What is a VPN? Meaning and what it's used for
- A VPN encrypts your internet connection and shows websites the server's IP address, not yours.
- Your internet provider and others on the same Wi-Fi can't see which sites you visit.
- NetixVPN is a VPN built on WireGuard®, with private DNS and no activity logs.
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VPN definition
VPN is short for virtual private network: a service that links your device to a VPN server over an encrypted connection and sends your internet traffic through it. Each word of the name describes part of the job.
Virtual
There's no cable of your own. The private link is built in software, on top of the internet connection you already have, so it works wherever you get online.
Private
Everything that travels through the link is encrypted. Your internet provider, whoever runs the Wi-Fi and anyone else on the network can't read it.
Network
Your device joins the VPN provider's network of servers. Your traffic leaves from one of them, so the sites you visit see the server's IP address instead of yours.
What does a VPN do?
A VPN does two jobs at once. It encrypts everything travelling between your device and the VPN server, and it sends your traffic on to the internet from that server, so websites see the server's IP address and location rather than yours.
Without a VPN, your internet provider can see every site you visit, and on public Wi-Fi so can whoever runs the network. With one, all they see is encrypted data going to a single server. It's one of the simplest ways to keep your browsing to yourself, at home or on the move.
NetixVPN does both with WireGuard® and ChaCha20-Poly1305 encryption, and answers your DNS lookups on its own resolvers inside the tunnel.
What is a VPN used for?
Privacy and safety come first, but a VPN earns its keep in plenty of everyday moments. These are five of the most common.
Stay safe on shared networks
Café and hotel Wi-Fi is shared with strangers. A VPN encrypts everything first, from logins to card details.
Feel at home anywhere
Keep bookings and banking private on hotel Wi-Fi, and use a location in your home country, if we have one.
See our locationsKeep your browsing to yourself
Your internet provider sees only encrypted traffic to our server, and your DNS lookups stay in the tunnel too.
Read the no-logs policyPlay without showing your IP
Other players see the server's IP address, not yours, which makes it much harder to knock you offline.
Watch your shows on the go
Keep what you watch private on hotel or train Wi-Fi. Some services block VPNs, so we can't promise every one works.
Should I get a VPN?
If you often use Wi-Fi you don't control — in cafés, hotels, airports, on trains or at university — a VPN is one of the easiest ways to protect yourself. It's also worth having if you'd rather your internet provider didn't see every site you visit, if you travel and want a connection that feels like home, or if you play online and would rather keep your IP address to yourself.
You may not need one if you only go online at home, on a network you trust, and don't mind your provider seeing which sites you visit. And a VPN isn't a cure-all: it won't stop tracking by accounts you're signed in to, and it doesn't replace antivirus, software updates or strong passwords.
Still not sure? Try one. Every NetixVPN plan comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee, so you can see how a VPN fits into your day before you commit.
Why choose NetixVPN?
A VPN is only as good as the people running it. Here's what you get with NetixVPN, in plain terms.
All your devices
One Personal plan covers 10 devices at the same time — phones, laptops, tablets and Linux machines, or a router that runs WireGuard® to cover the whole house.
See the setup guides5 locations
Every plan includes every location, and each device's key works at all of them, so switching never costs you another device slot.
See all locationsPrivate by design
No activity logs, private DNS inside the tunnel, and devices kept apart from each other on our servers. Our policy lists exactly what we keep.
Read the no-logs policy
NetixVPN at a glance
| Encryption | ChaCha20-Poly1305 |
|---|---|
| Protocol | WireGuard® |
| Server locations | 5, all included in every plan |
| Devices | 10 at the same time on Personal; 3 per user on Teams |
| Private DNS | Our own resolvers inside the tunnel, with query logging off |
| Kill switch | Through the WireGuard® app and your device's own settings |
| Money-back guarantee | 30 days from your first order |
| Support | Support tickets and email, in English |
| Price at renewal | The same price you signed up at, VAT included |
Looking for a free VPN?
Running VPN servers costs money, so a free VPN has to pay its bills some other way — often with ads, or by collecting and selling data about what you do online. Try NetixVPN risk-free instead: if it's not for you, open a support ticket within 30 days of your first order for a full refund.
30-day money-back guarantee
The details are in our refund policy.
How does a VPN work?
A VPN puts an encrypted tunnel between your device and the VPN server. Here's what happens to your traffic with a VPN switched on, and what happens without one.
With a VPN
- Authentication: your device and the VPN server check each other's keys before anything is sent.
- Encryption: your data is scrambled on your device, so it's unreadable along the way.
- Tunnelling: the encrypted data takes a private route across the internet to the VPN server.
- Encapsulation: each encrypted packet travels inside an ordinary one, so networks pass it on like any other.
- Decryption: the server unwraps your data and sends it on to the website from its own IP address.
Without a VPN
- Sending: your request leaves your device and crosses the local network, where its destination can be seen.
- Processing: your internet provider looks up the site's address and routes the request, so it knows where you're going.
