In this article, we will answer the most common questions about what a VPN server is, tell you whether a VPN can improve your security, whether you need to use Double VPN and how to check if a VPN service keeps logs, as well as what modern technologies exist to protect personal information.
VPN is a virtual private network that provides encryption between the client and the VPN server.
The main purpose of a VPN is to encrypt traffic and change IP addresses.
Let's figure out why and when it is needed.
What is a VPN for
All Internet providers log their clients' activities on the Internet. That is, the ISP knows which sites you have visited. This is necessary in order to give out all information about the offender in case of requests from the police, as well as relieve oneself of all legal responsibility for the user's actions.
There are many situations when a user needs to protect his personal data on the Internet and gain freedom of communication.
Example 1. There is a business and it is necessary to transfer confidential data over the Internet so that no one can intercept it. Most companies use VPN technology to transfer information between branch offices.
Example 2. Many services on the Internet operate on the principle of geo-referencing and deny access to users from other countries.
For example, the Yandex Music service works only for IP addresses from Russia and the countries of the former CIS. Accordingly, the entire Russian-speaking population living in other countries does not have access to this service.
Example 3. Blocking certain sites in the office and in the country. Often in offices, access to social networks is blocked so that employees do not waste their working time on communication.
For example, many Google services are blocked in China. If a resident of China works with a company from Europe, then there is a need to use services such as Google Disk.
Example 4. Hide visited sites from the Internet provider. There are times when you need to hide the list of visited sites from the Internet provider. All traffic will be encrypted.
By encrypting traffic, your ISP does not know which sites you have visited on the Internet. In this case, your IP address on the Internet will belong to the country of the VPN server.
When you connect to a VPN, a secure channel is created between your computer and the VPN server. All data on this channel is encrypted.
With a VPN, you get the freedom to communicate and protect your personal data.
The logs of the ISP will contain a set of different characters. The picture below shows an analysis of the data obtained by a special program.
The HTTP header immediately shows which site you are connecting to. This data is recorded by Internet service providers.
The following picture shows the HTTP header when using a VPN. The data is encrypted and it is impossible to find out which sites you visited.
How to connect to a VPN
There are several ways to connect to a VPN network.
- PPTP is a legacy protocol. Most modern operating systems have removed it from the list of supported ones. The disadvantages of PPTP are poor connection stability. The connection may drop and unsecured data may go online.
- L2TP (IPSec) connection is more reliable. Also built into most operating systems (Windows, Mac OS, Linux, iOS, Android, Windows Phone, and others). Differs in better reliability in contrast to PPTP connections.
- SSTP connectivity has been developed relatively recently. It is only supported on Windows, so it is not widely used.
- IKEv2 is a modern IPSec-based protocol. This protocol replaced the PPTP protocol and is supported by all popular operating systems.
- OpenVPN connection is considered the most reliable. This technology can be flexibly configured and when the connection drops, OpenVPN blocks the sending of unprotected data to the Internet.
There are 2 data transfer protocols for OpenVPN technology:
- UDP protocol - fast (recommended for VoiP telephony, Skype, online games)
- TCP protocol - characterized by the reliability of the transmitted data (requires confirmation of receipt of the packet). Slightly slower than UDP.
How to set up a VPN
Setting up a VPN connection takes a few minutes and differs in the VPN connection method.
We use PPTP and OpenVPN connections on our service.
Security of working with a VPN program
We will always talk about an integrated approach to security. User security does not only consist of the VPN connection itself. It is important which program you use to connect to the VPN server.
Currently, the services offer convenient VPN clients - these are programs that make it easier to set up a VPN connection. We offer a convenient VPN client ourselves. Thanks to such programs, setting up a VPN connection takes less than 1 minute.
When we first started providing VPN services in 2006, all of our users were setting up the official OpenVPN app. It is open source. Of course, it takes longer to set up the official OpenVPN client. But let's figure out what is better to use in terms of anonymity.
VPN client anonymity
We see the danger in using such programs. The thing is that the source code of such programs is the property of the company and in order to preserve the uniqueness of its program, no one publishes it.
Users cannot find out what data the program collects about you in the absence of open source code.
The VPN program can identify you as a specific user even if the logs on the server are turned off.
Any program can have functionality for recording the sites you visit, your real IP address. And since you yourself enter your username into the program, you cannot talk about any anonymity of using the program at all.
If your business requires a high level of anonymity, we recommend that you abandon such VPN programs and use the official OpenVPN open source release.
At first you will find this uncomfortable. But over time, you will get used to it, if the factor of security and anonymity is in the first place for you.
We guarantee that Secure Kit does not store any data about you. But we must warn you that such programs can spy on you.
Another idea for how to increase your security came from the point of view of the geographic location of the servers. It's called an offshore VPN on the Internet.
