A VPN (a virtual private network) runs over any communication channel. Typically, people have a misconception regarding this technology that it requires the internet to function. Yes, consumer VPNs are a service that needs it—they cannot work without the internet. But a VPN in its truest sense is a network itself, and it can function with any communication channel, public or private. The thing about the internet is that it is, first and foremost, a communication channel and a public network.
Although a VPN can augment its services with the help of the internet, especially for individuals, corporate VPNs such as site-to-site VPNs do not need it. They can draw their communication channels or hire a third party to provide a private network, such as the MPLS (Multiprotocol Label Switching). These VPNs do not run on the internet, instead, they use MPLS as a platform for connectivity to tunnel through and connect the clients and servers. Hence, this article will answer the question, “Can a VPN work without the internet?”
What is the internet?
We must understand what the internet is and how it works for VPNs. Genially, the internet is referred to as the network of networks. However, it is also a communication channel that provides many developers a route to present services. Take streaming, for example. In the context of multimedia platforms that deliver streaming services, the internet is a mode of delivery. Yes, if possible, they can also choose another medium such as radio waves, cable channels, or satellite dishes, but the web is the most cost-efficient.
Hence, for service providers, the internet is not only a network that connects billions of potential customers, but it also provides a stable infrastructure that can facilitate the delivery of services. Hence, the internet is all-encompassing. Arguably, the internet and VPN have a deeper relationship than most recognize. This is true for legitimate single users on the web who ply a VPN for privacy and security causes. Hence, they need access to the web because they do not have their servers or network in place. Thus, they subscribe to the service and use the internet to access it. However, in this context, we are talking about VPNs as a service and not a network of servers and clients.
In such a case, a VPN can not work without the internet. Not because it is unable to function without the web, but because it is a service and the mode of delivery is the internet. Hence, people with consumer VPNs need the internet to access the service and not the network. Just like the internet, which is both a service and a network, this technology is multifaceted. They change their operation based on their surroundings and different scenarios. Although one type of VPN can’t work without the internet, others do not require the web exclusively.
How does a VPN work?
A VPN works by creating a tunnel that connects the client to the servers within the network. It runs on top of a communication network and tunnels through firewalls to provide various respites to the users. Although, when it works as a service to the customer, it requires a channel for delivery. This is the internet, as it is the most convenient method available to service providers. But the fundamentals of a VPN don’t solely depend on the web. The working of a VPN depends on the security protocols that create the tunnel and the selected communication channel that allows it to through. This tunnel connects numerous clients and servers to form a network.
The VPN can use other channels for communication, though this is costly and requires a lot of preparation. There are site-to-site VPNs that work with the MPLS to provide connectivity. Also, a VPN is a network in itself. Hence, it can create a LAN and function locally and uses the intranet of a company. Another expensive alternative is the laying of cables that connect remote sites. It can integrate branch offices within the central yet internal intranet, and the VPN can run on top.
Can a VPN work without the internet?
Hence, I think we are now clear regarding whether a VPN can work without the internet. On the surface, we can say that no, a VPN can’t do it without the web. The users need access to the network of servers, which isn’t possible without the web that connects the client and servers in the first place. However, the statement holds only for service providers and when we take VPNs in the context of a service. But a VPN is much more than that.
By definition, it is a working network in itself that can function on any given communication platform if it can abridge the gap between the clients and servers. Thus, when we take VPNs in the context of a server, it doesn’t require the exclusive use of the internet. There are successful examples of this, such as the site-to-site VPNs that can work with MPLS instead of the web.
Corporate VPN and an internal local network
Given below are a few examples briefly explaining how a VPN can work without the internet.
Site-to-site VPN
Site-to-site VPNs rely on hardware to connect to permanent locations. While they may use the internet for the communication model, they can also lay their exclusive cable to create an intranet within the company. Hence, site-to-site VPNs don’t necessarily rely on the web to function.
MPLS VPN
MPLS VPN is yet another site-to-site iteration. However, it uses the MPLS instead of the net to function. Here, the VPN runs on an MPLS network. It is a private communication network that is much faster than the internet, albeit costly. Hence, companies with this technology run a VPN on top of this private network to facilitate connectivity.
Corporate VPN running on the central intranet
VPNs can create a LAN (Local Area Network) and companies can use a VPN concentrator to merge multiple LANs into a central WAN. Thus, a corporate can rely on its central intranet to employ a VPN. Yes, this network can’t access the external information that requires the internet. However, it can facilitate inter-corporate communication with the help of the VPN and relevant hardware.