# VPN guides & explainers

Straightforward guides to VPNs, sharing and the choices you make online.

Website: https://zenshield.com/learn

Canonical URL: https://zenshield.com/learn


## Understand your connection.

Straightforward guides to VPNs, sharing and the choices you make online.

[Streaming and gaming guides →](https://zenshield.com/blog)[VPN glossary →](https://zenshield.com/glossary)[Free VPN by country →](https://zenshield.com/locations)

13 results

Explainers

## [How to change your public IP address](https://zenshield.com/learn/change-ip-address)

Choose a VPN, another permitted network or an ISP change based on the address you need to change, then verify the result.

Explainers

## [How to check if your VPN is working](https://zenshield.com/learn/check-vpn-working)

Compare public IP, DNS and WebRTC observations, then test the app you use. Learn what each result establishes and what to investigate next.

Buying guides

## [How to choose a VPN](https://zenshield.com/learn/choosing-a-vpn)

Choose a VPN with a device-and-plan checklist, privacy questions, real-world trial steps and a simple way to compare your shortlist.

Data methods

## [How to read our country connectivity data](https://zenshield.com/learn/country-connectivity-data)

Understand the World Bank indicators, missing observations, timezone references and licenses behind Zenshield’s country and regional guides.

Explainers

## [How free VPNs are funded](https://zenshield.com/learn/free-vpn-models)

Understand free tiers, trials, subscriptions and bandwidth sharing, with an allowance example and questions to ask before signing up.

Explainers

## [What a public IP address tells you](https://zenshield.com/learn/public-ip-address)

Check your public IP before and after connecting, understand unchanged or unexpected results, and know what an IP lookup cannot establish.

Explainers

## [How to secure your home Wi-Fi](https://zenshield.com/learn/secure-home-wifi)

Review router access, Wi-Fi encryption and connected devices, then decide what a VPN can add to your home connection.

Explainers

## [How to reduce email tracking](https://zenshield.com/learn/stop-email-tracking)

Understand tracking pixels and tagged links, change your email privacy settings, and know where a VPN does and does not help.

Explainers

## [A VPN and a proxy are different roles](https://zenshield.com/learn/vpn-and-proxy)

Follow the path of a VPN and a proxy request, understand HTTPS, and distinguish your VPN connection from Zenshield’s bandwidth-sharing role.

Explainers

## [VPN protocols: what to compare before switching](https://zenshield.com/learn/vpn-protocols)

Compare protocol support, connection reliability and network restrictions without assuming one protocol wins on every device.

Explainers

## [VPN vs HTTPS: two different parts of the connection](https://zenshield.com/learn/vpn-vs-https)

Understand where HTTPS encryption ends, what a VPN adds, and why a VPN does not make an unsafe website trustworthy.

Explainers

## [VPN vs incognito: what each one hides](https://zenshield.com/learn/vpn-vs-incognito)

Compare local browsing history with network privacy, then choose the controls that fit the information you want to protect.

Explainers

## [What is a VPN and how does it work?](https://zenshield.com/learn/what-is-a-vpn)

Understand the VPN route, which IP websites see, what HTTPS still does and how to choose a VPN for your device and everyday browsing.