Can you use a VPN without WiFi?
Let us go back to the basics to understand the answer to this question better.
What is a VPN?
VPN, short for Virtual Private Network, is a cybersecurity tool that protects you (i.e., your device) from data theft. Also, it hides your location and allows you to bypass geographical restrictions when travelling abroad, so you can still watch your favorite shows.
What Do VPNs Do?
First of all, they protect your device against data theft. This protection is achieved through encryption – the process in which your VPN turns your online traffic into code that only your VPN server can read (or decrypt). So, even though hackers and your ISP (Internet Service Provider) can still access the content, they cannot tell what it is because of the encryption.
Secondly, VPNs hide your location by changing your IP address – the address assigned to your device by your ISP to help locate it (and you).
To change your IP address, VPNs send your traffic through the VPN server so that now your IP address is that of your VPN server. VPN providers usually have thousands of servers throughout the world. Therefore, even if you are comfortably sitting at your desk somewhere in the US, your device’s location can be Australia, Romania, the British Virgin Islands, or anywhere else in the world.
How Do VPNs Achieve All That?
VPNs communicate with their VPN server via the internet to achieve those mentioned above. In short: no Internet, and no VPN.
Where Does Internet Come From?
There are three possible ways to establish an Internet connection: through your WiFi, through your cellular data (the internet from your cell phone), or Ethernet – a wired computer network commonly used in LANs (local area networks – for example, computers linked into a local network inside a building).
So, Can VPNs Work Without WiFi?
You can probably guess the answer to this question: VPNs can absolutely work without WiFi. What they cannot operate without is the internet. Not having WiFi will not pose a problem as long as you have an alternative source of it – either through your cell phone or via Ethernet.
Recommended VPN services of 2023
#
VPN SERVICE
DISCOUNT
FEATURES
VISIT
1
68%
DISCOUNT
DISCOUNT
30 day money-back guarantee.
- ★ Fastest VPN
- ★ Servers: 5300+
- ★ Countries: 60+
WHY I LIKE NORDVPN: NordVPN has long been regarded as one of the strongest brands in cybersecurity. With one of the largest server offerings on my list and support for most, if not all operating systems, making NordVPN an obvious choice for many. They have 24/7 customer support if you need help getting started. Their app is one of the most well-designed apps I have ever used. NordVPN even accepts cryptocurrencies as payment for extra anonymity.
2
82%
DISCOUNT
DISCOUNT
30 day money-back guarantee.
- ★ Best cheap VPN
- ★ Servers: 3200+
- ★ Countries: 65+
WHY I LIKE SURFSHARK: Surfshark VPN is perfect for those who want a cheap and reliable VPN that also has many extra features. "Camouflage Mode" hides your usage from your ISP, "Kill Switch" suspends your connection and protects your information if you temporarily lose Internet access, "MultiHop" to connect from multiple countries at the same time just to name a few. My favorite feature of Surfshark is "Whitelists" which allow the user to exclude specific apps and programs from the VPN connection.
3
81%
DISCOUNT
DISCOUNT
30 day money-back guarantee.
- ★ Best Netflix VPN
- ★ Servers: 35500+
- ★ Countries: 84+
WHY I LIKE PIA VPN: PrivateInternetAccess is at the top of my streaming tests, which is a great combination with their easy-to-use UI, Open-Source software and built in adblocker. PIA is also perfect for those who want to be able to pay with PayPal which for some reason, many other VPN services do not support. 30-day money-back guarantee, multiple Netflix libraries, and extremely affordable are the three main selling points for this VPN service.
4
83%
DISCOUNT
DISCOUNT
45 day money-back guarantee.
- ★ Best torrent VPN
- ★ Servers: 7400+
- ★ Countries: 91+
WHY I LIKE CYBERGHOST: CyberGhost VPN is the first choice of many other cybersecurity experts, and the reason is clear; they have the most complete VPN service. An incredible number of extra features that are best suited for the more advanced users but also work flawlessly for every-day purposes like P2P-filesharing. Cyberghost VPN also has the longest stretching money-back guarantee at a full 45 days.
5
83%
DISCOUNT
DISCOUNT
30 day money-back guarantee.
- ★ Incredibly cheap VPN
- ★ Servers: 750+
- ★ Countries: 43+
WHY I LIKE ATLAS VPN: Atlas VPN is one of the best new free VPN services. With the free version, you get unlimited data, no ads and zero logging. During my speed tests, Atlas VPN performed very well and could compete with mainstream services. Kill Switch, Ad-blocker, and P2P support all included with a regular subscription, which is incredibly cheap for such a robust service.
Related articles
Affiliate Discosure - Vpnetic works with a variety of cybersecurity and online service vendors to help monetize the traffic of our site. This allows us to offer all our content for free without any paywalls. Because of this, some of the links on this page may earn us a commission when you click through and complete a purchase. This will never affect the rankings of the product or our review of it under any circumstance. We will always remain objective in the search for the best privacy products and services. Read more about us and our researchers on our About Us page.
Find us.
SUP46, Start-Up People of Sweden, Regeringsgatan 6th floor, Stockholm
Contact Us.
Table of Contents