What is an offshore VPN
Different countries have different levels of legislation. There are strong states with strong laws. And there are small countries whose level of development does not allow for information protection of data in their country.
Initially, the concept of offshore was used to refer to a country in which tax policy has been relaxed. These countries have very low business taxes. Global companies became interested in legal tax evasion in their country, and offshore bank accounts in the Cayman Islands became very popular.
Currently, many countries around the world already have bans on the use of bank accounts in offshore countries.
Most offshore countries are small states located in remote corners of the planet. Servers in such countries are more difficult to find and they are more expensive due to the lack of a developed Internet infrastructure. VPN servers in such countries began to be called offshore.
It turns out that the word offshore VPN does not mean anonymous VPN, but only speaks of territorial affiliation to an offshore state.
Should you use an offshore VPN?
An offshore VPN offers additional benefits in terms of anonymity.
Do you think it is much easier to write an official request:
- to the police department in Germany
- or to the police station for the islands in Antigua Barbuda
An offshore VPN is an extra layer of protection. It is good to use an offshore server as part of a Double VPN chain.
You don't need to use only 1 offshore VPN server and think that it is completely secure. You need to approach your security and anonymity on the Internet from different angles.
Use an offshore VPN as your anonymity link.
And it's time to answer the most frequently asked question. Can anonymous VPN service keep logs? And how to determine if a service is logging?
Anonymous VPN service and logs. How to be?
Anonymous VPN service should not keep logs. Otherwise, he can no longer be called anonymous.
We have compiled a list of questions, thanks to which you can accurately determine whether the service keeps logs.
Now you have complete information about VPN connections. This knowledge is sufficient to make yourself anonymous on the Internet and to make the transmission of personal data secure.
New VPN technologies
Are there any new VPN directions?
We have already talked about the pros and cons of sequential cascading VPN servers (Double, Triple, Quad VPN).
To avoid the disadvantages of Double VPN technology, you can make a parallel cascade of chains. We named it Parallel VPN.
What is Parallel VPN
The essence of Parallel VPN is to route traffic to a parallel data link.
The disadvantage of sequential cascading technology (Double, Triple, Quad VPN) is that each server decrypts the channel and encrypts it into the next channel. The data is sequentially encrypted.
Parallel VPN technology does not have such a problem, since all data is double parallel encrypted. That is, imagine an onion that has multiple peels. In the same way, data travels in a channel that is twice encrypted.
Every year, electronic communications are improving, and more and more high requirements for speed, security and quality of data processing are imposed on information exchange.
And here we will take a closer look at a vpn connection: what it is, what a vpn tunnel is for, and how to use a vpn connection.
This material is a kind of introductory word to a series of articles where we will tell you how to create a vpn on various operating systems.
vpn connection what is it?
So, a virtual private network vpn is a technology that provides a secure (closed from external access) connection of a logical network over a private or public one in the presence of high-speed Internet.
Such a network connection of computers (geographically distant from each other at a considerable distance) uses a point-to-point connection (in other words, “computer-to-computer”).
Scientifically, this type of connection is called vpn tunnel (or tunnel protocol). You can connect to such a tunnel if you have a computer with any operating system with an integrated VPN client capable of forwarding virtual ports using the TCP / IP protocol to another network.
What is vpn for?
The main advantage of vpn is that negotiating parties need a connectivity platform that not only scales quickly, but (above all) ensures data confidentiality, data integrity, and authentication.
The diagram clearly shows the use of vpn networks.
Previously, the server and router must have rules for connections over a secure channel.
How vpn works
When a connection is made via vpn, the message header contains information about the ip-address of the VPN server and the remote route.
Encapsulated data traveling over a public or public network cannot be intercepted because all information is encrypted.
The VPN encryption stage is implemented on the sender's side, and the data is decrypted at the recipient by the message header (if there is a shared encryption key).
After the correct decryption of the message, a VPN connection is established between the two networks, which also allows you to work in the public network (for example, exchange data with the 93.88.190.5 client).
As for information security, the Internet is an extremely insecure network, and a VPN network with OpenVPN, L2TP / IPSec, PPTP, PPPoE protocols is a completely secure and secure way of transferring data.
What is a vpn channel for?
vpn tunneling is used:
Inside the corporate network;
For combining remote offices, as well as small branches;
To service digital telephony with a wide range of telecommunication services;
To access external IT resources;
To build and implement video conferencing.
Why do you need a vpn?
vpn connection is required for:
Anonymous work on the Internet;
Downloading applications when the ip address is located in another regional zone of the country;
Safe work in a corporate environment using communications;
Simplicity and convenience of connection settings;
Providing high speed connection without interruptions;
Creation of a secure channel without hacker attacks.
How to use vpn?
There are endless examples of how vpn works. So, on any computer in the corporate network, when setting up a secure vpn connection, you can use mail to check messages, publish materials from anywhere in the country or download files from torrent networks.
