noun

VPN

vee-pee-EN

VPN (noun) means an encrypted connection between a device and a remote server, through which the device's internet traffic is routed, so that the network in between cannot read the contents and websites see the server's location rather than the user's. Example: “The café Wi-Fi is open, so she switched the VPN on before checking her email.”

noun

neutral An encrypted connection between a device and a remote server, through which the device's internet traffic is routed, so that the network in between cannot read the contents and websites see the server's location rather than the user's.

"The café Wi-Fi is open, so she switched the VPN on before checking her email."

"Connect to the VPN and the internal wiki will load."

neutral A service or piece of software that provides such a connection.

"The company pays for a VPN on every laptop issued to remote staff."

How to Use VPN

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishA tool that sends your internet traffic through another computer, encrypted along the way.

When to use it

Widely understood outside technical contexts; the full form virtual private network appears mainly in formal writing.

Memory tip

A VPN hides traffic from the network you are on and from the sites you visit, but not from the VPN provider itself, which can see the connection passing through.

Trace the full origin ↓

Easily confused with

proxy → Tor → private browsing

Common pairings

connect to a VPN corporate VPN VPN tunnel VPN server VPN client

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The café Wi-Fi is open, so she switched the _____ on before checking her email.

Etymology

An initialism of virtual private network.

Origin: English

Synonyms

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virtual private network encrypted tunnel secure tunnel VPN service VPN client VPN provider

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between a VPN and private browsing?

Private or incognito browsing only stops your own browser from keeping a history, cookies and form entries on the device. It does not encrypt anything or change what the network or the websites can see. A VPN encrypts the traffic and changes the apparent origin, but does not clear anything on your device.

What is the difference between a VPN and a proxy?

A proxy passes requests on for a single program, usually a browser, and often without encryption. A VPN generally routes all of the device's traffic and encrypts it. Both change the address a website sees.

Does a VPN make you anonymous?

No. It conceals traffic from the local network and hides the user's address from the sites visited, but the VPN provider handles the connection, and logging in to an account identifies the user regardless of the connection used.