VPN stands for Virtual Private Network, which is a type of network connection that allows users to access computer networks from anywhere in the world. This technology is often used for business or educational purposes, as many VPNs offer encryption to send data more securely and privately. You can also appear as if you are in another country, so you can display content from a particular country if that country does not allow international access. Thus, buying a VPN network from either a host or a provider is now more popular. The VPN owner will provide your user information and password so you can connect to the VPN. After that, follow these steps to be able to connect from any computer with internet access.
Step
Choosing a VPN
Step 1. Look for available accounts
If you are an employee or student, your company or college may give you VPN access. Ask how to gain access to the account through employee or student services.
Step 2. Look at the options you have for the new account
Consider the type of security, privacy, amount of bandwidth needed, whether you need outgoing servers in other countries, the platforms needed, whether you need customer service, and how much you have to pay. Read more about each of these in "Tips" at the bottom of this article.
Step 3. Register and get your account information
If you buy a VPN service from a VPN provider, you may have to pay for the service. After registering and paying (or confirming that your company or campus does not provide this service), the provider will provide you with information to access the VPN, such as username, password, and IP or server name. You can use one of the following methods to connect to your VPN.
Method 1 of 6: Connect to a VPN using Windows Vista and Windows 7
Step 1. Click "Start"
Step 2. Select "Control Panel"
Step 3. In the Control Panel window, click "Network and Internet"
Step 4. Click "Connect to a network"
Step 5. Select "Set up a connection or network"
Step 6. On "Choose a connection option", select "Connect to a workplace" then click "Next"
Step 7. Look at the options on the page titled "How do you want to connect?
"Select "Use my Internet connection (VPN)".
Step 8. A window will appear asking "Do you want to set up an Internet connection before continuing"?
Select "I'll set up an Internet connection later".
Step 9. Type in the server information that was given to you
Type the IP address in the "Internet address" text box and the server name in the "Destination name" text box. Check the box next to "Don't connect now; just set it up so I can connect later". Click "Next".
Step 10. Enter the username and password provided by the VPN owner for you
Click the checkbox to remember username and password if you don't want to have to type it every time you connect. Click "Create".
Step 11. Click "Close" when the window with the message "The connection is ready to use" appears
Step 12. Click "Connect to a network" under the "Network and Sharing Center" heading then click the VPN connection you just created
Click "Connect".
Method 2 of 6: Connect to a VPN using Windows 8
Step 1. Press Windows on the keyboard and search for "VPN"
Step 2. Click "Settings" in the right pane and click on "Set up a virtual private network (VPN) connection" in the left pane
Step 3. In the "Create a VPN Connection" window, enter your VPN's internet address along with a descriptive name
Make sure the "Remember my credentials" box is checked for faster login. Click "Create".
The IP address is provided by the company or VPN provider
Step 4. Hover over the newly created VPN when the "Networks" pane appears
Click "connect".
Step 5. Add username and password
This information is provided by the company or VPN provider. Click "OK". You are now connected.
Method 3 of 6: Connect to a VPN using Windows XP
Step 1. Click on the "Start" button and select "Control Panel"
Step 2. Select "Network and Internet Connections" and then "Network Connections"
Step 3. Look for "Create a new connection" under the Network Tasks heading
Click it and then click "Next". Click "Next" again on the screen titled "Welcome to the New Connection Wizard".
Step 4. Click on the radio button next to "Connect to the network at my workplace"
Click "Next".
Step 5. Select "Virtual Private Network connection" on the next page and click "Next"
- If you are using a dial-up internet connection, you will see the "Public Network" page on the next page. Select the "Automatically dial this initial connection" radio button and then click "Next".
- If you are using a cable modem or other type of internet source that is always connected, click "Don't dial the initial connection."
Step 6. Type a name for the new connection in the text box on the "Connection Name" page and click "Next"
Step 7. Fill in the DNS server name or IP address for the VPN server you wish to connect to in the text box marked "Host name or IP address"
Click "Next" and then click "Finish".
Step 8. Enter the username and password provided by the VPN owner
Check the box to save this information if you want to save it for future use. Click "Connect" to connect to the VPN.
