Why do you need a VPN? Description of connection and correct configuration. Everything about VPN services for beginners from vpnMentor

They have become commonplace. True, no one really thinks about what is behind the concept like “VPN, setup, use, etc.” Most users prefer not to delve into the jungle of computer terminology and use standard templates. But in vain. From knowledge about such connections, you can derive a lot of benefits, for example, increase traffic or connection speed, etc. Let's see what a connection to a virtual network actually is, using the example of the interaction of Windows operating systems on a desktop computer terminal and Android on a mobile device

What is VPN

Let's start with the fact that VPN setup is impossible without the general principle of understanding the essence of the connection being created or used.

To explain in simple words, such a network necessarily contains a so-called router (the same router), which provides computers or mobile devices trying to connect to an existing network with standard additional IP addresses for accessing the local network or the Internet.

In this case, a virtual network in which there is an activated VPN connection setting accepts any device connected to it and is assigned a unique internal IP address. The range of such addresses in the usual standard is from zero to the value 255.

What’s most interesting is that even when accessing the Internet, the external IP address of the device from which the request is made is not so easy to determine. There are several reasons for this, which will be discussed below.

The simplest VPN setup for Android

Almost all virtual networks using a wireless connection like Wi-Fi work on the same principle - assigning free IP addresses from the available range. It is not surprising that any mobile device can easily be connected to them (but only if it supports the appropriate connection protocols).

However, today any smartphones or tablets based on the Android OS have in their functionality the option of connecting the same Wi-Fi. The network is detected automatically if the device is within its coverage area. The only thing you may need is to enter a password. The so-called “shared” ones do not require a password at all.

In this case, you need to go to the main settings on your smartphone or tablet and activate the Wi-Fi connection. The system itself will determine the presence of radio modules at a distance of 100-300 meters from the device (it all depends on the model of the distribution router). Once the network is identified, a menu will be displayed with all available connections and their blocking indication. If the network has a padlock icon, it is password protected (however, this will be indicated initially in the message). If you know the password, enter it.

In public networks, where login using a password is not provided, it is even simpler. Has the network been determined? All. Click on connection and use it. As is already clear, VPN configuration in this case is not required at all. It’s another matter when you need to use the settings of Windows or another operating system (even a mobile one) to create a connection or assign the status of a VPN distribution server to a computer terminal or laptop.

Creation on Windows

With operating systems of the Windows family, not everything is as simple as most users think. Of course, they automatically recognize a network or connection via Wi-Fi, ADSL, or even a direct connection via an Ethernet network card (subject to the presence of installed equipment). The question is different: if the distributor is not a router, but a laptop or desktop computer, how to get out of this situation?

Main settings

Here you will have to delve into the VPN settings. Windows as an operating system is considered first.

First you need to pay attention not even to the settings of the system itself, but to its accompanying components. True, when creating a connection or using it to the maximum, you will have to configure some protocols such as TCP/IP (IPv4, IPv6).

If the provider does not provide such services automatically, you will have to make settings indicating previously received parameters. For example, when connecting automatically, the fields in the Internet browser properties for filling will be inactive (there will be a dot on the item “Obtain an IP address automatically”). That is why you do not have to enter the values ​​of the subnet mask, gateway, DNS or WINS servers manually (especially for proxy servers).

Router settings

Regardless of whether the VPN is configured on an ASUS laptop or terminal (or any other device), access to the network is still common.

To do it correctly, you need to go to its own menu. This can be done using any Internet browser, provided that the router is directly connected to a computer or laptop.

In the address field, enter the value 192.168.1.1 (this corresponds to most models), after which you should activate the enable function (using the router parameters in advanced mode). Typically this line looks like WLAN Connection Type.

Using VPN Clients

VPN clients are quite specific programs that work like anonymous proxy servers that hide the true IP address of the user's computer when accessing a local network or the Internet.

Actually, the use of programs of this type is reduced to almost complete automation. The VPN setting in this case, in general, is not important, since the application itself redirects requests from one server (mirror) to another.

True, you will have to tinker a little with setting up such a client, especially if you want to make the maximum number of available connections in your home virtual network. Here you will have to choose between software products. And it should be noted that some applications, even the smallest in size, sometimes surpass the commercial products of many well-known brands, for which you also have to pay (by the way, a lot of money).

What about TCP/IP?

It goes without saying that almost all of the above settings affect the TCP/IP protocol to one degree or another. Today nothing better has been invented for comfort. Even remote anonymous proxy servers or local data stores still use these settings. But you need to be careful with him.

It is best to contact your provider or system administrator before changing settings. But one thing must be clearly remembered: even when setting the values ​​manually, as a rule, the subnet mask has the sequence 255.255.255.0 (it can change), and all IP addresses begin with the values ​​192.168.0.X (the last letter can have from one to three characters ).

