Browsing the internet with your real IP address, especially on shared, unsecured internet connections presents more of a risk than most people know. With the fast advancement of internet related technology and the increased number of learning resources online, to learn how to hack someone's account is as simple as watching a YouTube video. To fight back against these types of eavesdropping and hacking techniques, secure browsing through virtual private networks is needed. For secure browsing with Windows XP, Vista, and Windows 7, you can use a few different types of VPNs. Here's the breakdown.

PPTP

This is a basic VPN protocol, and was actually the first of its kind. It's a bit outdated as far as data encryption is concerned, but it's still offered at most VPN services because it's fast, and still has the IP changing effect of a VPN. This VPN is best for users who want to change their IP and browse privately without being bogged down by heavy encryption.

OpenVPN

This is open source software that is offered at most VPN services. It's compatible with Mac, Linux, and all versions of Windows. Setup may be a bit more complicated with some services, but with others, they've simplified it to being as simple as with PPTP. The standard encryption is 128-bit SSL encryption, and that's strong enough to withstand most types of hacks, and of course eavesdropping techniques like packet sniffing. Many services are now offering upgrades to 256-bit or higher encryption, and it will probably be the new standard in a few years. Anything more is a bit excessive, but of course each user has different needs with regards to secure browsing.

SSTP

This is a Microsoft product developed for Vista and Win 7. Because of it's limited support, you won't see this offered at all services, but more and more are starting to offer it as Windows XP gets phased out and Windows 7 becomes the new standard Windows system. This also uses SSL encryption like OpenVPN.

VPN Services

Most VPN services will charge between five and fifteen dollars a month, depending on the type of package you choose. Most that offer deals under $10 are going to expect that you sign up for 1 year in advance, while one month packages will cost about $12. Server location will also vary. If you're only interested in the security of the VPN, you can choose a service with VPN servers in your country, and you won't have to worry about the IP changing effects. You can browse the internet as you normally would. If you want to change your IP address to access blocked websites, that is also something that VPNs do, and you can choose a service with VPN servers in other countries. Installing and using a VPN connection doesn't require any extra hardware, and you can start using the VPN within minutes of payment and installation.