Method 4 of 6: Connect to a VPN using Mac OS X
Mac's "Network Connection" tool has not changed for all versions of Mac OS X. As such, these instructions should work for establishing VPN connection basics. However, it is recommended that you keep your system up-to-date to address any security flaws, as well as access newer advanced options (e.g. use of certificates) for configuring your VPN connection.
Step 1. Select the Apple menu and select "System Preferences"
Click the icon labeled "Network".
Step 2. Look for the list of networks in the sidebar on the left side of the window
Click the plus sign at the bottom of the list to add a new connection.
Step 3. Use the drop-down menu to select "VPN" when a window appears asking you to select an interface
Select a connection protocol. Mac OS X Yosemite supports the "L2TP over IPSec", "PPTP" or "Cisco IPSec" VPN protocol types. You can read more about this in the "Tips" section at the bottom of this article. Enter a name for the VPN and then click "Create".
Step 4. Return to the Network screen and select your new VPN connection from the list on the left sidebar
Select "Add Configuration" from the drop-down menu. Type the name of your VPN in the text box that appears and click "Create".
Step 5. Enter the server address and account name that the VPN owner gave you in the two text boxes
Click "Authentication Settings" directly below the "Account Name" text box.
Step 6. Click the "Password" radio button and enter the password that the VPN owner gave you
Click the "Shared Secret" radio button and enter the information provided to you. Click "OK".
Step 7. Tap the "Advanced" button and make sure the box next to "Send all traffic over VPN connection" is checked
Click "OK" and then click "Apply". Click "Connect" to connect to your new VPN connection.
Method 5 of 6: Connect to a VPN using iOS
Step 1. Click "Settings" and then select "General"
Step 2. Scroll to the very bottom and select "VPN"
Click "Add VPN Configuration".
Step 3. Select the connection protocol
In the top bar you will see that iOS provides three types of protocols: L2TP, PPTP, and IPSec. If your VPN is provided by a company, the company will most likely tell you the protocol to use. If you're using a self-hosted VPN, make sure you're using the type of protocol your carrier supports.
Step 4. Enter a description
This can be whatever you want. For example, if this VPN is for work, you can add "Work". If you plan to use this VPN to watch Netflix in another country, you could call it "Canadian Netflix," for example.
Step 5. Enter your server information
This information is provided by the VPN provider or your company.
Step 6. Enter the name "Account"
This field refers to the username that was most likely created when you purchased a VPN hosted or provided by a company.
Step 7. Enable "RSA SecurID" if you are using this form of authentication
To activate it, tap the gray button. This feature is activated when the color turns green. RSA SecurID consists of both hardware and software mechanisms that generate keys to verify users over a period of time. Most likely you have RSA SecurID in a professional setting.
- To enable RSA SecurID in IPSec, tap the "Use Certificate" button so that it turns green. After selecting "RSA SecurID", click "Save".
- IPSec will also allow you to use CRYPTOCard, or any certificate in the default.cer,.crt,.der,.p12, and.pfx formats.
Step 8. Fill in the "Password"
Your password is most likely provided along with the username. Consult your company or VPN provider if you don't know.
Step 9. Fill in "Secret" if you need it
"Secret" is used to further authenticate your account. Just like the "key" on RSA Secure ID, the "secret" is usually a string of letters and numbers provided by your provider or company. If this information has not been provided, you may not have to enter anything in this field, or you may have to contact the provider or company for "secret"
Step 10. Fill in the "Group Name" for the IPSec connection if required
Again, this information is provided to you, so fill it in if your company or provider has shared this information. If not, chances are, you can just leave it blank.
Step 11. Choose whether you want to send all your internet traffic through the VPN in "Send All Traffic"
Click the button next to this field and make sure it is highlighted in green, if you want all your internet traffic to go through the VPN.
Step 12. Click "Save" in the upper right corner to save the settings
At this point, the VPN will connect.
- You can change the VPN connection or disable it from the main "Settings" page by clicking the appropriate button. If the button is green it means you are connected. If the button is gray it means you are not connected. This button will appear just below "Wi-Fi".
- If your phone uses a VPN connection, an icon will appear on the top left side of the phone consisting of the capital letters "VPN" in a box.
