---
title: "What is VPN (Virtual Private Network)?"
url: "https://lookvalid.com/glossary/vpn.md"
canonical_url: "https://lookvalid.com/glossary/vpn"
last_updated: "2026-10-23"
type: "conceptual"
summary: "A VPN sends a device's traffic through an encrypted tunnel to a server run by the VPN provider, so websites see the server's address instead of the user's."
related: ["https://lookvalid.com/glossary/datacenter-ip.md", "https://lookvalid.com/glossary/tor-exit-node.md", "https://lookvalid.com/glossary/residential-proxy.md", "https://lookvalid.com/glossary/ip-geolocation.md", "https://lookvalid.com/products/ip.md"]
---

# What is VPN (Virtual Private Network)?

A VPN sends a device's traffic through an encrypted tunnel to a server run by the VPN provider, so websites see the server's address instead of the user's.

People use VPNs for privacy, for work and to reach content in another country. The same masking helps people who want to hide fraud.

VPN addresses change often and many providers share them across thousands of users, so a flag is a prompt for another check, not a block.

Detection works from several clues together: addresses published by VPN providers, hosting-provider ranges, and addresses seen behind many unrelated accounts. No list is complete, so the absence of a flag does not prove a direct connection. Match the response to the risk: allow reading, and ask for verification before a purchase or a password reset.

## Related

- [What is Datacenter IP?](https://lookvalid.com/glossary/datacenter-ip.md)
- [What is Tor exit node?](https://lookvalid.com/glossary/tor-exit-node.md)
- [What is Residential proxy?](https://lookvalid.com/glossary/residential-proxy.md)
- [What is IP geolocation?](https://lookvalid.com/glossary/ip-geolocation.md)
- [IP Intelligence API](https://lookvalid.com/products/ip.md)