VPN stands for Virtual Private Network. It’s a technology that performs two main functions:
- Encrypts all your network traffic, protecting your data from spies and censors.
- Gives your computer a new network address (IP address), which can also be in a different country than your physical location. This is useful when you’d like to browse the Internet as if you’re based in a different country, such as when you’re based in a country with censorship and want to browse freely as if you’re in your home country.
The terms “VPN” and “VPN Proxy” are interchangeable. The word “Proxy” simply clarifies that the VPN forwards your network traffic. The VPN acts as a proxy funneling your network traffic from your computer, through the VPN servers, then on to its ultimate destination.
However, if you see the word “proxy” without “VPN” nearby, make sure you know what you’re getting:
So why would anyone need a VPN proxy? See here for our list of top reasons to get a VPN.
Comments
(I would like to add that I am using the express vpn and I am very happy with the speed and performance of the software – so would definitely recommend it for anyone who wants a vpn – just thinking it would be great to also be able to use a browser proxy on other pcs where I cannot install the software.
Or perhaps a version of the software which does not need to be ‘installed’ (with registry entrys and dlls and so on – where a person can download a zip file and then just run the exe to start the software – as in a lot of corporate networks where a person cannot install the vpn softrare, they mahy be able to download and execute the exe to run it directly from the exe.
The problem with the above theory – is that when a person is on a network where facebook and so on are blocked – chances are they are also on a corporate network and do not have admin access to the local pc.
This means they cannot install the vpn software – so cannot use it..
Have you considered offering your paying subscribers a browser based proxy with no install/local admin rights needed to use, so that subscribers who use the vpn at home, can also browse from pcs where they do not have the local administration rights to install softwaer?