All about VPN
What is VPN
VPN also known as virtual private network which gives users complete anonymity and privacy by creating private network from public or external internet connection. It is a service that allows you to connect to the Internet via an encrypted tunnel to ensure your online privacy and protect your sensitive data.VPN is really difficult to trace as it’s key priority is to provide privacy and anonymity. Since VPN uses its own private network while sending and receiving data applications running across a VPN may therefore benefit from the functionality, security, and management of the private network.
How VPN works
VPN or virtual private network extends a private network across a public network and enables users to send and receive data across shared or public networks as if their computing devices were directly connected to the private network. A VPN is commonly used to secure connection to public Wi-FI hotspot, hide IP address and make your browsing private.
VPN works by establishing it’s own private network by routing your device’s internet connection through your chosen VPN’s private server rather than your internet service provider (ISP) so that when your data is transmitted to the internet, it comes from the VPN rather than your computer.
VPNs use advanced encryption protocols and secure tunneling techniques to encapsulate all online data transfers.
It creates a secure connection between internet and user and internet. Once connected to the internet all the traffic is passed through an encrypted virtual tunnel from there, the traffic will be sent on to the internet. Because of this, the IP address shown to the internet will be changed.
Functions of VPN
- Hides our IP address:
When we log on to the internet and browse all the traffic could be logged and could easily trace the user using their IP address. But VPN masks your IP address by becoming private online.This is the most important feature of VPN as it conceals your real IP address.
- Access to blocked websites:
This is another great feature of VPN as it helps to unblock all the blocked websites in your country. Many countries has it’s own policies and regulations in managing webserver by blocking many websites and hiding the contents. Access to various websites is restricted in many countries due to growing internet censorship or geo-blocking. VPN helps to masks your real IP address into different countries IP address by connecting to it’s vpn server in a different country.
- Secure connection on public wifi network:
A VPN encrypts your online data and helps to secure your personal information when you use free Wi-Fi in airports or anywhere else. It protects users by encrypting data received and send over public wifi. VPNs help in the prevention of cyberattacks, spying threats while simultaneously protecting our data devices from hackers, malware and even government surveillance
Pros and Cons of VPN
Pros:
- VPN provides anonymity and privacy: VPN is safe to use as it provides safe browsing the internet by establishing a secure tunnel and it’s digital footprints can’t be traced as it hides our IP address.Online hackers won’t be able to use your real IP address to find out personal details about you, and government surveillance agencies and ISPs won’t get to monitor users online activity.
- VPN could easily bypass firewall: VPN helps to bypass any firewall you encounter with a VPN since it hides your IP address — the address the firewall restrictions have been applied to.
- Better online gaming: Since VPN encrypts all the traffic passing by and also hides the IP address we’ll be able to play in any geographical regions,get to play banned games, keep yourself safe from DDoS attacks, and could even manage to avoid unfair IP bans.
- Helps to bypass geo-blocks: By using VPN services we could easily bypass all geo-blocks (a method content providers use to restrict access to their services and platforms on a geographical basis). Since a VPN can hide your real IP address, it can easily help you bypass geo-blocks since the platform you want to access will think you’re from the “right” geographical region.
Cons:
- Chance of slowing down internet speeds: This is really a big issue while using VPN service it slows down internet speed because all the data has to pass through secure tunnel of vpn before reaching the user and viceversa. The slowdown might not always be too noticeable, and — sometimes — it might not happen at all, especially if you have a very strong CPU and powerful bandwidth.
- VPN usually are expensive: Even though there are low budget VPN it won’t provide much anonymity and would be usually low in standard. If you’re short on cash, that can be a problem especially since some providers might charge really high. To get a better high quality safe and secure VPN it would easily cost Rs1000 per month or much more.
- Might put users to danger: Even though VPN usually masks users IP address and provide complete anonymity while surfing the internet, it’s not always the case. VPNs are meant to protect your online data, but if you don’t do your research you might end up picking a service that does the complete opposite. Some VPN keep track of all logs of users so before purchasing one it’s better to do some research on it.
VPN and firewall
*When you install a new program to your computer, you may notice a warning that a program is trying to access your computer, requiring you to grant access. That’s the firewall.Instead of setting up a defense between your device and your network, a VPN, known as a virtual private network, encrypts all of your device’s traffic. This encryption hides your data, leaving it unreadable for everyone else on your network, including your ISP.
*Firewall protects your data while on the computer and a VPN protects your data on the web.
*Firewall helps to identify malware and prevents us from installing unknown application that could harm our system whereas VPN protects our internet usage by masking our IP through their secure private tunnel.
*Some of the best firewalls are Cisco NGFW,Sonicwall,Fortinet. Some of the best VPN are Expressvpn,Nordvpn,Cyberghost.
BEST VPN services at the market
1.CyberGhost VPN: Cyberghost is known to be cheap and valuable. Based in Romania, CyberGhost keeps no logs, making it privacy-friendly. One of the best things about CyberGhost is that there is no credit card required to utilise the 24-hour free trial.
2. IPVanish: The strong OpenVPN encryption makes IPVanish secure, protecting it from DNS leaks. While the service isn’t cheap, it offers access to a lot of apps and servers. IPVanish has servers in over 60 countries.
3. Nord VPN: Well known as the best VPN for Mac users, NordVPN implements IKEv2 to a high standard on Macs. It has great features and provides great security. Based in Panama, NordVPN keeps no logs.
4. ExpressVPN: Ranked as the best VPN to use in 2020, ExpressVPN provides the fastest network speeds according to user reviews and speed test results. Express VPN makes streaming HD content from services like Netflix, iPlayer and HBO look like child’s play with an easy approach.
References:
https://surfshark.com/learn/what-is-vpn
