During the early ages of the internet, if you wanted to watch an online video was, the only option was to download it. But as technology advances, an increasing number of people have started streaming video.
Soon, streaming videos began to become the main way of watching British movies and TV. Today, almost everyone streams content from services such as Amazon, Hulu, and Netflix.
Like any other activity that involves the use of the internet, streaming video comes with its own inconveniences. In some cases, you may be locked out from watching some shows depending on where you live, a practice known as geo-blocking. This has made some users turn to Virtual Private Network (VPN) to help them navigate through the many pitfalls that come with streaming video online.
While a VPN may help you access geo-restricted content and mask your identity or browse safely over an unsecured network, using it comes with its fair share of challenges. It may seem counterintuitive, but it is real. In the next section, we have covered the most common problems associated with streaming video over VPN and by extension, why Yovo is a superior solution.
Streaming Video Over VPN
There are two types of streaming service that you are most likely to encounter when using VPN to stream video. The first is legal sites such as Hulu, Netflix, and Amazon. The other type comprises pirated sites such as TVMuse, SolarMovies, and KissCartoon that fall into a gray area.
Regardless of which option you use for streaming, many other issues will arise at some point. You are trading off the convenience and privacy that comes with using a VPN for lower speeds.
VPN and Performance
Using a VPN involves transferring your IP address to a new location through the use of dedicated servers located in different parts of the globe. This process may take as much as 20% to 50% of your bandwidth.
Unfortunately, most videos are available in rich media formats, so they consume sizable bandwidth. So, any reduction of bandwidth will most likely affect the quality and consistency of your streaming.
The quality of your stream can also be affected by other stuff you are doing on the VPN. If you are on a 256k line and running several applications on it, no matter how good the hardware you are using is, you are most likely to experience problems streaming online videos.
The Wrong Technology for the Job
There is always a contention about the best option between IPsec vs SSL VPNs. Some professionals prefer IPsec VPNs for their powerful conversion capabilities, which can drastically save on bandwidth. However, this can be counterproductive because of low throughput and increased latency.
The wrong technology choice can hurt throughput because the hardware is engaged in decompressing. Encryption leaves VPN throughput to depend on CPU cycles instead of the high-speed lines. In other words, you will experience unstable streaming if you are on a slower technology. This is one issue Yovo users never have to worry about.
Unequal Traffic
The various types of traffic that pass through the VPN may have varying qualities of connection. Jitter and latency can affect the quality of streaming. The presence of other videos on the network could also trip up other types of traffic.
Shady Endpoints
Sometimes, the performance of your VPN is affected by the shared usage. If you have children playing games that eat much of the bandwidth, the remaining bandwidth may not be enough to stream online videos.
This problem is more severe among VPN users who are on the road. That is why some airports and hotels block off VPN access because of unreliable speeds.
This is one of the significant problems, especially in corporate networks. Sometimes there is a rapid burst of VPN usage like when a substantial number of simultaneous users come online at the same time, or if individuals are using VPN more heavily. This will max out available bandwidth.
Sometimes, viruses in the system can also slow down the connection. The best solution if you want a safer and faster connection is to scrutinize what you are offered by providers. Understand the risks you are willing to accept.
That said, you should note that if your VPN is not connected through private circuits, you have no Quality of Service (QoS); there is no QoS on the internet.
VPN Blocking
An Increasing number of external bodies and governments are actively working to prohibit the use of VPN or blocking VPN data transmissions. Apart from this, VPN providers have to contend with blanket bans by video streaming platforms such as Netflix. These again are issues you don’t really need to worry about when using Yovo.
These organizations are using a combination of filtering and monitoring techniques such as the behavior of users or blocking network ranges that have displayed a specific connection pattern. So, if you have your VPN on and you can’t still access Netflix, they may have blocked you.
Using VPN to access services you have paid for within the allowed geographic limits is legal. However, using VPN to access services such as Netflix outside the US, means you have broken Netflix’s Terms of Service (TOS), and this could lead to termination of your account.
Using a Free VPN
Naturally, people like free things. If you are on a tight budget, this can be a cost-effective way to get VPN service but remember you only get what you pay for. If you choose to use a free VPN for video streaming, know that there are restrictions.
Most services will outright block you from accessing their streaming platforms. And if you are lucky to stream, you will most likely stream low-quality videos because of speed restrictions.
Beside this, a majority of free services come with hard data caps, which can drastically reduce the amount of data you can stream. Watching even a short movie will likely consume your data cap for a whole month.
Using your data too quickly could trigger some providers to discontinue your free service. So, free may end up costing you more.
Conclusion
It is no secret that VPN will continue to play a significant role in improving the streaming experience, but you have to address the challenges that come with VPN connections. Your choice is clear. You can either use the above guide to try and solve any problems that come up or use Yovo and never have to worry.
