VPN

[shlonghaul]

Will a vpn protect you on public wifi in that the owner/provider of the public wifi will not be able to see what websites your visiting and what you are doing on those websites? Also can wifi positioning locate you to say an office with in a building?

[illuminati]

I don't know about any current changes to technology but wifi placement could be traced to a two-three city block radius a few years back. I've used free wifi from the street outside a downtown hotel, and if it didn't have any adult content blocking then it was free game to get onto ECCIE or P411.

[Mr Peabody]

The answers are yes. The wifi provider will only see your vpn server IP. The sites you are browsing will only detect that same server location, or sometimes a commercial VPN service can offer you an IP tunnel to somewhere else on the web.

[shlonghaul]

Originally Posted by Mr Peabody

The answers are yes. The wifi provider will only see your vpn server IP. The sites you are browsing will only detect that same server location, or sometimes a commercial VPN service can offer you an IP tunnel to somewhere else on the web.

Perfect thank you. I work at a place with open public wifi which I surf all the time with a non work issued device. My boss is good friends with the head of IT and would not put it past him to try and postilion me and check my data, so off to get a vpn.

[GneissGuy]

In concept, you're protected in general.

However, it depends on

• whether you use the VPN right.
• whether the VPN software you use is buggy or booby trapped
• how determined and smart your opponent is
• whether the VPN provider is corrupted or hacked
• whether your own computer is hacked

Some limitations:

• The local security folks can tell someone's using a VPN. They might be able to link it to you. For instance, they can record the MAC address, which is tied to your phone or computer. If you sometimes use that device without VPN, they know you're doing VPN.
  
  In theory, that doesn't let them know what you're doing, but might raise suspicion.
  
  
• There are various tricks to get you to compromise your device, such as a company app that you run on your device to access their network. They might change your device to let them see anything you surf, even with VPN.

Probably not a big risk, but don't think "VPN, I'm invulnerable."

[junkweed]

Originally Posted by Mr Peabody

The answers are yes. The wifi provider will only see your vpn server IP. The sites you are browsing will only detect that same server location, or sometimes a commercial VPN service can offer you an IP tunnel to somewhere else on the web.

Originally Posted by shlonghaul

Perfect thank you. I work at a place with open public wifi which I surf all the time with a non work issued device. My boss is good friends with the head of IT and would not put it past him to try and postilion me and check my data, so off to get a vpn.

The question is a little open-ended as well. How will be using the VPN? A VPN requires at least 2 endpoints and I assume you would be in total control of both. What type of devices and what services would you be utilizing? I use VPN to remote to systems frequently from work, but hey...I don't care what YOU are doing on the open wifi in the least. Just pony up for more DATA on your phone and stay off the wifi, it's for the vendors when they visit anyway.

[Mr Peabody]

Your Welcome
-Mr. Peabody

[JohnnyYanks]

Great info!