Vpn: what is it in a phone?
Access via vpn on your phone (iPhone or any other android device) allows you to remain anonymous when using the Internet in public places, as well as prevent traffic interception and device hacking.
A VPN client installed on any OS allows you to bypass many of the provider's settings and rules (if the provider has set any restrictions).
Which vpn to choose for the phone?
Android mobile phones and smartphones can use applications from Google Playmarket:
- - vpnRoot, droidVPN,
- - tor browser for surfing networks, aka orbot
- - InBrowser, orfox (firefox + tor),
- - SuperVPN Free VPN Client
- - OpenVPN Connect
- - TunnelBear VPN
- - Hideman VPN
Most of these programs serve for the convenience of "hot" system configuration, placement of launch shortcuts, anonymous Internet surfing, and the choice of the type of connection encryption.
But the main tasks of using a VPN on the phone are checking corporate email, creating video conferencing with multiple participants, and holding meetings outside the organization (for example, when an employee is on a business trip).
What is vpn in iPhone?
Let's consider which VPN to choose and how to connect it to an iPhone in more detail.
Depending on the type of network supported, when you first start the VPN configuration in iphone, you can select the following protocols: L2TP, PPTP and Cisco IPSec (in addition, you can "make" a vpn connection using third-party applications).
All of these protocols support encryption keys, password authentication and certification.
Additional features when setting up a VPN profile on an iPhone include: RSA security, encryption level, and authorization rules for connecting to the server.
For an iphone phone from the appstore, you should choose:
- is a free Tunnelbear app that lets you connect to VPN servers in any country.
- - OpenVPN connect is one of the best VPN clients. Here, to run the application, you must first import the rsa keys through itunes into your phone.
- - Cloak is a shareware application, because for some time the product can be “used” for free, but to use the program after the demo period expires, you will have to buy it.
VPN Creation: Selecting and Configuring Equipment
For corporate communications in large organizations or associations of offices remote from each other, hardware equipment is used that can support uninterrupted, secure network operation.
To implement vpn technologies, the following can act as a network gateway: Unix servers, Windows servers, a network router and a network gateway on which the VPN is installed.
A server or device used to create an enterprise vpn network or a vpn channel between remote offices must perform complex technical tasks and provide a full range of services to users both on workstations and on mobile devices.
Any router or vpn router should provide reliable network operation without freezing. And the built-in vpn function allows you to change the network configuration for work at home, in an organization or a remote office.
Configuring vpn on a router
In general, the VPN configuration on the router is carried out using the router's web interface. On "classic" devices for organizing vpn, you need to go to the "settings" or "network settings" section, where you select the VPN section, specify the type of protocol, enter the settings for your subnet address, mask and specify the range of ip-addresses for users.
In addition, to secure the connection, you will need to specify encryption algorithms, authentication methods, generate negotiation keys, and specify DNS WINS servers. In the "Gateway" parameters, you need to specify the gateway ip-address (your ip) and fill in the data on all network adapters.
If the network has several routers, it is necessary to fill in the vpn routing table for all devices in the VPN tunnel.
Here is a list of the hardware used to build VPN networks:
Dlink routers: DIR-320, DIR-620, DSR-1000 with new firmware or D-Link DI808HV router.
Cisco PIX 501, Cisco 871-SEC-K9 Routers
Linksys Rv082 router with 50 VPN tunnels support
Netgear DG834G router and FVS318G, FVS318N, FVS336G, SRX5308 routers
Mikrotik router with OpenVPN function. RouterBoard RB / 2011L-IN Mikrotik example
Vpn equipment RVPN S-Terra or VPN Gate
ASUS Routers RT-N66U, RT-N16 and RT N-10
ZyXel routers ZyWALL 5, ZyWALL P1, ZyWALL USG
Every day the expanses of the Internet are immediately growing, the number of users is growing. Then providers begin to offer us to use vpn technology. Indeed, this compound has a lot of advantages, but there are practically no disadvantages, we will talk about this below. In this article, we will look at how to set up a vpn connection and why you need it.
What is a VPN server
VPN is an abbreviation in English that translates as "Virtual Private Network". It is important to know that vpn technologies are used over an already established local or Internet network. They easily connect all computers into one single system. The most important and important advantage of vpn is the excellent protection of the transmitted data, which is ensured by encrypting the code.
If computers have physical access to each other, which is provided through a network cable or wi fi connection, then a vpn server must be installed. Don't worry, a regular computer or laptop is perfect for this role. However, you will have to install the necessary software.
The vpn server's task is to manage and configure the connection between the virtual network and the child machine.
On computers or, more simply, machines, you will need to establish a vpn connection. This process can be simplified and written as follows: setting and setting the name of the vpn server, recording the address and password, which will be useful for a successful connection. The trouble is that there are many different operating systems, and, accordingly, the setting is different everywhere. Let's consider the most popular options in more detail.