Method 6 of 6: Connect to VPN using Android OS
Step 1. Go to "Menu"
Open "Settings".
Step 2. Open "Wireless & Networks" or "Wireless Controls" depending on your Android version
Step 3. Select "VPN Settings"
Step 4. Select "Add VPN"
Step 5. Select "Add PPTP VPN" or "Add L2TP/IPsec PSK VPN" depending on your preferred protocol
See "Tips" at the bottom of this article for more information.
Step 6. Select "VPN Name" and enter a descriptive name for the VPN
This can be anything you want.
Step 7. Select "Set VPN Server" and enter the server IP address
Step 8. Set your encryption settings
Check with your VPN provider, whether the connection will be encrypted or not.
Step 9. Open the menu and select "Save"
You may be asked to confirm the operation with a save password. This is your Android device password and not the VPN password
Step 10. Open the menu and select "Settings"
Select "Wireless and Network" or "Wireless Controls".
Step 11. Select the VPN configuration you created from the list
Enter your username and password. Select "Remember username" and select "Connect". You are now connected via VPN. A button icon will appear in the top bar to indicate that you are connected to a VPN.
Tips
- When choosing a protocol to connect to, consider how you will use a VPN. PPTP is known to be fast for wi-fi, but less secure than L2TP or IPSec. So if security is important to you, use L2TP or IPSec. If you're connecting to a VPN for work purposes, your company most likely has a preferred protocol. If you're using a VPN host, make sure you're using a protocol they support.
- When purchasing a VPN service from a VPN provider, consider the type of security you want. If you want to use a VPN to send documents, email, or surf the web more securely, sign up with a host that offers encryption like SSL (also called TLS) or IPsec. SSL is the most widely used form of security encryption. Encryption is a way of obscuring data from unauthorized users. You can also choose a host that uses OpenVPN instead of “point-to-point tunneling protocol” (PPTP) for encryption. PPTP has had several security vulnerabilities in recent years; whereas OpenVPN is generally considered a more secure encryption.
- When buying a VPN service from a VPN provider, consider how much privacy you want. Some hosts may log user activity which can be turned over to the authorities if it is illegal. If you want your browsing or data transfer to be confidential, choose a VPN provider that doesn't keep user logs.
- When purchasing a VPN service from a VPN provider, think about the bandwidth requirements for your VPN. The bandwidth determines how much data can be transferred. High-quality video and audio are larger in size, thus requiring more bandwidth than text or images. If you only want to use a VPN to surf the internet or transfer private documents, then most hosts provide enough bandwidth to do that quickly and easily. However, if you want to stream video or audio, such as watching Netflix or playing internet games with friends, choose a VPN host that allows unlimited bandwidth.
- When purchasing a VPN service from a VPN provider, consider whether you will be accessing content outside of your country. When browsing the internet, your address will show you where you are. This is called an “IP address”. If you are trying to access content in another country, your IP address may not allow this, as there may not be an agreement between that country and your country regarding legal rights to the content. However, you can use a VPN host with an “outgoing server” that will display your IP address as if you were in that country. This way, you can access content in other countries using an outgoing server. When choosing a VPN host to do this, look at your host's server locations to make sure they have servers in the country you want to access content from.
- When purchasing a VPN service from a VPN provider, consider what platform to use. Do you want to use your phone or computer? If you travel a lot and the use of a mobile device such as a phone or tablet is important to you, make sure that your preferred VPN host supports that connection or provides an app for that mobile device.
- When purchasing a VPN service from a VPN provider, consider whether you need customer service. Read reviews and see what kind of support VPN hosts provide customers. Some hosts only offer phone support, while others may offer chat or email support. It's important to look for the service that offers the most convenient customer support for you to use. You can also search for reviews on search engines (such as Google) to better evaluate the quality of customer support.
- When purchasing a VPN service from a VPN provider, consider the cost. Some VPN hosts (such as Open VPN) offer a free service; However the choices are limited. Since there are many competing VPN services, take your time to compare prices and the services that some hosts offer. You may get all the services you want and need on one host at a fraction of the cost of another.
