no way around that fact. Nest Hello looks great, performs well, and has a few features not found in most other video doorbells.
If you’re on a budget or need a DIY option, try the Ring Video Doorbell 3 Plus or the SimpliSafe Video Doorbell Pro. Otherwise, the Nest Hello is probably the most advanced doorbell camera system on the market today.
Final Thoughts
We just looked at the evolution of the video doorbell market since its quick rise just a few years ago kicking off with the Ring Video Doorbell. Since then, with a plethora of doorbell cameras on the market offering diverse options and price points, it could make a person’s head spin trying to decide which products are worth their consideration.
To help you in the decision-making process, we’ve ventured out in true SecurtyUnveiled fashion to show you the three top contenders for the best video doorbell. Each of the three, SimpliSafe Video Doorbell Pro, Ring Video Doorbell 3 Plus, and Nest Hello, have slightly different features.
So, what’s the best doorbell camera? It really depends on your needs and budget. You can’t go wrong with any of these. But overall, and if budget and ease of installation aren’t important points, Nest Hello would sit at our top spot as the best camera doorbell.
Please leave us a comment below with any insights, opinions, or experience with any of these or other Video Doorbells. Thanks for stopping by!
When you’re looking to see which top-rated VPN service providers are the best VPN for home purposes, you’ll find that there is a good amount of decent services out there. However, you’ll also find that some don’t necessarily provide exactly what they promote.
Unless a company has established itself recently, top-rated VPN service providers should have a broad following of happy users. When conducting your due diligence into any given company (be it a VPN service or not), and you’re finding more complaints than praise in reviews, move on.
How to Find Out What VPN is Best
Fishing through Negative VPN Reviews
I want to go over this a little before jumping into selecting which VPN is best, particularly for home purposes. When you’re rifling through reviews, try to rule out the possibilities of operator error or technological limitations. If someone has a lousy or inconsistent internet connection, they’re more likely to run into issues.
Some people that give bitter reviews are doing so without having properly diagnosed why something didn’t work the way it should. Also, not everyone is level headed when they run into problems or something they don’t understand.Sometimes folks become quick to take it out on services through negative reviews (I’ve seen it happen several times).
All that being said, there are legitimate reasons why people leave negative reviews. As far as VPNs go, complaints can range from software issues, poor customer service, inconsistent behaviors, etc. Try to be as discerning as possible to try and determine where true fault rests.
Fishing Through Positive VPN Reviews
Positive reviews found on a VPN companies’ website can also be a little suspect. It takes some practice, but eventually, you’ll be able to see the difference between an employee giving a fluff review to make their product look better, versus a genuine customer review.
Finding Out Who’s a Reputable VPN Provider
All of the above was taken into consideration as far as determining customer satisfaction goes. For some of these companies, more digging was necessary to get some customer reviews, and others had it available on their website.
When you get down to it, customer satisfaction relating to what a given company has to offer reveals whether or not they’re fulfilling what they claim to fulfill. We wouldn’t want to be found pointing people into a direction that would be neither helpful nor true.
VPN Features
Features are a factor as it relates to determining which would be best.
The Best VPN for Home
VPN services cover a broad range of different areas because there are untold numbers of people bouncing around from place to place, using their mobile devices. You may be one of them.
That said, there are plenty of homebodies out there. Even for people who are on the go, the first place of importance for online security is at home. For the purposes of this article, home services are going to trump all other services.
List of Top-Rated VPN Service Providers
Here is the crème of the crop in the world of VPN service providers. We’ve got other articles on this site that talk about some of the following companies. But they weren’t looked into for the sole purpose of keeping our privacy safe and secure at home only.
CyberGhost
1 Month Price- $12.99 US
Over 6400 Servers in 90 Countries
Hide your IP- You can hide your IP address with just one click if you choose to do so.
DNS and IP Leak Protection
256-bit AES Encryption- You’ll be protected by military-grade protection at all times.
Unlimited Bandwidth and Unlimited Traffic
No-Logs Policy- No activity is tracked, and servers keep no records.
7 Device connectivity- You can operate up to seven devices simultaneously.
24/7 Customer Support- Live chat or email.
Servers Optimized for Torrent Sharing
Throttle Removal- The encryption tunnel removes opportunities for speed throttling by ISP’s.
Access to Restricted Content- Bypass geo-restricted materials or other blocked media.
Unlimited Wi-Fi Protection
Founded in 2011, CyberGhost is a Romanian company, which claims to have over 6,400 servers in their arsenal. These servers are spread out through 90 countries in over 111 different locations.
As far as VPN’s go, CyberGhost lands itself on the expensive side. Though it does offer a good, safe service, you’re paying for a lot more than what it takes to be safe at home. They offer features that will keep your information safe wherever you go. However, some people may find that the option to access restricted content may be worth the extra cost.
