VPNs are all the talk these days. A decade ago, having a VPN meant you were a geek and had some advanced computing needs. Today, however, VPNs are advertised as digital necessities. Part of the story seems valid, considering the increasing number of digital threats and censorship on the internet. But what exactly is a VPN? More importantly, how does a VPN work? I have explained everything in this article.
What is Virtual Private Network (VPN)?
You can think of a Virtual Private Network as a technology that adds a layer of security/privacy between your device and the website you want to visit.
This private tunnel will create an encrypted stream of data that is sent to the VPN server from your device. This VPN server will then forward the request to the website you’d want to visit—say, Netflix or Google. As a result, a VPN offers better privacy and security compared to browsing the internet without a VPN.
Anonymity and security are the primary reasons people use a VPN. However, over the last decade, VPN apps have become so feature-rich.
Why Do You Need a VPN?
Here are a few reasons I use a VPN for. You might relate to one or more of these needs.
- VPNs can make it difficult/impossible for ISPs, hackers, and government surveillance systems to see your internet browsing activities. In doing so, VPNs offer a significant boost of privacy.
- Because VPNs tunnel your traffic with encryption, using a VPN can keep you safe while connected to a public Wi-Fi network.
- Most VPNs are also designed to hide your original IP address and use one based on the selected VPN server. By doing so, VPNs can make your activities anonymous.
- You can use VPNs to access content restricted based on geographical boundaries. For instance, if a Netflix show is unavailable in your place, you can browse Netflix from another country to access it.
- VPNs also help you battle censorship to a significant extent. If a specific website is unavailable in your region, using a VPN can surpass that.
In addition to these, people use VPNs for purposes like remote work, better gaming, secure networking, and ad and tracker blocking.
How Does a VPN Work?
As I just told you, a VPN does quite a lot, and you can use this technology in multiple instances. But how does a VPN work? Here’s a rundown.
Three components are essential for a VPN to work smoothly.
- Your internet-connected device
- VPN server located in another place
- The VPN app used for encryption
This is what happens when you turn on a VPN and browse the internet.
- The VPN app will use encryption technology to scramble the data so that outsiders (ISPs, hackers, or your government) cannot understand.
- This encrypted request is then sent to the VPN server through a tunnel. It ensures maximum privacy and security.
- The VPN server will decrypt the request and forward it to the website you want to visit.
- The server will also retrieve the response, encrypt it, and send it back to your device.
- The VPN app decrypts the information and makes it available on your device.
The most significant point here is that the website never sees your identity. From the website’s perspective, the request comes from a VPN server located in a place of your choice. Similarly, your ISP does not see which website you are visiting. Instead, it sees a line of encrypted traffic towards the VPN server.
By keeping the VPN server as the intermediary, a VPN connection offers better privacy and anonymity.
Even though 5-10 steps are involved in this process, everything is quicker. While the encryption process can slow down the browsing speeds, it depends on the VPN server location and its performance, among others.
What is a VPN Tunnel?
A VPN tunnel is the name for the secure connection between your device and the VPN server. It is named a tunnel because it works like one. Once the connection is active, all your internet traffic will be sent through and received via the encrypted tunnel. Compared to a typical data stream, a VPN tunnel has some unique characteristics.
- The data stream is encrypted, which makes the information safe from prying eyes, including ISPs and threat actors.
- A VPN tunnel uses multiple methods to ensure data integrity, making sure that the information is not tampered with or modified.
- You can also find multiple authentication options in a VPN tunnel. These methods ensure that your data reaches where it is supposed to.
Thanks to these characteristics, a VPN tunnel provides you with better privacy and security. You also get the other benefits of VPN that we talked about.
Types of VPN Connections
You can categorize VPN connections based on what they are made for. Here are a few common types of VPN connections that you would come across.
Remote Access VPN
Sometimes, you may need to access a secure local network while you are away somewhere else. A remote access VPN offers this option so that you have encrypted access to the network. Companies may offer these VPN services to their employees so that work-from-home initiatives are smooth. You can use these VPNs for other purposes as well.
Site-to-Site VPN
Sometimes, you need a secure network that connects to different networks that may be located in various places. For instance, a business may require a secure connection between its corporate headquarters and several branch offices. This is where site-to-site VPNs come in, as they allow this encrypted connection and operate based on intranet and extranet configurations.
Client-to-Site VPN
Client-to-site VPNs are somewhat similar to remote access VPNs, but they are designed to function within a particular framework. Specifically, these VPNs are intended to connect multiple individual devices to a specific corporate network. They are used mainly by employees or students who are away from the actual infrastructure.
Layer 2 Tunneling Protocol (L2TP) VPN
Layer-2 Tunneling Protocol (L2TP) VPNs are mainly used by internet service providers and large enterprises that require maximum security and protection from threats. Due to this need, L2TP VPNs often use a combination of encryption protocols, such as IPsec. These VPNs create a secure tunnel that facilitates seamless data transfer.
