What is a VPN and how does it work?

The term VPN stands for virtual private network. Essentially, a VPN is a private network of servers connected to the internet. Many VPNs have servers located around the world. By using the VPN servers instead of public servers, users can keep their data safer and perform tasks they wouldn’t be able to otherwise, like bypassing geo-locked firewalls.

Although quite technical in its implementation, a VPN basically creates a protected tunnel for your data to pass through and uses specific protocols to authenticate and encrypt that data as it comes and goes from your devices. It also protects and shields your IP address from interested parties and prying eyes.

How does a VPN protect you online?

When you connect to the internet on any device via cellular data, WiFi or hardwire, that device has a unique internet protocol (IP) address and sends data back and forth between itself and the sites you visit. For users without a VPN, that data and IP address are vulnerable should someone with the right tools decide they want to find your general location or harvest your data.

A VPN acts like a middleman. Instead of your vulnerable data being sent directly to the site you’re browsing, it goes to the VPN via a protected tunnel. When it gets there, the VPN hides your IP address and encrypts the data before sending it through another protected tunnel to the site. And, when information is sent back your way, it goes through the VPN, which checks for and blocks any intrusive data requests or malware before it reaches your device.

Popular VPN uses

VPNs have a variety of uses, some of which you may not be aware of. Here are the main ones.

Browse privately and securely

VPNs use protocols to tunnel, authenticate and encrypt data, which shields your internet protocol (IP) address and protects much of your private information from prying eyes any time you access the internet on a VPN-protected device. For those who need to be able to securely work from anywhere or who want to make extra sure their business and/or personal data is safe, VPNs provide an extra layer of protection when accessing a home, business or public Wi-Fi network.

Access remote personal, work or educational networks

If there is a network access server (NAS) set up at your home, business or school and you have the appropriate VPN set up on your device, you can create a secure connection between your device and that network, no matter where you are. This has a wide variety of applications for business owners and individuals alike.

For example, VPNs allow you to work securely from anywhere, meaning your home office could be in Fiji or Fargo, North Dakota. VPNs also make it easy to share sensitive business data with partners/employees no matter where they are, ensuring you can make use of resources and talent anywhere in the world.

Stream and access geo-blocked media from other countries

Available streaming content is often based on the location detected by streaming services like Netflix and Disney Plus. So, if you’re not in a specific country, you can’t access that region’s geo-specific content. With a VPN, you can connect to a server in that country, bypassing geo-blocked firewalls, and watch content you otherwise couldn’t access.

Gaming and gaming network applications

Many don’t think of gaming as a small business, but with the rise of professional gamers and gameplay streaming, more individuals are finding a professional path in the $250 billion gaming industry. If you’re a professional esports player, VPNs add an extra level of security and protection, making it much harder for outside forces to launch distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) and other cyberattacks while competing. For professional streamers, VPNs can help protect against bad actors who want to troll, dox or stalk you (via IP address/private data harvesting).

How to choose a VPN

A lot goes into choosing a VPN. The first step is to figure out what you want to accomplish with your VPN. Are you looking to set up a secure and remotely accessible network for your business? Or is it just for home/personal use, like streaming? Once you have that figured out, you’re ready to look at VPN providers and features. Here’s what you should consider.

VPN security and encryption

VPN security and encryption is accomplished using VPN protocols — the rules a VPN uses to move data back and forth between your device and the VPN servers. In general, look for VPNs that use (or are built around) OpenVPN, WireGuard or IKEv2/IPSec protocols, as those are the best at balancing security and speed.

Server network and locations

VPN providers often hype their server count. And, it’s true that having enough servers in critical locations does increase the speed and reliability of your VPN connection. But, all servers are not created equal. “Server” could mean a dedicated server with a large 20GPS bandwidth or a virtual server that is limited and shared between multiple providers. The better metric is to make sure that a VPN service has adequate and secure servers/locations for your use case. Here are some examples:

• Security and privacy: If increased security and privacy is your main goal, then there is no reason to get fancy with your servers. Look for a reliable VPN with servers located close to your physical location (but not in your actual city, for privacy reasons).
• Streaming geo-locked media content: Picking servers for geo-locked content is pretty simple. Find a VPN provider with servers located in the countries where you want streaming access and make sure they have a good record of unblocking the streaming service providers you want to use.
• Gaming and gameplay streaming: One of the biggest factors when gaming is your ping rate. The longer the ping, the more laggy your gameplay. Focus on finding a VPN provider with dedicated and high-bandwidth servers as close to you as possible to reduce ping. And make sure P2P connections are allowed.

Speed and performance

The speed and performance of a VPN is dependent on a variety of factors, including the hardware quality of the server, the type of protocol that is used, how close the server is to your location and whether the VPN servers are routinely maintained and updated. Level of security also affects speed and performance. In other words, if you want additional layers of security (like those provided by a double VPN where your data is encrypted twice), you will sacrifice some speed and performance.

Many VPN providers will allow you to switch between different VPN protocols depending on whether you want maximum speed, maximum security or a balance of both, so keep an eye out for that.

Logging policy

Logging is when a VPN provider stores your information instead of deleting it, which can include sites you’ve visited, keystrokes, IP information and even payment information. Free VPNs, for example, have a reputation for tracking and selling your data to make money (since they aren’t making anything off of subscriptions).

We recommend using a VPN with a clear and transparent no-logs policy. Bonus points if the VPN uses RAM-only servers, which make it much harder for data to be hacked and ensure all data is wiped every time the servers are reset.

Device compatibility

Most VPN providers are compatible with a variety of devices. But, it’s important to double-check that whatever VPN you’re considering works with the devices you need it to. This is especially important if you have a device with a Linux operating system, which can be a bit trickier for VPN configurations.

Also, just because a VPN says it’s compatible doesn’t mean it actually works well on a specific device or system. It’s always good to read some reviews before committing to a provider. For example, if you’re a business looking to protect company mobile devices, you don’t want to use a VPN service that has a clunky and unwieldy mobile app, even if it’s technically compatible.

Customer support

Customer support is a huge factor to consider when picking any software or service. Of course, talking with live agents via phone, email or online chat can be very helpful. But, for VPNs, we found that a comprehensive online help center with applicable tutorials makes a huge difference. If you’re planning on setting up a VPN for your business and have over 50 devices, look for a service that will provide you with a dedicated account manager to guide you through the process.