The History Of VPN Creation

The History Of VPN

For as long as the internet has existed, there has been a need for protocols to keep data private and secure. The history of VPN (virtual private network) technology dates back to 1996, when a Microsoft employee developed the peer-to-peer tunneling protocol, or PPTP. Effectively the precursor to modern VPNs, PPTP creates a more secure and private connection between a computer and the internet.

As the internet took off, demand for more sophisticated security systems arose. Anti-virus and related software could be effective at preventing damage at the end-user level, but what was really needed was to improve the security of the connection itself. That's where VPNs came in.

A VPN is a private connection over the internet. It's a broad term that encompasses several different protocols, which will be explained in detail later. What they all have in common is the ability to connect remotely to a private network over a public connection.

Initially, VPNs were used almost exclusively in business. However, the rash of high-profile security breaches occurring in the early 2000s was a key moment in the history of VPN technology. With this, everyday internet users became aware of the true risks of working online, and began to look for more secure ways of doing so.

Today, VPNs are used to secure internet connections, prevent malware and hacking, ensure digital privacy, unlock geo-restricted content and hide users' physical locations. Easier to use and more affordable than ever, a VPN is an essential tool for staying safe and secure online.

What is the Purpose of VPN?

The VPN purpose is to create a private connection between multiple people and devices across the Internet. In effect it is an Internet within an Internet, secure private and encrypted from prying eyes, malware, hackers and anyone else who may wish to know where you surf, or where you are surfing from.

VPN Technology has been around for decades. Originally created for big business it was never intended for the many purposes to which it is used today. The need at the time was great. Businesses, organizations, governments and many others with sensitive information were at risk of hacking or other loss of data when using open Internet connections. They needed to make connections that were far more secure than the average so that remote users, satellite offices and field operatives could access and use company files without allowing their secrets to escape. The solution they derived is VPN.

VPN is like having a local network, a network in which devices are directly connected to each with no need for the internet, except using the internet to make the connections. Aside from tunneling protocols which set up secure connections hiding the originating source high level encryption standards ensure that even if data is lost, it will never be used by anyone not intended to have it. The benefits of VPN for individual internet users became clear right from the start and that spawned the modern rush to provide the best VPN technology. Over the years VPN advancement has been spurred by the encroachment of censors around the globe, and the never ending appeal for hackers to break into whatever devices and connections they can.

Censorship and geo-restriction is one of several issues plaguing the Internet and driving innovation in VPN technology. The history of censorship varies from case to case but includes things like blockages of social media, incomplete access to online media catalogs (note Netflix US catalog versus what is available to the rest of the world), tracking user activity, monitoring emails or outright denial of access to the Internet. The history of VPN has progressed right along side it, overcoming each issue as it arises and generating demand from the web-surfing public.

By Hasan Ashfaq Ahmad

6 Tips To Follow While Using VPN

VPN is obviously extremely useful if you have given all your trusted employees and also the key contractors a remote access to your network with the help of a client VPN or a virtual private network. There are so many cost benefits and productivity related benefits of using a VPN. Below are some useful tips that you can follow while using a VPN.

1. You must use a strong authentication method

This will surely depend upon the infrastructure of your network. You should also be able to check your VPN and documentation of your operating system in order to determine all your options.

2. A strong encryption method should be used

An L2TP or a layer two tunneling protocol can be very helpful when used. This is a network with certain types of Microsoft Servers. For example, a Point to point protocol can be termed to be very weak unless the password of your clients are guaranteed to be very strong.

3. Limit your VPN access to all those with a valid reason for business

Any VPN connection is a door that can be used to enter the LAN. You should only keep it open when it essentially needs to be open. The remote contractors and employees should any time be discouraged from connecting to your VPN to download the files that are required on a common basis.

4. Access to the selected files through extranet and intranet

If you have a secure HTTP site that comes with a safe password and authentication, it will expose only the selected files on one of the single servers and not your entire network.

5. Email access should be enabled without requirement of VPN

On all the servers of Microsoft Exchange, you must set up a server for Exchange proxy in order to allow the Outlook to access this Exchange by using an RPC or remote procedure call. This is obviously protected with the help of an SSL encryption.

6. Enforcing and implementing a strong password

There should be a very strong policy for a password. You must also understand, that your network is only as secure as the weakest of password that is in use. There should not be anyone that can be allowed to keep a password on a permanent basis. Use a word, a number or any other alphanumeric combination of password. This can help you to secure your VPN on a long term basis.

By Aman Tumukur Khanna 

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5 Things To Understand About VPN Speed

The speed of a VPN is an important thing to consider, and may also be a determining factor for many people when deciding whether they should use a VPN at all. Speed really does matter when it comes to the Internet. Even if a VPN provides improved online security and can help get around blocked content, if the service is slow, the overall experience will be far from ideal.

In this article, I will look at several factors that can influence the speed of a VPN, and how they can be mitigated.