Peer-to-Peer (P2P) VPN
Peer-to-peer (P2P) VPN connections are designed to facilitate file sharing and downloading while ensuring security. Specifically, they are commonly used for P2P file sharing, popularly known as torrents. Since torrents are utilized as a secure method of sharing files, these VPN connections emphasize the security aspect.
SSL VPN
SSL VPNs operate in a similar context but focus specifically on web applications or services. They utilize SSL or TLS encryption technology to ensure that connections to a particular website are secure. This approach eliminates the need for a dedicated VPN client on the client side. SSL VPNs are widely used by websites these days, mainly when they handle sensitive information.
Cloud VPN
Cloud VPN connections are used when a user needs to connect to cloud resources securely. These platforms include AWS, Google Cloud, and Microsoft Azure, where sensitive information is stored. Cloud-based VPNs typically involve a virtual private cloud and incorporate additional security measures to ensure that threat actors cannot access the information, even if they possess valid authentication credentials.
Mobile VPN
Mobile VPN connections should not be confused with the mobile VPN apps commonly used. In technical terms, mobile VPNs are designed to enable a seamless transition between mobile network connections and Wi-Fi connections, ensuring users experience uninterrupted access to a website or platform. The primary advantage of this type of VPN connection is its ability to maintain connectivity without drops.
As you can guess, many of these VPN connection types are optimized for enterprise users. Therefore, you may not need many of these for your personal use. As far as personal use is concerned, you can choose between one of the mainstream VPN services. But, even then, you must know about VPN protocols.
VPN Protocols
Let’s quickly look at the most popular VPN protocols out there and compare them for easy selection.
OpenVPN
One of the most popular VPN protocols, OpenVPN, brings the power of speed and customizability. It supports up to 256-bit encryption and uses SSL/TSL for exchange. In addition to being super-secure, OpenVPN works great with a variety of networks and devices.
IPsec
IPsec is technically a compilation of protocols that enable IP packet-level authentication. It can work in two modes: transport and tunnel. Like OpenVPN, IPsec is also compatible with devices and works great when a network needs seamless communication between other networks/devices.
L2TP
L2TP is a protocol that isn’t used on its own. Instead, it is bundled with IPsec to ensure maximum security as well as flexibility. As long as you have a modern device, the IPsec/L2TP combination should work fine. These VPNs are widely used for remote access needs.
IKEv2
IKEv2 is another protocol often used alongside IPsec to enhance the overall security of an internet connection. Developed by Cisco and Microsoft, it is widely adopted due to its use of the AES encryption system. Designed for advanced performance, IKEv2 VPNs excel in scenarios requiring seamless transitions between Wi-Fi, mobile data, and other network types.
PPTP
Point-to-Point Tunneling Protocol (PPTP) is one of the oldest VPN protocols developed by Microsoft. It uses a basic type of encryption, which makes connections fast and setup relatively effortless. Additionally, its age provides backward compatibility. However, compared to the other protocols mentioned, PPTP is not the most secure option and is highly vulnerable to hacking and other threats.
WireGuard
WireGuard is a relatively modern and lightweight VPN protocol designed for simplicity and security. With its smaller code base and state-of-the-art cryptography, it provides efficient and stable network connections, minimizing the risk of connection drops. Additionally, WireGuard connections are easier to set up and maintain than other protocols.
How to Set Up a VPN
Here are the quick steps you need to set up a VPN. These steps are for consumers who use a computer. The steps to set up an enterprise VPN would vary.
- You need to download and install the VPN client from the VPN provider’s official website.
- Post-installation, provide the account credentials to log into the VPN account.
- To connect to a VPN network, you must select a location from the available options.
- When connecting the first time, your computer/smartphone may ask permission to install the VPN configuration. Proceed with these steps as you see on the screen.
- In a few seconds, the VPN client will connect your device to the desired VPN server.
- Whenever you are done, you can use the VPN app to disconnect from the VPN server.
Once you have set it up, everything else is clockwork. The next time you need to use the VPN, you can open the VPN app and tap the Connect button.
How to Choose a VPN
Are you planning to get a VPN service? You need to look at the following aspects when choosing a VPN from the many available options.
- Server Locations: The VPN service must have servers in locations that you want to connect to. You may not have many options when it comes to free VPN services, though.
- Speed/Performance: The actual speed and consistency of the VPN servers also matter. You get to ensure this by choosing a credible VPN service provider.
- Privacy: It is essential to choose a no-log VPN, which means the service doesn’t keep a history of the sites you visit. You may also need multiple VPN protocols in this regard.
- Apps: These days, you need VPN connections from desktop and mobile devices alike. Therefore, you must choose a VPN service that offers easy-to-use apps.
In addition to these, you must also consider how much you want to choose. Though you can find many free VPN services, they are either too limited or pose privacy concerns.
Conclusion
I believe this guide was comprehensive enough to teach you the basics about VPNs. In the past decade, VPNs have become easier to use. You don’t need to be tech-savvy to use this tech anymore. Yet, the abundance of options means you should be careful while making the choice.
