What to do when you need to access your office network from your home, or if you want to use the internet over a dubious connection? VPN is the answer to these queries as it provides a secure connection and prevents others to access your personal information. VPN is largely popular service, which allows users open region-blocked websites, anonymous web browsing without being tracked.
A number of VPN software are available to be installed directly on your computer which work well with Windows 10. But if you are not interested in installing an additional app to your system, you might want to consider creating a VPN manually. This article provides you with a guide on how to set up VPN on Windows 10.
What Is VPN?
Virtual Private Network (VPN) is an encrypted connection for your devices. It masks your IP address and therefore secures you from threats to your data or device. It basically accesses a different network and shows us as a remote user again far away from our actual location. This acts as a safety net against hackers, viruses and malware to make browsing internet risk-free. It basically connects you to another host and therefore your IP address is no more compromised.
Why I Need A VPN?
When you are browsing on a public network, it’s advisable to use a VPN. Public networks are mostly not protected by pass keys and vulnerable to attacks. VPN is used to open the region-specific blocked content on the internet. For business networks, a group of people can connect on a VPN and have access to a secure transaction among them. You can use a VPN to access your home network on the phone while away.
You can also get a software such as NordVPN which is a private provider available for different platforms such as Windows, Linux, macOS, Android and iOS. It will help you to access the Streaming services while you travel outside your region unlike some other VPN service provider, which is why this is much recommended.
How To Setup and Install Vpn On Windows 10
Once you are clear about what is your purpose of using a VPN, it’s easier to decide what VPN to use. There are many VPN service providers online, some of them are free while others are paid providing you with a private VPN. Let’s discuss on how to setup VPN on Windows 10 with and without installing any software.
Manually Configure VPN On Windows 10
- Open Start Menu and go to
- Click on Network & Internet, to further see the settings.
On the left panel, you will see options like Status, Ethernet, Dial-up, VPN, Data usage and Proxy.
Alternatively, you can click on your Internet Access point on the Desktop taskbar. Network and Connection Settings appear at the bottom, you can reach to VPN from it.
- Click on VPN to get make changes in its settings.
- Here you see an option of Add a VPN connection, you need to click on it to configure a VPN on Windows 10 manually.
- A window prompts to show the form to fill in the details to create a VPN connection.
Start with VPN provider, here you choose the provider from given options in the list by tapping the drop-down menu. Click on Windows (in-built) as Windows is capable to create a Point to Point Tunneling Protocol (PPTP) with its integration supporting the VPN.
- Now enter a Connection Name and the Server name or address which is your WAN and ISP respectively.
- VPN Type appears as a Protocol choice when you click on the drop-down menu. It appears as Automatic on default and you can see a number of options.
- Options are as follows :
Automatic- Let the system decide on which will be suitable for the connection.
Point to Point Tunneling Protocol (PPTP) – This is the oldest one in use hence integrated with most operating systems like Windows, Mac and Linux. Nevertheless, it is not very good if you’re looking for strong encryption.
Layer 2 Tunnel Protocol (L2TP) – It’s again built in protocol found in most operating systems we use commonly. L2TP is a process where the encryption is added with Internet Protocol Security. It is a better option than PPTP but it is a slower process.
Secure Socket Tunneling Protocol (SSTP) – This ranks better than PPTP and L2TP and works only for Windows. It provides better encryption with easy to get around firewalls.
Internet Key Exchange version 2 (IKEv2) – It is most popular among mobile devices currently. This uses an encryption key created for both the client and the server. Thus its a trusted VPN protocol,
- To provide you with Type of Sign-in Information, you have this option to choose from which are – Username and password, smart card, One-time password and Certificate.
Note: The option varies for different VPN protocols.
You can click on your choice and move to the next option.
- Optional feature but it can be useful if you require additional safety for your computer. Here you need to fill in your Username and password and check the box to remember the sign-in info.
- Click on Save. Now you have successfully created your VPN connection on Windows 10.
You are now ready to use newly setup VPN on your Windows 10. It will appear on the list and you can Connect to it whenever required.
However, if you are not up for configuring VPN manually, then you can always choose a VPN software for your Windows 10 from a pool of options available online. To get the best app, prefer those which offer high speeds, anonymity, and access to geo-blocked websites. One of the best VPN apps is Nord VPN, which provides the best services and relieves you from the stress of setting a VPN manually.
With the help of this blog, you can figure out how to setup VPN on Windows 10 on your own and provide you with relevant information on how VPN works. In case setting VPN manually is too much for you then we suggest you getting VPN app, Nord VPN. Well, the choice is yours!