How to enable vpn on laptop. How to set up your own VPN server

If the user decides to use VPN for a computer on the network for free, then he will have to choose not only the service, but also the connection method: manual, through the application or in the browser.

How to choose a VPN connection for a computer?

There are three ways for the user to install and enable VPN on a computer for free, and each has advantages and disadvantages. To make a choice, the user will have to consider the following factors:

• Application- an option that does not require any unnecessary movements from the user: all settings will be installed automatically (). However, any programs from third-party developers are always a risk. The Application may collect and send statistics, logins and/or passwords. The user is completely dependent on the decency of the developers.
• Set up manually - the server is configured once, but an unprepared client will have to spend a little time. The advantage is the ability to manually alternate different connection types (IKEv2, IPSec and L2TP, etc.), comparing and selecting the optimal one.
• Browser extension – as with the application, there is a risk of collecting personal information. The Opera browser (built-in VPN) is a little more trustworthy. The main feature is the ability to use the virtual network only in the browser, and the programs will work using a regular Internet connection.

Setting up VPN on a computer manually

Before you set up a VPN on your computer, you need to ask the service provider for the necessary data - available connection types and settings, there are free services on the Internet with such information. The server address, keys/identifiers and password will depend on the type of connection.

To set up a virtual network, you will need:

• Open the settings for private virtual networks, you can find them through the Options menu or using the system search.

• Click "Add".

• Fill in all the fields (come up with a connection name yourself).

If additional settings are required, detailed instructions should be on the service provider's website. After setting up, you will need to click in the same menu "Connect".

Download the VPN app on your computer

The VPN program (application) for a computer is much easier in terms of settings; you can download such applications for free from official websites or through the Microsoft Store.

After installing and opening the program, you will need:

• Accept the terms of use.
• Click "Connect".

A successful connection entry will appear in the connection list.

Using a VPN is one of the easiest and most reliable ways to hide your real location, protect personal data and messages on your smartphone, computer or tablet from theft. It does not require complex configuration steps and high costs from you. Websites and services will make sure that you are in the country where the VPN server is installed.

In this article, we will explain what a VPN is and how to set it up on an Android smartphone.

What is VPN

Virtual Private Network - virtual private network. The term means the creation of a closed network within a public network, such as the Internet. Initially, the mechanism for creating virtual private (private) communication spaces was created to ensure greater security. By entering the VPN server, you find yourself inside a network space protected from external attacks.

The degree of trust in this technology can be judged because it is actively used by large corporations to create their secure distributed networks. They entrust confidential data to the strong cryptography that is at the heart of it.

When entering a virtual network, the user does not need to physically connect any additional wires. He simply enters his username and password on the VPN server. From this moment on, all requests to Internet resources are made on behalf of the virtual ip-address issued at the entrance.

Some experts compare working in a virtual private network with driving through a tunnel located under a busy highway where ordinary users move. Your channel is encrypted and cannot be attacked from the outside. However, you are using the same hardware and wires as unprotected users.

How to set up a VPN on Android

There are two options to enable VPN in Android: install the application from Google Play or set up a login and password in Settings. Below we present these methods in order of increasing complexity for the user.

Installing the VPN App

We advise you to start with the program Turbo VPN . It does not require registration and passwords and is free for most typical application scenarios: web surfing, instant messengers, and so on.

The user is required to:

1. After a 3-second wait, the traffic is already redirected to the server chosen by the application itself.

1. To “change citizenship”, you can select a server from a certain country in the program settings. Just click on the flag icon in the top right corner.

1. Here, in the Settings, the automatic connection function is set when the application starts.

1. It is convenient to control the operation of the application by the messages displayed in notifications. When you click on them, the program reports the channel parameters: download and upload speed, the total number of transferred data in MB.

1. If you need to return to normal mode with a real IP address, click on the program icon in the notification window and disable VPN with the cross button.

Currently, Android users have dozens of VPN connection programs available. They are:

• Paid. Traffic is charged, the user pays a fixed amount of the cost of the program during installation or uses a paid subscription for a month. For example, application OpenVPN client.
• Conditionally free. Basic features are free, but you will have to pay extra for the speed or amount of traffic over the limit. You may also be charged for additional components and features. In particular, this is what developers doVPN Master-Free unblock proxy.
• Free. The existence of such projects pays off with advertising that you will view from time to time. They are very popular. Yes, application Hotspot Shield Free VPN has over 500 million downloads.