How to set up a vpn connection in Win XP
How to set up a vpn connection
Follow the instructions below:
- Click on the "Start" button, which is located in the lower left corner of the screen. Go to "Settings", then "Control Panel" and click on the shortcut "Network Connections".
- You need to find the section "Network tasks", here select "Create a connection"
- You can read the welcome from the setup assistant and click "Next".
- Here, select "Connect to a network at the workplace" and click "Next".
- Item "Connection to virtual. network ”, and again“ Next ”.
- Now is the time to pee a little, come up and add a name for the future network.
- Now it's time to use the phone. Dial the provider number and find out the address of the vpn server. After that, put the phone aside and write down the received data.
- Finish your work, it is desirable to select the item in which the installer offers to create a shortcut on the desktop.
After creating a network, the computer should automatically connect you to it. If this does not happen, then do it manually. Do not forget that the created connection can be completely edited and changed.
How to set up vpn on Win 7
More and more people are switching from win xp to win 7, and only the most faithful remain. This is not surprising, time passes, technologies change, and people are drawn to more perfect and simpler ones.
To create a connection on this operating system, you only need to follow the instructions below. The main part of the process practically does not differ from the previous version, but there are still small changes.
vpn server
- Go to Network Sharing Center. To do this, click on the "Start" button, then select "Control Panel".
- Select "Set up a connection".
- You are interested in the item "Connection to the workplace", click "Next".
- The system will ask you a question, which must be answered as follows: "No, create a new network", click on the "Next" link.
- Select the "Use my connection" section. You will have to work with the connection itself later, so we click on the "postpone decision" button.
- In the address field, enter the relevant information that we learned from our provider in advance. After that we call the connection any name we like.
- Pay special attention to the next item, which configures access for other users. If you want to allow other people to use this connection, then select "Allow", otherwise select "Deny".
- Click "Create".
That's all, now you know how to set up a vpn server on Win 7. For convenience, you can install a shortcut with a connection in the quick launch panel or on the desktop. To do this, right-click on the shortcut and click on the "Create shortcut" item, then select it and drag it to the desired location.
To connect to a new connection, double-click on the shortcut, or right-click on it and select "Open".
You can also simplify your further work and select the "Save password and login" item. This way you don't have to enter your personal data all the time.
When you first start the vpn connection system, you can choose your location. If you click on the item "Public place", you will receive additional protection from the win 7 system.
Similar to the win xp system, the seven offers you to make any settings and changes to the system. You can change the password, name and other parameters. To do this, right-click on the connection shortcut and select "Properties".
How to set up vpn and Android OS
Perhaps one article is not enough to describe all the advantages of this operating system. But in our lesson we are dealing with a completely different topic, so it will not deviate from the course. So, in order to make all the settings, you need to do the following:
- Open the settings tab, then select the "Manage wireless networks" item. Here, pay attention to the vpn settings and click on "Add VPN".
- Confirm your actions and add "PPTP VPN".
- As usual, you will have to give a name to the new connection, then specify the server address (we obtained it from the provider) and save all changes.
- It remains only to connect to the network, to do this, double-click on the shortcut.
- In the window that appears, enter your personal data - password and login.
Now you know how to set up vpn on Android. It is worth mentioning that any settings and changes can be made here. And also you can create a shortcut for convenience, save your personal data and make this connection autoload.
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How to use a VPN on iPhone, iPad and iPod touch
VPN is a feature available on iPhone, iPad and iPod touch that allows you to change the IP address of your device when you access the Internet. There are several ways to take advantage of it.
What is a VPN for
The use of a VPN leads to the fact that when accessing the Internet, all sites and other objects that request your IP will not receive your individual number, which says from which location you enter the network, but another, tied to another place or another country ...
This function can come in handy in cases where you need to go to a site that is blocked in your country, or enter any resource blocked by the settings of the Wi-Fi network through which the connection is made. VPN provides anonymity, that is, no one will know that it was from your device that a particular Internet resource was entered.
That is, if you are, for example, in Russia, then with the help of a VPN, you can set such an IP for your connection, thanks to which it will be displayed everywhere that you are, for example, in Italy.
VPN use is officially prohibited in Russia.
How to use a VPN
On iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch, there are two ways to use VPN services: through the device's built-in settings or a third-party app.
Using VPN through built-in settings
To use this method, you will have to find a website that provides VPN services in advance and create an account on it.
Video: configuring VPN using the system
Using a VPN through a third party app
There are many VPN programs available. One of the best is Betternet, which can be installed for free from the App Store. To connect and disconnect the VPN, you need to press just one button, and the time of using the VPN is not limited. That is, you do not have to manually enter settings, create accounts or use any other additional services. It is enough to install the application, go into it and press the Connect button to connect and Disconnect to disconnect.