HIDDEN24 VPN
1 Month Price- $5.99 US (Also, check out their 3-month and 12-month plans)
Servers in 7 Different Countries
Ticketed Support System
No App is required to use this service.
IP Address Replacement- Changes your IP to avoid tracking to your original IP Address.
2048-bit Encryption- This protects all traffic that flows to and from your computer or other devices.
Public Wi-Fi Protection
Hidden24 can be used to avoid internet censorship and work around blocked traffic.
High-Speed Connection
No-Log System- Though they’re based in a country that can ask for records, none of your information is ever saved. In other words, there’s nothing to show.
Unlimited Surfing- There is no cap on surfing the web, and no cap on devices.
Hidden24 VPN is a Swedish company and has been in business since 2006. The services rendered by Hidden24 VPN has a mixed bag of reviews. Some say that it doesn’t do enough, is difficult to install, and some claim that it doesn’t do what it boasts of doing.
Something else that some might not know right away is that they only take credit or debit card payments— no PayPal or Bitcoin exchanges. In the world of anonymity, this can pose to be a problem for some. Also, they do not have any apps to use and simplify the user experience.
You really need to get through a learning curve (which they offer to give) to use their system properly. Is this a bad VPN? No, I don’t believe so. But it isn’t for everyone, that’s for sure.
All that being said, they’ve been around for quite some time, they’ve proven to maintain their servers, and provide continuous and reliable use.
NordVPN
1 Month Price- $11.95 US
There is also considerable savings with their 1-, 2-, or 3-year plans!!
5454 Servers throughout 59 Countries
No-logs Policy- The policy means that nothing you do is ever saved, collected, shared, or recorded.
Uninterrupted Streaming
Next-generation encryption- All your internet data is safe behind a wall of security, including for mobile.
No Bandwidth Limitations
Bandwidth Throttling Bypass
One Account Protects up to 6 Devices
Personal IP Protection
IP Masking
P2P Servers
Double VPN Encryption- Hides your activity behind two servers instead of one.
CyberSec- Blocks dangerous websites, malware, and blocks ads. (Can be toggled on or off.)
Browser Extensions- Can be applied to your favorite browsers.
DNS Leak Checker- Prevents openings for your traffic to wind up being intercepted by a third party.
24/7 Help and Support
NordVPN was established in 2012 and is based out of Panama. They enjoy the distinction of being one of the largest and most widely used VPNs out there. It’s also worth mentioning that NordVPN wound up earning our spot as the #1 Best VPN Buy of 2020.
But that was an overall ranking that was wide open— not specifically geared toward the home. Though the price is substantially higher than some others in this group, covering six devices under one account might be just right for some, not necessarily for others. I can see families benefitting from NordVPN better than single people.
Surfshark
1 Month Price- $11.95 US
24-month plan is only $1.99/moUS (This deal will not last forever!)
Over 1,700 Servers in over 63 Countries
Unlimited Device Support
24/7 Help and Support Services
CleanWeb- This is an ad blocker that eliminates phishing and malware.
Whitelister- A VPN bypass system for whitelisted sites.
No-Logs Policy- This means there’s no monitoring or recording of your activity in any way.
Kill Switch- Kill Switch cuts off your internet connection if your VPN connection is interrupted.
Camouflage Mode- Your use of a VPN remains a mystery to your ISP.
MultiHop- This allows you to connect to two different VPN servers simultaneously.
Private DNS & Leak Protection
NoBorders Mode- Allows access to restricted areas.
Hides your IP
AES-256 – VPN Encryption (Which is used by the US Government.)
Based in the British Virgin Isles, Surfshark was established in 2018. It’s relatively new but has made quite a splash on the VPN scene. Their software and services are loaded with overlapping security features that make this VPN just as safe as the larger time-tested VPN’s.
One of the great features provided by Surfshark is that you can cover as many devices as you’d like. Using a similar approach as we did with NordVPN, Surfshark may be better for family at-home coverage rather than for singles.
1 Month Price- $10.95 US Right Now $0.99 US 7-day trial, then only $6.49/Mo. (40% Discount – Click the banner below!)
2,000 Servers in over 140 Countries
High-Speed VPN Servers
Military-Grade Encryption
Unrestricted Bandwidth Access- No limitations on your media usage.
Automatic VPN Kill Switch (Network Lock)- If your VPN service goes down, your internet connection is severed.
Split Tunneling- Provides more convenience while managing your online activities.
24/7 Help and Support Service
Up to 10 Multi Logins- Protects up to 10 devices under one account.
Secure Wi-Fi- Places security protocols to protect your home Wi-Fi services.
Based in Hong Kong, and not required to store any of your data.
