VPN means ‘Virtual Private Network,’ but it’s not all about the meaning of the acronym. So you would still ask the question, ‘What is a VPN?’ as you are curious about its entire process. The number of individuals who use it is increasing day by day. Why not? It offers privacy, freedom, and security when you surf online.
VPN establishes a secure connection within your device and the internet. Every person who uses the internet has a unique IP address that exposes your location and the provider. It makes you traceable online, but it won’t happen if you have a VPN.
It is a private network that would let you release your data traffic through an encrypted and secure connection to be sent to an external server. The latter would be the origin where the traffic is being sent. The IP address that is given to the internet is different.
There are other security measures VPN can provide. It builds an encrypted channel that would block hackers and cybercriminals. They won’t be able to attack your devices. The freedom it renders refers to the ability to access blocked sites and online services.
What is VPN: How Does it Work
VPN providers have software that you need to install. You can set up a safe connection along with the security settings that you want. After you have launched the connection, the following things will happen to your data.
1. The software of VPN starts to encrypt the data traffic to be forwarded to the VPN server within the channel of secured connection.
2. Your computer’s encrypted data would be converted into an ordinary language, and this process includes action to decrypt. It is done by the VPN server.
3. Your data is delivered by the VPN server to the internet. Expect to receive a reply which is intentionally for you, the user.
4. The traffic is being sent back to you, and it is also in encrypted patterns.
5. The VPN software decrypts the data for you so you can understand it easily and apply it.
It would be difficult for hackers or other parties to intercept with your data traffic as the VPN server has encrypted it for you. They won’t be able to view it. So you can also appear as anonymous on the internet as the traffic is being directed to an external VPN server. It’s only the IP address of your VPN that appears on the internet, and your address is hidden.
VPN also gives different server locations, which means it makes IP addresses from different locations worldwide available. It is crucial as there are situations that you would need specific IP addresses for some countries. Take this as an example when the content is only available for users in the USA. So VPN can give you US IP addresses in this case.
You have to be sure that the VPN software provides multiple IPs for you to use them in several countries. VPN plays the role of being the background of any device like your smartphone, tablet, and computer. It allows you to normally connect to the internet without getting noticed. To sum it up, there’s no restriction on any site and services that you want to access.
What Can VPN Offer
People use a VPN because of different reasons, which can be generalized in three points. It can give reliable online security, increase a person’s online privacy, and provide freedom in surfing. The user can get around restricted websites and censorship. Each point will be explained to you in the following context.
1. Reliable Online Security
The security that VPN provides is due to its function of heavily encrypting data before it arrives at the VPN server. It builds a ‘VPN tunnel’ where your data passes by, and it is absolutely a safe zone. So it won’t be easily accessible for hackers or even the government to view your data or intercept it.
It’s advisable to use a VPN when you connect to public WiFi networks. It’s still recommended to use it even though you’re using the internet at home or work. Several VPNs offer high levels of encryption to guarantee you that your data won’t be collected without your knowledge. Some may even attempt to use it against you.
2. Online Privacy
You are anonymous when you browse the internet with a VPN, as it won’t expose your real IP address. Your own address will be hidden from the moment you connect with a VPN. It will be replaced by the VPN’s IP address.
You ought to know that your identity and location can be determined based on your IP address. It can be done by your internet provider, the government, and the website that you visit. They may gain information about your online activities.
But with a VPN software in your devices, those things won’t be disclosed to others. Your data will only be stored on the VPN server. VPN providers don’t care about what’s in your server, and they don’t even check it. So they won’t tend to disclose it to anyone. Being anonymous when you go online is a great way of VPN in giving you privacy.
3. The Online Freedom
The online freedom a VPN can give goes to the extent of being connected to servers around the world. If you are linked to a VPN server for a certain country, you can browse on the internet as if you’re physically present in that place.
There is censorship in some countries like they don’t allow the use of some social media platforms and other online streaming services. If you migrated or even just on holiday, you will not be allowed to open some sites. VPN has another favorable function, which enables you to connect to servers in your country so you can access your favorite sites.
Final Thoughts on What is a VPN
VPN is easy to use, and it doesn’t need any technical skills. As long as you installed its software on your devices, you will have the freedom to browse the internet everywhere, secured, and with privacy. Slow internet speed annoys many people. How much more if they are being restricted to open some website or they are being tracked of their activities? VPN is the solution to all of these concerns.
