What Is a Double VPN, and Do You Need It?
If you’re concerned about your security when surfing the web, you’re not alone. Millions of users worldwide strive to make their online presence less vulnerable to various threats, from brute-force attacks to phishing attempts, viruses, and scams. Moreover, Internet censorship has grown dramatically, so in many countries, none of your online activities will go unnoticed.
That is why more and more people empower their security with a VPN. This solution enhances your privacy, hides your digital footprint, and protects you from numerous dangers of the digital world. But what if we tell you there’s a way to amplify this effect? Some VPN services offer users to take advantage of the Double VPN feature, which runs your traffic through an additional VPN server and provides an extra layer of encryption.
Sounds promising? Keep reading this article to learn what Double VPN is, when you may need it, and what challenges you may face when using it.
What is Double VPN?
Double VPN is a feature that enables you to adopt two VPN servers at the same time. It also provides double VPN encryption and an additional security layer that prevents online threats, making third-party monitoring nearly impossible. When using Double VPN, you pick a pair of servers from two different countries, so that hackers, snoopers, and Internet censors cannot detect the final destination of your traffic.
However, Double VPN is not a typical VPN feature people may need to use every day. In fact, many VPN service providers do not involve this function at all. Why? Because it is designed for some exceptional cases when users need an ultimate solution to preserve their privacy. A standard VPN connection with a single server is mostly quite enough.
A VPN ensures sufficient encryption, protects your data from potential leaks, and alters your IP address to spoof your actual location. Moreover, credible VPN services, such as VeePN, provide many additional features for private and secure browsing, such as NetGuard and Kill Switch.
So if a VPN spoofs your IP address and encrypts your data, what does Double VPN do to upgrade your online safety? To answer this question, let’s take a closer look at how this feature works.
What does Double VPN do?
First of all, it’s important not to confuse using Double VPN with adopting two VPN services simultaneously. The latter solution will likely be inefficient, since two different tools won’t be configured to each other. As a result, they will fail to bring the desired level of security. In turn, Double VPN is specifically aimed at covering this goal.
With Double VPN, your traffic runs through two VPN servers located in different countries. Two VPN connections work in a single chain, making it an overkill feature thanks to the double encryption of your data. As a result, no third party has a chance to compromise your privacy.
Here is what the journey of your data looks like if you’re using Double VPN:
- VPN encrypts your traffic while your data is moving to the first VPN server.
- Your traffic is double-encrypted, and the first VPN server hides your IP.
- Your traffic travels from the first to the second VPN server.
- Your traffic is decrypted on the second server, sent to the targeted website, and you receive the response.
For example, if you are visiting China and want to connect to a Canadian server, Double VPN reroutes your traffic through another location, such as Egypt. So third parties will only see that you’re connected to a server in Egypt, but they will be unaware of the next destination of your traffic. As a result, neither your actual IP nor any of your browsing activities can be monitored.
At this point, you might be wondering why everyone doesn’t use Double VPN if it is so effective in terms of online privacy and security. Well, as always, there is a tiny fly in the ointment. Let’s explore the most significant pros and cons of Double VPN to understand if it’s worth it.
Benefits and drawbacks of Double VPN
As mentioned above, many VPN service providers do not even have Double VPN among their features. But why is this function less popular than other VPN-related solutions? The thing is that while being highly beneficial for users who deal with sensitive data or want to avoid censorship and surveillance, Double VPN has several drawbacks to keep in mind.
Let’s explore the positive and negative aspects of using Double VPN.
Advantages of Double VPN
Although Double VPN is not a very popular feature, it may become a salvation for those prioritizing their online security and Internet privacy.
Here are the most compelling benefits of Double VPN.
- Untraceable online activities. Double VPN makes your browsing truly anonymous. In particular, this is due to data split. One of the servers has access to your IP, while another knows your destination. But no one can ever learn both.
- Enhanced security and tunneling protocols. As mentioned above, Double VPN is an ultimate security measure. To make it even more effective, you can mix encryption protocols offered by your VPN service provider.
- Doubled traffic encryption. Your traffic is encrypted twice, which makes it impossible to track. Any cyber attack will be worthless in this case. Even the first encryption is usually powerful enough. But with the second one, a hacker would need billions of years to access your data.