- Reaching: the website receives your request along with your real IP address, which hints at where you are.
- Reply: the answer comes back the same way, past the same networks.
What are the components of a VPN?
Every VPN connection is made of five parts working together. Here's what each one does.
VPN client
The app on your device that sets up the connection. For NetixVPN, that's the free, open-source WireGuard® app for Windows, macOS, iPhone, iPad, Android and Linux.
VPN server
The machine at the other end. It decrypts your traffic, sends it on to the internet and passes the replies back. NetixVPN runs its own servers in 5 locations.
VPN protocol
The rules for how the two ends agree on keys and encrypt your data. NetixVPN uses WireGuard®, a modern protocol with ChaCha20-Poly1305 encryption.
VPN tunnel
The encrypted path between your device and the server. Anyone watching the network sees data going in, but can't read it or tell where it ends up.
VPN connection
The tunnel in use, carrying your traffic over Wi-Fi or mobile data. If it drops, a kill switch can hold your traffic back until it's up again.
Why use a VPN?
A VPN is a small habit with a big pay-off. Here are four good reasons to keep one switched on.
Privacy online
Your internet provider and whoever runs the Wi-Fi see only encrypted traffic going to a VPN server, and the sites you visit see that server's IP address instead of yours.
Read the no-logs policyDigital security
Encryption keeps your passwords, messages and card details away from anyone snooping on the network — on public Wi-Fi, at work or at home.
How the encryption worksAn open internet
Hotel and public Wi-Fi sometimes blocks perfectly ordinary sites. A VPN gives you back the open web wherever you connect — used within the law and our acceptable use policy.
Safe data sharing
Sending files, photos or work documents? A VPN keeps them encrypted between your device and the VPN server, so nobody on the network you're using can read or change them.
What are the disadvantages of using a VPN?
A VPN is worth having, but it's fair to know the trade-offs before you buy. For most people, none of them is a deal-breaker.
Reduced speeds
Your traffic takes a detour through the VPN server, so pages can load a little slower. WireGuard® keeps the overhead small, and choosing the location closest to you keeps the detour short.
Blocked networks
WireGuard® uses UDP, and some offices, hotels and schools block it. If NetixVPN connects at home but not on another network, that's usually why, and there's nothing wrong with your setup.
Cost
A trustworthy VPN costs money, because servers do. Free services tend to make up the difference with ads or your data. NetixVPN renews at the price you signed up at, VAT included.
CAPTCHAs
Many people share each VPN server's IP address, so some sites ask you to prove you're human more often. We block outgoing spam to keep our addresses clean, but the odd CAPTCHA still happens.
What are the different types of VPNs?
“VPN” covers a few different tools. They share the same idea — an encrypted link — but each is built for a different job.
Step 1: Personal VPN
Connects your own devices to a provider's servers to keep your browsing private and your connection safe on any network. NetixVPN is a personal VPN.
Step 2: Site-to-site VPN
Joins two or more office networks into one over the internet, so branches can share files and systems as if they were in the same building.
Step 3: Remote access VPN
Lets staff connect to their organisation's own network from home or on the road, to reach internal tools and files securely.
Step 4: Mobile VPN
Made for phones and tablets that hop between Wi-Fi and mobile data, keeping the connection going as the network changes. WireGuard® copes well with these switches.
Step 5: Browser proxy extension
A browser add-on that sends only your browser's traffic through a proxy server. It changes the IP address sites see, but your other apps stay unprotected.
What are the types of VPN protocols?
A VPN protocol is the set of rules your device and the server follow to agree on keys, encrypt your data and keep the connection going. These are the ones you're most likely to come across.
WireGuard®
- What it's like
- Modern and lean: a codebase of a few thousand lines, quick connections and ChaCha20-Poly1305 encryption.
- Where you'll meet it
- Built into Linux, with official apps for Windows, macOS, iPhone, iPad and Android. It's what NetixVPN uses.
OpenVPN
- What it's like
- Mature, open source and very configurable, but with a much larger codebase, and usually slower than WireGuard®.
- Where you'll meet it
- Long a standard for VPN providers and company networks; it needs its own app.
IKEv2/IPSec
- What it's like
- Fast and stable, and good at reconnecting when your phone switches between Wi-Fi and mobile data.
- Where you'll meet it
- Built into most modern phones and computers, and popular on mobile.
L2TP/IPSec
- What it's like
- An older pairing: L2TP has no encryption of its own and relies on IPSec, which adds overhead and can be stopped by firewalls.
- Where you'll meet it
- Older devices, routers and legacy setups.
PPTP
- What it's like
- Outdated and insecure. Its weaknesses have been public for years, so it shouldn't be trusted with anything private.
- Where you'll meet it
- Old routers and legacy systems; many modern devices have dropped it.
SSTP
- What it's like
- Wraps VPN traffic in HTTPS, which helps it through strict firewalls, but it's a closed-source protocol from Microsoft.
- Where you'll meet it
- Mostly Windows, where it's built in.
General characteristics; how each one performs depends on the network and the device. NetixVPN uses WireGuard® only.
