What Is a Multihop VPN and How Does It Improve Your
VPNs are great for your online security, but could they be even more secure? You may have heard of multihop VPNs, but what exactly are they?
Here’s what you need to know about MultiHop VPNs, how they differ from a standard VPN, and whether they’re worth trying while surfing the web.
What is MultiHop VPN?
A multihop VPN, also known as a double VPN, works by sending your Internet traffic through two secure servers instead of one when you go online. You can think of it as a secure tunnel within a secure tunnel, providing an extra layer of security. This is because using two servers adds an extra layer of traffic encryption, so both your IP and traffic are doubly protected.
Using a MultiHop VPN, your traffic is first sent to a VPN server and encrypted. This server then sends your traffic, double-encrypted, to another server, which then decrypts your traffic and assumes the server’s IP address before it reaches your Internet. Therefore, as your data reaches each server, it receives another layer of encryption, up to the point where your data is almost completely inaccessible to cyber criminals.
If an attacker first tries to access your data by hacking the server, your data will be encrypted, and therefore cannot be read. Then, if the attacker tries to access your data through the second server, he will not be able to access any data before it is encrypted by the first server. And so if you use a multihop VPN it will be extremely difficult for anyone to access the decrypted version of your data.
Sometimes, multihop VPNs use more than two servers, providing even more encryption. In short, the more servers your traffic passes through, the more secure it is.
Two Modes of MultiHop VPN
Two of the ways a multihop VPN can work involves using one or more VPN providers. Cascade connection involves using only one VPN provider. On the other hand, a nested chain configuration involves using two or more VPN providers, resulting in the use of multiple VPN servers.
Of course, one would think that the best bet would be to use the nested chain method, but this is not necessarily the case, which brings us to the major downside of VPN protocols using two or more servers.
What are the disadvantages of using Double VPN?
The biggest downside to using any type of multihop or double VPN is the significantly lower connection speeds. The general rule among VPNs is that the more servers your traffic has to pass through, the longer it will take to load pages, stream videos, or use the Internet in general.
People already complain that standard VPNs, which use only one server, have unsatisfactory connection speeds, so adding one or more additional servers to the process will only make this problem worse. This is the reason why most of the reputable VPN providers do not offer the MultiHop VPN feature, as this would most likely lead to customer complaints due to very slow connection speeds.
On top of this, your device’s performance can be negatively affected when you use a MultiHop VPN. Your computer has to encrypt and decrypt all of your online data, so this probably won’t be good for its overall performance.
There is a frustrating inverse relationship between connection speeds and security levels when it comes to VPNs. But don’t worry: standard VPNs still provide enough security to keep you safe in most cases when using the Internet. A regular VPN is the most popular option for most individuals.
However, if you are considering using a multihop VPN, there are a few services that can provide you with one. So let’s discuss some of them.
Although multihop VPNs certainly aren’t as popular as standard VPNs, you can certainly access a multihop VPN through these three providers.
1. Surfshark
Surfshark is one of the most popular VPN providers in the game at the moment. Available on all your common operating systems, Surfshark’s “Double VPN” feature can be easily accessed through its subscription service. And, surprisingly, Surfshark claims that their MultiHop VPN can potentially improve your internet connection speed.
Surfshark says that “bouncing through two unusual routers can put you on the faster path”, yet discourages those who stream regularly from using its multihop feature.
On top of that, they list some specific reasons why you might want to use a MultiHop VPN, including dodging government tracking and hiding your sources if you’re a journalist. Beautiful niche, indeed.