Using the native ability to connect via Android VPN

Modern versions of Android support working through a VPN without third-party applications. Find Connection in Settings.

We go to the VPN configuration and management category.

Please note that after installing the Turbo VPN application, there is already one setting in the menu for working with a virtual network. To make your own, click the Add button.

To correctly fill in the server name, login and password, you will need to register on one of the free or paid virtual network services. For example, you can use the service ExpressVPN . Its work is possible in 90 different countries, torrents are not blocked and a high-resolution video stream up to 4K is supported.

In Russia, the fastest and most inexpensive is considered VPN99 . The subscription fee at the time of writing is no more than $1 per month.

A search in Yandex or Google will help you choose such a service. When comparing services, be guided by their reliability and speed, as well as user reviews. You can organize your own VPN server yourself. Even a novice system administrator will cope with this work.

What you can use a VPN for

Typical scenarios where it is useful to use such services:

• Protection their personal data from websites and online stores. Traffic to the server is encrypted, the real ip-address cannot be determined. At the same time, anonymity is ensured not only in the Internet browser, but also in instant messengers and other programs on your phone.
• Country change and region. You can pretend to be a user from the US or European countries to receive special prices and terms of service on certain Internet resources.
• Bypass blocked resources. Using a VPN is the main way to bypass the blocking of services blocked in your country. Ukrainian users bypass blocked in Ukraine VKontakte and Yandex. Russian users using a VPN can work with a blocked Telegram.
• Save mobile data. In some cases, the protocols used to work with VPN servers can reduce the amount of billed traffic and reduce communication costs.

Limitations of free VPN services

The benefits of free services are clear. They are enough to meet the needs of an ordinary Internet user who uses a web browser, instant messenger and other applications that do not consume traffic too actively.

But it is worth remembering that free servers have a number of limitations:

• Low operating speed and traffic restrictions. In many cases, the work of torrents and other programs that require a large amount of data to be transferred is blocked. Free server operators are trying in this way to reduce the load on the equipment and encourage users to switch to paid rates.
• Low reliability. No one guarantees that the server will be available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Users sometimes have to change the server due to its closure or congestion with clients.
• Advertising. Often, to recoup their costs, free operators resort to displaying advertisements and paid ads to their users.

Advantages of paid VPN servers

• High reliability and availability of technical support. This allows you to count on the stable operation of the service and the preservation of the confidentiality of user data. Do not forget that the server itself knows your real ip-address and some other information.
• No restrictions streaming high-definition video. The capacities of these companies are incomparably higher than those of free ones, they can provide their customers with a higher data transfer rate.
• Confidence that in the near future the server is not closed.

From a legal point of view, the use of VPNs is not prohibited yet. Virtual personal networks will allow you to maintain anonymity on the Internet and will provide a number of other benefits. But the use of the blocked resources themselves is associated with a certain risk. This should be remembered.

How to set up a VPN for Telegram or how to bypass blocking

Bypassing blocked resources is one of the most popular VPN applications. The principle is simple. Telegram is blocked in Russia, but not in the US. You log into a virtual network server located in the United States and access any resources permitted in that country.

Telegram also has a special proxy bot that will help ensure that the messenger works under blocking conditions without redirecting all smartphone traffic to the VPN. The bot gives a link for registration. After passing through it, the user receives the address and port of the server, username and password.

To configure the proxy yourself, you need to:

Especially for our readers - do repost this entry and leave

In the modern world, cyberspace has become much more popular than the real world. Young people spend more time playing online games and social networks than walking or reading a book. And this can be understood - the availability of information increases awareness and overall development of a person. However, for some reason, information and social resources can be blocked by providers, government agencies, or the sites themselves. In this case, do not despair, as the blocking can be bypassed in most cases.

What is a VPN connection and what is it for?

