A VPN connection can be a great tool for remote work purposes, but not all VPN providers are created equal. In this article, we aim to share some of the best advice on how to use a VPN connection for remote work in order to get the most out of your sessions and avoid losing productivity.
What Is A VPN For Remote Work?
A VPN (Virtual Private Network) is a secure network that runs on top of an existing communication protocol and is used to protect communication from interception and hacking by using encryption. It creates an encrypted tunnel between two or more points called a "VPN session" or "VPN tunnel." The traffic between the tunnel endpoints is encrypted and encapsulated so that not even the endpoint is able to recognize which was sent from where.
As VPNChill claimed, VPNs provide a safe, private, and encrypted connection from point A to point B. Users can send and receive data, connect remotely through a public network (such as the Internet), or access services restricted only to individual users.
A VPN connection is needed in order to be able to securely encrypt sensitive data such as passwords, chat conversations, and company data between your workstation and your endpoint. There are two ways of creating a VPN session: using a standalone VPN client (such as Tunnelblick on Mac OS X) or using an application designed especially for remote work.
Why Do I Need To Use A VPN?
Working remotely can increase your productivity, but it also has some disadvantages. Most of the problems occur in the communication process and data exchange between your home office and the remote office.
A VPN is a great way to protect your employees from unauthorized access. As most people know, the Internet is an untamed place where anything can happen, be it a data breach or hacking. Using a virtual network and encrypting the data in transit, you are more protected against eavesdroppers and hackers.
Benefits Of VPN For Remote Work
VPNs offer many benefits that you can use to secure your remote business and keep it running at all times. These include:
Access Control
A VPN allows users to access remote sites via the Internet securely and with privacy while still tracking what they do on each site they log into remotely.
Remote Access
A VPN connection can be used to make remote access more secure and private, allowing employees to access their company's internal network from their phones, tablets, or computers without fear of being detected by the employer's host firewall.
Improved Security
This software encrypts all data in transit (as well as information stored on internal computers) using layers of encryption, and it doesn't leave any trace that it was even used. This means you can use a VPN on your employees' devices without fear of it being detected. It also means that IT departments won't need to worry about log file information for remote workers being monitored by security teams and hackers alike.
Unblock Geo-Restricted Content
A VPN can be used to help with the restriction of content that is geographically restricted. For example, if you have a remote staff member who works in Japan and wants to watch some video content available there, a VPN will help them access this content over the Internet.
How To Use A VPN Connection For Remote Work
To get the best out of your sessions, it's important that you have a proper setup when using a VPN connection for remote work. Here are some recommendations to set up and maintain your connection properly so that you can get the most out of your remote working sessions without missing any crucial details:
Download and Install the VPN Application
Before using your VPN connection for remote work, you will need to install a VPN client onto your computer. The most common application is called Tunnelblick on Mac OS X, but there are others such as OpenVPN Connect for iOS in order to get a better user experience.
Configure Your Password
To be able to access the network that the VPN server is running on, you have to have the correct password. This will be the same as your existing password on any other computer, so make sure it's a strong one and not something simple like "12345".
Configure The Connection Settings
There are many different protocols that you can use to connect to the VPN, but it's recommended that you use the OpenVPN protocol for your remote working needs. In this way, you will get the fastest connection possible and one which will be as secure as possible.
Start Your VPN Connection
Now that your configuration is complete, it's time to start your virtual network connection and enjoy remote working to its fullest! If you have a hard time getting connected, just make sure that your firewall is set up correctly (on Windows or OS X if applicable) and try again.
Use The VPN Connection
Once connected to the VPN, it's time for you to use it for your remote working sessions. You can easily do this by checking the connection status in the system menu of your operating system or by using another application that acts as an interface and provides a graphical representation of all server connections on a map.
Maintain Your VPN Connection
You should regularly check your VPN connection. This involves checking the connection status in the system menu of your operating system or by using another application that provides a graphical representation of all server connections on a map. Also, make sure to update your version of OpenVPN (if possible) now and then to get the best out of it and keep using it correctly.
The Bottom Line
Using a VPN connection is really a great way to protect your employees from unauthorized access. Using a virtual network and encrypting the data in transit, you are more protected against eavesdroppers and hackers. Nowadays, many applications for remote businesses make it easy for users to establish secure sessions. Choose the best one for your needs and secure your remote work.
