How To Use Firefox Private Network To Protect Yourself Online

Especially useful for laptops in coffee shops

Firefox Private Network is an extension for theFirefoxbrowser that aims to protect you from hackers and trackers. You can use it on your home computer but it’s especially useful on a laptop that uses public Wi-Fi networks.

Most web browsers don’t include built-in protection from hackers; you normally have to rely on third-party tools. This is what makes Firefox Private Network so exciting for Firefox users – plus it installs quickly and works with zero hassle.

Whether you think you’ve been hacked already or you just want to protect your online identity to the best of your ability, Firefox Private Network is an awesome way to help.

Note: Firefox Private Network is free while it’s in beta, butit’s currently only available for people in the United States.

What Does Firefox Private

Network Do?

Firefox Private Networkmakes Firefox saferby encrypting two things while you browse the web – the URLs you visit and the data you send to most websites. This information is then sent through aCloudflareproxy server to hide your identity.

This means a few things for you:

However, Firefox Private Network isn’t all-inclusive:

All of the encryption and proxy details happen automatically in the background as you use Firefox. There aren’t any settings you have to change or options to pick from. When you install Firefox Private Network, there’s just a single button for enabling and disabling it.

You can even use Firefox Private Network with your existingVPN serviceor with other privacy protection tools running on your computer. You shouldn’t even need to make any changes to those programs; just install this one in Firefox and enjoy the extra layer of protection.

Tip: Firefox has another security tool you might like calledFirefox Monitor, which tells you if your email address has been part of a data breach.

Is Firefox Private Network

Safe?

Since you’re concerned with privacy, let’s be clear what Firefox does and doesn’t collect about you while you use this extension:

You can read more in theFirefox Private Network Privacy Notice.

Are There Any Disadvantages?

Not everything about a good tool is always rainbows, and that’s also true for Firefox Private Network. Depending on the existing speed of your computer and internet connection, running this anti-hacker software might make your connection really slow since data is being encrypted and then fed through a remote server before any webpages are sent back to you.

If your browser is also running a lot of other extensions – and there areplenty to choose from– adding this one to the group might lower the overall performance of your computer, not to mention it (probably) won’tmake Firefox any faster.

However, what’s important to question is if the cost of running this tool is worth the benefit. We think that’s a solidyes! If you find that using it poses other problems, remove some of those extensions you don’t use and stopstreaming movieswhile also trying to browse the web. You can then most likely use Firefox Private Network without any performance or bandwidth issues.

How To Use Firefox Private

Network

Open Firefox and visitFirefox Private Network. SelectAdd to Firefox.

SelectAddon the prompt to install Firefox Private Network.

Select the extension icon at the top-right corner of Firefox, and selectSign in.

Log in with your Firefox account details. You cancreate a Firefox account hereif you don’t already have one.

Wait a few seconds for the extension icon to change to include a green check mark. This is how you know that Firefox Private Network is enabled and protecting you.

Founder of Help Desk Geek and managing editor. He began blogging in 2007 and quit his job in 2010 to blog full-time. He has over 15 years of industry experience in IT and holds several technical certifications.Read Aseem’s Full Bio

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