Port Forwarding- Access your service or devices from anywhere in the world.
Dedicated IP
Established in 2006, PureVPN is based in Hong Kong. Though the tumultuous happenings of late might make people feel that communist China might be able to get their hands on your data, the strict no-logs policy upheld by PureVPN ensures that there’s no information to grab.
To date, Pure VPN is considered by many of its users to be the safest VPN they’ve ever used, despite the political challenges going on. But not everyone finds it as easy to use as others, and some find them difficult to correspond with should the need arise.
Up to 10 multiple devices at once with unrestricted bandwidth, PureVPN is a strong choice for the home.
Ivacy VPN
1 Month Price- $9.95 US
Over 2,000 Servers in over 100 Countries
24/7 Customer Support
256-Bit Encryption
Public Wi-Fi Security
No-Logs Policy
ISP Throttling Bypass
Geo Restriction Bypass
Internet Kill Switch
Dedicated IP- This lets you whitelist IP addresses as an extra layer of security.
Split Tunneling- This feature grants access to local and foreign content at the same time.
IPv6 Leak Protection
Secure DNS- Prevents DNS leaks.
Multiple Protocols- This allows you to create a military-grade level of protection over your network connection.
DDoS Protection
Up to 5 devices can be logged in simultaneously.
Secure Downloading- Ivacy scans and removes threats from downloads in real-time.
Established in 2007, Ivacy VPN is based out of Singapore. They pride themselves in their “easy to use” technology and were the first to create and utilize the “Split Tunneling” feature back in 2010.
Through Ivacy, you can protect up to five devices simultaneously with unlimited bandwidth. This service offers some great features at competitive pricing. But there are complaints about the return policy being shady and some customer service horror stories.
As far as the complaints go, there were very few about the actual VPN software or features itself.So, this is a decent product if you don’t intend to try and get your money back, or as long as you don’t have any issues that require dealing with another human to resolve. All said, there have been many satisfied customers that use Ivacy VPN that haven’t had any issues at all.
VyprVPN
1 Month Price- $12.95 US
Over 700 Servers spread out in over 70 locations around the world.
Supports up to Five Devices
24/7 Customer Support
IP Address Protection
Chameleon- With this feature, you gain access to regionally restricted or censored content.
High-Speed Streaming through Updated Servers- All VyprVPN servers are owned by VyprVPN and updated accordingly.
VyprDNS- This protects you from any DNS leaks or breaches that might occur.
VyprVPN Cloud- This opens your own dedicated business VPN server.
Public Wi-Fi Protection
Kill Switch- Blocks all traffic from your internet or network if your VPN connection becomes compromised.
No-Log Policy- VyprVPN will not log any of your activities.
Golden Frog, the parent company of VyprVPN, is based out of Germany. Though VyprVPN isn’t as large of a presence as other VPNs, its services and features all bear few complaints, and those who use it claim that it works as advertised.
The only drawback people tend to focus on is some of the servers tend to be slow in some countries, such as the US and UK. One account can support up to five devices at once and provides unlimited bandwidth.
Though anyone can use all of the features provided by VyprVPN with little or no issue, some features are geared more toward businesses rather than home. Such a feature I’m talking about would be the cloud feature. It’s a great feature, but is this something that you’d want to be paying the extra money for when thinking of home service? Maybe, maybe not.
ExpressVPN
1 Month Price- $12.95 US
Over 3,000 Servers in over 94 Countries
24/7 Live Customer Support
IP Address Masking- Change your IP address through their VPN servers.
VPN Split Tunneling- This lets you allow specific traffic through the VPN and other traffic routed directly.
TrustedServer Technology- This ensures that all data is wiped with every reboot, no information is written to their hard drive, and their software is reinstalled with every start-up.
Network Lock- This is a kill switch that blocks any more traffic from getting through if there’s an interruption to your VPN connection.
Zero-Knowledge DNS- They own and operate their DNS on every server. No third parties and no logs kept.
AES-256 Encryption
Public Wi-Fi Security
Based out of the British Virgin Islands, ExpressVPN has been in business since 2009. Overall, customers appear to be very satisfied with the features, customer service, and the world-wide coverage that ExpressVPN provides.
Though this is reckoned a wonderful provider for people who travel all over the world, ExpressVPN isn’t a bad choice for the home either. I say this because they offer unlimited devices covered under a single account. This, coupled with unlimited bandwidth, makes ExpressVPN a contender for the homebodies with families.
Internet Kill Switch- If y0ur secure connection to the VPN is compromised at all, the kill switch will cut the internet connection before any data is stolen.
