In an increasingly technologized world where cyberattacks have become a daily occurrence, everyone can fall victim to cybercrime. Therefore, learning how to keep these threats at bay and taking the necessary measures to protect your privacy while you navigate the virtual realm is more important than ever before. Fortunately, apart from being mindful of your online activity and following basic safety rules, there’s also a range of tools that you can use to enhance your online privacy, and virtual private networks (VPNs) happen to be among the most efficient solutions out there.
So, whether you’re a consumer or a company, using a VPN is always a good idea. Does this mean you can simply choose and install a VPN on your device and you’re good to go? Not exactly. First, you need to understand what a VPN does and learn about the different types of VPN services available, so you can choose the solution that best suits your needs. So, let’s dive in and find out what VPNs are all about and how they can help you.
What is a VPN?
To put it simply, a virtual private network or a VPN is a service that’s designed to secure your internet connection and keep your identity private online. VPNs work by rerouting all the internet traffic from your device, be it a laptop, computer, tablet or smartphone, through a remote VPN server, thus masking your internet protocol address (IP) and keeping your browsing activity private.
Basically, VPNs act as the middlemen between users and the intent, so any information that you send out or receive when you go online first passes through the encrypted connection created by the VPN server. This means that neither your Internet Service Provider (ISP) nor other third parties such as government agencies, corporations or cybercriminals can track your online activity or see the data that goes back and forth between you and different websites or internet users.
As you can assume from this brief description, the benefits of using a VPN are manifold. Apart from securing your online data, hiding your IP address and location from prying eyes and protecting your browsing history, VPNs can also provide greater internet freedom as they allow you to access any type of content from everywhere by bypassing geo-blocking.
The different types of VPN services
Using a VPN service may sound simple and straightforward, but things can get a bit complicated when you realize there’s no single VPN that covers all users’ needs, but various types of VPN services with different features and characteristics. So, let’s take a look at the main VPN categories and their specifications.
Remote access VPN
Probably the most popular type of VPN service at the moment, remote access VPNs are used by a large number of people due to the numerous benefits they provide. As the name implies, remote access VPNs give users the possibility to connect to a private network remotely so they can gain access to all the data and resources that reside on it. The VPN ensures that the connection between the remote users and the network is private and all the data that travels to and from them is secure.
Remote access VPNs are particularly useful for remote employees and professionals who go on business trips frequently and always find themselves working on the go. In both cases, employees can securely access and use the data and files stored on their company’s system as if they were working from the office while making sure that no one can snoop on their activity. This is especially important if the workers are using public Wi-Fi networks as these lack security and can expose unprotected devices to all sorts of online threats.
Personal VPN
A personal VPN, also known as consumer VPN, is designed to meet the needs of the average intent user. This means that users connect to the internet through the VPN service, so they can browse the web in full anonymity, without having to worry about ISPs, governments, advertisers or hackers spying on their online activity. Personal VPNs can also help them sidestep geographical restrictions, so they can access websites and content from all over the world.
While a personal VPN can’t provide access to a private network like a remote VPN does, it is very useful for other purposes such as streaming movies, hiding your IP address to protect your device from distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks, avoiding government surveillance, and enhancing online safety and privacy.
Mobile VPN
Although remote VPNs are a great asset for remote workers, they are only suitable for people who stay in the same place and use the same network while working. If the user changes location, they will disconnect from the VPN service and thus they will lose the protection it provides. That’s why a mobile VPN is better suited for those who are always on the move.
With a Mobile VPN, users usually connect to a private network through a mobile device. This means they can switch between devices, change their location or their network and they will still be connected to the VPN service, enjoying all its benefits.
Site-to-site VPN
Site-to-site VPNs, also called Router-to-Router VPNs, work a bit differently than the aforementioned VPN services. Instead of connecting an individual user to a network, they connect two networks from two different locations. This type of VPN is commonly used in the corporate environment to ensure the safety and protection of data shared between different stakeholders. When the networks connected through a site-to-site VPN belong to the same company, it’s called an intranet-based VPN; when the networks belong to different companies, it’s called an extranet-based VPN.
Final thoughts
Whether it’s for personal or business use, a VPN can be a great addition to your security arsenal. However, you need to be able to distinguish between the different types of VPN services available so you can make an informed decision and choose the right VPN for you.
Members of the editorial and news staff of the Daily Caller were not involved in the creation of this content.