What Is A VPN, And How Does It Work?

A map visualizing how a VPN allows access to different geographical locations.

A VPN, which is short for Virtual Private Network, is a service that protects your internet from prying eyes. To do this, it creates a secure connection from your device to one of its servers somewhere in the world. This tunnel of security, enabled through a VPN, sends your web traffic through a secured tunnel to mask your online activity from curious watchers like your Internet Service Provider or governments.

When you go online without a VPN, your device's IP address is visible to every website you visit. That IP can give away where you are in the world and can sometimes be used to track your browsing behavior. When you use a VPN, however, your real IP address is masked. Instead, the IP address of the VPN server to which you connect is displayed to whatever websites you visit. This will make it appear as if you are accessing the internet from the location of the VPN server and not from your actual location.

The way a VPN protects your privacy involves several layers of security. First, it encrypts your data. Encryption pretty much turns readable information into a jumbled code that only someone with the right key can decode. This means that if somehow, someone gets access to your data, they'll just see random characters instead of your personal information or browsing history. Encryption is basically like putting your internet traffic in a locked box that only the VPN server can open.

When you send data through a VPN, it goes from your device to the VPN server before heading out to the internet. As a result, your ISP knows you are connected with a VPN server but has no idea what you do online. This is important because your ISP can collect a ton of data about what you are doing online if you aren't using a VPN, while with a VPN, they only see encrypted traffic going to one place.

VPNs also protect you on public Wi-Fi. Sometimes these public Wi-Fi networks are not secure, meaning that those on the same network as you may also see what you do or may even steal your data. A VPN encrypts your connection over these kinds of networks as well, which makes it very hard for hackers to access your information.

Another way that VPNs protect privacy is by preventing websites from tracking you. Many websites use cookies or other methods to track your browsing across sites. By changing your IP address, a VPN can make it harder for those trackers to build a profile on your browsing habits. Then, there's the question of logging. Some VPNs log what you do, which can be revealed if the authorities come knocking. Many VPNs claim to be "no-logs" VPNs, implying that they don't store any information about what you do online. This means that, in theory, if anyone came to them and asked what you've been up to, there would be nothing to show.

While VPNs are mostly about privacy, it also pertains to accessibility because many websites and services have geographical limitations. With the help of a VPN, you'll be able to hook onto any server elsewhere in the world and access whatever unique services they have there (as if you were there in person), whether it's streaming services or news websites.

However, VPNs are not the answer to all privacy problems. They cannot protect you from every form of tracking or data collection, especially when websites use techniques such as browser fingerprinting that identify you by the uniqueness of your device. A VPN provider might also be compelled to disclose user data if it resides in a country that has very strict data retention laws, even if the provider claims to have a no-logs policy.

There are also practical considerations. Sometimes, using a VPN can make your internet a bit slower because your data has to take a longer route to reach the destination. The quality of the VPN service is important in this matter, however, because some are faster than others. Also, not all VPNs are created equal when it comes to security, so you should only look for VPNs that use strong encryption methods like AES-256.

So, how do you set up a VPN? Well, it’s actually pretty simple: you pick one, download an app or set it up manually on your computer or mobile device, and then connect to a server from its network. Almost all VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android, so this process shouldn’t take too long.