Multiple Protocols- OpenVPN, IKEv2, IPSec, OpenConnect, L2TP, and more
Wi-Fi Security
Smart Connect- Connects with the best server available instantly
NAT Firewall- Blocks unsolicited incoming traffic
Unix-based P2P Optimized Servers
Unlimited Bandwidth
Prevent ISP Throttling
24/7 Support
Established in 2017, FastestVPN is currently based in the Cayman Islands. Though they are a newer company to have entered the VPN arena, FastestVPN is already turning heads when it comes to P2P download speeds.
They do offer a robust list of features and security protocols, and all these appear to work as advertised. However, there are complaints about getting around geo-walls, and their services not living up to the expectations of others concerning that feature.
But if breaking established geofences aren’t your thing, you might not care about those complaints. As far as a product that is good for the home, it’s safe, secure, and gives you ten simultaneous connections without any bandwidth restrictions.
ProtonVPN
1 Month Price- $4.70 US
Covers 2 Devices
1,019 Servers in 51 Countries
High Speed (Denotes a lesser drag to your internet connection and responsiveness)
Strict No Logs Policy
No Ads
P2P Filesharing
BitTorrent Support
Secure Core Architecture- Defends against network-based attacks
High-Strength Encryption- Encrypted with AES-256 encryption.
4096-bit RSA Encrypted Key Exchange- Secure handshake between your devices and ProtonVPN
HMAC with SHA384 Message Authentication- Ensures protection of your messages between your devices and ProtonVPN
Two Factor Authentication- An added layer of security Making sure that you and nobody else has access to your account information.
ProtonVPN is a product that was created by Proton Technologies AG, shortly after having established ProtonMail back in 2014. They are based out of Geneva, Switzerland, and currently maintain 1,019 servers spread across 51 countries.
ProtonVPN is popular as a free program and free service with options to upgrade. The pricing above is for the basic program, that extends device coverage from 1 to two. Considering that the purposes of this article are to determine which is best for the home, I figured two devices covered are more practical than one.
But is that practical for home service for a family? Not so much. Perhaps better for someone who lives alone, and only requires security on a device or two.
To learn more about ProtonVPN, check out our review titled,Is Proton VPN Safe?
TunnelBear
1 Month Price- $9.99 US
AES 256-bit Encryption
GhostBear- Makes encrypted VPN data less detectable to governments, businesses, and ISPs
Serves up to Five Devices Simultaneously
1,800 Servers in 23 Countries
Strict No-Log Policy
Vigilant Mode- TunnelBear will block all unsafe traffic if your connection gets interrupted
Closest Tunnel- This feature is for speed purposes, and selects the server closest to your location if you prefer
App Operated System
Customer Support
TunnelBear is based out of Canada and is owned by McAfee. This company is most famous for security software, and just about anyone who’s owned a PC has heard of them or even used their products.
Out of the bunch, this might be among the easiest to use. All that is required is an app download, and you’re ready to start figuring things out. All of the security features are strong, and their strict no-log policy ensures that data can’t be retrieved if anyone came knocking.
However, their range of different countries to choose from is more limited than others, and perhaps for some, this may be a turn-off. But overall, TunnelBear has grown to be a dependable, affordable, and easy to use VPN for top-notch security.
Conclusion
Throughout the article, you may notice that there are two broad groups of people that are being considered in addition to which VPN would be best for home. One group would be single people, and the other would be families.
I believe this distinction needs to be made because more devices are more likely going to need coverage at once for a family than there would be for someone single. The needs increase dramatically if the kids are old enough to have a personal collection of devices.
Best VPN for Single People
After looking at all of them, the best VPN for the money for a single person would be ProtonVPN. They offer the most for the least and are a solid system. And if you find that you need more devices connected than two, you can upgrade to a plus package, that will run you $9.39 per month, but will open up five devices and other features.
Best VPN for Families
For a family, the best choice for the home only purposes would be Surfshark. With all of the features that they offer, it is a good buy. Also, you have access to unlimited device coverage simultaneously, as well as unlimited speed, bandwidth, or data usage.
At $11.95 per month, it certainly isn’t the cheapest choice, but it’s not the most expensive either. You can receive great discounts if you choose a yearly plan. But at this price, you receive unrestricted everything, which isn’t such a bad trade.
So, there you have it. If you’re single without a ton of devices that need protection, ProtonVPN appears to be the best deal for you. If you’re looking to cover your family at home, Surfshark will serve your needs well.
For some, there may just be that gut feeling that something should be done soon to secure their home or family before a break-in or worse happens. For others, a break-in has already happened and it’s put them on red alert that a plan to keep their family and belongings secure has to be put in place. So, what are the best home security systems? It may surprise you what has been formulated over the years as the best methods for keeping your home safe.
Sure, a solid security system sounds great, but what if a person can’t afford that during these times? Or what if they have a system but still feel like more security measures are necessary to feel the level of security their family needs? Wouldn’t it be great to just chill with the family at night and not have all of those concerns in the back of our minds?
