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Secure your VPN

Understanding the difference between commercial VPNs and private networking solutions is crucial for maintaining your privacy and security online.

Commercial VPNs: Limited Use Cases

Commercial VPN services are generally not what most people think they are. While marketed as privacy tools, they actually introduce another layer of custodianship and potential man-in-the-middle risks.

What Commercial VPNs Are Good For

Commercial VPNs should only be used for specific, limited purposes:

  • Geo-changing: Accessing content restricted by geographic location
  • Downloading Linux ISOs: Bypassing ISP throttling or restrictions
  • Basic anonymity from websites: Hiding your IP from sites you visit

Why Commercial VPNs Are Usually Bad

  • Another custodian: You're trusting a third company with your internet traffic
  • Man-in-the-middle: The VPN provider can see all your unencrypted traffic
  • Privacy concerns: Many commercial VPNs log user data despite claims to the contrary
  • Centralized control: Single point of failure and potential for government pressure
  • False sense of security: People assume they're fully protected when they're not

Private Networking Solutions: What You Actually Need

When you want to connect your own devices together securely across different networks, you're looking for private networking solutions, not commercial VPNs.

ZeroTier
- Creates a virtual private network between your devices
- Peer-to-peer connections when possible
- Open source and self-hostable
- Designed for device-to-device communication

Netbird
- Similar to ZeroTier with modern interface
- WireGuard-based for performance and security
- Open source with self-hosting options
- Focus on simplicity and ease of use

Tailscale
- User-friendly interface on WireGuard
- Easy setup and management
- Commercial option with free tier available
- Good for non-technical users

Why These Are Better

  • True privacy: Only your devices participate in the network
  • No central custodian: You control the infrastructure (when self-hosted)
  • End-to-end encryption: Traffic is encrypted between your devices
  • Designed for connectivity: Built to connect your devices, not hide from websites
  • Transparent: Open source code allows verification of security claims

Key Differences to Remember

  1. Commercial VPN = Trusting another company with your internet traffic

  2. Private networking = Creating secure connections between your own devices

  3. Commercial VPN = Good for hiding from websites and changing location

  4. Private networking = Good for connecting your devices securely across networks

When to Use Each

Use Commercial VPNs When:

  • You need to access geo-restricted content
  • You want to bypass ISP throttling for legitimate purposes
  • You need basic IP masking from websites

Use Private Networking When:

  • You want to connect your home and work computers
  • You need secure access to your home network while traveling
  • You want to share files securely between your devices
  • You need remote access to your servers or IoT devices

Best Practices

  1. Never use commercial VPNs for sensitive activities like banking or personal communications
  2. Choose open-source private networking solutions when possible
  3. Self-host when you can to maintain full control
  4. Understand your threat model - are you hiding from websites or connecting your devices?
  5. Read privacy policies carefully if you must use commercial VPNs

By understanding these distinctions, you can make informed decisions about which solution fits your actual needs and avoid the privacy pitfalls that come with blindly trusting commercial VPN services.