VPN connections are by no means a new invention, but it is now that they are beginning to catch attraction among the general public. While its use was traditionally more common in the business environment, the great versatility of this type of connection and its multiple uses make them increasingly popular.
But what is a VPN and what advantages does it give you? Precisely that versatility we were talking about is the same that creates some other confusion about it, because it is increasingly related to VPN connections with “evil”, because some of its applications include the jump of geographical blocks, greater anonymity on the Web or even blocking advertising.
Someone might have raised the question if the use of VPN could become obsolete, but let’s see if that’s actually true.
The keyword here is virtual since it is this property that generates the need for the VPN itself, as well as the one that allows VPN connections to offer the multiple uses that we will see later.
To connect to the Internet, your mobile, PC, television and other electronic devices communicate with the router or modem that connects your home with your Internet provider, either by cable or wirelessly. The components are different if you are using the data connection of your mobile (which includes its own modem and speaks with the telephone antenna) but the essence is the same: your device connects to another, which connects to the Internet.
The most normal thing is that you do not have one, but several devices connected to the same router: mobiles, computers, consoles … In this case, each one will be assigned a local IP address, which is not visible from the Internet. This is a local network, a set of devices connected in such a way that they can share files and printers without going through the Internet.
Advantages of VPN connections
Now that we know what a VPN connection is and what it is for, it is time to summarize a list of the advantages and disadvantages of using this technology. First, the positive part:
It works in all applications, because it routes all Internet traffic, unlike proxy servers, which you can only use in the web browser and a handful of applications that let you configure advanced connection options.
It connects and disconnects easily. Once configured, you can enable and disable the connection at your leisure.
Additional security in WiFi access points, as long as the connection is encrypted, of course
Your Internet provider cannot know what you do on the Internet. Don’t you fancy letting your Internet provider know that you spend hours watching kitty videos on YouTube? With a VPN they won’t know what you do for a living, but be careful, the company that manages the VPN will know. One good VPN is ExpressVPN (here’s a good review of expressvpn)
Part of the protection of the information that travels through a VPN is encryption, however, verifying that it remains intact is equally transcendental. To achieve this, IPsec uses a mechanism that if it detects any modification within a packet, proceeds to discard it. Protecting the confidentiality and integrity of information using a VPN is a good measure to navigate public and insecure Wi-Fi even if you don’t want to access a corporate resource.
On the other hand, those home users who wish to use a VPN network can choose between free and paid services. It is important to mention that those free usually work slower than one that is not. Also, we recommend reading our Security Guide on wireless networks where we review other measures that can be taken to use a public wireless connection more securely. Let’s enjoy the VPN as long as it is possible.
