Personal VPN
Personal VPN
A service like FaroVPN: your devices connect to servers run by the provider to reach the internet.
What is a VPN?
A VPN encrypts the connection between your device and a server, then sends you out onto the internet under that server’s IP address. Here’s what that protects, what it doesn’t, and how to choose a service.
30-day money-back guarantee
The job
What does a VPN do?
A VPN does two things: it encrypts what leaves your device and it swaps your IP address for the server’s. Everything else follows from those two.
- Public Wi-Fi can no longer read your traffic
- Your internet provider no longer sees which sites you visit
- Sites see the server’s address and country
When a VPN helps
Public Wi-Fi
Cafés, hotels, stations, airports: you share the network with strangers.Travelling
Keep an IP address from home for the services you normally use.Filtered networks
At the office, at school, or in a country that blocks some sites.Privacy at home
Your internet provider no longer sees the list of sites you visit.Downloads and gaming
Other players and peers see the server’s address, not yours.Phone on the move
Your phone changes networks all day; the tunnel stays the same.
How it works
How does a VPN work?
The app sets up an encrypted tunnel with the server. Every packet leaving your device enters it encrypted, crosses the local network and your provider’s, and the server decrypts it and sends it on.
- Your device encrypts the request
- The local network and your provider only see an encrypted stream
- The server decrypts it and contacts the site under its own IP address
- The reply comes back through the same tunnel
The limits
What a VPN doesn’t do
A VPN protects your data in transit, not what you do with it. It’s worth knowing before you choose one.
- It doesn’t make you anonymous while you’re signed in to your accounts
- It doesn’t block viruses or phishing
- It adds a little latency, because traffic takes a detour
- The VPN provider can see the connection, so pick one that keeps no logs
Types of VPN
Remote-access VPN
Remote-access VPN
Used by companies so staff can reach the internal network from home.Site-to-site VPN
Site-to-site VPN
Permanently links two offices’ networks so they behave as one.Proxy extension
Proxy extension
Covers the browser only. The FaroVPN extensions for Chrome, Firefox and Edge are of this kind.
The main VPN protocols
| Transport | Detectable by DPI | Used by FaroVPN | |
|---|---|---|---|
| WireGuard | UDP | Easily | Not included |
| OpenVPN | UDP or TCP | Easily | Not included |
| IKEv2 / IPsec | UDP | Easily | Not included |
| VLESS + Reality | TCP, port 443 | With difficulty | Included |
How to choose a VPN
Check where the company is based
That country’s laws apply to your data. In the EU, that means the GDPR.Read the logging policy
It should say exactly what is kept, not just “no logs”.Check the protocol
On a filtered network, a protocol such as VLESS Reality gets through more often than OpenVPN or WireGuard.Look at the countries offered
You need at least one nearby server plus the countries you actually need.Try it with a guarantee
A money-back guarantee lets you test it on your own networks.
How to use a VPN
Install an app
On every device you want to protect.Choose a server
The closest one, or the country you need.Leave it on
Especially on networks you don’t control.
Cost
How much does a VPN cost?
A paid VPN often costs €3 to €12 a month, less over one or two years. Free VPNs have to pay for their servers some other way: ads, capped speeds and, for some, selling data. FaroVPN is paid, and your subscription is what pays for the servers.
What to know about VPNs
Is a VPN legal in France?
Yes. Using a VPN is legal in France and across the EU. What you do with it is still subject to the law.
Does a VPN make me anonymous?
No. It hides your IP address and encrypts the route, but sites you’re signed in to still know who you are.
Does a VPN slow down the internet?
A little, because traffic goes via the server. A nearby server keeps the difference small.
Do I need a VPN at home?
Your home network is less exposed than public Wi-Fi. A VPN still stops your provider from seeing which sites you visit.
Does a VPN protect against viruses?
No. Keep your system up to date and use its built-in antivirus.
Can my provider tell I’m using a VPN?
With common VPN protocols (OpenVPN, WireGuard, IKEv2), often yes: their traffic has a recognisable look. With VLESS Reality, the connection looks like ordinary website browsing and stands out less.
Is a free VPN good enough?
For occasional use, sometimes. Check how it makes money and what its logging policy says.
Does a VPN work on a phone?
Yes, on Android and iPhone alike. The tunnel stays up when the phone changes networks.
Try FaroVPN for 30 days
If the service isn’t right for you, write to support within 30 days of your first payment and we refund the full amount.
Secure payment via Stripe, VAT included