What is a VPN?

You have probably already seen an ad recommending a VPN to be safer on the Internet.

But what is it, exactly?

What is it?

VPN means Virtual Private Network.

Picture a tunnel between your device and the Internet.

When you use a VPN, your Internet traffic first goes through that secure tunnel to the VPN service, then continues on to the rest of the Internet.

A concrete example

You are in a café using its Wi-Fi.

Without a VPN:

Phone → café Wi-Fi → Internet

With a VPN:

Phone → 🔒 VPN tunnel → VPN service → Internet

So the VPN adds a layer of protection between your device and the network you are using.

Do I become anonymous?

No.

That is probably the biggest misunderstanding about VPNs.

A VPN can hide your IP address from the sites you visit, but it does not make you invisible.

If you sign in to Facebook with your account, Facebook still knows it is you. 😄

And your VPN provider itself becomes an important middleman.

To remember

A VPN creates a secure connection between your device and a VPN service before you reach the rest of the Internet.

It is a useful tool for privacy and security in some situations.

But VPN does not mean anonymity.