A VPN (Virtual Private Network) creates an encrypted tunnel between your device and a server operated by the VPN provider. All your internet traffic is routed through this tunnel — websites and services see the VPN server's IP address instead of your own.
Originally designed for businesses to give remote employees secure access to internal networks, VPNs are now widely used by individuals for privacy, bypassing geo-restrictions, and securing traffic on public Wi-Fi.
The global VPN market exceeded $44 billion in 2022 and is growing rapidly. Understanding how VPNs actually work — and what they cannot do — is essential for making informed privacy decisions.
Without a VPN, every website you visit sees your real public IP address (assigned by your ISP). With a VPN:
You can verify your current IP address (with or without VPN) using ip-tracker.eu. If the VPN is working, the displayed IP, location, and ISP should match the VPN server, not your actual connection.
The protocol determines how the VPN encrypts your traffic and establishes the secure tunnel. Different protocols offer different trade-offs between speed, security, and compatibility.
| Protocol | Speed | Security | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| WireGuard | Very fast | Excellent | Modern, lean codebase (4000 lines vs 400,000 for OpenVPN). Recommended default. |
| OpenVPN | Moderate | Excellent | Mature, widely audited. TCP mode works through firewalls. Slower than WireGuard. |
| IKEv2/IPSec | Fast | Very good | Native on iOS/macOS. Handles network changes well (good for mobile). |
| L2TP/IPSec | Moderate | Good | Older, built into most OSes. Avoid if alternatives exist. |
| PPTP | Fast | Weak | Known vulnerabilities. Do not use for privacy. |
Most modern VPN providers default to WireGuard for its combination of speed and security.
The most critical factor in choosing a VPN is its logging policy. A VPN that logs your activity provides much weaker privacy protection.
Reputable VPN providers publish audited no-log policies, verified by independent security firms. Look for providers that have had their claims validated through a real incident — for example, when law enforcement requested logs and the provider had nothing to hand over.
Providers operating under certain jurisdictions (14 Eyes countries) may be compelled to log and share data. Jurisdiction matters when choosing a provider for sensitive use cases.
A kill switch blocks all internet traffic if the VPN connection drops unexpectedly. Without a kill switch, your device falls back to your real IP if the VPN tunnel breaks — temporarily exposing your identity.
Most reputable VPN clients include a kill switch. Enable it if privacy is your primary concern.
Split tunneling lets you choose which apps use the VPN and which connect directly. For example: route your browser through the VPN for privacy, but let your video streaming app connect directly for better performance.
This is useful when a VPN slows down local network access (e.g. network printers) or when you need local and remote resources simultaneously.
Used by businesses to give employees secure remote access to internal resources. Traffic is tunnelled to the company's own servers. The company can see all traffic through the VPN — privacy from the employer is not the goal. Common solutions: Cisco AnyConnect, GlobalProtect, OpenVPN Access Server.
Used by individuals for privacy and geo-unblocking. Traffic is tunnelled to the provider's servers. The provider should not log your traffic. Common services: Mullvad, ProtonVPN, NordVPN, ExpressVPN.
After connecting to a VPN:
If your real IP or ISP appears, the VPN is not routing your traffic correctly — check for DNS leaks or try reconnecting.
Check your current IP address
See your public IP, location, and ISP — verify your VPN is working correctly.
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