What Is Cloudflare WARP: Everything You Need To Know

In November 2018, Cloudflare launched its application 1.1.1.1 and claimed to make your phone’s network more secure and safe to use. Soon after, it started advertising itself as a VPN service for non-tech-savvy people.

In this article, I will be talking everything about Cloudflare’s 1.1.1.1 service as well as cloudflare WARP and whether you should be using this instead of other premium and more popular VPN services. So, let’s get on the topic.

What Exactly Cloudeflare’s 1.1.1.1 Is All About?

Cloudflare’s goal was simple, create a secure and privacy-focused service that will also be faster than most VPN services out there. While the 1.1.1.1 application only had the feature to change the DNS, Cloudflare soon added WARP to it and made it like an optional VPN service.

However, WARP isn’t like any other VPN service. WARP will not hide your IP address from the website you will visit nor it will provide you with an option to choose the server location. But it will encrypt your traffic and use its own DNS service. This may not be the most secure method in terms of online anonymity., but it does help it accessing most of the geo-blocked websites.

So, in layman terms, the 1.1.1.1 app has two options, either to use only the 1.1.1.1 DNS service or use its WARP VPN service. Though your ISP can not monitor your traffic, this is definitely not the most secure method if you’re looking for security, nor does Cloudcare claims to. This is only for those people who want to access some geo-blocked content and want basic security without paying anything.

How Can You Use It?

The 1.1.1.1 application is available for both smartphones and computers. You can install the application on Android, iOS, Windows, macOS, and Linux.

So, to use the application, simply install it from the respective app store or use the official 1.1.1.1 page to find the one for your OS. Here are the steps to follow after that.

Open the 1.1.1.1 application.
On the homepage of the app, click on the three lines in the top right corner.
If you want to use the only DNS service, choose 1.1.1.1 option.

For the VPN service, click on WARP option.
Now click on the back option (top left corner).
On the homepage, turn on the Toggle Button by clicking on it.
Now that it is turned on, it will connect you to the DNS/WARP service.

To turn off click on the Toggle button again and choose Until I turn it back on.

Pros And Cons

Pros	Cons
Hides your traffic from ISP	You can not change the server location
Routes your traffic through their own server	Doesn’t hide your IP address
Faster than most other VPN services	Compatibility issues many apps & services
Secures you from DNS poisoning
Can filter malware
Apps are for both mobile and computers

Where Does It Stand In Terms Of Privacy Protection?

Cloudflare says selling users’ data for profits isn’t their business model. They keep the data private and do not share it with third-party companies which can target you for the ads. There are privacy logs associated with the 1.1.1.1 app and the company strictly follows what they claim to do. The company does the following for the security they promise.

Cloudflare doesn’t use user-identifiable log data for data storage.
They don’t sell the users’ data to third-party companies who want to show the targeted ads to the users.

Users don’t have to give any personal information like name, or email, or phone number to use the app.
They hire third-party auditors regularly to ensure safety and check data breaches if any.

Is It Safe Enough To Use?

Cloudflare’s 1.1.1.1 application is pretty much a safe option. The only bad thing is Cloudflare claims it as “VPN” and “Not a VPN” on many occasions, and that makes most people confused. But since you’re reading this article, I hope there won’t be any confusion for you anymore.

If you don’t have much idea on internet security and how DNS/VPN work, think of this app as an extra layer of protection. It will prevent ISP from spying on your traffic, but won’t hide your location or IP address whatsoever. It is good for accessing geo-blocked content, so if that’s what you are looking for then 1.1.1.1 is a pretty decent application to use.

FAQs

Is Cloudflare warp worth it?

To an extent, yes. Cloudflare WARP is a good option if you don’t want hardcore internet anonymity and looking for a basic security layer. It will also help you access geo-blocked services and faster than other VPN services.

Is 1.1 1.1 really fast?

Yes. Despite being a VPN service, it is pretty much fast. I barely notice any difference in speed after turning it on.

Does 1.1 1.1 WARP hide your IP?

No, 1.1.1.1 WARP doesn’t hide your IP address.

Is 1.1 1.1 VPN or DNS?

1.1.1.1 has both features. You can either use only the DNS service or choose to use it with the VPN as well.

Do I Recommend Cloudflare WARP?

It’s faster than other VPN providers in the market so that makes it a good option for most users. If you’re into internet anonymity then this might not the one for you. It does what it claims to do and has the basic security features. Conclusively, it’s completely safe and I would recommend using this application. A pretty decent option to add an extra layer of security.