Microsoft Edge Gets Built-In VPN — But Is It Better Than Your VPN Now?
Microsoft's new VPN offers an additional protection to your data.
The new built-in VPN functionality for Microsoft Edge, called Edge Secure Network, protects your device and sensitive data as you browse.
Powered by Cloudflare, one of the most trusted DNS hosts in the industry, Edge Secure Network uses Cloudflare's routing to encrypt your internet connection and protect your data from online threats like hackers, as per the Bleeping Computer report.
According to the Bleeping Computer, the feature is in the early stage of development and it is available only to selected users in Edge Canary. It is not a full-fledged VPN service offered in rival browsers like Opera.
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What's New With Edge Secure Network?
The new built-in VPN is powered by Cloudflare, which is well known for its strict privacy stances and tools to obscure your data from your ISP and other prying eyes, Review Geek reported.
Microsoft Edge Secure Network will encrypt your traffic "even when using a non-secure URL that starts with HTTP," according to the support page.
Since it will also enable a virtual IP address, your location is apparently private and your actual IP address is hidden behind Cloudflare's network, according to the Bleeping Computer. The websites will instead see an IP address in a similar geolocation region, which will make it more difficult for online trackers to follow you on the internet.
The Microsoft Edge Secure Network will start as a limited test. Microsoft will provide this feature for free but with a strict limit, since VPN services usually cost money.
According to Review Geek, you'll only get 1 gigabyte of free data, and then you'll have to wait until next month to use the feature again. It will be enough for basic browsing and email checking, but the new VPN cannot be used to stream Netflix.
It is still unclear whether or not Microsoft will offer an option to pay for more data. For now, Microsoft Edge Secure Network is only a test, says Microsoft.
The New Microsoft Built-in VPN Is Not a Replacement for Your VPN
Despite the apparent advantageous features of Edge Secure Networks, it is not a replacement for your VPN for it isn't like a regular VPN.
The Bleeping Computer reported that it is possible that the feature uses Cloudflare's Warp, a free service that ensures all your traffic is kept private between your device and the origin server.
In the test performed by the Bleeping Computer, the Edge's VPN doesn't let you choose your location. Instead, it only protects your traffic with encryption while using 1.1.1.1 to optimize your DNS for a faster connection.
The Cloudflare-based Edge Secure Network cannot be used for streaming. You cannot stream geo-restricted content on platforms like Netflix and Amazon Prime as the VPN doesn't let your choose your location.
The Bleeping Computer assessed that "the Edge Secure Network is safe, reliable, and useful, but it is currently not a good alternative to the more traditional VPNs out there or the built-in VPN offered in Opera."
