Recently, Firefox has been working on increasing its security and privacy levels, evident in the recent updates where it blocked tracking cookies from malicious websites. Now, they are launching a new project called Firefox Private Network designed to enhance the security of its users and protect their information while using Firefox on the computer. Although the company has not officially announced the project as a virtual private network (VPN) like other browsers such as Opera, according to the official blog post, the project will provide some traditional VPN features that encrypt your internet connection. Let’s now look at how to benefit from this service if you are a Firefox user.
As of writing these lines, Firefox Private Network service is still in the testing phase and has not been launched globally, but is limited to users within the United States. It is not integrated into the browser like Opera, but rather an independent add-on that can be installed and removed at any time. Additionally, using the service requires a Firefox account for synchronization, allowing you to use it on any other device with Firefox and the same account.
The service offers privacy-conscious features such as encrypting the websites you visit, preventing browsing activity tracking on public Wi-Fi networks, avoiding targeted ads, and accessing blocked sites by changing your IP address and geolocation.
If you want to try the new service, simply go to the link private-network.firefox.com within Firefox on a Windows or macOS computer, then click on the Add to Firefox button. When the confirmation notification appears on the toolbar, click Add and wait for the Firefox Private Network add-on to be downloaded and installed automatically.
After installing the add-on on Firefox, you will notice its small icon in the toolbar next to your Firefox profile picture. Click on this icon and a small menu will appear where you can control the service activity. Since this is your first time using the service, you will need to log in with your Firefox account to activate synchronization, so click the Sign in button then confirm the login information from the pop-up window. Once this step is completed, the service is ready to work.
Once Firefox Private Network is activated, you can continue using Firefox as usual, and your internet browsing activity will be encrypted. Firefox states that user data is sent through a proxy server provided by Cloudflare, known for its strict privacy policy limiting the data they collect and store. However, you may experience a decrease in connection speed when downloading files through the browser, which is customary with all connection encryption tools. Nevertheless, browsing speed does not seem to be affected. With the IP address and geolocation changes, you can now access all restricted services without any issues.
Well, Firefox Private Network may be a useful service for some, but it has its limitations as it does not provide comprehensive protection for the computer – it only focuses on activities carried out within the Firefox browser. Anything you do online outside Firefox will not be hidden. If you want complete protection, you should use a dedicated VPN service like NordVPN, as it currently offers the best VPN service for browsing the internet freely and securely.
* If the button is not available, it is because the service is currently in limited trial phase for residents of the United States only. However, in the coming days when Firefox sees that the service is ready for wider deployment, it will be available to the public. If you are determined to try it, use any free VPN once to download the add-on, then uninstall it and rely on Firefox Private Network as it is more secure than a free VPN service.
