{"id":492201,"date":"2022-09-12T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2022-09-11T21:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/how-does-a-decentralized-vpn-dvpn-work\/"},"modified":"2022-09-12T00:00:00","modified_gmt":"2022-09-11T21:00:00","slug":"how-does-a-decentralized-vpn-dvpn-work","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/how-does-a-decentralized-vpn-dvpn-work\/","title":{"rendered":"#How Does a Decentralized VPN (dVPN) Work?"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_85 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a348a9458c03\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a348a9458c03\" checked aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-1'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/how-does-a-decentralized-vpn-dvpn-work\/#%E2%80%9CHow_Does_a_Decentralized_VPN_dVPN_Work%E2%80%9D\" >&#8220;How Does a Decentralized VPN (dVPN) Work?&#8221;<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-2' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/how-does-a-decentralized-vpn-dvpn-work\/#How_Are_Decentralized_VPNs_Different\" >How Are Decentralized VPNs Different?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/how-does-a-decentralized-vpn-dvpn-work\/#dVPNs_and_Crypto\" >dVPNs and Crypto<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/how-does-a-decentralized-vpn-dvpn-work\/#Decentralized_and_Transparent\" >Decentralized and Transparent<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/how-does-a-decentralized-vpn-dvpn-work\/#What_It_Means_for_Users\" >What It Means for Users<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h1><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"%E2%80%9CHow_Does_a_Decentralized_VPN_dVPN_Work%E2%80%9D\"><\/span>&#8220;How Does a Decentralized VPN (dVPN) Work?&#8221;<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h1>\n<div>\n<!-- UNCACHED CONTENT --><\/p>\n<figure style=\"width: 1200px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"type:primaryImage size-full wp-image-828001\" data-pagespeed-no-defer=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/www.howtogeek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/shutterstock_2114108573.jpg?width=1198&amp;trim=1,1&amp;bg-color=000&amp;pad=1,1\" alt=\"Decentralized blockchain connections across the globe.\" width=\"1200\" height=\"675\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span class=\"type:primaryImage imagecredit\"><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.shutterstock.com\/image-illustration\/decentralized-autonomous-organization-dao-corporation-individuals-2114108573\">ArtemisDiana\/Shutterstock.com<\/a><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Decentralized VPNs promise to be the upgrade to existing, standard VPN services. They claim to offer better privacy at lower prices than their traditional counterparts, while also improving the internet as a whole. To see how they plan to deliver on these promises, we need to understand how decentralized VPNs work.<\/p>\n<h2 role=\"heading\" aria-level=\"2\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_Are_Decentralized_VPNs_Different\"><\/span>How Are Decentralized VPNs Different?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>The best way to get an initial impression of how decentralized VPNs (often called dVPNs or even DPNs) work is to compare them to how regular VPNs work. Under old-school rules, a VPN provider will rent or buy a number of VPN servers and then let customers make use of them for a sub<a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/download-scripts-themes-apps\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"9\" title=\"Download Scripts &amp; Themes &amp; Apps\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">script<\/a>ion fee, usually paid monthly or annually.<\/p>\n<p>Decentralized VPNs do away with that paradigm. Instead of using machines in server farms, dVPNs use the devices of their users instead as so-called nodes. You\u2019re not accessing the internet through a server, instead you\u2019re using somebody else\u2019s computer, which acts like a server for your connection.<\/p>\n<p>In practice, this doesn\u2019t work all that differently than a regular VPN: you\u2019re still getting a spoofed IP address from another location and can use this to access blocked sites or crack different streaming libraries. However, because of the informal nature of this setup, there are some key differences.<\/p>\n<p>For one, while you\u2019re using somebody else\u2019s device as a server, they can, if you so choose, use yours as a server, too. How this works is that you could be in the U.S., but you may want a U.K. IP address. You connect to a node in Britain somewhere, and while you\u2019re online, somebody in Germany connects to your device\u2019s node to get your U.S.-based IP.<\/p>\n<p>Note that this isn\u2019t mandatory\u2014you can choose not to have your device used as a node. However, when doing so, you\u2019re missing out on what could potentially be a huge draw for dVPNs, namely that you can get paid if you serve as a node. This is also what sets dVPNs apart from Tor, as Tor\u2019s nodes are run by volunteers.