Connecting or disconnecting from VPN via Betternet Also, you can independently choose which country the VPN will link you to.
Choosing a VPN server over Betternet Video: VPN setup with Betternet
What to do if the VPN icon is missing
If the device is connected to the network via VPN, then the icon in the top notification bar will correspond to this. The disappearance of this icon means that you are still connected to the Internet, but forwarding via VPN is over. That is, the VPN connection is interrupted, it can be deactivated on its own due to an unstable Internet connection or problems on the server providing VPN services. In this case, you must manually reconnect to the VPN again using one of the methods described above. You may need to reboot the device first, and only then reconnect.
VPN icon in the notification bar What to do if VPN doesn't work
The VPN connection may not work for two reasons: an unstable Internet connection or a problem with the server providing the VPN service. First, check if your mobile internet or Wi-Fi connection is stable. Secondly, check the correctness of the entered settings if you used the first method described above, or install any other application other than the one described above in the second method if you used it.
The best way to get rid of your VPN connection problem is to choose a different service or app. The main thing is to find the VPN that will work in your area.
VPN allows you to take advantage of services blocked in your area. You can use it through the Apple device settings or a third-party application.
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VPN - what is it, how to create a connection to a free virtual server and set up a connection
Virtual Private Network is a virtual private network that is used to provide secure connections within corporate connections and Internet access. The main plus of VPN is high security due to encryption of internal traffic, which is important when transferring data.
What is a VPN connection
When faced with this abbreviation, many people ask: VPN - what is it and why is it needed? This technology opens up the possibility of creating a network connection over another. VPN works in several modes:
- node-network;
- network-network;
- node-node.
The organization of a private virtual network at the network levels allows the use of TCP and UDP protocols. All data that passes through computers is encrypted. This is additional protection for your connection. There are many examples that explain what a VPN is and why you should use one. This issue will be discussed in detail below.
Each provider is able to provide user activity logs upon request of the relevant authorities. Your internet company records all the activities that you took online. This helps relieve the provider of any responsibility for the actions taken by the client. There are many situations in which you need to protect your data and gain freedom, for example:
- A VPN service is used to send confidential company data between branches. This helps protect sensitive information from being intercepted.
- If you need to bypass the geographic location of the service. For example, the Yandex Music service is available only to residents of Russia and residents of the former CIS countries. If you are a Russian-speaking resident of the United States, then you will not be able to listen to the recordings. A VPN service will help you bypass this ban by replacing the network address with a Russian one.
- Hide website visits from the provider. Not every person is ready to share their activities on the Internet, so they will protect their visits with the help of a VPN.
How VPN works
When you use a different VPN channel, your IP will belong to the country where this secure network is located. When connected, a tunnel will be created between the VPN server and your computer. After that, the provider's logs (records) will contain a set of incomprehensible characters. Analysis of the data by a special program will not give results. If you do not use this technology, then the HTTP protocol will immediately indicate which site you are connecting to.
VPN structure
This connection consists of two parts. The first is called an "internal" network, you can create several of these. The second is "external", through which the encapsulated connection takes place, usually the Internet is used. It is also possible to connect to the network of a separate computer. The user is connected to a specific VPN through an access server connected simultaneously to the external and internal networks.
When a VPN software connects a remote user, the server requires two important processes: first identification, then authentication. This is necessary to obtain the rights to use this connection. If you complete these two steps completely successfully, your network is empowered to work. Essentially, this is an authorization process.
VPN classification
There are several types of VPNs. There are options for the degree of security, the method of implementation, the level of work according to the ISO / OSI model, the protocol involved. You can use paid access or Google's free VPN service. Based on the degree of security, channels can be "secure" or "trusted". The latter are needed if the connection itself has the required level of protection. To organize the first option, the following technologies should be used:
How to create a VPN server
For all computer users, there is a way how to connect VPN yourself. Below will be considered an option on the Windows operating system. This manual does not provide for the use of additional software. The setting is carried out as follows:
- To make a new connection, you need to open the network access panel. Start typing the word "Network Connections" in your search.
- Click on the "Alt" button, in the menu click on the "File" section and select "New incoming connection".
- Then set the user who will be provided with a connection to this computer via VPN (if you have only one account on your PC, then you must create a password for it). Install the bird and click "Next".
- Next, you will be prompted to select the type of connection, you can leave a tick in front of "Internet".
- The next step will be to enable network protocols that will work on this VPN. Check all boxes except the second. Specific IP, DNS gateways and IPv4 ports can be set if desired, but it's easier to leave the automatic assignment.
- When you click on the "Allow access" button, the operating system will independently create a server, display a window with the name of the computer. You will need it to connect.
- This completes the creation of a home VPN server.
