Virtual Private Networks (VPNs)
YOU WILL LEARN
The difference between a VPN and Apple’s Private Relay
TO PREVENT YOUR ISP
BEING ABLE TO SEE WHAT
YOU’RE DOING, VPNS GIVE
YOU INTERNET ACCESS
THROUGH
THEIR OWN SERVERS
KEY FACT
Another benefit of VPNs is they allow you to connect to the net through a wide range of servers based in different territories. If you choose to connect through a server in a different country, you appear as a resident there, which can unlock geo–restricted features. You could watch catch–up TV while on vacation outside of the US, for example.
HOW PRIVATE IS your internet connection? The simple answer is not very: data is sent and received over the internet in so–called “packets”. First, those packets can be linked to your computer, because they’re tagged with the public IP address allocated to your modem router by your internet provider. This enables data to transmit between servers without getting lost, but obviously means your internet activity can be traced back to your door.