VPN (eng. Virtual Private Network - virtual private network) - a generalized name for technologies that allow you to provide one or more network connections (logical network) over another network (for example, the Internet). Despite the fact that communications are carried out over networks with a lower or unknown level of trust (for example, over public networks), the level of trust in the constructed logical network does not depend on the level of trust in the underlying networks due to the use of cryptographic tools (encryption, authentication, public key infrastructure, means to protect against repetition and change of messages transmitted over the logical network).

Wikipedia

https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/VPN

In simple and understandable terms, VPN is the ability to access Internet resources through other networks. In this case, several levels of channel change are used, which means that your IP address is encrypted, and access is provided according to the scheme: Internet - virtual network (or several virtual networks) - Internet. When using a VPN, providers “see” a connection to a certain network or server, and further requests to resources occur through an encrypted channel. Thus, data packets are returned to you regardless of the blocking of the Internet provider.

When connecting to the Internet through a virtual network, the provider does not monitor traffic

The main disadvantage of a VPN is considered to be a decrease in speed while surfing and downloading files, but technology does not stand still and paid services already provide good connection speed.

How to create and configure a VPN connection on Windows 10

There are several options to set up a VPN for Windows 10. They can be conditionally divided into:

• wired (standard OS tools);
• third-party (special programs and browser extensions, as well as the functions of some routers).

Creating a VPN through Windows Settings

Creating a virtual network through Windows Settings is the most time-consuming, but at the same time the most reliable way to gain access to blocked resources. In addition, after creating a VPN, it is quite easy to manage it and, if necessary, change the server address:

1. Press the key combination Win + I and go to the Network and Internet applet.
   In the "Windows Settings" block, open the "Network and Internet" element
2. Open the VPN tab and click on the plus sign that says "Add VPN connection".
   Click on the plus sign with the caption "Add VPN connection"
3. Next, fill out the form:
   
4. We save changes through the button of the same name.

Click on the connection and click "Connect"

Open VPN servers can be found on the Internet, for example, or on a similar resource.

Video: How to create a VPN connection

How to disable or remove a VPN connection

If you no longer need a VPN or you do not like the services provided, the created connection can be disabled or deleted:

Automatic configuration of a virtual network using special programs

Like most Windows features, creating a VPN connection was taken over by software developers. As a result, users have received a whole market with programs that simplify the creation of a tunnel and connections to virtual networks. Most of them are a small window with just one button - connecting / disconnecting from VPN.

One such program is HideGuard VPN. Using her example, it is very easy to see how the connection to the virtual network occurs:

Configuration via router

Unfortunately, not all routers can establish VPN connections. To do this, the router must have DD-WRT technology, but devices that are less than four years old almost certainly have the necessary firmware. Router settings vary, but in general, virtual network management is in the same tabs:

VPN in the browser

Instead of establishing a virtual connection for the entire computer, you can resort to partial use of the VPN in the browser. There are two possibilities for this:

• internal browser settings (for example, Opera has a built-in function with a good and free VPN);
• extensions in browser stores.

Turbo modes in some situations can also be considered virtual networks, but they only work when your browser has a low access speed to a specific address, in other cases the function is ignored.

To enable VPN in the Opera browser, you need to slightly change the browser settings. To do this, press the key combination Alt + P, select the “Advanced” item in the menu, then “Security” and scroll down the settings page a little. We find the VPN column and switch the toggle switch to the working position.

Turn on the VPN by moving the corresponding toggle switch to the right position

In other browsers, you can install additional extensions that will add the VPN function to the browser:

I prefer to use a browser-based VPN, and there are several reasons for this. Firstly, for most extensions, you can set exceptions in the operation of the virtual network, and this gives huge advantages, for example, apply the service to only one or two sites. For the rest of the Internet, the original connection will be used. Secondly, when downloading files through applications and exchangers, the traffic will not exceed the amount of information received, since packets are often “lost” when dozens of nodes pass through the virtual network. And besides, I always appreciate the connection speed, and a virtual network, even a paid and the fastest one, will slow down data transfer, which is unacceptable in some cases.

Video: how to install VPN in Chrome, Opera, Mozila browsers

Using a VPN on a Windows 10 computer is very easy. Using standard tools, you can create and configure a virtual connection. If necessary, it can be quickly removed or temporarily disabled.

