Hands on with Microsoft Edge’s new built-in VPN feature

Microsoft is operating on a designed-in VPN features for the Edge browser called ‘Edge Secure Network’, but there’s a catch – it is not a correct replacement for your VPN.

Edge’s Protected Community is run by Cloudflare – one of the most trusted DNS hosts in the industry – and it aims to protect your gadget and delicate data as you search. The feature is in the early phase of enhancement available to choose end users in Edge Canary and it really is not a comprehensive-fledged VPN service presented in rival browsers like Opera.

So how does Microsoft Edge’s Secure Network really get the job done? As per the guidance document and our checks, Edge works by using Cloudflare’s routing to encrypt your net connection and protect your details from on-line threats like hackers.

Microsoft says Edge Secure network feature sends your visitors through an encrypted tunnel to develop a safe connection, which means even HTTP URLs are accessed securely in a bid to make it harder for attackers to get your browsing details and it also eradicates any choices of on line monitoring.

Considering that your targeted traffic is routed by way of Cloudflare, your location is seemingly personal and your true IP deal with is hidden powering Cloudflare’s network. It replaces your geolocation with a comparable regional tackle (closest Cloudflare server) to make it a lot more challenging for on-line trackers to stick to you on the world-wide-web.

Edge Protected Network is not a replacement for your VPN

Though Edge Safe Networks sounds like an desirable option, it is not like a common VPN.

In reality, it truly is possible that the aspect takes advantage of Cloudflare’s Warp – a totally free service that guarantees all your visitors is saved non-public involving your product and the origin server.

In our checks, we noticed that Edge’s VPN doesn’t let you decide on your locale. It only safeguards your visitors with encryption and uses 1.1.1.1 to optimize your DNS for a faster connection.

The excellent news is that we can nonetheless use Edge’s Protected Network (driven by Cloudflare) to go by the nearby constraints positioned by the ISP or government.

In the previously mentioned instance, we had been equipped to use Edge Secure Community to obtain a Torrent website blocked by the ISP.

Nonetheless, the Cloudflare-primarily based Edge Safe Community just isn’t good for streaming. Given that it does not allow you opt for your area, it is not attainable to stream geo-limited content material on platforms like Netflix and Amazon Prime.

A different dilemma with Edge Protected Network is its 1GB limitation. In accordance to the assist doc, only 1 gigabyte of cost-free data will be made available each month when you indicator into Microsoft Edge with your Microsoft Account.

Edge’s Secure Network is harmless, responsible, and helpful, but it is at the moment not a good different to the a lot more standard VPNs out there or the developed-in VPN presented in Opera.