Well, there are several tips we’ve learned along the way that are brilliant deterrents to intruders with eyes on your home. And those creeps ARE out there! But if you follow these tips, you can have peace of mind as you enjoy your family or your solitude.
We are about to look at six tips to keep your family and belongings safe with or without a security system or to help a burglar fund his hobbies and buy that new boat they are eyeing, whichever way you choose to roll. These tips fall into that, “ahhh, I should’ve thought of that” category and are easy to follow. And remember, we are here to help if you have questions.
Quickly before we dive into these easy to implement tips,
let’s look at the mindset of most intruders….
Burglary For Dummies
With extremely rare exceptions, burglars follow some basic guidelines. They do so for their own protection. Let’s help them to not be caught trying to get into our homes!
===> Their first rule is, “Do the Research”. This means they need to watch YOU, and YOUR house, and observe YOUR habits until they feel comfortable with whatever plan they’ve devised to launch an attack. Sure, not all of them do that. Some just go down the street with a crowbar. But the tips below are effective regardless of the sophistication of the criminal. If what we propose will deter a sophisticated criminal, it will deter an amateur even more easily.
===> Their second rule is, “Get in and out as fast as possible”. They aren’t wanting to hang out until a swat team shows up. They want a quick payday. They’ve studied the best way in and out of your home with, hopefully, no detection. They know which room is best to hit, where people keep keys, how to guess an alarm code (if there is one), and how to accomplish their evil deeds with even close neighbors not seeing or hearing them or knowing they are there.
There are a ton of other rules, but they are contained within these two as we are about to see.
But there are ways for keeping them from targeting you in the first place, and for disappointing their payday plans if they do happen to make it into your home and take some of your stuff. Hmmm? So, what do we set them up to take? Remember, they are there for a quick hit-and-run operation. They aren’t going to spend too much time evaluating the value of an item or looking it up on Amazon. They know the statistics on where to go, what to look for, how to best secure it in their bag, and run stealthily as quickly as possible from your home.
Tips To Help Your Intruders Buy Their New Boat
So, what will help an intruder decide your home is a target in the first place? Answering that question, we start with the first set of tips.
Tip #1
Make sure it is always dark outside your house at night!
Or, if you choose to not help them buy that big boat……
…….. Leave lights on the outside of your home at night! It sounds overly simple, doesn’t it? But research (including interviews with former criminals) has shown convincingly that most criminals attempting any type of break-in at night will avoid a home with lights on outside. I’m sure this takes little explanation, but I’ll give a couple of points taken from those who’ve done their dirty deeds at night.
So, the potential intruder parks in a nearby parking lot. In his (or her, but since most of these losers are men, we’ll just go with the male pronouns for this article) stealthy manner he makes his way through the backside of a subdivision and ends up undetected as he inspects a convenient cul-de-sac where he will be conducting his business.
He notices that 5 of the houses are dark, at least in a few key entry points, but one is lit up enough that he could easily be seen by neighbors or passersby. He has been scouting/casing this cul-de-sac for a couple of weeks, and at certain times all of the houses were dark. But tonight, the house he had been most interested in isn’t dark at all, because the owners read this article earlier today. But it’s a no-brainer for Mr. Loserville. The home he intended to invade is off the shortlist.
It’s really that simple. It costs much less to run low wattage outside lights at night than people normally think. Especially with the LED lights available today. And it’s far cheaper than replacing stolen goods or dealing with an insurance increase. And the worst part is some of what would be taken is irreplaceable like some family heirloom piece of jewelry or rare collectible.
And even worse than that, even with the best insurance available, your family’s security and peace-of-mind has been taken. You can’t buy that. But chances are that a little bit of outside light will keep any of that from happening.
Leave a key in a predictable place, like under a doormat, or under a plant or in a fake rock. Or,
Do not look under mat, there is no house key there!
to foil his plans, don’t have a key in those places. If you need to leave a key outside for some reason, secure a spot with a combination lock that can’t be cut by these semi-pro criminals. They almost always have cutters sufficient to cut open a realtor-type lockbox hanging on a doorknob.
Remember, all you have to do is make it a little more difficult. They want to get in and out quickly! They are not wanting to spend any length of time getting into your house. So, get a little quickcrete and build a little concrete housing for a lockbox. It doesn’t have to be an expensive lockbox. The concrete will ensure that the intruder can’t cut it open. He can’t get the cutters around a lockbox that is set in concrete.
He could only get in if he knew the combination.
Tip #3
Do not buy any type of outdoor security equipment! It could delay the intruder’s big boat purchase.