Today, VPN technologies have firmly entered everyday life and are well-known not only by IT specialists, so we decided to update a number of old articles, significantly supplementing and expanding the information they contain. Where ten years ago VPN was mostly reserved for fairly large organizations, today it is widely used everywhere. In this article, we will look at what a VPN is in 2019, what technologies are available, what are their advantages and disadvantages, and how it can all be used.

First of all, let's define the terminology. VPN (Virtual Private Network, virtual private network) is a generalized name for technologies that allow building a logical (virtual) network over a physical one, most often over the Internet or other networks with a low level of trust.

VPNs are commonly used to build networks. tunnels, tunneling is the process of establishing a connection between two points using encapsulation, when the data of one protocol is placed in the "envelopes" of another protocol in order to ensure their passage in an inappropriate environment, ensure integrity and confidentiality, protect with encryption, etc. etc.

Those. if we approach the issue of terminology strictly, then VPN should be understood as a virtual network that is formed by establishing tunnel connections between individual nodes. But in practice, the terms are used much more loosely and very often cause serious confusion. Let's say that the now popular Internet access via VPN is not actually a virtual private network, but is a tunnel connection for accessing the Internet, from a logical point of view, it is no different from PPPoE, which is also a tunnel, but no one calls it a VPN.

According to the organization scheme, two large groups can be distinguished: client-server technologies and just tunnels. In the name of the former, it is usually customary to use the VPN abbreviation, while the latter do not. Tunnels require a dedicated IP address at both ends, do not use ancillary protocols to establish a connection, and may not have link control tools. Client-server solutions, on the contrary, use additional protocols and technologies that establish communication between the client and the server, control and manage the channel, and ensure the integrity and security of transmitted data.

Below we will look at the most popular types of tunnel connections that are used to build VPN networks, starting with classic solutions.

PPTP

PPTP ( Point-to-Point Tunneling Protocol, point-to-point tunneling protocol) - one of the most famous client-server protocols, has become widespread due to the fact that, starting with Windows 95, the OSR2 PPTP client was included in the OS. Currently supported by almost the entire range of systems and devices, including routers and smartphones (the client has been removed from the latest versions of macOS and iOS).

Technically, PPTP uses two network connections: a control channel running over TCP and using port 1723 and a GRE tunnel for data transfer. Because of this, there may be difficulties using mobile operators in networks, a problem with the simultaneous operation of several clients due to NAT, and the problem of forwarding a PPTP connection through NAT.

Another significant drawback is the low security of the PPTP protocol, which does not allow building secure virtual networks on it, but its wide distribution and high speed make PPTP popular where security is provided by other methods, or for Internet access.

L2TP

L2TP ( Layer 2 Tunneling Protocol) - developed by Cisco and Microsoft, uses a single UDP connection on port 1701 to transmit data and control messages, but does not contain any built-in information security tools. An L2TP client is also built into all modern systems and network devices.

Without encryption, L2TP has been and is widely used by providers to provide access to the Internet, thus ensuring the separation of free on-net and expensive Internet traffic. This was true in the era of home networks, but this technology continues to be used by many providers to this day.

To build a VPN, L2TP over IPsec (L2TP / IPsec) is usually used, where IPsec operates in transport mode and encrypts the data of the L2TP packet. In this case, an L2TP tunnel is created inside the IPsec channel, and in order to establish it, it is necessary to first provide an IPsec connection between the nodes. This can cause difficulties when working in networks with traffic filtering (hotel networks, public Wi-Fi, etc.), causes problems with L2TP / IPSec forwarding through NAT and the work of several clients due to NAT at the same time.

The advantages of L2TP include high prevalence and reliability, IPsec does not have serious vulnerabilities and is considered very secure. Minus - high load on the equipment and low speed.

SSTP

SSTP (Secure Socket Tunneling Protocol, secure socket tunneling protocol) - a secure VPN protocol developed by Microsoft, refers to the so-called SSL VPN, is distributed mainly in the Windows environment, although clients are available in many modern OS environments. There are also third-party server solutions, say in Mikrotik.

Technically, SSTP is a PPP tunnel connection inside an HTTPS session on the standard port 443. For an outside observer, only HTTPS headers are available, the presence of a tunnel in traffic remains hidden. This allows you to work successfully in any networks, since HTTPS is widely used to access sites and is usually allowed, it removes the problem of forwarding or operation due to NAT. Safe.

