【2022 Archives】

Ever wondered how a VPNworks022 Archives It can hide your IP address, encrypt your data from prying eyes, and let you bypass geo-restrictions so you can watch the latest Netflix shows. But how, exactly, does it accomplish these tasks?

Virtual private networks (VPNs) are a lot less complicated than they seem. Put simply, they create an encrypted tunnel between your device(s) and the internet, hiding your internet activity from anyone being a tad too nosy (e.g., your internet service provider (ISP), third-party trackers, or nasty hackers). 

Internet data encryption in VPNs isn’t anything new. In fact, it can be trackedall the way back to the 1970s, when the U.S. Department of Defense got involved in protecting internet communication. Since then, VPNs have exploded in the digital space, with a whopping 1.6 billion reportedusers worldwide. Better yet, encrypting your internet traffic comes with many benefitsthese days. 

Mashable Light Speed Want more out-of-this world tech, space and science stories? Sign up for Mashable's weekly Light Speed newsletter. By clicking Sign Me Up, you confirm you are 16+ and agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Thanks for signing up!

---

You May Also Like

---

---

Here’s a better look at how VPNs work — and what they can do for you. 

SEE ALSO: Do you need a VPN on your phone? Here’s the truth.

How does a VPN work?

VPNs create an encrypted tunnel encapsulating data packets, a.k.a. your internet traffic, and transmits them through a series of encrypted connections. Essentially, they act like a secret tunnel for your traffic. For a step-by-step play on a technical level (with a side of layman’s terms), here’s how they work:

1. VPNs use tunneling protocols — like PPTP, L2TP/IPSec, IKEv2, WireGuard, and OpenVPN— to establish an encrypted tunnel. These protocols define how data packets are encapsulated, encrypted, and transmitted securely.
   
   

2. Using encryption algorithms like AES-256, the VPN then scrambles data packets, making them indecipherable to anyone intercepting them during transmission.
   
   

3. The VPN client software installed on your device initiates the connection request. Then, the VPN server, operated by the VPN service provider, authenticates the user, establishes the tunnel, and routes the encrypted traffic. These servers also have their own dedicated IP addresses.
   
   

4. The VPN client encapsulates the original data packets with routing instructions. These data packets are then encrypted using an established key, making what is in the data packet unreadable. In other words, your internet activity.
   
   

5. The encrypted packets are transmitted over a network (e.g., the internet) through the established tunnel.
   
   

6. Upon reaching the VPN server, the packets are decrypted using a private key, and the original data is extracted.
   
   

7. When it reaches the VPN server, it then decrypts the data, removes the tunnel encapsulation, and routes the data packets to where they need to go on the internet.

What can a VPN do for you?

There are many ways a VPN can be used in your daily internet activities, especially if you’re taking full advantage of all the tools the best VPNsprovide. When it comes down to it, there are three ways a VPN can give your internet browsing an upgrade. 

• Privacy: By hiding your IP address, VPNs keep your internet activities hidden from your ISP, government surveillance, or hackers on Wi-Fi networks, especially public ones. 

• Security: Using a variety of encryption methods, a VPN will protect your data from being seen or stolen.

• Bypassing geo-restriction: If you’re trying to sneak past a blocked website or need to access a country specific streaming service, a VPN can connect to servers in different countries and keep your true IP address hidden, giving you the keys to unlock content virtually anywhere around the globe. 
  

Hungry for more VPN coverage? Check out Why you should be using a VPN and why you should have one for your phone.

Bitdefender Premium VPN $2.92 Per Month - 50% Off for 1 Year at Bitdefender
$69.99 Per Year Save $67.07

• Digital Culture
• Tech
• Entertainment
• Games
• Social Good
• Shopping
• Deals
• Science

• Netherlands vs. Spain 2025 livestream: Watch UEFA Nations League for free
• Small Canadian town transfigures itself into a magical Harry Potter wonderland
• Scientists watched as gold was made millions of light
• Hidden data suggests new Pokémon and a Halloween event are coming to 'Pokémon Go'
• Parental Controls: How to Lock Down Your Kids' iOS Devices
• Prisoners in Texas donate more than $50,000 for Harvey relief
• Kellyanne Conway as Pennywise is everything you’ve ever wanted from 'Saturday Night Live'
• Microsoft literally built treehouses for its employees
• Amazon Big Spring Sale 2025: Best deals under $50
• Fight hunger while you play mobile games this week

• Webb reveals that's no star over there. It's an entire freaking galaxy.
• Amazon Spring Sale 2025: Best Kindle Scribe deal
• Amazon Spring Sale 2025: Best deal on Apple Watch Series 10
• Amazon Echo Dot deal: $39.99
• Bolivia vs. Uruguay 2025 livestream: Watch World Cup Qualifiers for free
• Fitness influencer's morning routine goes viral for all the wrong reasons
• Today's Hurdle hints and answers for March 26, 2025
• Colombia vs. Paraguay 2025 livestream: Watch World Cup Qualifiers for free
• Amazon Big Spring Sale 2025: Samsung Frame TV at lowest
• Books, movies, and music are buy 2 get 1 free during Target Circle Week

• Best portable power station deal: Save 44% on the Jackery Explorer 100 v2
• Carrie Fisher sent cow tongue to movie producer
• Facebook just acquired tbh and its 5 million teen users
• The curious origin of the word 'dongle'
• NYT Connections hints and answers for May 10: Tips to solve 'Connections' #699.
• Why Twitter is still teeming with millions of bots
• Facebook just acquired tbh and its 5 million teen users
• 3 'Counter
• Every MCU movie villain ranked, from "Iron Man" to "Thunderbolts*"
• Dead 2017 pop culture trends got their own Halloween graveyard thanks to one creative art teacher

• Time to Unite
• Huge security flaw leaves Wi
• Reese Witherspoon discusses her experience with sexual assault
• James Corden gets slammed over distasteful Harvey Weinstein jokes
• Acupuncture for pets is on the rise
• Admit it, you're guilty of 'binge
• Screenwriter close to Weinstein calls out Hollywood: 'Everybody f**king knew'
• Fox Sports announcer channels Ron Burgundy in this teleprompter blunder
• New MIT report reveals energy costs of AI tools like ChatGPT
• Björk shares her experience of sexual harassment by a 'Danish director'