Which VPN protocol is the best?
For most people today, WireGuard®. It connects in a moment, its small codebase leaves fewer places for bugs to hide, and ChaCha20-Poly1305 keeps your data safe while running quickly on phones and computers alike. That's why NetixVPN is built on WireGuard® and nothing else: one modern protocol, done well. OpenVPN is still a sound choice where it's already set up, while L2TP/IPSec and PPTP are best left in the past.
How to choose the right VPN
VPNs aren't all built the same. Before you sign up, check that the one you're looking at ticks these boxes.
- A clear no-logs policy that says exactly what is kept, and what isn't
- A modern protocol such as WireGuard®, with strong encryption
- Private DNS, so your lookups don't leak to your internet provider
- A kill switch, so nothing slips out if the connection drops
- Servers where you need them, ideally close to where you are
- Enough devices for your phone, laptop and everything else
- Honest pricing that doesn't jump when you renew
- A money-back guarantee, so you can try it without risk
- A company you can identify, with a name, an address and real support
- Setup guides or apps for every device you own
That's the checklist we hold NetixVPN to: a written no-logs policy, WireGuard® with ChaCha20-Poly1305, private DNS, 10 devices on one plan, a price that stays put at renewal and a 30-day money-back guarantee. See every feature, or check our locations for one near you.
How to use a VPN
Getting started takes a few minutes. Here's how it works with NetixVPN.
Step 1: Choose a VPN provider
Pick a provider you trust and a plan that covers your devices. Every NetixVPN plan includes every location and feature.
Step 2: Add a device in your client area
Install the free WireGuard® app, then add the device in your client area. You get a QR code to scan and a file to import.
Step 3: Connect to a location
Pick a location, switch the tunnel on, and you're protected. The location closest to you is usually the quickest.
Step 4: Set up the kill switch
Tick “Block untunneled traffic” on Windows or turn on always-on VPN on Android, and nothing leaves outside the tunnel. On Apple devices, On-Demand reconnects you by itself. The setup guide shows where.
30-day money-back guarantee
How to set up a VPN
Choose your device for a step-by-step guide. NetixVPN works with the official WireGuard® app on every major platform, and on routers that run WireGuard®.
Frequently asked questions
How secure is a VPN?
Partly. A VPN hides your IP address from the sites you visit and keeps your browsing from your internet provider, which takes away two common ways of following you around. It can't stop tracking that happens inside your browser, such as cookies and browser fingerprinting, and it can't hide you from a site you're signed in to: if you're logged in to a social network or a search engine, it still knows it's you. Clearing cookies, using a privacy-minded browser and signing out of accounts you don't need all help.
Sometimes. If a site is blocked by the network you're on, such as hotel or campus Wi-Fi, a VPN usually gets you to it, because the network can no longer see where your traffic is going. Services that decide what you can see by country are another matter: many of them block VPN addresses, and that changes often, so we don't promise that any particular website or streaming service works through NetixVPN. Please use a VPN within the law and the terms of the services you use.
A filtering network decides what to block by looking at where your traffic is going. Through a VPN, all it sees is encrypted data travelling to one server, so it can't pick out the sites you visit. That's why VPNs are widely used to keep communications private on restricted networks. Two things to bear in mind: some networks block VPN connections themselves (WireGuard® uses UDP, which a few networks block), and some countries restrict or ban VPNs. Always check the local law first; our acceptable use policy doesn't allow using NetixVPN to break the law where you are.
Not a personal VPN like NetixVPN. We connect you to the internet through our servers, not into your employer's private network. To reach internal tools and files from home, your organisation needs a remote access VPN of its own, so ask your IT team. If you run a team and want to protect everyone's connection to the internet, take a look at Teams.
How does a VPN protect you?
On public Wi-Fi you share the network with strangers, and the hotspot itself may be poorly secured, or not what it claims to be. A VPN encrypts everything before it leaves your device and sends it through a tunnel to the VPN server, so anyone watching the network sees only scrambled data heading to one place. With NetixVPN, your DNS lookups travel inside the tunnel too, so they can't be read or tampered with on the way.
Not on its own. A VPN protects your connection, not the files you open or the apps you install, so it doesn't replace antivirus. Keep your devices up to date, use the security tools your system already has, and be wary of links and downloads you weren't expecting. What a VPN does stop is someone on the same network tampering with your traffic on its way to and from your device.
No VPN makes you fully anonymous, whatever the adverts say. It hides your IP address from the sites you visit and your browsing from your internet provider, which is a big step up for your privacy. But the accounts you sign in to, cookies, browser fingerprints and payment details can all still identify you. NetixVPN keeps no activity logs, so there's no record of where you went, and our no-logs policy lists exactly what we do keep.
It changes your virtual location. Websites see the IP address of the VPN server, so they place you in that server's city or country instead of yours. With NetixVPN, pick any of our 5 locations in your client area to choose where you appear. It doesn't change your device's GPS, though, so apps that use your phone's location services still know where you really are.