Conclusion

However, all these are subtleties of computer technology. The same VPN client for Android can provide communication between multiple smart devices. But the biggest snag is whether it’s worth using such a connection on a mobile gadget.

If you noticed, we didn’t go into too much technical detail. This is rather a descriptive instruction about general concepts. But even that simple example, I think, will help, so to speak, to understand the very essence of the issue. Moreover, with a clear understanding of it, the whole problem will be reduced only to the system settings, which will not affect a specific user in any way.

But here you need to be very careful. Actually, for those who do not know what a VPN connection is, this will not help much. For more advanced users, it is worth saying that creating a virtual network using Windows OS’s own tools is not recommended. You can, of course, use the initial settings, however, as practice shows, it is better to have some additional client in stock, which will always be like an ace in the hole.

In the 21st century, information technologies occupy an integral place in the life of almost any person. Even an 80-year-old grandmother from a village who does not know how to turn on a computer is indirectly connected with them. Databases, bank accounts, messenger accounts - all this requires a high level of security. The Internet, which has grown to a global scale, like any other mechanism, becomes more vulnerable as its design becomes more complex. To protect confidential information, VPN technology was invented.

VPN connection (from the English Virtual Private Network - virtual private network) is a technology that allows you to artificially form a local network of Internet participants who are not physically connected by a direct connection. This is an add-on to the global network that provides communication between nodes that appears direct from the client side.

How a VPN connection works

A VPN virtual network works on the principle of establishing a fixed connection. Communication can be established directly, between two nodes of the same level (on a network-to-network or client-client basis), or (more commonly) between a network and a client. One of the elements (the connection initiating server) must have a static (permanent) IP address at which other network nodes will find it. An access point is created on the server in the form of a gateway with Internet access. Other network participants join it, the connection is made in the form of an isolated tunnel.

For all switching nodes through which data packets pass, the information is encrypted. It is transmitted in the form of an unintelligible stream, the interception of which will give hackers nothing. Encoding-decoding keys for many protocols (for example, OpenVPN) are stored only on end devices. And without them, attackers cannot do anything with the intercepted data. For maximum security, an archive with certificates and keys (without which it will not be possible to install a secure VPN) can be sent in encrypted form, or manually transferred to a flash drive. In this case, the likelihood of unauthorized access to network computers is reduced to zero.

Why do you need a VPN?

Direct communication

On the Internet, the physical distance between participants and the complexity of the route along which they exchange data do not matter. Thanks to IP addressing and DNS nodes, you can access another computer on the World Wide Web from anywhere in the world. The level of security of the connection is much more important, especially when exchanging confidential information. The more switching points (routers, gateways, bridges, nodes) data passes through, the higher the likelihood of it being intercepted by attackers. Having the physical parameters of a PC or server (for example, its IP address) - through vulnerable connection methods, hackers can penetrate it by breaking password protection. It is precisely from such attacks that the VPN protocol is designed to protect.

Unblocking access to resources

The second function of VPN networks is to open access to blocked resources. If Internet censorship is in effect in a country in one form or another (as in China), its citizens may be limited in access to certain resources. Accessing the network through foreign VPN servers allows you to avoid the threat of reprisals to representatives of opposition forces in totalitarian countries. State authorities that interfere with freedom of speech (as in China or the DPRK) will not be able to bring charges of viewing “ideologically harmful” resources, even if providers provide them with a backup of all intercepted data.

Some online services may block access to customers from countries and regions where they are not officially present. This is sometimes done by online games, international payment systems, trading platforms, online stores, online distribution systems for digital content (music, films, games). A VPN server based in a country where access is open removes such restrictions and allows you to make purchases.

Protection against hacking of private resources

Another reason why private clients need a VPN connection is remote administration. If you want to protect your server as much as possible from outside interference, you can create a “white list” of IP addresses that have access to it. When one of them (addresses) belongs to a private VPN server, you can safely connect to the administered server from anywhere in the world using encrypted communication. The administration object will consider that it was connected to from an authorized terminal, and the administrator does not have to worry about the risk of hacking.

Protection of trade secrets

VPN protocols are in demand in commercial structures that work with money and economic secrets. The virtual secure network prevents hackers from hacking accounts or finding out industrial secrets and technologies. Employees who, due to their duties, need to gain access to the company’s network resources from home or on a business trip, can organize a connection via VPN without exposing the corporate network to the threat of hacking.

In this article, I will tell you what is a VPN and why is it needed?.

If earlier the Internet was used to a greater extent only to open a website, find out useful information and perhaps even leave a comment, then today, in principle, nothing has changed. People still open their browser to read interesting and necessary things. However, there is still a difference.