Or, to not participate in his boat purchase, consider acquiring a simple piece of outside security equipment. Or more if your budget can handle more. This would further deter a person wanting to violate your family and your home.
Remember, the first tip (keeping outdoor lights on) will keep most of these butt heads at bay. But an added level of protection from an intruder ever even trying to enter your home is to have a couple of outdoor cameras. They don’t have to be the expensive ones, nor do you need a monthly contract with anyone.
There are great products that do have monthly fees, but especially when trying to do this on a budget, the DIY, affordable cameras with no monthly fees will
definitely do the job. (And shhhh! ….one possible nuance to this tip is to buy a couple of simulated or decoy cameras…. (you’ll also see many other cameras and lighting options at that link) It’s one more thing these scumbags don’t want to risk: being caught on camera)
Check out some of the reviews on smartfloodlight cameras and spotlights that are both motion-activated that will send the fine fella running with one hand cupping his backside and the other trying to block the bright light that has suddenly blinded his sorry butt! Meanwhile, the onboard camera was activated just as the lights were by the motion detector and it is all crystal clear, in high resolution for you to review and/or to submit to the local authorities if needed. One thing is for sure, your home is no longer on his radar.
Tip #4
Get a dog, preferably at least a medium-size one who will bark when anyone approaches your home or yard. The same interviews with former burglars and intruders that confirmed that outside lights were a great deterrent, also indicated that a noisy and potentially threatening dog was also an item to help an intruder narrow down on the list of homes he may attempt to invade. Plus, dogs are just great anyway! No need to elaborate on this tip. I think we are already familiar with the benefits of having a watchdog.
By the way, those who are concerned with having cameras with motion detectors and a dog who might set it off, worry no more! Most of the systems we review are smart products that can distinguish between an animal and a human. See our reviews on The Best Indoor Security Cameras and the one on the SimCam AI Smart Cameras. These are great products that are reasonably priced.
Tips In the Event An Intruder Does Breach Your Walls
Since I believe we are all on the same page at this point and not wanting to buy this hardly-working gentleman a new boat, we’ll just continue in that vein. This second set of tips will help you to always be prepared in case a jerk-wad burglar does get into your home. Let’s be proactive!
Here are things TO DO to be prepared for the unfortunate event that a scum-sucking leach of a creature was to make it inside your home:
Tip #5
Buy at least a minimal do-it-yourself (DIY) indoor security system.
So, you forgot to turn on the outside lights before going out to dinner, and for whatever reason, this guy makes it inside. But thank the heavens above, you had invested in a minimal security system including sensors on doors and windows and a motion detector for the main part of the house.
All of the components are connected (usually wirelessly via WiFi, but wired is available too) to a 100dB alarm (or approx.) that will blare out bringing attention to your home and will also fill his pants with crab food. When that happens they do not look to grab anything except their own things (well, and in this case, his butt) to minimize any possible evidence left behind (Hopefully for him nothing leaks out! That would be DNA evidence that some sorry soul would have to evaluate in a lab downtown!)
Remember, he doesn’t want to do anything but get in and out, unseen and unheard. But now, he’s been heard. At least he will do nothing but assume so, and will likely be correct. Plus, he has soiled, black DUNGarees to wash, and a driver’s seat to disinfect! (Gag) He won’t wait to see how long it takes for the local authorities to show up on the scene.
Tip #6
Do not leave an alarm keypad in a place where a potential intruder can watch you disarm your alarm. And, yes, many of them do stake these things out.
One idea is to place a dummy keypad by the entry door and the real one in a less conspicuous place. You should always punch in some fake digits on the decoy pad before leaving or when entering the home. People put them by the main door because there are only a few seconds to arm or disarm a system before the alarm is triggered. But it’s plenty long enough to walk into a room or a spot not visible from a window.
Also, most systems will allow you to set the time to whatever works for you. So, walk in, punch in fake numbers on the artificial pad, go to “the bathroom” and turn your system off. Or, turn it off from your key fob if one came with your alarm system.
Talk about a frustrated intruder (poor thing!) who thinks he is brilliant in cracking the code only to find the code he has ain’t it! (Always use the same wrong code on the fake pad to keep it all looking legit in case he’s watching)
One other piece of info to be aware of is that many intruders use a simple system to crack your code. The first digit on the keypad is always the dirtiest one, the second is second dirtiest, and so on. It isn’t a perfect system for them, but it has proven to be extremely effective. So, keep the real keypad clean. Wipe it down on a regular basis.
But if you are using a fake keypad too, never wipe the fake one down. He’s watched you and now the dirt accumulation makes him ready to do a victory lap for his own brilliance because what he deciphered you punching into the pad is also confirmed by his clever dark criminal knowledge.
But he tried, and he tried, and he tried, he can’t get no…..
