What is a VPN?
- A VPN encrypts your traffic and replaces your IP address with the server’s.
- Your internet provider can see that you are using a VPN — but not which sites you visit.
- It gives you privacy, not anonymity. Logging into an account still identifies you.
- It is the right tool for public Wi-Fi, streaming and hiding browsing from an ISP — and the wrong tool for scraping or multi-accounting.
Think of your normal connection as a postcard. Every router it passes can read the address, and often the message. A VPN puts that postcard inside a sealed, opaque envelope addressed to one trusted courier. The postal service still carries it — they just cannot see where it is ultimately going or what it says.
Flip the switch and watch who can still see your traffic.
That you connected to a VPN server. Nothing else.
Scrambled data they cannot read
The VPN server IP and its location
How a VPN actually works
- STEP 1
Your app opens a tunnel
The VPN client and the server verify each other and agree on encryption keys. This handshake takes about a second on WireGuard.
- STEP 2
Traffic gets sealed
Every request leaving your device is encrypted before it touches the network. To anyone watching, it is unreadable noise addressed to a single server.
- STEP 3
It travels through your ISP
Your provider still carries the packets — they simply cannot read them or tell what is inside. All they log is a connection to the VPN server.
- STEP 4
The server makes the request
The VPN server decrypts your request and fetches the page using its own address, then sends the answer back down the same tunnel.
A handshake happens before any data moves. On WireGuard it takes about one second.
1.Your device sends its public key
Type anything — the right-hand side is what an observer on the network would see.
65B335B324F963C6A27CIllustrative only — real encryption produces far longer output. The point is that the original message is unrecoverable without the key.
What a VPN hides — and what it doesn’t
Websites record the VPN server address instead of the one your ISP gave you, which also hides your rough physical location.
Sign in to Google or Facebook and you have told them exactly who you are. A VPN changes your address, not your identity.
Your IP can look perfectly hidden while your provider still receives a list of every site you open.
- Page traffic — always inside the tunnel
- DNS lookup — leaking to your ISP
- VPN server to website
A kill switch does not catch this — it only reacts when the tunnel fails. A DNS leak happens while the VPN is up and apparently healthy, which is why it needs testing separately.
VPN vs proxy vs Tor
Encrypts everything leaving your device and routes it through one server you trust.
- Encrypts traffic
- Yes — all traffic
- What it covers
- Whole device
- Speed
- Fast (small overhead)
- Typical cost
- A few dollars a month
Everyday privacy, public Wi-Fi, streaming, hiding browsing from an ISP
Running hundreds of separate identities, or scraping at scale
VPN protocols, without the jargon
Around 4,000 lines of code versus OpenVPN’s 100,000. It connects in about a second, holds up when you switch from Wi-Fi to mobile data, and is easy on battery. Pick this unless something blocks it.
Some providers rebrand it (NordLynx, for example) because they modify how it assigns internal IPs to protect privacy.
WireGuard, explainedEach round trip is one message to the server and back. Fewer trips means a faster connection.
- Each white divider marks one completed round trip
Indicative timings on a typical connection. The gap is most obvious when switching servers, where OpenVPN feels like a pause and WireGuard barely registers.
Do you actually need a VPN?
Pick everything that applies — we will tell you honestly whether a VPN is the right answer.
Six things that actually matter when choosing
An audited no-logs policy
Every provider claims it. The ones worth trusting have had an independent firm verify it — look for a recent, named audit rather than a marketing badge.
Privacy-first VPNsA kill switch that works
Blocks all traffic the instant the tunnel drops, so your real IP is never exposed. Test it by force-quitting the VPN process — not by clicking Disconnect.
How kill switches workDNS leak protection
Without it, your ISP still receives a list of every domain you look up even while the VPN is connected. This is a separate protection from the kill switch.
What a DNS leak isServers where you need them
A huge server count matters less than having fast, uncongested servers in the specific countries you actually use. Check the list before you subscribe.
VPNs by countryA sensible jurisdiction
Where the company is legally based shapes what it can be compelled to hand over. It matters more for high-risk users than for everyday privacy.
Can governments track VPN users?It unblocks what you care about
Streaming detection is an arms race and no provider wins everywhere. Verify the specific service you want during the money-back window.
Best VPNs for streamingVPN tunnels drop routinely — switching networks, waking from sleep, a server restarting.
- Encrypted tunnel
- Open connection — unused
Tunnel healthy — everything is encrypted.
Hit “Drop the VPN” to simulate the connection failing — it happens more often than you would think.
Six VPN myths, busted
More of these in VPN myths you still believe.
Setting one up, start to finish
- 1
Pick a provider with a money-back guarantee
It turns the trial into a real test rather than a leap of faith. Compare options in our VPN directory.
Browse VPNs - 2
Install the app and connect to a nearby server
Start with the closest location — it will be the fastest, and it confirms everything works before you experiment.
- 3
Turn on the kill switch and DNS leak protection
Neither is always on by default, and they protect against different failures.
Kill switch explained - 4
Verify it is actually working
Check your visible IP has changed, then run a DNS leak test. If either still shows your own ISP, something is misconfigured.
Check your IP - 5
Test what you bought it for
Streaming service, home banking, whatever it is — test it inside the refund window, not after.
Test yourself
1Your ISP can see which websites you visit while a VPN is connected.
2Which tool would you use to run 500 requests from 500 different IP addresses?
3What does a kill switch do?
4Which protocol is usually the fastest choice today?
VPN FAQ
1What does a VPN actually do?
It creates an encrypted tunnel between your device and a server run by the VPN provider. Everything you send travels through that tunnel, so your internet provider cannot see which sites you visit, and the sites you reach see the VPN server’s IP address instead of yours.
2Does a VPN make me anonymous?
No. It hides your IP address, which is not the same as hiding your identity. The moment you log into an account you have identified yourself, and browser fingerprinting can still recognise your device. A VPN gives you privacy from your network and the sites you visit, not anonymity.
3Will a VPN slow down my internet?
A little. Encryption and the extra hop add overhead, but on a modern protocol like WireGuard with a nearby server the loss is often in the single digits. Distant or congested servers are what really hurt speed, so switching server usually fixes a slow connection.
4Are free VPNs safe?
Usually not. Running a global server network is expensive, so if you are not paying, the business model tends to be advertising, data collection, or reselling your bandwidth. A handful of reputable providers offer limited free tiers funded by their paid plans, and those are the exception rather than the rule.
5Is using a VPN legal?
In the vast majority of countries, yes — VPNs are ordinary business tools used every day for remote work. A small number of countries restrict or regulate them, so it is worth checking local rules. Using a VPN does not make an otherwise illegal activity legal.
6What is the difference between a VPN and a proxy?
A VPN encrypts all traffic leaving your device and covers the whole system. A proxy simply swaps your IP address, usually for one application, and typically without encryption. Use a VPN for privacy and public Wi-Fi; use proxies when you need many different IP addresses, such as for data collection.
7Can my ISP tell that I am using a VPN?
Yes. Your provider can see an encrypted connection to a known VPN server, they just cannot see what travels inside it. If you need to disguise the fact you are using a VPN at all, look for obfuscated or stealth servers, which disguise the traffic as ordinary HTTPS.
8Do I need a VPN at home?
It depends what you want. Your home connection is not shared with strangers the way café Wi-Fi is, but your ISP still records every domain you visit and in some countries may sell that data. If that bothers you, or you want content from another region, a VPN is worth it at home too.