What is Virtual Private Network (VPN)? And How Does It Work?

Internet gives access to gather any information. Even, you know what is going on in another part of the world in real time. However, some websites receive geo-restriction in certain countries. Server and internet users cannot exchange the data and request. Moreover, governments might try to track users and apply censorship. How do you avoid such situation? One solution is using VPN or virtual private network. What is virtual private network (VPN)? The next sections will explore more about this topic.

Virtual Private Network and Related Things

When you use internet, your device connects to server then ISP identify the IP that attached in your network. With static IP, you are exposed automatically and IPS knows what your activity and history. It might not be comfortable situation because you cannot get privacy. To avoid tracking and snooping around, you need to route the device to private network and server. You can connect to this server and gain the access to network. ISP only knows that all your data and requests come from this server, which applies encryption. Therefore, you are protected and no one knows what you do during internet session.

Another reason to utilize VPN is to access blocked website. As you know, every country has different rule and regulation. Some websites are not allowed to enter due to security issue or anything else. Simple way to block this website is via IP and URL. If your computer requests to website server, it will send the alarm then the connection is not available anymore.

From this explanation, you understand that primary objective when asking about “what is virtual private network (VPN)?” is privacy. The latest browser has incognito mode that does not store history, cache, and metadata directly. However, your connection is still in public network. VPN uses different way to protect user identity. You do not need to use incognito mode, but can still keep all histories and records in the device.

VPN providers have more than one server. That’s why IP address in your device becomes tentative. It is different each time you connect to their network. You can choose server that’s available and ready in various countries. ISP monitors your connection, but it identifies that you are not in their area. For example, you live in Asia but the server is in Europe. Your connection does not belong to Asia region, but Europe.

How do users access VPN? In early development, VPN was for corporate or company network. Employees had access to connect into the main server. Company should assign security code, certification, or password as authentication process. If you had them, the network was available to connect into your device. That’s similar to VPN, but you are not a part of company. On the other side, providers create account for each user, including certificate or any verification method. When users intend to access VPN, such security procedure is required.

In simple term, VPN is private network in virtual server and connection to hide user activities. Users connect from public network then route to this one. As the result, data is encrypted and ISP does not know what you access. This is simple version as the answer for “what is virtual private network (VPN)?”