The advantages include integration into the Windows environment, security, the ability to work through NAT and firewalls. The disadvantages are weak or insufficient support from other operating systems and network devices, as well as vulnerability to some classic SSL attacks, such as "man in the middle".

openvpn

OpenVPN is a free and open source VPN implementation. SSL is also used to secure the connection, but unlike SSTP, OpenVPN headers differ from standard HTTPS, which makes it possible to uniquely determine the existence of a tunnel. To transfer data within an SSL channel, OpenVPN uses its own protocol with UDP transport, it is also possible to use TCP as a transport, but this solution is undesirable due to high overhead.

OpenVPN provides high security and is considered one of the most secure protocols, providing an alternative to IPsec. There are also additional features in the form of transferring the necessary settings and routes from the server to the client, which makes it easy to create complex network configurations without additional client configuration.

In addition to tunnels operating at the network layer (L3) - TUN, OpenVPN allows you to create link (L2) layer connections - TAP, allowing you to link networks at the Ethernet level. However, keep in mind that in this case broadcast traffic will be encapsulated in the tunnel, and this can lead to an increased load on the equipment and a decrease in the connection speed.

Despite the fact that OpenVPN requires the installation of additional software, the server part is available for Windows and UNIX-like systems, and the client part is also available for mobile devices. Also, OpenVPN support is available in many router models (often in a limited form).

The disadvantages include work in user space and some complexity of settings. The speed inside OpenVPN tunnels can also be significantly lower than the link speed.

Despite this, OpenVPN is very popular and widely used both in corporate networks and for Internet access.

GRE tunnel

GRE ( Generic Routing Encapsulation, Generic Route Encapsulation) is a tunneling protocol developed by Cisco and is designed to encapsulate any OSI network layer protocols (i.e. not only IP), GRE works directly over IP and does not use ports, does not go through NAT, protocol number 47.

GRE requires white IP addresses on both sides of the tunnel and is a stateless protocol, i.e. does not control the availability of the opposite node in any way, although most modern implementations contain additional mechanisms to determine the state of the link. Also, there are no security mechanisms, but this is not a disadvantage, since, unlike client-server solutions, GRE tunnels are used in corporate and telecommunications environments, where other technologies can be used to ensure security.

To build secure solutions, GRE over IPsec is usually used, when the GRE tunnel is located over a secure IPsec channel, although another solution is possible - IPsec over GRE, when a secure connection is established inside an unencrypted GRE tunnel.

GRE is supported on UNIX-like systems, network equipment (excluding home models), and Windows Server since version 2016. This protocol is widely used in telecommunications and corporate environments.

IP-IP tunnel

IP-IP ( IP over IP) is one of the simplest and least overhead tunneling protocol, but unlike GRE, it encapsulates only IPv4 unicast traffic. It is also a stateless protocol with built-in security mechanisms, usually used in conjunction with IPsec (IP-IP over IPsec). Supported by UNIX-like systems and network equipment. Like GRE does not use ports and does not go through NAT, protocol number 4.

EoIP tunnel

EoIP ( Ethernet over IP) is a link layer (L2) tunneling protocol developed by Mikrotik that works based on the GRE protocol by encapsulating Ethernet frames into GRE packets. Allows you to connect remote networks at the link level (which is equivalent to a direct connection with a patch cord between them) and provide communication without using routing. It should be understood that such a connection involves the passage of broadcast traffic, which can significantly reduce the performance of the tunnel, especially on narrow channels or channels with high delays.

At the same time, EoIP can be useful for connecting commercial and industrial equipment that cannot work at the network (L3) layer with routing. For example, to connect remote cameras to a DVR.

Initially, EoIP was supported only by Mikrotik equipment, today its support is implemented in Zyxel equipment and there are packages for its implementation in a Linux environment.

IPsec

IPsec ( IP Security) - a set of protocols for ensuring the security of data transmitted over IP networks. It can also be used not only to protect existing communication channels, but to organize independent tunnels. But IPsec tunnels have not been widely used for a number of reasons: configuration complexity, configuration error criticality (security can be severely affected), and the inability to use routing to control traffic in such tunnels (the decision to process IP packets is made based on IPsec policies).