It lies in the abundance of personal and important information passing through the Internet. Therefore, many technologies have been invented to protect them. One of them is VPN, which will be discussed further.

Note: The article is written in simple words and does not contain many technical aspects, as it is intended for initial information.

What is VPN

VPN(Virtual Private Network) is an approach that allows you to organize a private network on top of the main network. In simple words, for example, create a shared private network of computers located in different parts of the world. A more realistic example is the ability to control a computer at home from anywhere from a laptop as if you had never left.

It is worth noting that most often we are talking about a secure connection, since for the most part using a VPN involves transferring data over the Internet. Continuing the example given earlier, when connecting from a laptop via a public WiFi network to your computer in order to download important documents or simply look at photo albums, attackers would not be able to see them.

However, VPN can be used in very specific ways. For example, as I already described in the article how to bypass website blocking, an encrypted connection is created with a certain remote VPN server and this server sends requests to websites. In this case, your IP address and other technical issues remain hidden from the site.

Another important point is that when using a secure VPN, the traffic will be encrypted even for the provider.

How everything happens with a secure VPN

First of all, you should know that there are three types of connection:

1. Node-node. This is a connection between two separate computers (nodes) via a secure VPN.

2. Node-network. In this case, we are talking about the fact that on the one hand there is one computer, and on the other hand a certain local network.

3. Network-network. This is the combination of two local networks into one.

If you are an ordinary user who knows nothing about the network, then it may seem that these types are significantly different. Of course, there are technical nuances, but for a simple understanding, all these networks can be reduced to one “Node-node”. The fact is that in the case of a network, just a computer or router through which Internet access is provided also organizes and carries out communication via VPN. That is, computers inside the network may not even know about the presence of any VPN.

Now, let's look at how everything happens when using a VPN (in general):

1. Special programs are installed and configured on computers to create a VPN tunnel (in simple words, a VPN connection). If this is a router, then many specialized models natively support such connections.

Note: It is worth knowing that there are three types of programs: “client” (only connects to other computers), “server” (provides and organizes access for VPN clients) and “mixed” (can both create connections and receive them).

2. When a computer wants to communicate with another computer, it contacts the VPN server to establish an encrypted tunnel. As part of this step, the client and server exchange keys (in encrypted form), if necessary.

4. The VPN server decrypts the original data and acts based on it.

5. The server also encrypts its response and transmits it to the client.

6. The client decrypts the response.

As you can see, the basic idea of ​​a VPN is very simple - keys are exchanged, and then the client and server send encrypted messages to each other. However, it gives a huge advantage. Except for the IP address of the VPN client and server, all data is transmitted in private form, that is, the security of the transmission of personal and important information is ensured.

Why do you need a VPN?

VPN is usually used for the following two purposes:

1. Secure data transmission on the Internet. The data is initially transmitted in encrypted form, so even if an attacker can intercept it, he will not be able to do anything with it. A well-known example is HTTPS with SSL or TLS to access sites. In this case, a secure VPN tunnel is established between the site and the computer that opened it, so the data is safe at the time of transmission.

Note: HTTPS means that data is encrypted with SSL or TLS and then sent in a standard manner, just like HTTP.

2. Connecting computers from different parts of the world into one network. Agree that it can be very useful to have access to computers located hundreds of kilometers away from you at any time. For example, so as not to carry everything you need with you. If you need photos or some documents, go online, connect to your home computer and download them in safe mode. Or, for example, if you have two networks, then by combining them using routers (creating a VPN tunnel), you can access any computer without any additional actions.

Previously, the state had a rather mediocre understanding of the Internet, so it did not legally interfere with users. Today, while walking on the World Wide Web, you can increasingly come across the phrase: “This site is included in the register of prohibited sites” or “Your ISP has blocked access.”

So, if you want to regain complete freedom of action on the Internet and acquire another level of protection, then you definitely need to familiarize yourself with the technology of virtual private networks - VPN.

VPN: term and principle of operation

Virtual Private Network (VPN) is the name of a technology that allows the creation and overlay of one or more networks on top of any other user network.

Now, how exactly does a VPN work? Your computer has a specific IP address that blocks access to certain sites. You enable VPN technology through some program or extension. VPN changes your address to an address from a server in another country (for example, Holland or Germany).

Next, a security connection is created, which cannot be blocked by the provider. As a result, you get a secure protocol through which you can freely visit any Internet site, and completely anonymously.

Structure and types of technology

The whole technology works in two layers. The first is an internal network, the second is an external one. When you connect to the technology, the system identifies your network and then sends an authentication request. This technology is very similar to authorization in some social network, only here everything is carried out through secure protocols and without the participation of the provider.

