It is typical for school and college network managers to restrict access to social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter, and Snapchat, as well as streaming services such as Netflix, Hulu, and HBO. Torrenting on campus wifi networks is often a pipe dream for students. The simplest approach to getting around such limitations is to use a school or college VPN.
Let us begin by examining why schools and universities have such barriers in place. The underlying motivation is a desire to maintain kids’ concentration on education. Additionally, there are factors like bandwidth use—if everyone is downloading or streaming video, the network may rapidly become throttled.
This is where a virtual private network (VPN) comes in handy. A VPN, short for Virtual Private Network, is a powerful piece of software that conceals your present location and makes it seem as if you’re surfing the web from another area. It does this by encrypting internet traffic to and from your device and passing it via a server in a location of your choosing.
How to use a VPN on a school’s wireless network
Even if you’ve never used a VPN before, setting one up is quite straightforward. Following our guidelines below, you’ll be able to quickly and easily visit your favorite websites from school or college.
- Select and subscribe to the VPN service suggested below. We suggest NordVPN in particular.
- You’ll need to download the necessary VPN application. This will have to be done at home since it is quite doubtful that any of the VPN websites will be unblocked at school.
- Open the VPN application and choose a server located in your country.
- Connect, and you should now be able to access blocked websites on the school’s wireless network!
- If you continue to have problems, try emptying your cache and cookies. If this does not resolve the issue, it may be worthwhile to contact your VPN customer care staff.
Best VPN for college and university students
Our suggestion for the best VPN for schools and colleges is based on the following criteria:
- There are no use logs.
- Designed for maximum speed and stability.
- Strong encryption parameters.
- Capability of unblocking geo-restricted content.
- Price.
NordVPN
NordVPN is our top recommendation for a VPN for school wifi. It’s the quickest VPN we’ve tested, and it’s also the only one that refuses to keep client data. There are no records of traffic or sessions.
Encryption of all online traffic is performed using 256-bit AES and 2,048-bit DH keys. Torrenting is allowed on every server. Multiple devices are included with a single subscription.
Additionally, with over 5,000 servers located across several countries, there is a diverse selection of alternative locations. Additionally, they are tuned for anti-DDoS, video streaming, double VPN, Tor over VPN, and dedicated IP—all of which provide fast speeds, powerful encryption, and robust anonymity.
There are mobile applications for Android and iOS, as well as desktop support for Linux, Windows, and macOS. It works with Netflix and other streaming providers such as Hulu and BBC iPlayer.
Our process for finding the best VPN for high school and college students
There are hundreds of free and premium VPNs available. However, only a select few are trustworthy regarding unblocking websites and services and ensuring your online safety. Keeping this in mind, the following is our process for determining the best VPN for high school and college students:
- Unblocking: Not all VPNs are capable of circumnavigating limitations, whether they are imposed by geo-blocking or censorship. On the other hand, the best VPN for high school and college students have thousands of IP addresses and some are capable of disguising VPN traffic as conventional online traffic. As a result, they can traverse blocks more consistently.
- Servers located across the world: Certain content is region-locked and only accessible in certain regions. This implies that you’ll need access to servers in many countries to unblock websites. The VPN, which we suggest in this article, features thousands of servers in dozens of countries.
- Speed: Need to watch or download anything while you’re at school or college? This will require a high-speed connection! Without it, streaming would be low-resolution and jerky, while downloads would take an inordinate amount of time. Not only did we find the fastest VPN, but we also verified that they all provide unlimited bandwidth.
- Security: Your studies are likely keeping you plenty occupied without you having to worry about phishing attempts, malware, and the like. By using a VPN, you can guarantee that your data is encrypted and protected from these types of security concerns. A VPN must also have DNS leak prevention and a kill switch.
- Privacy: If you’re concerned about people knowing what you’re doing online, encrypting your data using a VPN is a good place to start. Regrettably, some less trustworthy VPNs record and sell browser data to other parties. To surf anonymously, you’ll need to connect to a VPN that adheres to a strict no-logging policy. We studied over 100 VPN logging policies to determine which one offers the most protection.
- Ease of use: There is no reason a VPN should complicate matters. Nowadays, the finest VPNs provide simple-to-use applications that allow you to connect to a server in seconds. Indeed, you should have access to live chat and email support 24 hours a day, as well as other assistance such as setup tutorials.
- Value for money: It’s understandable that a student’s budget may be restricted. That is why it is critical that a VPN provide both long-term and short-term subscription choices, as well as a substantial money-back guarantee. Additionally, keep in mind that you may save money by using our VPN discount code.
Our VPN testing technique assures us that we only recommend the absolute best VPN for your specific requirements. We regularly test VPN services to guarantee that the information we provide is correct and up-to-date.
Best VPN for high school and college students: FAQs
VPNs: free or paid?
We do not recommend using free VPNs since they do not provide the same level of service as commercial versions and also provide a persistent hazard regarding viruses and violations of privacy regulations.
Free VPN providers are not recognized as charities; they must cover operating expenses, employee wages, and server upkeep. There is a high probability that they will monetize this by installing tracking cookies to monitor your browser history and selling the data to third-party advertising.
Prepare yourself for a barrage of intrusive adverts and the risk of malware infection as your data is sold to the highest bidder.
Is it necessary to use a VPN on a college network?
College networks are densely packed with people and their gadgets, posing a security concern. While astute network managers may implement anti-virus protection, the best way to ensure security is to utilize a VPN. You never know who could be lurking nearby, and sharing a network with strangers isn’t always the best choice.
Certain college administrators are unaware that it is critical for students to exchange information with one another and to have access to it regardless of where it is kept.
While downloading gigabytes of data using torrents on your school server is typically not a smart idea, there is nothing wrong with doing so if you can obtain a useful research paper.
Additionally, the Deep Web conceals a trove of very relevant data for academic studies. Our guide to academic research on the deep web can assist you in gaining access to it.
Colleges in the United States of America are also legally required to follow the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, which governs intellectual property rights and notifications about torrents. As a result, if you attempt to view such information without using a VPN, you risk getting into trouble.
Having said that, it’s a good idea to be aware of the risks you’re taking—avoid violating end-user agreements or college-specific regulations, particularly if there are heavy fines involved. Additionally, it’s worth emphasizing that illicit behavior remains unlawful even when a VPN is used.
While we strive to offer the best information possible, nothing in this post should be considered legal advice, and it’s always a good idea to check your country’s local laws if you’re unclear.
Why do schools restrict access to websites and services?
There are a variety of reasons a school or institution might decide to prohibit certain websites or services. One often cited explanation is that the content is judged unsuitable or merely a distraction from the pupils’ education. Another reason for the network slowdown is that activity on streaming and torrenting websites might use a significant amount of bandwidth. Fortunately, you can circumvent bans by using a VPN.
What if I am unable to download a VPN from my school?
It is likely that the network administrator at your school has restricted access to internet resources that give information about VPNs as well as to VPN provider websites. This is to prevent students from installing a VPN on their devices to circumvent network limitations.
In certain cases, you must have a fully working VPN installed on your smartphone, tablet, or laptop before arriving on campus. As a result, we suggest that you buy your VPN subscription from the comfort of your own home (or from some other public network if you live in the halls of residence).
With the VPN setup and configured properly, connecting to a VPN server while on campus is simple. This ensures your complete privacy and allows you to visit any websites or internet services forbidden by the school’s network administrator.