The now infamous Tor network is a powerful tool for anonymity online that until recently was a fairly well-hidden secret among a very select group of people. But what is Tor exactly and how does it work? It’s an open source project that ...
VPN Basics
Virtual Private Networks can be just as useful as they are harmful. It’s not easy to know the good from the bad because complex topics like cryptography, Information Technology, and data privacy can seem like a dark forest for novices. A strong VPN guide can help find the way!
How does a VPN work?
VPNs (Virtual Private Networks) are networks created by private companies to shield their customers against external surveillance while they surf the web, stream videos or download torrents. Commonly used by businesses to facilitate remote ...
What is UDP and how does it work? A quick guide to get you started
When surfing the web and researching online privacy, you’ll probably have encountered the acronym UDP. But what does UDP stand for and why is it something ordinary people need to know about? UDP stands for User Datagram Protocol, which ...
What is bandwidth and how to control it?
A bandwidth definition can change depending on the industry it is being used in. However, you are most likely to hear it talking about the internet connection. Here, bandwidth refers to the volume of information per unit of time that an internet ...
What is PPTP: all you need to know about it
Also known as the Point to Point Tunneling Protocol, PPTP has historically the most common protocol in the world of Virtual Private Networks, providing the data of VPN users with a reliable way to protect their data as they surf the web, send ...
What is the difference between IPv4 and IPv6?
When working with VPNs, you may well have come across the terms IPv4 and IPv6. But what lies behind these common technical terms? We will explain the difference between IPv4 and IPV6 protocols, what makes them so crucial and why IPv6 could ...
Do I need a VPN?
The Virtual Private Network (VPN) allows one to create a secure connection to another network over the internet. Hence, you’re sure to access region-restricted websites not to mention protecting your browsing activity from spying eyes on public ...
What is AES 256 encryption?
Advanced Encryption Standards (AES) is a cryptographic cipher that facilitates security to a significant amount of information you enjoy today. AES forms a symmetric block cipher used by the American government to encrypt sensitive data. What’s ...
What is split tunneling?
A VPN helps to hide your IP, personal information, or bypass restricted websites by routing all your internet traffic through an encrypted tunnel. Yet, sometimes you may need certain things not to go through your Virtual Private Network. This is ...
What is the difference between a VPN and a proxy?
When it comes time to consider your online privacy options, there are a few tools which immediately come to mind. There are several apps and services in use today that offer differing levels of online security and each comes with its own list of ...
What is a DNS leak?
DNS is an acronym for Domain Name Server. Each time when a website is visited into the system’s browser, the gadget delivers that domain name to a DNS server that interprets domain name into an IP address. Then it forwards back that data to your ...
What is WebRTC leak? Everything you need to know
A leak checker identifies two classes of IP addresses; public IP and local IP. Public IP addresses are quite specific and form part of your identity on the internet. Hence, when you’re using a VPN, the sites detect the public IP addresses ...
What is double VPN?
Both novice entrants into the world of VPN and experienced online security specialists will likely have heard the phrase “Double VPN”. It is a security measure that not a lot of VPN companies offer, and the small number that do so ...
What is a VPN?
VPNs, or Virtual Private Networks, are powerful tools that act as a shield against outside surveillance and are an essential tool for all security-conscious internet users. VPN definition: So what is it? As the name suggests, a Virtual Private ...
What is a VPN kill switch and why do you need one?
VPNs have now become an everyday requirement for many types of internet users including professionals or recreational users who still have concerns about their online security and visibility. This large and growing market-place has meant that ...
What is OpenVPN? Guide to everything you need to know
We’ve seen it, heard about it, but what is OpenVPN exactly? Released 17 years ago after authorship by James Yohan, OpenVPN is an open source VPN encryption protocol that ensures security and privacy in internet usage. It uses the ...
What is P2P file sharing and how it works?
The internet has become more than just a means of communication over the years. It’s where a growing number of people transact their business: buying, selling, banking, researching, and of course file downloading and sharing. An innovation ...
What is an IP address?
How an IP address works It’s easiest to explain what an IP address (or “IP”) is by using a well-worn metaphor. That’s probably why the metaphor is well-worn… In the real world, we all have addresses in order to be found. That ...
What is malware and how to protect against it?
While you might have heard the term “malware“, you may not necessarily know exactly what it means. And don’t worry if that’s true, as you’re not alone. Most consumers are unaware of the risks posed by malware, ...
Having heard about Virtual Private Networks (VPN) you might feel inclined to try one of them. You are on the right path, but don’t assume all VPNs are the same – if you’re not careful, they’ll rob you blind! The main problem new VPN users deal with is navigating the marketing efforts of VPN service providers. Companies love nothing more than to throw some huge number-laden phrase on their homepage. We can’t blame them, but we can teach people about VPN, so they can get at the truth!
The first objective of this page is to have VPN explained to the regular user. In doing so we will answer questions ranging from what the title means to how VPNs work on a really basic level. This is where you can learn about some of the things that have been bothering you – what is the difference between a VPN and a proxy; how does a VPN work; what are the differences between various security protocols; etc. The section will not tell you which VPN provider does a better job, but hopefully, it will give you a more holistic understanding of what VPN is.
Our second mission with this page is to look at the features offered by VPN services. Most of the better providers have created software suites with many different gadgets. Understanding them is crucial both to help you decide which VPN service is right for you and in order to make the best of what you’ve bought. This is where we will discuss cryptographic ciphers, kill switches, attributes of a secure VPN, various VPN-related devices, benefits, and blind spots.
The road that leads to a secure VPN service is full of perils. This is a good place to begin researching if you’re someone who wants to make up your own mind, or if you’re interested in the technical side of the story!