…..cooperation with the flippin’ alarm. (A little shout out to Mick there!)
Time’s up!
Now, the only dirt accumulation he’s concerned about as the alarm blares in his ears is….. you got it: it’s the man-mud piling up in the back his fancy black, silky Fruit-of-the-Looms! Once again, cupped hand in back unsuccessfully trying to stop the leakage…. other hand trying to do everything else!
Poor fella! I know one house he won’t be trying to break into any time soon. Keep in mind, once an intruder has succeeded or attempted to break into your home, he is aware that you will be on the watch for a long time to come.
Tip #7
Don’t keep valuables in the Master Bedroom. Well, you may have to keep one or two, but keep the rest somewhere else. The first and usually only target room of an intruder is the Master Bedroom.
Keep valuable jewelry in an unlikely place, like the top of a closet in a toddler’s room. Still hidden of course, but they will not look there anyway.
Keep cash in another room. Some people use fake Coka-Cola or other soda can that has a compartment. Don’t put it in your mattress IN YOU ROOM!! How common is the term “mattress money”? Pretty common term. Everybody knows that one.
Anything of yours you don’t want a burglar to own, keep in another room.
An intruder will typically go straightway to the Master Bedroom, search for jewelry and cash in the obvious places, including a safe and a large jewelry box. He sees a safe in the master closet, and it’s not bolted down. It’s heavy, but light enough to throw in his black bag and move on. Jackpot! Then he goes to the jewelry box and quickly sees a lot of shiny stuff. Cha-ching! He’s feeling good now.
“I’m almost out of here now. Hahaha!” (wicked laugh) “I bypassed their lame security, found the mother load as predicted, and I can get out quickly with these idiots PAYING me! I can pick the lock on this stupid safe once I am at my safe haven!” (he snickers at his own cheesy burglar humor)
Oh crud! What? He got the wrong stuff!!!
See, the real safe was bolted down in an inconspicuous place. The slime bucket intruder couldn’t have taken it! He took a decoy and never thought that there would be another. And all that jewelry he took? Same thing! It’s noting but fake stuff. It looks good at the moment and he swipes it up by the handful, but it’s virtually worthless. It’s jewelry that is probably casually wearable, but it’s not the real stuff. The real jewelry was in another room, not in a fancy jewelry box, but out of sight in a baby monitor box in the top of the closet in a baby’s room, or in the dryer, or maybe in a fake cheerios box in the pantry (just made a lot of that up because it’s easy to think of great places).
Really, not much else matters except that those valuables aren’t in the master bedroom nor in plain sight. And it’s a good idea to have a few shiny decoys like we just observed. Intruders want to get in and out. Let’s help them do just that!
While You Were Sleeping – General Tips
Keep your phone, wallet, purse, and keys on the nightstand right by where you sleep.
First, if someone were to get into your house at night, the last thing you want is for them to have access to your wallet, keys, and phone because you’ve formed a bad habit and have been leaving them on the kitchen counter or somewhere else in the house.
Second, when you wake up hearing those strange noises and you’re certain someone is inside, you immediately reach for your phone, but it isn’t there. That dude in black has it! “Oh wait! I’ll grab my keys and hit the panic button so my car alarm will go off. Crap! The keys were with my phone!” He plans to drive away in your car since he has so much of your stuff to get to his place. He’ll ditch the car before you have a chance to notify the authorities, and any cash you had will probably not be left in your mailbox. Also, he may get your identity and keep reeking havoc on you if that possibility doesn’t register with you in time. In fact, he could use your cards online stealthily immediately after leaving your house.
It’s just so much better to have those things by your bed and a couple of lights on outside.
Conclusion
Certainly, there are many facets to protecting a home, and some things work better than others. Nothing can be 100% guaranteed, but implementing the tips above have been proven over and over again to keep intruders out and your family safe. A simple light in the front and a light in the back may be all you ever need and it is a cheap place to start. Then a minimal DIY security system that can be very affordable will add another layer of protection and info gathering for authorities in the event a break-in occurs. Check out our SimpliSafe Alarm System Reviewor our Ring Security System Review.
Both SimpliSafe and Ring offer affordable DIY systems that cover all of the bases and are two of the top-rated home security companies on the market.
And lastly, just as most people are unable to go to bed without brushing their teeth or some other going-to-bed habits, establishing some sensible habits such as keeping your phone wallet and other related items by the bed will add another layer of protection and even an alarm if you have an automobile with panic mode.
I hope you found this article helpful. If you would drop us a note in the comment section below. We’d love to hear from you if you have any ideas, general feedback, or even products that you know of that may help readers as they build their home security. Thanks for reading! 🙂
So, why would parents of a little one want a baby monitor and camera to be keeping tabs on the child’s actions? There are a host of different reasons why, and this article will be talking about those reasons.
