As VPNs have grown in popularity, doubts regarding how they work have arisen.Let’s have a look at how VPNs function.
On the internet, information is sent and received between computers using Internet Protocol (IP) addresses.
Consider it like sending mail between two or more physical locations.
Different websites will know certain information about us when we surf the internet using our IP address, such as our location, device type, browser, and operating system.
What does a VPN do?
With VPNs, our IP addresses change and online activities are hidden.
After putting on my VPN, my location moved from Nigeria to Dominican Republic as shown in the images above.
Consider the following scenario:
The internet is similar to a motorway that connects towns all over the world.
These highways are generally public routes that are used by a large number of people.
Anyone can track where you travel, how long you spend at your destination, and when you return if you drive on a public route.
They might even be able to spy on you inside your automobile and gather information about you.
You have your own private tunnel/road with a VPN.
No one can see what you’re doing or where you’re going in this tunnel.
What can a VPN do for you?
There will be no monitoring:
As previously stated, your internet service provider (ISP) can monitor your internet traffic and is likely to keep track of your surfing history.
Information about your online activity is scrambled in an encrypted tunnel via a VPN, making it unreadable to third parties, including your ISP.
Websites or services you want to utilize may occasionally be unavailable from your current location.
VPN offers remote access to these sites or services.
VPNs can shift your device’s location to a different nation that has access to a website that isn’t available to Nigerian devices.
Protection: While free public Wi-Fi can help you forget about your troubles, it can also lead to a new set of issues.
Hackers on the same network can simply access public Wi-Fi and read your personal info.
A VPN encrypts your entire internet connection, ensuring that all of your communications are secure, even while using unprotected networks.
What is the difference between a VPN app, a VPN plugin, and a VPN browser?
Are you unsure which one to use?
Only your web browser traffic is protected by VPN browsers or browser plugins.
However, the rest of your device’s network activity is still visible to internet service providers and prospective hackers.
All network traffic from your device is encrypted and protected by a VPN program.
Is using a VPN for internet banking secure?
Yes, as long as you choose a trustworthy VPN service.
VPNs aid in the protection of your privacy when conducting online banking transactions.
But keep in mind that a VPN is merely a tunnel via which your data is encrypted.
It can’t keep you safe from infections or ensure you won’t be hacked.
Remember to use a strong password and to follow all online safety precautions.
What else should I know about VPNs?
Virtual private networks (VPNs) are not without problems.
They have a number of disadvantages in terms of practicality.
Because VPNs must reroute and encrypt your data while sending and receiving information between your device and a website, internet speed may be slowed.
Furthermore, some websites and services regard VPN traffic as suspicious and refuse to allow you to connect.
When a device appears in multiple locations in a short period of time, such as New York, Lagos, and Tokyo all within an hour, it raises suspicion.
This might be a major issue, especially if your bank is blocking you.