What is a Virtual Private Network (VPN)
If you've wanted a way to use the Internet privately, so no one else can see what websites you visit, what's in your emails, or what you chat about with friends, a Virtual Private Network (VPN) can be a potential solution. A VPN creates a private, secure communications channel on a public network like the Internet. VPN's use software to establish a private, secure connection between computers. Like a private conversation, on a VPN no one can listen in on what you're saying, or in the case of computers, sending, to each other.
Basics of VPN's
The VPN software installed on your computer “scrambles” the data before it's sent out over the Internet. This scrambling is also called encryption, which makes it impossible for anyone to read or view the data. The receiving computer uses the VPN software to “decrypt” or unscramble the data so it can be opened by any software program on the receiving computer. VPN's create what's commonly called a tunnel on the public Internet.
Imagine cars are pieces of data that are moving along a road that connects one town to another. The road is open, and all the cars are visible from anyone standing on the side of the road or looking at them from above. Essentially, all the cars are public, as is the data that is traveling on the Internet.
Now imagine that someone adds a private lane on the road that hides the cars in that lane, similar to how a tunnel would conceal the cars traveling in a tunnel. There's the public pavement which anyone can see, and the private concealed one, which is similar to how a VPN uses the Internet to make data private.
Your home or office connection connects your computer to the Internet, which is a public network. You're using all of the publicly available cables that make up the Internet whenever you send or receive any information. But let's say you wanted a private connection with one person, for example, a family member.
Imagine if you could use a separate cable to connect you to your family member. You'd completely bypass the public Internet with your wired personal connection. But the problem for you and me is that it's expensive to string cables between buildings, much less cities. It's possible, however, and some large organizations do have their own cables, such as Google and government agencies.
But if you could use the existing cables of the public Internet, and create a private channel for communications, that would give you privacy, without the cost of your own wires. That's what VPN software does; it gives anyone who uses it the ability create a tunnel without the need for a physical connection, which makes the connection a “virtual” one.
What do you need to create a VPN
To create a VPN connection you'll need VPN software, and there are software solutions for consumers and businesses and organizations. Organizations use VPN's as a way for employees to communicate securely with company computers using the Internet, as in the case of a home office or employees that use laptops while they are out in the field. By using a VPN, the home or mobile worker can use commonly available Internet connections to establish a secure connection that keeps company communications private.
Consumers can use VPN's to create secure connections to the Internet. A consumer VPN uses a VPN service. The VPN service supplies the software or app you install on your computer. When you connect to the Internet, all of your communication is private and encrypted. They forward and receive the data to and from the public side, and make it private when sending it to or from you so only the identity of the VPN service is visible and not you.
To keep the communications secure and private, VPN's use a piece of information called a key to lock and unlock the encrypted information. When you start the VPN software on your computer, the software connects to the other end of the VPN to establish the secure link. The VPN software creates a unique key that is known only to the two computers that are communicating with each other. The key is added to all messages, then the data is encrypted and sent. The receiving computer uses it's key to unlock and decrypt the data. Only the sender and recipient can view the data whether it's an email message or a file.
Should I think about using a VPN?
If you're an organization, using a VPN gives you a private network while being able to take advantage of all of the public Internet access points and WiFI connections. It's like running a dedicated cable whenever you want to connect to any computer on the company or organization network.
For personal users using a VPN isn't as critical and is more a matter of the expense of subscribing to a VPN service, which charges monthly fees. If you want private communications, I've included some links to listings that rate VPN services. The reason individuals may not need a VPN is that there are other ways to encrypt data and create private communications. Health information is one area where privacy is important, and personal health data is protected by Health Insurance Portability and Accountably Act (HIPPA). HIPPA requires that all personal health information be kept confidential and secure. HIPPA is one reason medical services can't use email to communicate with patients.
An alternative solution exists in the case of HIPPA however, and that's a secure website. By using a secure website that requires a user to log in, the medical provider can provide medical information, such as a prescription history, on a site that requires a user to login with a username and password. Online banking is another example or secure communications using the Web.
In the case of online banking, banks, and financial institutions use what's commonly called a “secure” website. All web browsers have the ability to encrypt data when connected to a secure page, and you'll know you're connection is secure if you see a lock icon in your web browser or the web address in your browser begins with HTTPS instead of HTTP. The S indicates that the website is encrypting your communications and secure.
To my way of thinking
For an organization or for individuals that deal with sensitive information and want to keep their use of the Internet private and secure, a VPN offers a useful solution to obtain a high degree of privacy, security, and confidentiality. However, for the average person, the everyday tools to secure websites and private user accounts are usually more than adequate for you to use the Internet safely, so I don't recommend a VPN very often and you probably will never need one.
Windows VPN Services
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2390381,00.asp
Mac and iOS VN Services and Apps
http://thesweetsetup.com/apps/best-vpn-solution-ios-os-x/