For many businesses, working remotely has been a new adjustment, requiring employees and business owners to learn new skills and utilize new technologies. One of the most important of these technologies is virtual private networks, or VPNs.
Let’s discuss VPNs, what they are, how they work, and how users can set up a VPN to establish a secure connection from home to work.
A VPN, or virtual private network, is essentially a connection between your home office internet network to the network at your office or place of work. VPNs are encrypted so that everything that goes through this connection is safe and secure. When you utilize a VPN, you can work from anywhere while gaining access to all of the data, documents, programs, and other tools available at your office workstation.
VPNs can be used for many different things and have often been used by IT companies and tech-based businesses, however, the general public has become increasingly interested in VPNs since the popularity of working from home has grown. This is because a VPNS can simulate an in-office environment by allowing all of the team members who are working from home establish safe, secure connections to their in-office workstations, servers, and more. With a VPN, it can appear as if you’re working from your office computer even if you’re not physically there.
How to Set Up a VPN
There are many ways to establish a VPN and a variety of services and providers who can help facilitate this connection. To begin setting up a VPN, you’ll need to set up two connections. The first is the connection to the office or workstation. The second is the remote workstation, or wherever you’ll be accessing that office connection from. For companies with an in-house IT department, this can be easier because there are professionals there to assist in setting up these connections. However, for those without an in-house team of IT experts, setting up the VPN will require some research on the process. You’ll want to make sure you have the right routers with VPN capability and understand how to configure the connections.
Common VPN Protocols
VPN protocols are various ways you can set up a VPN. There are a handful of different technologies out there that support this, but to keep things simple we’ll go over two of the most common.
OpenVPN
OpenVPN is a VPN protocol that has been around for a very long time. This software is open-source, which means it should be supported by most routers. The set up process is fairly simple, requiring the user to choose some configuration settings, download the configuration file, and establish the connection with any remote computer or device using the available apps through OpenVPN’s site. It can be a little complicated for those unfamiliar with tech, so many business owners choose to partner with an IT provider to help establish the connection.
IPsec
Internet Protocol Security, or IPsec, is another common technology used to set up VPNs. It’s supported by low-cost routers and has a similar setup process to OpenVPN. One of the main differences, however, is that instead of using an app to access the connection, IPsec uses built-in support that is available on most computers and devices.
Some users find OpenVPN easier to use, but others trust the simplicity of IPsec. If you’re unsure about which VPN technology is right for you or if you’re overwhelmed at the thought of establishing a VPN connection on your own, it’s best to enlist the help of an IT provider who can guide you through the process.
What are the main options for setting up a VPN for my home office?
You generally have three main options:
- use your employer’s corporate VPN,
- subscribe to a commercial VPN service, or
run your own VPN server at home. If your company provides a VPN, they usually give you a client app and login details so you can connect from your work laptop with minimal configuration. A commercial VPN service is easiest for individuals, since you just install apps on your devices and connect to the provider’s servers for encrypted internet access. Running your own VPN—on a home router, NAS, or small server—lets you securely reach your home network from anywhere, but requires more setup and basic networking knowledge.
How do I set up a simple VPN for my home office without being a networking expert?
The simplest approach for most people is to choose a reputable VPN provider, create an account, and install its apps on your laptop and phone. The app usually walks you through logging in and connecting, and you can often enable auto‑connect and kill‑switch options so the VPN turns on automatically and blocks traffic if the tunnel drops. If you want every device on your home network protected (including smart TVs and game consoles), many guides recommend installing the VPN on your router instead, as long as the router supports it. This takes a bit more configuration but means anything using your Wi‑Fi is automatically routed through the VPN, without installing apps on each device.
What’s the difference between using a work VPN and a personal VPN at home?
A work VPN connects you to your employer’s network so all or most of your traffic is routed through company servers, where IT can see and secure it according to corporate policies. In this setup, IT may monitor activity on the work network, enforce security rules, and restrict which sites or services you can access while connected. A personal VPN, by contrast, encrypts your traffic to a commercial provider or to your own home server, mainly to protect privacy and secure your connection rather than to reach internal corporate resources. It is common for remote workers to use a corporate VPN on their work devices and a separate personal VPN for their own laptops and phones when handling non‑work activity.
What security best practices should I follow when setting up a home office VPN?
For a secure home office VPN, start by choosing strong, unique passwords and enabling multifactor authentication wherever possible. Use modern protocols such as OpenVPN or WireGuard instead of older, less secure options, and keep your router, VPN server, and client apps fully updated. If you host your own VPN, follow provider or project guides carefully, including steps for key management, firewall rules, and IP forwarding, since misconfigurations can weaken security. Finally, limit VPN access to the people and devices that need it, regularly review connected devices, and educate everyone in your home office about phishing and safe remote‑work practices.