When you activate your NetZero DataShield protection, it quickly builds an encrypted tunnel through your Internet connection from wherever you are to one of our secure Internet gateways. All Internet data between you and NetZero DataShield is encrypted from that point on.

We use many servers located throughout the world that are properly managed to effectively and efficiently handle traffic. Our sophisticated server selection algorithm takes both current load and distance into account and automatically assigns you to the best server choice available. However, you can override the automatic server selection if you wish to connect to any other server location in our network.

NetZero DataShield should work almost everywhere. However, if you have any problems, please contact Customer Support. Customer Support via Email: datashield@support.netzero.com Customer Support via Phone: 1-800-638-9376.

Wi-Fi hotspots are incredibly insecure. You are literally broadcasting your data and possibly exposing private information. This includes your email, instant messages, web searches, and any other data sent or received by you over that wireless network. Keep in mind that even though you have to put in a password to use a facility's public Wi-Fi your data is still visible to other users that were given that same password. By using NetZero DataShield your data becomes invisible to others using that same password protected public Wi-Fi connection. You should use NetZero DataShield whenever you are connected to a public Wi-Fi hotspot.

Yes - the technical term for NetZero DataShield is a VPN - a Virtual Private Network. A VPN secures and privatizes data across a network, usually the Internet, by building an "encrypted tunnel." NetZero DataShield uses 128-bit encryption, the same technology used by banks and credit card companies. Data passes through this tunnel, which protects it from others sharing the public hotspot who try to view it. Even if the data is intercepted, it is hopelessly scrambled and useless to anyone without the key to decrypt it. NetZero DataShield's VPN service encrypts all your Internet data to and from our VPN gateways, including instant messaging, streaming, VoIP, and email.

There are many personal VPNs available today, from the very expensive to "free." You should be cautious about choosing a VPN service since some services require you to agree to let them look at your data for marketing purposes. Basically, you may be giving the VPN provider license to look at your personal data.

NetZero DataShield is simple to use, uses proven technology, has live customer support, and provides excellent user documentation. We offer NetZero DataShield because we wanted to provide a low-cost, high-quality VPN solution.

It can't hurt for you to use NetZero DataShield on your home wireless network. To assure you are protected, you must download the NetZero DataShield software on each of the devices connected to your network. While it is rare, it is still feasible for a hacker to gain access to your home wireless network especially if you are using the older WEP security. We recommend that you use the WPA2 encryption scheme on your home wireless network.

Yes, you need an Internet connection to use NetZero DataShield. NetZero DataShield does NOT provide you access to the Internet, it makes a secure "encrypted tunnel" through an existing Internet connection. Using our software, you still connect to the Internet and then connect to our VPN, which then secures and encrypts any data transmitted from your computer back to our server.

HTTPS stands for "HyperText Transfer Protocol Secure" and is used by certain sites (such as eBay and Amazon) to ensure safe Internet transactions. While HTTPS is the best technology currently available to ensure safe web transactions, it's far from perfect. HTTPS is dependent on what are called "Certificates of Authority." Unfortunately, the haphazard way these certificates are issued makes the process untrustworthy. In addition, HTTPS is very vulnerable to man-in-the-middle attacks, and there are no good solutions in sight. In contrast, NetZero DataShield adds an additional layer of security to protect you from attacks. NetZero DataShield also protects your instant messaging, streaming, VoIP, email and web browsing as well.

Just like the post office uses mailing addresses to make sure our mail gets to the right place, computers on the Internet use numbers known as "IP addresses" to make sure packets of data go where they are supposed to go. When you use NetZero DataShield, other computers on the Internet no longer communicate directly with yours. Instead, your Internet traffic passes through a NetZero DataShield server host and the rest of the Internet will see the IP address of that machine instead of your actual IP address.

The uptime for NetZero DataShield is virtually 100%. We have multiple servers in different locations with automatic failover.

When you use NetZero DataShield, we change your IP address, which is your identity on the Internet. Your IP address tells everyone where you are located and can be used for ad targeting. Instead, you can have your IP address appear to be hundreds of miles away - or even halfway around the world.

We maintain a set of logs necessary to manage our servers. However, the only information that is traceable to individual users is the time on and off our network and the number of the total bytes transmitted when connected to NetZero DataShield.

You should always make sure that sites where you could possibly enter sensitive data are using HTTPS. NetZero DataShield offers an additional layer of security to protect your personal information.

No. NetZero DataShield secures your Internet connection, not your computer hard drive.

Yes, you will receive free upgrades if you have a valid NetZero DataShield subscription. Your NetZero DataShield software suggests updating when a new release is available.

You can cancel your NetZero DataShield subscription at any time. When you cancel your subscription, you will still have access to NetZero DataShield through the end of your subscription period.

After connecting to NetZero DataShield, go to one of these websites: http://www.showip.com or http://www.whatismyip.com. From these sites, you will be able to view your IP address.

If you are having IP Address issues on your computer please contact your ISP for troubleshooting and help resolving these types of issues.