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CS Theory / Computer Networks
03.03 · Lesson

VPN & Addressing

VPN or the Virtual Private Network is a private WAN (Wide Area Network) built on the internet. It allows the creation of a secured tunnel (protected network) between different networks using the internet (public…

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VPN (Virtual Private Network)

VPN or the Virtual Private Network is a private WAN (Wide Area Network) built on the internet. It allows the creation of a secured tunnel (protected network) between different networks using the internet (public network). By using the VPN, a client can connect to the organization’s network remotely.

Advantages of VPN

VPN provides several key advantages for organizations and users.

  • VPN is used to connect offices in different geographical locations remotely and is cheaper when compared to WAN connections.
  • VPN is used for secure transactions and confidential data transfer between multiple offices located in different geographical locations.
  • VPN keeps an organization’s information secured against any potential threats or intrusions by using virtualization.
  • VPN encrypts the internet traffic and disguises the online identity.

Types of VPN

There are several types of VPN configurations used in modern networking.

  • Access VPN: Access VPN is used to provide connectivity to remote mobile users and telecommuters. It serves as an alternative to dial-up connections or ISDN (Integrated Services Digital Network) connections. It is a low-cost solution and provides a wide range of connectivity.
  • Site-to-Site VPN: A Site-to-Site or Router-to-Router VPN is commonly used in large companies having branches in different locations to connect the network of one office to another in different locations.
  • Intranet VPN: Intranet VPN is useful for connecting remote offices in different geographical locations using shared infrastructure (internet connectivity and servers) with the same accessibility policies as a private WAN (wide area network).
  • Extranet VPN: Extranet VPN uses shared infrastructure over an intranet, suppliers, customers, partners, and other entities and connects them using dedicated connections.

IPv4 Address

An IP address is a 32-bit dynamic address of a node in the network. An IPv4 address has 4 octets of 8-bit each with each number with a value up to 255. IPv4 classes are differentiated based on the number of hosts it supports on the network. There are five types of IPv4 classes and are based on the first octet of IP addresses which are classified as Class A, B, C, D, or E.

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Item 18 of 28 · updated 2026-10-12