- Additional IP address. A common VPN hides your IP address behind the IP of a VPN server you’re using. With Double VPN, the second IP is also hidden, making the original address completely untraceable.
Disadvantages of Double VPN
Certainly, Double VPN takes your security to the next level and provides complete online privacy. However, it has several downsides to keep in mind.
Let’s take a look at the disadvantages of this feature.
- Compromised connection speed. The most significant downside of Double VPN is reduced connection speed. Even a standard VPN solution runs your data through an encrypted tunnel before reaching the final destination, which slightly slows down your connection. But with Double VPN, your traffic will move through a VPN double tunnel. Accordingly, the connection speed will be twice slower.
- Increased consumption of power. If your device isn’t connected to the power supply, your battery will run out faster with Double VPN turned on.
- Less servers available. Top VPN services offer thousands of servers located in many countries worldwide. However, when using Double VPN, you will likely have fewer options available.
- No chance to use the Tor browser. You cannot use Double VPN and the Tor browser simultaneously. The combination of onion routing and double VPN encryption will result in a snail-paced connection speed.
For some users, the benefits of Double VPN obviously outweigh its drawbacks. After all, who doesn’t want to enhance online privacy and stay safe around the clock? However, others will disagree. Why opt for double encryption VPN and limit connection speed if a common virtual private network is normally enough? And so the question pops up:
Should you use Double VPN?
The answer depends on your individual case. Sometimes, Double VPN is definitely worth it as it protects you from hackers much more effectively than any other online security solution. For instance, people who constantly deal with transferring sensitive information, such as journalists, human rights and political activists in censored countries, and so on, can turn to Double VPN to make sure no data leaks are possible. This feature is an excellent choice for anonymous communication and ultimately secure browsing.
However, for everyday online activities, turning to Double VPN is not mandatory. A trustworthy VPN solution will provide you with a sufficient level of privacy without compromising your connection speed. This is particularly true when playing online games or streaming media.
Need to double your online protection? – Try VeePN!
Double VPN is an excellent choice if you’re dealing with confidential information or want to achieve a sky-high level of online privacy. However, it’s optional when it comes to your everyday browsing experiences. Anyway, this feature is a great option not every VPN service can offer. But we recommend turning it on only when required.
Looking for a powerful VPN service that can double your encryption and ensure your online anonymity? Download VeePN! It’s a credible VPN service with multiple helpful privacy and security features, including the Double VPN solution. But even if you don’t need to turn it on, VeePN will guarantee your safety thanks to top-grade AES-256 encryption. Moreover, the NetGuard feature will protect you from potential cyber threats and third-party trackers, while Kill Switch will prevent data leaks in case your VPN connection suddenly fails. Try VeePN today and take advantage of the 30-day money-back guarantee!
FAQs
How to use a Double VPN?
If you want to benefit from the Double VPN feature, follow these simple steps:
- Download a reliable VPN app that offers Double VPN, such as VeePN.
- When choosing a VPN server, pick a Double VPN pair that suits you best
- Turn your VPN on and enjoy anonymous browsing
Is double encryption more secure?
Yes, double encryption of your traffic provided by Double VPN is more secure than any other online privacy solution. Your data runs through two separate encrypted tunnels, so its final destination remains unknown to Internet providers, online trackers, hackers, and other third parties. While common VPN encryption is normally enough to protect your data, double encryption guarantees ultimate safety.
Is Double VPN traceable?
No, there is no way to track you if you use Double VPN. In addition to double encryption, your IP address is hidden behind IPs of the two remote servers. So no one can trace your location and traffic destination. That is why Double VPN is an excellent solution for journalists, activists, and other people dealing with transferring sensitive information. Read this article to learn more about Double VPN.
What is better: Double VPN or Onion over VPN?
Both solutions exist to ensure anonymous browsing. Onion routing is provided by the Tor browser that runs your traffic through multiple servers called nodes. However, it can be insecure to use Tor without an extra security layer, such as a VPN. In turn, Double VPN encrypts your data twice and runs your traffic through two servers in different locations. It also provides an extra IP address so that no third parties can track your digital footprint. Note that it is impossible to use Tor and Double VPN simultaneously since the connection speed will be too slow.
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