In this article I discuss how Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) work and why you should use one to secure your network against eavesdroppers.
The internet of today
The internet of today is a chaotic jungle of interconnected resources. As it expands and grows each day, so do the opportunities for hackers to get a hold of our sensitive data. So do the tools, which governments deploy to monitor and restrict out access to certain information. Even YouTube has an opinion on what videos you are allowed to watch.
But you don't have to play this game. You could use a VPN.
Public Wi-Fi
Public networks bear the biggest risks to your data. They are like honeypots that attract all kinds of nasty insects to roam on your network. If you are accessing the net through a public node like a Wi-Fi hotspot, you should be aware of the risks and not work with sensitive information.
This gives premise to a great application of VPNs.
What are VPNs?
Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) allow users to access a private network securely and send data remotely through a public network. You can imagine a VPN as an "online Firewall". VPNs combine the technologies of dedicated connections and data encryption to create virtual P2P connections.
Have a look at the diagram below:
- First you establish a an encrypted connection to a VPN server
- Then you connect to the internet from the VPN IP
- Your data is is wrapped in a secure layer and only the VPN IP is visible
Due to this setup, even if an attacker were listening on your network he would only see encrypted data. Furthermore, VPNs allow you to spoof a physical location. Your actual IP address is replaced by the IP address of a VPN provider. This grants you access to otherwise blocked content.
Your ISP filters connections from your IP to certain servers (websites). With a VPN they see an IP address from a different location. This is how Chinese residents can access blocked websites like Google and Facebook.
How do I setup a VPN?
It is super easy! There are free VPN providers, but they will be very slow and unreliable. I recommend investing into a paid VPN - it is money well spent. I have been using PureVPN myself and they are truly amazing! Their have offers for services starting at $4.95 per month!
I'm not going to walk you through the setup, because it is very well explained on the website and very easy too. You just have to download the VPN client and a few steps more, and you are ready to go - Took me 5 minutes!
EDIT: 
@shortcut informed me that PureVPN does not have the best reputation. Therefore you should rather choose a VPN from this list. They have been examined closely: VPN List
Conclusion
It doesn't matter if you are a mighty torrent pirate or just a cat videos browser. If you want your network to be secure against attackers and aren't fond of the governments peeking into your browsing habits, Virtual Private networks are your best call.
information sources:
https://computer.howstuffworks.com/vpn.htm
https://www.lifewire.com/what-a-vpn-can-do-for-you-818176
https://gizmodo.com/5990192/vpns-what-they-do-how-they-work-and-why-youre-dumb-for-not-using-one
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- Nick ( @cryptonik ) -