Is VPN an Internet Connection?

People have grown accustomed to the internet. Over the years, they have witnessed its growth and understood its capabilities. Unfortunately, they are now experiencing the inconveniences the internet can bestow. Problems such as online fraud, data snooping, and identity theft have become more and more prominent. It led us to the discovery of the potential and versatility a VPN tends to offer. With its encryption capabilities and IP spoofing abilities, a VPN has long since become a favorite in online security. And add to that the recent pandemic, where the need to work from home witnessed a shape rise. More and more users have either started employing VPNs or have grown curious. However, there are still many who remain reserved regarding VPNs. They want to experience the technology but are limited in scope. As such, they pose questions like, “is VPN an internet connection?”

In this article, we will try to emphasize the topic of VPN and the internet. We will try and define the internet as well as VPN for general use. Also, we’ll enlighten users regarding misconceptions such as that VPN is an internet connection because it is not.

Difference between a VPN and internet connection

The internet is a massive collection of networks around the globe but also the means of connection that links various networks together. The internet is what we use to access websites and send emails. Servers host the websites, while users worldwide locate these servers via the internet to access said websites. A VPN, however, allows a user to connect to a private network over the internet. The VPN sets up a virtual PTP (Point-To-Point) tunnel between the private network and the client. It uses either dedicated connections encryption or a combination of both.

The internet uses the standard protocol suite (TCP/IP) to connect users. It has a massive collection of resources ranging from World Wide Web (WWW), social media, and email servers to games and multimedia. As of this moment, the internet has billions of daily users. It carries information from all streams (from newspapers to blogs and web feeds). It has enabled us with different modes of interaction. Realistically speaking, it is so popular that almost every form of communication, be it business or personal, happens over the internet (via social media, instant messaging, or emails).

A VPN though is not an internet connection. It is a Virtual Private Network that allows clients to communicate with servers over the internet. VPNs set us a point-to-point connection between the user and the internet via a tunnel. Essentially VPN is like a LAN that interlinks various clients and servers via a gateway. It allows users to access the web remotely. During this process, the VPN ensures security by encrypting outgoing traffic. There is a misconception regarding VPNs that you need an ADSL or high-speed internet connection for a VPN to work. No, the users can also use dial-up although the low cost of the internet has rendered it useless.

What is a VPN?

VPN is a network that permits clients to connect to servers over a public network via a tunnel to access the internet remotely. It was invented back in 1996 by a then Microsoft employee who was developing a point-to-point tunneling protocol. A VPN is a technology that connects a user to a private network that exists solely on the web. It uses a tunnel-like connection and aids users to access the internet by spoofing their actual location all over the globe as long they have a connection to a VPN server. It is a highly secure connection that the populace favors.

A VPN has tons of uses especially, in today’s atmosphere where the internet is no longer safe. Many entities want to control the internet, and they constantly monitor online traffic in an attempt to surveil users. These entities include but are not limited to ISPs, giant corporations, think tanks, and cybercriminals. Even various governments track and spy on users online. Intrinsically, VPNs have grown popular. They allow users a “breathing space” as they ensure that their online traffic remains safe via encryption. Not only that, but a VPN helps with anonymity too. Ascribable to the nature of the connection itself, users on a VPN access the internet via servers that are in reality spread all over the globe. It is because of this that a VPN user can beat any tracing attempts and remain virtually anonymous.

However, one should know that a VPN is not foolproof. It is very secure, yes, and it surely helps users with their online security. Nonetheless, one shall not solely rely on VPNs due to their drawbacks. It is also subject to blocks by various means. A VPN is not an internet connection. It revolves around it but is not an alternative.

How does a VPN work?

A VPN works due to the security protocols that allow it to tunnel data across clients over to the servers securely, even on a public network. The protocols encapsulate the original data packets within an encrypted one. Then the client sends this encrypted data to the server via a tunnel. This tunnel is a simple connection between the private network and the internet that works solely because of VPN protocols that ensure security via encryption.

The process looks like this:

First, the user sends out data packets to the internet.
The VPN client intercepts these data packets.
The security protocols (VPN protocols) then encapsulate this data into an encrypted data packet.
- The key to this encryption is with the designated VPN server.
- Thus, even if someone intercepts this data between the client and server, they won’t be able to read it.
Now the client sends this encrypted data along its way to the server.
The server receives this data and uses its key to decrypt it.
After successful decryption, this data travels to its intended destination.
- It is what we term accessing the internet remotely.
- When someone else tracks this data, they will only find the IP address of the server.
Similarly, the server receives the incoming data packets.
They undergo encryption. And then are sent to the client.
The client uses its key to decrypt this data and presents it to the user for viewing.

What is the internet?

The internet is a collection of networks around the globe that facilitates worldwide communication and access to data resources through a vast library of server-hosted websites. The Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA) not only establishes universal protocols but is also responsible for the maintenance and management of the internet. People sometimes confuse World Wide Web (WWW) and the internet and think that both are interchangeable. However, that is not the case. Internet is a connection that refers to the global communication system, including hardware. It is an infrastructure in and of itself. Meanwhile, the web is simply one of the services added on top of this infrastructure.

The internet originated within the United States as it began building a computer network known as ARPNET back in the 60s, developed further by the National Scientific Foundation. NSF commissioned a university network called NSFNET, which became the backbone of the current internet. NSFNET merged with newer protocols operated by commercial ISPs in 1995 to birth the modern internet. It was then that the internet gained open introduction.

The internet is the network of networks. It can also be considered a language for two computers to communicate. The internet has two components that are fundamental to the way it functions: protocols and packets. Other than that, there are different hardware components without which an internet cant exist. Such as routers, switches, and DNS, etc. Internet is an ever-evolving sphere. It is a global network responsible for the vast amount of data transfer and process facilitation. It has long since increased its scope from traditional workspace to your day-to-day habits. Once only found in institutes, now users have access to the internet in their hands. With over billions of daily users, the internet is composed of three versions:

Web 1.0
Web 2.0
And Web 3.0

How does the internet work?

In short, the internet is a worldwide computer network that transmits a variety of data across devices. It relies on the packet routing network that follows internet protocols (IP) and Transport Control Protocol (TCP). TCP and IP work together to ensure that data transmission is constant and consistent. Any data, when it travels within the network is in the form of packets, known as data packets. They use the packet routing network guided by IP/TCP to move to and fro on the web. IP dictates how the data should travel/be transferred from one device to another, using IP addresses to instruct the relevant devices. And TCP aids IP in ensuring the transfer of said data is consistent and above-board. It prevents the loss of packets but also ensures that there is no delay affecting data quality.

Thus packets and protocols along with appropriate hardware are the backbones of internet functionality. Several steps which observe how an internet connection works are as follows:

Your PC (client) has an internet connection using one of the following:
- Router — The client can access the router, which connects to a network with internet access.
- Or modem — The modem accesses the net via your ISP.
When you enter an URL, the computer converts it into IP address.
- The request first reaches your ISP.
- It then looks up the DNS to convert the URL into IP.
Now the computer locates the server hosting that particular URL.
It then sends an HTTP request to the said server and asks for a copy of the website.
The server sends the client a copy via TCP/IP.
Your browser assembles the packets into viewable content.