This One NordVPN Feature Changed My Online Privacy Completely

This One NordVPN Feature Changed My Online Privacy Completely. Thomas is here, and today I will be doing a NordVPN review and giving you a quick rundown on NordVPN. I have been using it for over two years and enjoying it, so now is a good time to get into it and show you some of the features I like about this service.

1 Security
2 Server Choices
3 Overall VPN Performance
4 Threat Protection
5 MeshNet
6 Other Features
7 Speed Test Results
8 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
9 Conclusion

Security

First up, let us talk about security. NordVPN uses AES 256-bit encryption, the gold standard of encryption today. They are also using a modified version of the WireGuard protocol called NordLynx, which takes WireGuard, a high-speed and secure platform, and changes it with the NordLynx aspect to ensure zero information about you is saved on the VPN server.

Server Choices

Next up are their server choices. I appreciate the number of options they have. They have over 5,700 servers in 60 countries. You can also connect to their dedicated IP service if you want to pay extra. They have a double VPN, obfuscated servers, Onion-over-VPN, and P2P options, along with an entire list of countries you can choose from.

Typically, I connect to the US, and within that, if I need something specific, I can connect to New York or Phoenix, whatever it is. It allows that granular level of control, sticking to a particular server to which you may want to reconnect constantly. That is a cool feature, and it is great that you can control everything down to the granular level. If I want to connect via Double VPN, I can choose which country to link to or specifically a region within it.

You can also do presets, where every time you click a preset, you can have it connect for something geared towards downloads, speed, or browsing. This influences the algorithm for how it selects the next server. For instance, if I want to connect for browsing right now, it connects out to South Korea. I can connect to a US-based server for downloads, and it will find that server and connect to it.

Overall VPN Performance

I have run into an issue where this service will take a little while to find me on the next server when hopping from one to another. Occasionally on my mobile device, if I go in and out of service and lose signal bars, and then they come back, I will sometimes need to reconnect the VPN. Otherwise, it is rock solid.

If I were to rate the VPN core service itself, I would probably give it an 8 or 9 out of 10. I have been very pleased with it so far.

Threat Protection

Next, let us dive into some of the other features that NordVPN has. Threat protection allows you to block ads, web trackers, and infected files, as well as block malicious websites, tracking URLs, and perform deep file scans. This works because NordVPN checks against their blocklist of URLs and domains that may try to harm your machine, blocking them before they ever reach you.

Instead of seeing an ad, you might see a white space with nothing in it, which is a nice feature to have. Additionally, if specific viruses on the internet are known to Nord, they will stop them for you, and you can fully customize this to whatever you want. You can also block web trackers, which is a great feature. If you use an iPhone or an Android device, you can access Threat Protection Lite, which is essentially the same service.

MeshNet

Another great feature is MeshNet. It is a newer feature, so I am still getting used to it, but what it allows is that you can basically host your own network within NordVPN. If you have a machine at home and a laptop at the office, or a home server in your basement, connecting to MeshNet encrypts your information through their encrypted tunnel to their servers.

This allows your machine at home to see the machine at the office as if they are on the same network together. It allows you to host local LAN parties with friends, share files directly with other machines, and most importantly, access your files from anywhere in the world, which is a very handy feature.

Other Features

Overall, NordVPN is a fully featured package. They give you a secure, fast, and easy-to-use system that works on any device: Windows, Mac, Android, and iPhone. It even works on FireStick, which is pretty awesome.

You can use it to connect to a different country, so if you are a Netflix user or use any other streaming platform, you can connect to, say, the United Kingdom to access their library of movies and TV shows.

Other features I appreciate include:

Auto-connect so you do not have to connect manually every time.
VPN kill switch, which cuts internet access if you lose connection to Nord.
Split tunneling, so you can route only some of your traffic through their servers.
Custom DNS servers.
Protocol customization within presets, letting you choose whatever protocol and country you want.

Speed Test Results

I ran a speed test while connected to a Manchester server from the US. I am on a connection with 400 megabits of speed and got 180 megabits down and over 200 megabits up. The speeds are excellent. This service has been speedy, and it works great for travelling. It is very secure and affordable. I got it for around 60 percent off for two years, which comes out to about 3 dollars a month.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q: What encryption does NordVPN use?

A: NordVPN uses AES 256-bit encryption, which is widely considered the gold standard in encryption today.

Q: What is NordLynx?

A: NordLynx is NordVPN’s modified version of the WireGuard protocol. It is designed to deliver high speeds while ensuring that zero information about you is stored on the VPN server.

Q: How many servers does NordVPN have?

A: NordVPN has over 5,700 servers across 60 countries, with options including Double VPN, Onion-over-VPN, obfuscated servers, and P2P-optimized servers.

Q: Does NordVPN work on all devices?

A: Yes. NordVPN works on Windows, Mac, Android, iPhone, and even FireStick.

Q: What is MeshNet?

A: MeshNet is a NordVPN feature that allows you to create an encrypted private network between your own devices, no matter where they are in the world. It is useful for file sharing, accessing home servers remotely, and even hosting LAN parties.

Q: Does NordVPN have a money-back guarantee?

A: Yes, NordVPN offers a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Conclusion

NordVPN is a solid, well-rounded VPN that I have been using for over two years with great results. The security features, massive server network, threat protection, MeshNet, and performance all make it a strong choice. The only minor issues I have encountered are occasional delays when switching servers and sometimes needing to manually reconnect on mobile after losing signal. Overall, I would rate the core VPN service an 8 or 9 out of 10. They also offer a 30-day money-back guarantee, so you can try it risk-free.