What Is A VPN?

VPN or Virtual Private Network

A Virtual Private Network is a connection method used to add security and privacy to
private and public networks, like WiFi Hotspots and the Internet. Virtual Private
Networks are most often used by corporations to protect sensitive data. However,
using a personal VPN is increasingly becoming more popular as more interactions
that were previously face-to-face transition to the Internet. Privacy is increased with a
Virtual Private Network because the user's initial IP address is replaced with one from
the Virtual Private Network provider. Subscribers can obtain an IP address from any
gateway city the VPN service provides. For instance, you may live in San Francisco,
but with a Virtual Private Network, you can appear to live in Amsterdam, New York,
or any number of gateway cities.

Why do I need a VPN?

 Hide your IP address

Connecting to a Virtual Private Network often conceals your real IP address.

 Change your IP address

Using a VPN will almost certainly result in getting a different IP address.

 Encrypt data transfers

A Virtual Private Network will protect the data you transfer over public WiFi.

 Mask your location

With a Virtual Private Network, users can choose the country of origin for their
Internet connection.

 Access blocked websites

Get around website blocked by governments with a VPN.

Virtual Private Network Security

Security is the main reason why corporations have used VPNs for years. There are
increasingly simple methods to intercept data traveling to a network. WiFi spoofing
and Firesheep are two easy ways to hack information. A useful analogy is that a
firewall protects your data while on the computer and a VPN protects your data on
the web. VPNs use advanced encryption protocols and secure tunneling techniques
to encapsulate all online data transfers. Most savvy computer users wouldn't dream
of connecting to the Internet without a firewall and up-to-date antivirus. Evolving
security threats and ever increasing reliance on the Internet make a Virtual Private
Network an essential part of well-rounded security. Integrity checks ensure that no
data is lost and that the connection has not been hijacked. Since all traffic is
protected, VPNs are preferred over proxies.

Setting Up a VPN
Setting up a Virtual Private Network is a straightforward process. It's often as simple
as entering a username and sever address. The dominant smartphones can configure
Virtual Private Networks using PPTP and L2TP/IPsec protocols. All major operating
systems can configure PPTP VPN connections. OpenVPN and L2TP/IPsec protocols
require a small open source application (OpenVPN) and certificate download
respectively.