1) The VPN Server Location

Typically, establishing a connection with a VPN server closer to your location will result in better speed. This is because the complexity of Internet traffic goes up as the distance between you and the VPN server increases. The more complex the traffic, and the greater the distance data has to travel, the slower the VPN speed.

If you don't have a good reason for connecting to a particular VPN location, picking the one closest to you is the best option. For example, if you live in Texas and want to log into a US VPN server, use one in Houston or Dallas instead of one in New York. Similarly, if you're located in China and need a US VPN server, find one that is available on the West Coast over one somewhere in the east.

2) The VPN Protocols

Different protocols can be used to establish a VPN connection. Some of the more popular ones include OpenVPN (over UDP or TCP), SSTP, PPTP and L2TP/IPSec. Everything else being equal, each protocol can result in a significantly different VPN speed. For example, using OpenVPN over UDP typically results in a faster connection than OpenVPN over TCP.

There are no hard set rules as to which protocol will give you the best speed. OpenVPN over UDP is a good default to try. If you find yourself having issues, try switching to a different protocol to see if your VPN speed improves.

3) Encryption Level

Stronger encryption is often more complex and can, as a result, slow down a VPN. A 128-bit encryption will in most cases lead to a faster connection than a 256-bit one.

On the downside, lowering encryption strength will make the VPN connection less secure and the transmitted data more vulnerable. So, you can try playing around with the encryption level, but unless you see significant speed improvements with weaker encryption, it is best to stick to the stronger versions.

4) VPN Server Load and Bandwidth

How powerful the VPN server is will have a significant impact on the speed. Overloaded servers with a bandwidth that cannot keep up with the demand will result in a much slower experience.

The client software you use to connect to a VPN service will usually tell you how many IP addresses and how much bandwidth a server has. The higher those numbers, the more powerful the server. Those same clients sometimes even show real-time usage. If the server you're connected to is overloaded, switching to a different one is usually as simple as a couple of mouse clicks.

5) Your Network Setup

Whether your device is on a wired network and physically connected to a router or using WiFi can affect VPN speed. This distinction is especially relevant if you have a fast connection to the outside world. Because a wired connection is often quicker than WiFi, the latter can be a limiting factor. You can try plugging your computer directly into the router to see if there is a speed improvement.

Ultimately, not all VPN providers are created equal. Even under ideal conditions, the speed and reliability they offer may be drastically different. If you have tried implementing several of the methods mentioned in this article but are still not seeing speed improvements, it may be time to consider switching VPN providers.

Visit http://www.fastestvpnguide.com/ for tests, reviews and comparisons of the fastest VPN services around. Let us help you pick the right one for your specific needs.

By Tim Tremblay 

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Everything You Need To Know About VPN Services

What is VPN? VPN is an abbreviation for virtual private network. It can be defined as the method that is usually applied so as to add to the privacy and the security into the public and private networks, the internet and Wi-Fi hotspots.

VPNs are usually used by different kinds of corporations so as to enable them to protect any sensitive data that they may have. There has however been an increase in the use of the personal VPN option today. This can be attributed to the different transitions that are facing the internet today.

When you use a VPN, then the privacy is improved to a very large extent. The reason why you get better privacy with a BPN is the fact that the initial IP address you may have been using is replaced with one that is provided by your VPN provider. This is a great way for subscribers to get an IP address from the gateway city that they may want, provided that it is offered by the VPN provider. You can use VPN to alter your location. You may be living in New York, but you can use VPN to make it look like you are in London and so on. Each VPN provider offers different gateway cities that you can select from.

Security

The security features that are offered by VPNs are what attract most people. There are lots of methods that one can apply so as to intercept any data traveling to a given network. Firesheep and Wi-Fi spoofing are easy ways applied to hacking any information that is needed. The analogy is the fact that the firewall will protect the data in the computer while the VPN will protect data even on the web.

Usually, the VPNs use highly advanced encryption protocols and the techniques that guarantee tunneling techniques that are secure so as to encapsulate different data transfers. Anyone who considers themselves as a savvy computer user may never use the internet without having a firewall as well as an antivirus that is updated.

Security is becoming very important to most people because the security threats seem to be increasing. More and more people are also relying on the internet which makes VPN even more attractive because they are well rounded for purposes of security. There are different integrity checks that can be applied so as to make sure that data isn't lost and that the connection isn't hijacked in any way. All traffic is well protected and the method is greatly preferred to the proxies.

The VPN setup

Setting up a VPN is a process that is quite straightforward. Usually, you only need a user name and the server address. There are smartphones that are quite dominant and they can actually configure the VPN using PPTP as well as L2TP/IPsec protocols. All the major OS can also configure the PPTP VPN kind of connections. Getting a VPN may be the best idea that you may have for your business. Usually, the protocol numbers and the features that are offered grow as time passes. You may select the kind of VPN you need depending on what you require it for.

There are lots of VPN providers out there. Some may offer free services while others may offer their services at a cost. There are different advantages and disadvantages of using either of the two. https://switchvpn.net will give you an insight on this topic and also offer Fast VPN Service.

By http:// Shalini Madhav

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