One of the most misunderstood computer terms—and services—may be the
proxy. Most of us aren’t IT experts or computer geeks, so all we want to
know is “What does it do for me?” So let’s try to answer that question
as simply as we can.
You may have even used a proxy, but just not have been aware of it. Today, a common type of proxy is called a VPN, for “virtual private network.”
1.If you look up the word proxy, you’ll see that it simply means a
“substitute who stands in for or represents another.” In the Internet
world, a proxy is an IP address that you can use as you go on the
Internet that also shields your actual IP address at that time.
You either have to sign up for a virtual private network
or be given access to one, by your employer, for example.
2.A VPN is more than just a substitute IP address—it also provides a
highly secure connection that delivers more security that most on the
Internet, including the one offered by your Internet Service Provider.
3.A VPN is a connection that’s available online, on demand. Once you
sign up for a VPN account—whenever you want anonymity, a safer secure
connection or a way around Internet blocks on your IP address—you can
route your connection through your VPN provider.
4.You get to keep your current ISP, which remains your primary Internet
connection at home. There are some free VPNs, but it’s better if you pay
for better service.
There are two different types of VPNs that are common today. One is for
private/corporate work purposes and the other is for Internet browsing
only.
A VPN for work purposes.
For example, my wife works for an advertising agency as a proofreader.
At times, she’s asked to do work on the computer long after she’s left
work. But she no longer has to go back to the office to do her work,
thanks to the company’s very own virtual private network.
Instead of going into the office, she simply goes to her work laptop in
our home office. We have an Internet connection that is always running.
She doesn’t have to open an Internet browser, such as Google Chrome or
Internet Explorer—she simply clicks on an icon and keys in her password
to open up the VPN automatically.
Once she’s on, she can access drives and folders on her company’s
server, which are accessible only to employees who are on-site or who
have the exclusive VPN connection. That way, she can open up a
presentation or a document that she’d typically be able to open only at
work. That whole time she’s online and connected to her workplace
computer/server, she’s using a virtual private network.
A secure connection is what is important.
This VPN connection provides her with a data “tunnel” which all of her
online activity will go through. This is the first and most well-known
quality of a VPN. All data “traffic” that goes through a VPN, whether
it’s an email or a Google search, is encrypted—that means it’s
electronically “scrambled” and would be undecipherable if tapped into by
a hacker.
A VPN for ordinary folks.
As you might know, a lot of people have become worried about Internet
safety and privacy. Many of these same people are worried that their IP
addresses might be captured by “outsiders” or hackers and used for scams
or computer attacks.
Thankfully, there are VPNs that are dedicated to the one application
(program) that people care about the most: Internet browsing. Instead of
a corporate virtual private network to connect to the workplace, a
public VPN service lets you
connect to a network of computers to hide your IP address and give you a
secure connection on the Internet, while protecting all of your data
transmissions.
To recap: People don’t use VPNs just to hide their IP addresses. A VPN
can also protect your data when you’re on the Internet and can give you
access to the websites and information that might otherwise block you
out.
http:///...public-wifi-ritavpn/
