Security and anonymity are two very desirable features in our connections . For this reason, the VPN or virtual private network is a service that is increasingly accessed .
This is a network that masks our IP address while giving us great security by encrypting information, becoming a direct access tunnel to our destination.
Of course, in this post we will tell you in detail what it is and how it works, in addition to letting you know, of course, what are its advantages and disadvantages, the types that There are, the uses that we can give them, we teach you how to set up your own network and, of course, we give you our recommendations so you can try some of these free services and get to know better, and in practice, what is a virtual private network.
Index:
What is a VPN network and how does it work?
VPN stands for the “ virtual private network ” concept in English. This refers to a computer network technology whose main feature is to serve as a secure extension to a LAN that is on another uncontrolled network .
In this way, a computer that is connected to this network will be able to send and receive information about other networks, whether public or shared, in the same way as if it were part of a private network , including its management policies, security and functionality.
For this to happen, you must make a virtual point-to-point connection using encryption and / or dedicated connections .
Of course, we can get several devices to connect to each other within the same network without the need for cables, which enables communication and information exchange with security and privacy.
In order to create, configure and use a VPN, the following is required unless:
- User verification possible . This prevents access to unauthorized persons. Thus, a clueless user will not be able to enter a virtual private company network, a paid user will not be able to access anyone who has not paid a fee, etc.
- Access control . Likewise, specific access to one or other places and data must be given.
- Activity log . The network provider will have a record of its use by time, users and its use.
- Data encryption method . There must be a way in which the information is encrypted to be transmitted with the certainty that it cannot be interpreted if they are intercepted. For this, it works with certain encryption algorithms such as 3DES or AES. With them, the data is read only by sender and final receiver.
- Data integration . We must enable these not to be modified throughout your trip.
- Introduction of the SEAL security algorithm.
- Key update . The encryption must be continuously updated, with an efficient and gentle key management system.
- Undeniable signature . The messages are signed and this fact cannot be denied.
The operation of this resource is quite simple. Conventionally, to access any page you contact your IPS, that is, with the internet provider with which you have the contracted connection. It is this that, through its servers, attends to your demands and launches them where appropriate. This obviously means that you will be seen by him.
When you use a virtual private network, what happens is that r makes a call to a VPN server, whose connection is encrypted . In this way, you get that your ISP does not see the data that is sent from you ; in your eyes, it is the VPN server that is requesting access to the sites , not you. It’s something like a mask that we put on so that he can show his face for us.
Obviously, we must not forget that the masks are supported by fine gummies and that, therefore, is not that we are invisible or anonymous , we simply have one more layer to cover ourselves with.
Why use a VPN server and what advantages does it have?
An IP address is a number that is assigned to devices that connect to a network to identify them. This feature makes them very dangerous, because anyone with access to that information could find out personal data of any of us.
Therefore, using a VPN should start to be a priority for any Internet user today, since the benefits they do not provide are obvious:
- You can circumvent the geographic censorship of the Internet , since we can choose a server hosted in the country we want.
- Hide your IP address in such a way that no one can decipher it to obtain information about it without your authorization.
- Protects you from the risks of using public WiFi networks since all traffic that passes through your device will be secured.
- It will be easy for you to avoid bandwidth limitations that phone companies use to insist on hiring more expensive plans.
- Avoid firewall locks or firewall since being your encrypted IP these will not be applied so easily.
- Protects you from the risks of downloading content via P2P , especially when it comes to pirated content since nobody can know your Internet protocol address.
- Use a VPN too You can improve your experience playing online because by circumventing geographic blocks you can access exclusive content from certain countries.
A priori, we see that this resource is the sea of interesting. And indeed, it is. However, before continuing more it would be worth knowing, point to point, your good things and your bad things, so that everything is very clear and we can consider its hiring and use without any doubt about what we are going to get and what We expose ourselves. Let’s see it.
Benefits and advantages
Of course, enjoying this service you have many good things:
- Compatible with any application . All internet traffic is routed, which makes the VPN connection possible in any application.
- Simple connection . You only have to configure the connection once and, after that, you can connect and disconnect at will without any difficulty. In addition, you can do it from different devices and from different places.
- More security . Security increases, allowing us to send information privately, hide our identification data (IP, location), not be so exposed when we connect to public networks, etc.
- Location falsehood . This allows, in addition to not being related to a specific place, to access vetoed places in the place we are or simply to resources available in other locations.
- Activity concealment With a VPN the internet provider will stop knowing what you do with your service. However, do not forget that the VPN manager does.