Also, we’re going to have a look at an AI smart Baby Monitor that is packed full of useful features, brought to you by SimCam.
Traditional Baby Monitors
Baby monitors in days gone by did one primary thing- listen. It was a glorified walkie-talkie that only sent questionable sounding audio to a base station that was set wherever the parents typically hung out.
As simple as it sounds, they did very well, and the popularity of baby monitors grew over time. As their popularity grew, new and better innovations began to be incorporated into the monitor.
Sound and Video
Not long after baby monitors took off, video began to become a staple in the better units. The ability to see the baby (though grainy and dimly lit with whatever nightlight was on), was a huge step in the baby monitor market.
AI Smart Baby Monitor and Camera
Today, AI technology has been incorporated into baby monitors, and much better camera and feature improvements have been made. Additionally, many of them can do much more than watch and listen to your baby.
Some have nightlights, sings lullabies if the baby wakes, uses protective fencing, and even has night vision. The technological advancements in this product have changed the idea of these baby monitors from its original purpose to becoming a virtual nanny.
Why these are Useful
First and foremost, peace of mind is an enormous benefit, and for some is all the reason you’d need to have a smart baby monitor. But this is much more convenient now than it used to be. The reason being, you can check up on the baby from anywhere through your mobile device, rather than being chained to a plug-in base.
Know When Your Baby Wakes Up
Not every baby starts crying the moment they wake up. Sometimes they’re in there for quite a while before they vocally alert you that they’re up and have been hanging around waiting for you.
With a smart baby monitor, you will receive an alert when your baby shows signs of having woken up by movements that differ from when they’re asleep.
Know Where Your Baby Is
There is a feature that is called “Protective Fencing,” which alerts you if your baby has moved outside of a given location. If it sits up and starts wandering around the crib, you’ll be alerted through the downloaded app. That’s so you can go and prevent the baby from either bumbling up and over a crib railing, or other dangerous or life-threatening behaviors.
All These Features and More with the SimCam AI Smart Baby Monitor
If any of the advanced features talked about above are attractive to you, all of them can be found in the AI Smart Baby Monitor by SimCam. Here is a list of features and specs on the monitor itself.
Sleep Tracking- It monitors your baby’s face and can send you alerts if your baby falls asleep or wakes up.
Virtual Protective Fencing
Automatic Moment Capture- It can take your baby’s snapshot when the baby’s face is detected in the middle of the frame.
2-Way Audio
AES-128/256 Encryption
Secured P2P Livestream
Cry-Soothing- If the monitor detects your child is crying, you are sent an alert. From there, you can either check on the baby or have the unit set to turn on its light and start playing a soothing song until the baby is soothed back to sleep.
As mentioned above, this AI monitor has a variety of useful features that go beyond a simple monitor. What is especially above and beyond the call of duty is the Automatic Moment Capture. This feature will help to preserve moments that you can cherish for a lifetime.
Local Storage
The heavily encrypted local storage is a great addition to this whole package. Being able to store your baby’s footage locally, rather than it automatically uploading to a cloud is a great layer of protection. Local storage keeps footage of your child in your hands only.
It’s difficult to fathom the depths of depravity of some people out there. There are a lot of sick people that do seek out means to wiggle their way into the video end of a baby monitor. When this happens, it’s typically through a cloud storage system due to the many vulnerabilities they harbor.
The local storage, as well as the encrypted connection, will help to keep you free from such intrusions.
Conclusion
Is fancy AI baby monitors a must-have? No. If they were, we’d have never made it this far.
However, they do make things easier and lend a great hand when you want to know what your baby is up to without the risk of waking them unnecessarily. They will also reduce the occurrence of diaper rash if you can know exactly when your child wakes up, rather than waiting for them to work themselves up after being awake for an unknown amount of time.
And as many of the features show, they can be a bit of fun as well. Here is the SimCam website page for these baby monitor cameras with all of the information regarding this product. Go check it out!!
===>And please drop a line below in the comment section<===
We’d love to hear from you with any input
regarding these baby monitor cameras or anything related.
<=== Hackers would love to find out who you are and steal 
Doesn’t it make you wonder what tactics law enforcement may be using on this level that would cause a successful company to compromise their promise and risk losing several million dollars as they release info they don’t have to release (and that they supposedly didn’t log anyway… huh?)
and….
Ring has several video doorbells! In fact, they also have multiple generations for at least one of their lines of doorbell cameras. One item they offer is a peephole camera. Basically, their video doorbells all offer the same thing with improved features such as better motion sensing as the newer versions roll out.
With extremely rare exceptions, burglars follow some basic guidelines. They do so for their own protection. Let’s help them to not be caught trying to get into our homes!