Virtual networks themselves are also divided into several categories. The main classification is based on the degree of protection, that is, the user can use both paid and free VPNs.

The difference between them is the secure connection. For example, subscription systems will give you secure protocols such as PPTP, IPSec and others. While free VPNs often provide only “trusted” channels. That is, your network itself must be highly protected, and a VPN will only enhance the level of protection.

To be honest, the biggest disadvantage of free VPN services is not even security, but stability and connection speed. Through a free VPN, the Internet will most likely work very slowly, and not always stable.

A subscription to paid VPNs does not exceed $10 per month, but not every user needs it. For ordinary tasks, there is no point in purchasing Premium accounts; standard capabilities are sufficient.

Reasons to use a VPN

Every user needs to use VPN technology, and here's why:

• Data protection. Especially suitable for those users who like to connect to a neighbor’s “free” Wi-Fi connection, and then discover that their card data has been stolen. Such situations include gatherings in cafes and generally in any places with free Wi-Fi.
• Complete anonymity. When you open a new tab with a website, this action will be displayed on the provider’s server, so your journey on the Internet can be tracked by any employee of the company. By turning on a VPN, you will hide your browsing history because you are using a different IP address.
• The ability to surf the Internet without obstacles. Bookmakers, online casinos, torrents, forums, sites for adults - all the “underground” of the Internet is again available to you, everything is like in the old days.
• Use of foreign resources. It is, of course, unlikely that you will use English-language services such as hulu.com, but still, you are provided with full access to all popular sites around the world.

How to use VPN on a computer?

Let's consider a situation where we use a regular browser and want to visit blocked sites. In this situation, you can go two ways:

1. install the VPN client (program) on your PC;
2. add a browser extension via Webstore.

Both the first and second options are easy to implement, but for the full picture, let’s consider both.

You can also use the free one.

To install a VPN client, you need to download a program on the Internet, for example, “Betternet”. Run the installation file and install the client. We launch it, click: “Connect” and that’s it. The problem is that the program automatically gives us a random IP address, and we cannot select a country, but by pressing just one button we are already using a VPN. And one more disadvantage is the need to constantly launch the program, however, some clients have the ability to launch it simultaneously with the OS.

The second way is to add an extension. The downside here is that, most often, registration is required to use it, plus the extensions have the ability to crash. But the extension is much easier to use - click on the icon in the browser, select the country and profit. At the moment, there are thousands of similar programs, you can choose any of them, for example, “Hotspot Shield”. Add the extension to your browser, register and there will be no more technical issues.

For example, this is how the ZenMate VPN extension works in the browser:

We wrote about VPN extensions for different browsers in the article: .

How to use VPN on mobile devices?

We will look at those devices that have popular operating systems on board, for example, iOS or Android.

Using a VPN on smartphones or tablets is also quite simple, namely through mobile applications. The problem is that some programs require root rights, and these are additional hassles, plus the possibility of turning the phone into a “brick”. So look for programs that do not require you to have root rights. On Android, for example, it is OpenVPN, and on iOS it is Cloak. You can also use the free and proven one on iPhone and iPad. I use it myself sometimes, it works great.

The download technology is very simple: download the application from the Play Market or AppStore and install it on your device. Next, we activate the VPN, select a profile (from where we will get the IP address), then make a connection and that’s all. Now you are browsing the Internet through a VPN, which the application you are using will tell you about.

Now you understand how VPN connection technology is implemented, and now your online experience will become more secure, anonymous, and most importantly - accessible and unlimited.

VPN (Virtual Private Network) is a virtual private network.

In common parlance, a VPN is a completely secure channel that connects your Internet-enabled device to any other device on the world wide web.

To put it even simpler, we can imagine it more figuratively: without connecting to a VPN service, your computer (laptop, phone, TV or any other device) when accessing the network is like a private house not fenced. At any moment, anyone can intentionally or accidentally break trees or trample the beds in your garden.

Using a VPN, your home turns into an impregnable fortress, the protection of which will simply be impossible to breach.

How it works?

The principle of VPN operation is simple and “transparent” for the end user.

The question arises: why not just use some kind of anonymizer or proxy server on the network, because they also replace the IP address?

Yes, everything is very simple - none of the above-mentioned services provide protection, you still remain “visible” to attackers, and therefore all the data that you exchange on the Internet. And, in addition, working with proxy servers requires you to have a certain ability to set precise settings.

VPN operates on the following principle: “Connect and play”; it does not require any additional settings. The entire connection process takes a couple of minutes and is very simple.

About free VPNs

When choosing, you should remember that free VPNs almost always have restrictions on the amount of traffic and data transfer speed. This means that a situation may arise when you simply cannot continue to use a free VPN.