Conclusion

When rewriting this article, we did not set the task to embrace the immensity; it is impossible to consider all existing VPN solutions within the framework of one article. Its purpose is to acquaint the reader with the main technologies used today for building virtual private networks. At the same time, we deliberately left behind the scenes solutions from Cisco or other "adult" manufacturers, since they are implemented by professionals who clearly do not need such articles.

Also, we did not consider solutions without broad support from network equipment manufacturers, although there are quite interesting products there. For example, the SoftEther VPN multi-protocol server, which supports L2TP, SSTP, OpenVPN and its own SSL VPN protocol, has extensive networking capabilities, a graphical client for configuration and administration, and many other goodies. Or the promising WireGuard, which is characterized by simplicity, high performance and the use of modern cryptography.

However, which technology should be used? It all depends on the scope. If the task is to connect two offices with dedicated IP addresses, then we would recommend using GRE or IP-IP, if the ability to configure remote networks is limited, then you should look towards OpenVPN, it is also suitable if remote networks are behind NAT or do not have dedicated IP.

But to organize remote access, you should use one of the protocols with native support in the systems or devices used by users. If your infrastructure is based on Windows systems and there is no question of access from mobile devices, then you should pay attention to SSTP, otherwise it is better to opt for universal L2TP.

PPTP in today's environment cannot be considered reliable due to weak security, but can remain a good choice if the data in the tunnel will be transmitted using one of the secure protocols. Let's say for HTTPS access to a corporate portal or a web version of a corporate application that also works via SSL. In this case, the VPN will provide additional authentication and narrow the perimeter of the attack on the application; the security of the channel itself will not play a decisive role in this case.

The technology that creates a logical network in another network has received the abbreviation "VPN", which literally stands for "Virtual Private Network" in English. In simple terms, VPN includes different methods of communication between devices within another network and provides the ability to apply various protection methods, which significantly increases the safety of information exchanged between computers.

And this is very important in the modern world, for example, for networks of large commercial corporations and, of course, banks. Below are detailed guides on how to create a VPN, instructions on the procedure for making a VPN connection, and how to properly configure the created VPN connection.

Definition

To better understand what a VPN is, you just need to know what it can do. The VPN connection allocates a certain sector in an existing network and all computers and digital equipment located in it are in constant communication with each other. But most importantly, this sector is completely closed and protected for all other devices located in a large network.

How to connect a VPN

Despite the initial seeming complexity of defining a VPN, its creation on Windows computers and even the VPN setup itself will not be difficult if you have a detailed guide. The main requirement is to strictly follow the strict sequence of the steps below:

Further, the VPN configuration is performed, taking into account the various accompanying nuances.

How to set up a VPN?

It is necessary to configure taking into account the individual characteristics of not only the operating system, but also the operator providing communication services.

Windows XP

In order for VPN in the Windows XP operating system to successfully carry out its work, the following sequential steps are required:

Then, while functioning in the created environment, you can use some convenient functions. To do this, do the following:

Note: the parameters are always entered in different ways, because they depend not only on the server, but also on the communication service provider.

Windows 8

In this OS, the question of how to set up a VPN should not cause much difficulty, because here it is almost automated.

The sequence of actions algorithm consists of the following steps:

Next, you need to specify the network options. To this end, do the following:

Note: Entering settings may vary significantly depending on the network configuration.

Windows 7

The process of making settings in Windows 7 is simple and accessible even to inexperienced computer users.

To produce them, a Windows 7 user needs to take the following sequential steps:

Note: for the purpose of correct operation, careful individual selection of all parameters is necessary.

Android

To set up the normal functioning of a gadget with Android OS in the VPN environment, you need to do several things:

Connection characteristics

This technology includes various types of delays in data transfer procedures. Delays occur due to the following factors:

1. It takes some time to establish a connection;
2. There is a constant process of encoding transmitted information;
3. blocks of transmitted information.

The most significant differences are present in the technology itself, for example, routers and separate lines are not needed for VPN. To function effectively, you only need access to the World Wide Web and applications that provide information encoding.