- Economics . Virtual private networks are cheaper than other resources that are destined to meet some of the same needs we work in this case.
Risks and disadvantages
On the other hand, we also find some negative aspects to consider:
- User tracking . There are services that track the user to get information to design their usage and navigation statistics; These are generally free. Keep an eye on this aspect if you do not want your activity to be known so that your consumption habits are known on the network, although nobody will point you directly, of course.
- Connection slowdown . It is a direct consequence of the encryption of information.
- False of inappropriate information . The location cannot always be falsified. This is much more difficult if you connect from the mobile phone, because it is on the move and connects to various networks, storing that information without even knowing it.
- Transferable security . We find one more security captain, but it is not impenetrable.
What is a VPN network for and what utilities does it really have?
We have already seen what it is for, in general. However, its operation can be useful in very different tasks, which makes this a resource used by users with very different needs. Let’s see the clearest utilities that are given.
Constrained content consumption
The VPN will help you consume all kinds of content that, in one way or another, has been restricted. We talk about not available, for various reasons, in your country , as Netflix was years ago in Spain or as it is with Facebook in China today.
In this way, if in the place where you are you cannot enjoy them, you falsify your address to make you believe that you are in another place where you do have access to these.
I would also enter here the elusive to the restrictions placed on us by special circumstances , be it the ISP itself or lower steps (for example, library computers that do not allow access to websites of watching videos to not consume all the bandwidth). With the VPN the data is encrypted, so it is not known which sites you are accessing .
Downloads P2P
P2P downloads are not always easy, and that is due, in large part, to boycotting by Internet providers, which block or, at least, make it difficult for you to download content .
Why? Well, first of all, you are generating a lot of traffic, and although its limits are practically incalculable, the truth is that they multiply the bandwidth of thousands and thousands of customers means that, at In the end, this can be reduced.
On the other hand, there is, of course, the fact that one of your downloads is illegal . Nothing happens to anyone, it is assumed, but in case you were investigated for it, your provider would be consistently bothered by the authorities.
For both reasons, what is done is block browsing on certain sites , downloading torrents, software management software, etc. or slow down both the navigation and use that we ourselves desist and stop making downloads on the P2P networks .
The VPN connection will help you not have to go around with such nonsense and you can download, in this method, as much as you want .
Tasks with sensitive information
It is not always the case but the common thing and what is increasingly offered to be competitive is a data packet encryption. With this you can make use of sensitive information , such as your bank access data, from an unprotected network without these being exposed.
Telecommuting
Telecommuting with unencrypted connections is highly insecure; you would be connecting to the company network from an open network or, at best, domestic, easily hackable.
With this resource you encrypt the connection and, at the same time, enjoy the same information that you have in your workplace , in the work network.
Types of VPN networks that exist
As you can imagine there are many types of VPN networks , this resource can be offered in multiple ways, although the essence is always the same. Thus, we can make different classifications of this according to its base, its architecture or the connection that is used.
According to architecture
The VPN architectures that we can find in which a private connection is offered are the following:
Remote access
Users authenticate to connect remotely where appropriate , accessing in a similar way to what would happen in the local network itself.
With the remote access VPN dial-up infrastructures are replaced that have been used for so many years and are based on telephone lines and modems.
Point to point
The server is permanently linked to the internet, being able to accept remote connections that come from authorized sites (remote offices) to connect to a headquarters .
Each branch server is connected through the services of a local internet provider , so as to reduce the cost of traditional point-to-point made with wiring.
Tunneling
With this technique the network protocols are encapsulated over each other , creating what is defined as “network tunnel”, a tunnel appeared in a computer network. For this, a protocol data unit or PDU is required that goes into another encapsulated PDU.
With this method we get a routing of the data packets given on a set of intermediate nodes, which cannot fully know the contents of these . The tunnel created is defined by both ends. The communication protocol used is SSH, which ensures the encryption of the information.
Over LAN
It is similar to the VPN with remote access, with the exception of using the local network of the nerve center instead of the internet to carry out the connections.
With the over LAN we can isolate both services and areas of the internal network, which is an improvement in security that we can offer with the use of wireless networks.
Depending on what they are based on
On the other hand, it would be unnecessary to indicate that we can also make a classification according to what the VPSs are based on.
In this case we would find those based on the client and those that do it on the network:
Customer based
The user connects to a remote network using an application , requiring user information and password. Thus, a computer-network channel is created that will be encrypted and that will be used to securely exchange data.
Network based
A connection between different networks is allowed using the internet .