VPN Setup Guide

What does a VPN protect?

A VPN encrypts traffic carried through its tunnel between your device and the VPN endpoint. It does not make every website safe or guarantee that every app uses that tunnel. You also place trust in the VPN operator.

HTTPS already encrypts website content between your browser and the site. Keep using it, and do not bypass certificate warnings. A VPN can add protection for traffic it carries over an untrusted network, but an active VPN icon is not proof of full coverage.

Start with the job you need it to do

• Access work: use the VPN and instructions from your employer. Some work VPNs carry only selected traffic, called split tunneling. Ask IT whether ordinary internet traffic is included. Do not disable a required work VPN to troubleshoot.
• Reach your own devices: Tailscale normally connects devices in your private network. Sending ordinary internet traffic through it requires a configured, approved exit node selected on the device using it. See Tailscale's exit-node guide.
• Tunnel internet traffic: check the provider's supported platforms, routing exclusions, privacy policy, and setup guide. For example, Cloudflare distinguishes WARP traffic-tunneling modes from DNS-only mode. DNS-only mode does not tunnel your app traffic.

Set up and test on your device

Use your employer's approved installer or the provider's official download and current guide for your OS. The required account, permissions, and controls depend on the service; there is no universal three-minute setup.

Before connecting, record any VPN already in use. Avoid installing a second one on a managed device without IT's approval. After setup, check the VPN app's connection status and selected mode, then test the website or work resource you need. Use the provider's own connection check where offered. A changed public IP only verifies that particular request, not every app.

If a new personal VPN breaks a previously working task, disconnect that new VPN using its app and retry, if your network policy permits. Restore the previous setup; use the provider's removal guide if needed. Ask IT about failures involving required work access.

On public WiFi, ask staff for the correct network name and sign-in process. A personal hotspot is another option when available; check your mobile data allowance first.