How to set up a VPN on Android
Above, I described a way to create a VPN connection on a personal computer. However, many have long performed all actions using the phone. If you don't know what a VPN for Android is, then all the above facts about this type of connection are also true for a smartphone. The configuration of modern devices ensures comfortable use of the Internet at high speed. In some cases (for launching games, opening sites), they use proxy substitution or anonymizers, but VPN is better suited for a stable and fast connection.
If it is already clear to you what a VPN to a phone is, then you can go directly to creating a tunnel. This can be done on any Android-enabled device. The connection is made as follows:
- Go to the section with settings, click on the "Network" section.
- Find the item called "Advanced Settings" and go to the "VPN" section. Next, you will need a pin code or password that will unlock the ability to create a network.
- The next step is to add a VPN connection. Specify a name in the "Server" field, a name in the "username" field, set the connection type. Tap on the "Save" button.
- After that, a new connection will appear in the list, which you can use to change your standard connection.
- An icon will appear on the screen to indicate that there is a connection. If you tap on it, you will be provided with statistics of received / transmitted data. You can also disable the VPN connection here.
Video: Free VPN
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How to enable VPN in Opera: instructions for PC and smartphones (2017)
Let's take a look at how to quickly enable VPN mode in your Opera browser to stay anonymous on the network.
This technology allows you not only to hide your location, but also to protect all data that is transmitted and processed during the session.
Only after connecting a private network is it better to log in to social networks, enter logins and passwords and make transactions via the Internet. Most often, for users, technology is not so important for protecting data as for opening access to blocked sites and services.
Content:
The browser developers have created a built-in system for protecting user data. The network can now be activated without downloading additional programs and browser extensions.
The user just needs to activate the mode and continue using the sites as usual.
Before using the mode, make sure the following requirements are met:
- Opera 40 or a newer version of the browser is installed on the computer. Older versions of the program do not support built-in VPN mode. You can download the latest version of Opera for free on the developer's official website;
- In the operating system and other browsers, all programs that create a private data exchange network are disabled. Enabling several VPNs at once does not make sense and can cause traffic failure.
To enable in the desktop version, follow the instructions:
- Open your browser and click on the "Settings" item in the main menu tab, or press the Alt + P key combination;
Fig. 2 - the main browser window
- In the window that opens, find the security settings tab and select it;
- On the right side of the window, check the "VPN" checkbox to activate the virtual private network.
Figure 3 - Activating a private network using built-in browser functions
After enabling the option, the Internet connection speed may drop by an average of 20% -30%. This is due to the fact that all user requests are first sent not to the provider, but to a remote server, which requires additional time.
The provider of the proxy server for the built-in VPN is SurfEasy Inc.
It's no secret that many people, in some cases, use a virtual private network or VPN when connecting to the Internet on their computer or smartphone. This may sound paranoid, but there are real threats and situations are only getting worse. On Wi-Fi networks, unscrupulous people can try to intercept your information. And whenever you connect to the Internet, your Internet Service Provider (ISP) has access to everything you send. On the web, advertisers and spies can track your movements between websites and differentiate your location by looking at your IP address. This is scary! And in order to prevent and protect yourself, you need to use a VPN, and we will describe how to set up a VPN in this article.
The point is, the internet itself was not designed to protect your privacy. It was created for easy exchange of information, not user privacy, anonymity, or encrypted communication. Although HTTPS is designed to protect your information, it does not protect against attempted internet attacks or local network attacks, which is a major problem if you've ever used a connection that doesn't belong to you. For example, in a hotel or cafe.
Thus, a more private, closed internet will not become a reality (perhaps never), using a VPN is the easiest way to make sure you share as little information as possible.
What a VPN does and does not
As with any security tool, it is important to understand the capabilities of a VPN.
After all, you don't expect a Kevlar vest to keep you from falling out of an airplane, it's built to stop a bullet.
When you turn on VPN, your traffic is routed through an encrypted tunnel to a server managed by the VPN company. This means that your ISP or anyone connected to your router will not be able to see your web traffic. From the VPN server, your traffic goes online.
Since your traffic is coming from the VPN server, your actual IP address is hidden. This is important because IP addresses are distributed geographically and can be used to determine location. If someone checks your IP address, they will see the IP address of the VPN server. This can come in handy if you want to spoof your location. By connecting to a VPN server in London, it looks like you are connecting to the internet from the UK.
What the VPN won't do is completely anonymous traffic. To do this, you will need to use Tor. This excellent anonymization is easily accessible through a special version of the Firefox browser. Instead of just sending your data through one VPN server on the network, your data is being pushed across several different computers. This makes it much more difficult for anyone trying to track your actions and understand what you are doing.
In addition, websites can track your movements using cookies, online trackers, and other sophisticated tools. Using an ad blocker like Adblock Plus will help suppress these nasty things and will make access much more difficult and it will be more difficult for advertisers to study your internet traffic.
