Hi i have a few questions about vpns
1 are free vpns any good ?
2 are vpns worth it ?
3 will a vpn effect my home ubuntu server, would it effect how i connect to my server via ssh and my hosted website ?
Thank you.
I recommend to first confirm your objectives regarding a VPN as if you are trying to bypass a locked Country then any VPN more likly than not will not suffice as you would need bridging with Socks as VPN's are usually illegal or just blocked for such Countries for instance.
However you could claim to be in a Country like the USA or UK or indeed anywhere they have a server if you wanted to watch your fav local tv program such as Iplayer / BBC in the UK or such like, however most are blocking VPN severs all the time so if you watch a lot of such stuff then there are VPN's whom brag it will work where as others dont for example but in actuality it most instances i have not encountered any issues my-self.
You would need to fully Trust the VPN provider as they would see everything so Trust is defiantly number 1 for any VPN.
Most if not all free VPN's are not even VPN's, they are in-fact usually just Proxies which again is not the same as a VPN thus would not protect you as does a VPN so i would never recommend any free VPN ever as if you dont pay with cash then you will pay with your privacy as the cost.
If a VPN is worth it or not depends on your very specific needs, if you use a ISP Router at home and value your privacy and security then a VPN is a absolute must always and best as a VPN router if you have a few things at home online for instance.
You would also need to know if you intend to use BitTorrent as some VPN's dont like and some do but i would never advise to have anything to do with BitTorrents unless one really knows what they are doing.
A VPN job is mainly so that when your online everyone gets a IP address that is not yours, simple. Imagine leaving your home and writing your address on your coat for all to see where you live, well a VPN is like you writing someone elses address on your jacket rather than your own which has obvious benefits for your privacy and security in a massive way.
A VPN also runs through a encrypted Tunnel Protocol, from you to the VPN server address which you would be claiming is your address whilst online thus distances bad online people from getting to your home network or even knowing where you are.
Not all VPN's are the same, most main steam VPN's are not trustworthy such as Nord VPN for instance as that is 1 of the worst yet a lot of people use it, mainly due to all of its advertisements it does main-stream. Nord also is more likly than not bound to the (MLAT) Treaties with the USA via their sketchy Lithuania Officies (Tefincoms) link as well as Nord security breaches and MITM successful attacks and Private customers keys being obtained etc.
I only add more about Nord as i noted another user mentioning they use it.
There is also the actual server ownership which is paramount to check as a lot of VPN providers dont even own their own servers as some are rented, obviously this means that the server real owner has the keys to the server for example, hence i would never use a rented VPN server as then there is another party involved with your data.
You may also wish to research the 5, 9 & 14 spying EYES and gag orders if you like best privacy also but this is not a stand alone yard stick as Trust is always paramount here.