Difference Between VPN and Internet

VPN vs Internet

The Internet, which most of us is probably familiar with by now, is the interconnection of thousands of smaller private networks and millions of computers around the world. It is the technology that allows us to access information from halfway around the world in mere seconds. A VPN (Virtual Private Network) is just like a LAN but uses the Internet or any other public network to allow people from far away to connect to their network. A local network provides services like email, message boards, and access to company data that a worker needs to carry on. A VPN extends this network to almost anywhere, allowing employees to work at home, in the field, or even when travelling.

VPNs are not exclusive to using the Internet as there are other ways to achieve interconnection like telephone systems. But the widespread and low cost nature of the internet makes it a very logical choice for most people. Being natively digital also helps since there is no need to convert the signals between digital and analog.

Since the Internet is public, anyone who has a broadband connection from an ISP can gain access to the Internet. This is not a desired characteristic for VPNs which requires that only authorized personnel gain access to their network. Leaving your VPN unsecured for anyone capable to access can lead to multiple problems. Because of this, most VPNs are secured to the hilt to ensure that no one, who is not supposed to, gains access to the network. The most common security measure is user authentications with the use of a user name and a password. Some take it even further and only allows trusted devices to connect to the network, preventing unauthorized access even if they have a valid user name and password. Aside from that, there are other open-source and proprietary solutions that tighten the security even further.

Summary:
1.The Internet is a huge public network that connects a great majority of the worlds computers while a VPN is a private network that uses a public network to extend its range
2.VPNs utilize the Internet because it is already very widespread
3.Almost anyone can connect to the Internet while only authorized personnel can connect to a VPN
4.Most of the Internet does not have strict security while a VPN requires a high level of security to prevent intrusion

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