Finally, just because you have a VPN does not mean you can forget the basics of security. While some VPN services claim to be able to block malware, we recommend standalone antivirus software for your computer because these tools are specifically designed to protect your computer from malicious software. Another precaution is to use common sense when clicking on links or opening email attachments. Phishing attacks - when an attacker uses a bogus website that mimics a familiar one to trick you into entering your credentials - are very common, so stay alert.
How to choose a VPN
When we consider VPN, there are several key metrics that we are looking for. First, the VPN service must allow you to simultaneously connect to at least five devices. Another is whether the VPN service supports BitTorrent traffic on its servers.
Speaking of payments, the average cost for a VPN service is $ 10.53 per month. A VPN service that charges more per month should offer something substantial, like a great interface or a lot of server locations to sweeten. You can usually get a discount if you buy for a long term, but we recommend avoiding them until you are sure you are happy with the service.
Before signing up for a VPN, be sure to read its terms of service.
This document will outline the information that the VPN collects and what it does with that information. Most companies say they don't log traffic, which is great. Others go further by saying that they have no control over user activity at all. This is important because the VPN provider has access to all the information that you are trying to protect from others. Be sure to read this question and consider trying a different service if the conditions don't work for you. The most important thing about a VPN is trust. If location, pricing, or terms of service don't fill you with confidence, try a different service.
Free VPN or Paid?
We recently polled 1,000 people at WoW IT, asking questions about using VPN.
According to our results:
- 62.9 percent said they did not want to pay more than $ 5 per use.
- 47.1 percent said they want to use a free VPN.
Some services offer a free trial, but usually for a limited time. Others, like TunnelBear and AnchorFree Hotspot Shield Elite, are completely free versions, but may limit some of the options for paid users. For example, TunnelBear has a data surcharge for free users. On the other hand, Hotspot Shield has a free ad-supported version. The Opera browser, until recently, had a free VPN and did not charge anything to use it. Opera separately offers great VPN apps for Android and iOS, also completely free of charge, extending protection wherever you go.
How to set up a VPN and get started with it
After you buy the service, the first thing to do is download the company's app. The VPN service website usually has a download page. Next, download applications for your mobile devices; you will want to protect as many of your devices as possible. Typically, you pay one subscription fee for a certain number of licenses (usually five), you can use this service on any device for which applications are provided. If suddenly you run into problems and you cannot configure VPN, the support service of the company where you purchased the VPN will always come to your aid. This is another plus of the paid app. 
After you have installed the application, you will be prompted to enter your login details. In most cases, this is the username and password that you created during registration. Some companies, such as Private Internet Access, assign you a username that is different from your credentials to give customers more privacy.
After logging in, your VPN application usually connects to the VPN server closest to your current location. This is done to provide faster VPN speeds as latency and speed reduction increases with the distance to the VPN server from your actual location. Like this: Your information is now securely tunneled to the VPN server.
Note that you do not need to install the VPN company app. Instead, you can configure your device's network settings to connect directly to the VPN service. If you are concerned about in-app surveillance, this might be a good option for you. Most VPN services will have documentation on how to set up your device.
Maybe you want to spoof your location, use BitTorrent over VPN, or want to take advantage of some of the custom servers provided by your VPN company.
Many VPN companies include an interactive map as part of their app. For example, NordVPN allows you to click on countries to connect to these servers. This is a useful way to understand where your information is going.
The choice of server depends entirely on what you want to achieve. For security and speed, you must choose a server that is nearby. To access region-specific content, you need a server that is local to the content you want to watch. If you're trying to watch the BBC, you need to sneak into the UK. Some VPN companies like KeepSolid VPN Unlimited and NordVPN have dedicated servers for streaming video.
These dedicated servers are useful because streaming services like Netflix block VPNs. It's about the licensing of Netflix deals. For example, Netflix is \u200b\u200beligible to provide Star Trek: Discovery outside of the US, but in the US you have to pay for the service.
It's also a good idea to check if your VPN service is giving BitTorrent traffic on any server or only specific ones. NordVPN clearly states that the servers do not provide torrenting traffic.
Other services such as NordVPN and ProtonVPN have advanced security options such as access to Tor virtual networks or multihop. Tor, as mentioned above, is a way to better protect your privacy and allows you to open hidden websites on the so-called Dark Web. Multihop VPN Instead of just routing your traffic through one VPN server, connecting across multiple hosts connects you to one server and then to another.
If you choose to ignore third-party applications and manually configure your network settings, you may have to enter information for each VPN server separately.
Advanced VPN settings
The feature set in each VPN varies from service to service, so we can only summarize what you can see when you open the Settings panel. But we recommend that you read the documentation and try a few buttons. In the end, the best way to learn how to use the tool is to give it a try.
Most VPN services include a Kill-Switch feature. Once enabled, this setting prohibits the computer from transmitting or receiving information over the Internet, unless VPN is enabled. This is useful when your computer is disconnected from the VPN, and it can prevent small pieces of data from penetrating unencrypted ones.
We recommend using the OpenVPN protocol. Open source, so as many potential vulnerabilities have been tested and set up a VPN, you can easily. IKEv2 is also a good, secure option if OpenVPN is not available. Please note that on some platforms such as macOS and iPhone, OpenVPN is not always available due to additional restrictions set by the developers. The best VPNS for iPhone give you access to the latest and greatest protocols available on this platform.
How do I set up a VPN and use it?
For maximum security, you should use a VPN as often as possible and ideally all the time. But this is ideal and it is not always achievable. At a minimum, you should use a VPN when you're using a network that you don't control, and especially if it's a public Wi-Fi network. But in general, we recommend that users install VPN by default in their apps. You can always disconnect if it causes a problem.
VPNs for Android and other mobile devices are a bit tricky, especially if you move frequently and get cell phone coverage. Every time you lose and restore your connection, the VPN should reconnect. At the same time, it is less likely that your mobile traffic can be intercepted, but as the researchers prove, it can be done. And given that law enforcement and intelligence agencies, in fact, freely use access to telecommunications data, it is recommended to use a VPN even over a cellular connection. Plus, most mobile devices can automatically connect to any familiar Wi-Fi network. At a minimum, you should use a VPN when connecting over Wi-Fi.
If you are concerned that a VPN is slowing down your connections or blocking important traffic, you should take a look at the split tunneling options. Again, different companies give this feature different names, but the bottom line is that you can decide which apps will use the VPN for their traffic and which apps can work without the VPN. For example, TunnelBear includes the option to not tunnel Apple apps to ensure they function properly on a Mac.
How to set up VPN for streaming using Chromecast or AirPlay
Chromecast and AirPlay let you stream music and videos from your computer or mobile device to speakers, TVs, and streaming boxes. But they all require Wi-Fi, which can be a problem when using a VPN.
When VPN is enabled, your traffic travels through an encrypted tunnel, preventing devices from finding each other on the same Wi-Fi network. This is as it should be, since you don't want anyone to follow the network and know what you are doing. Unfortunately, this also means Chromecast and AirPlay won't work if you enable VPN.
Chromecast Ultra
The easiest solution is to turn off the VPN, but that's not the only option. You can use split tunneling, as mentioned above, to route only traffic that you want to protect over the VPN. You can use a VPN browser plugin that only encrypts your browser traffic and nothing else.
Alternatively, you can install and configure a VPN on your router. This means that all devices connected to your router, from your phone to your smart juicer, will have encrypted traffic. This is a great option for a smart home.
VPNs are not a rocket
Too many of you don't use a VPN just because they think it's a secret security tool. But many companies have worked hard to make them user-friendly and easy to use. Most install and forget about security tools, as they should. And while opening your wallet to defend against potential threats is always annoying, buying a VPN is one of the best and easiest ways to protect your web traffic.
If you are unable to set up a VPN or have problems with it, the WoW IT team is always ready to help.
Today I will tell you how to set up a vpn connection between two computers. I recently discovered this possibility. It turns out that you don't need to configure a VPN server to create a VPN connection.
Why do I need this? For connection to a single network, two computers remote at a long distance. The distance between them is about 50 km. Accordingly, it will not be possible to connect to a physical network. How to do this, and what is needed for this, read on.
For a long time, the idea to connect these computers appeared, but everyone did not get around. Ask for what? For throwing photos and personal documents between them, for playing on the network.
To implement the plan, one of the computers (the one on which the VPN connection will be created) must have a dedicated IP address. Nothing else is needed.
Create a network
And so let's get started. For the machine on which the VPN connection will be created, I will use my home machine.
Open "Network Control Center ..." from "Control Panel", in this window click on "Change settings"
In the "Network Connections" window that opens, press the Alt key to display the menu buttons and select the "File" - "New Incoming Connection" menu
Now you should select a user who will have the right to connect to the VPN network. I did not select an existing user, but created a new one with the name “ vpn”
In the next window, leave a check mark and click "Next"
Leave the protocols selected by default and click "Allow Access"
Done! Click "Close"
You now have a new network incoming connection
Connecting to the network
To connect to the created network, open the "Network Control Center" on the remote computer and click on "Set up a new connection ..."
In the next window, select "Connect to the workplace"
Now select "Use my connection"
In the next window, enter the address of the machine on which the VPN is configured (a dedicated IP is required, if the machine is connected via a router, configure port forwarding on the router and specify the IP address with the "address: port" port)
Now it remains to enter the login (the one that was created for the VPN connection) and the password, and then click “Connect”.
Once connected, computers will see each other on the network as if they were on the same local network.