<\/p>\n<h2 role=\"heading\" aria-level=\"2\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"dVPNs_and_Crypto\"><\/span>dVPNs and Crypto<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Interestingly enough, it\u2019s not the dVPN platform itself that\u2019s paying you, but your fellow users. The platform only facilitates the trade and takes a cut for its trouble. Unsurprisingly, this payment is in some form of cryptocurrency\u2014often, but not always, a custom coin created by the dVPN platform itself. The <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mysterium.network\/token\">Mysterium Network<\/a>, for example, uses a coin called MYST, while <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.orchid.com\/oxt\/\">Orchid<\/a> has one called OXT.<\/p>\n<p>However, it\u2019s not just through letting others use your device to route through that you can make money, most\u2014though not all\u2014dVPN platforms also allow you to use your idle bandwidth to mine for their tokens. That way, whether somebody is using your node or not you can still make money. It won\u2019t be a lot, but it\u2019s a nice way to monetize your internet connection.<\/p>\n<p>Note that some dVPN platforms go further down the crypto rabbithole than others. One good example is the <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.deeper.network\">Deeper Network<\/a>, which lets customers buy dedicated devices which serve as a gateway to their dVPN network\u2014so you don\u2019t use your own device to use the VPN\u2014and will automatically idle in mining mode.<\/p>\n<h2 role=\"heading\" aria-level=\"2\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Decentralized_and_Transparent\"><\/span>Decentralized and Transparent<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>The idea that you could fund your VPN by having other people use it will likely be a big draw to anybody with bandwidth to spare. However, decentralization also means greater transparency for users. As we\u2019ve argued before in our article on no-log VPNs, regular VPNs are a black box. What\u2019s actually happening to your data is unknown, and you have to take any VPN provider\u2019s claims of privacy on trust.<\/p>\n<p>Some services will try to gain your trust by explaining in considerable detail how a piece of their tech works (like <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/uxnzmft.com\/offer\/coupon?offer=3monthsfree&amp;a_fid=howtogeek&amp;data1=htg&amp;data2=823522\">ExpressVPN<\/a> and its\u00a0TrustedServer), while others will hire outside firms to audit their processes and security. In the end, though, you\u2019re always going to have to trust in somebody else\u2019s word.<\/p>\n<p>Not so decentralized VPNs, where the system is set up for transparency. While dVPNs use the same protocols as VPNs do, the way that logs are handled is different. When using a regular VPN, you\u2019re running your connections through a server, which has to log your activity. You trust your VPN provider to destroy these logs, naturally, but they do exist, even if only for a split second.<\/p>\n<p>According to a <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/redirect.viglink.com\/?key=204a528a336ede4177fff0d84a044482&amp;u=https%3A%2F%2Fsentinel.co%2Fwhitepaper%2F&amp;cuid=xid:{xid}&amp;___trxnet=vg\">whitepaper<\/a> by dVPN platform Sentinel, dVPNs don\u2019t have this issue. Instead, each connection request is made on their blockchain, which doesn\u2019t keep records the same way a server does. While, of course, it does raise questions about how the blockchain functions\u2014Bitcoin isn\u2019t anonymous, for example\u2014if it works as advertised, it would be a great way around a major sticking point for regular VPNs.<\/p>\n<h2 role=\"heading\" aria-level=\"2\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_It_Means_for_Users\"><\/span>What It Means for Users<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Decentralized VPNs are very much a <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/technology\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"4\" title=\"Technology\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">technology<\/a> that\u2019s still being created, and as such, it\u2019s hard to make sweeping statements about it. That said, there\u2019s a lot of promise in what we\u2019ve seen so far. As much as we like regular VPNs, they have some key weaknesses that dVPNs could potentially solve.<\/p>\n<p>However, they also come with some issues. One of them is the use of crypto, which could potentially scare people off. While crypto itself is transparent, the world around it is not, which makes getting started with it a little daunting, something we experienced when getting started with dVPNs ourselves.<\/p>\n<p>Still, though, if you like to explore the cutting edge, we recommend checking out working dVPNs like the <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mysterium.network\">Mysterium Network<\/a>, <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.orchid.com\">Orchid<\/a>, or <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/redirect.viglink.com\/?key=204a528a336ede4177fff0d84a044482&amp;u=https%3A%2F%2Fsentinel.co&amp;cuid=xid:{xid}&amp;___trxnet=vg\">Sentinel<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><script>\n setTimeout(function(){\n  !function(f,b,e,v,n,t,s)\n  {if(f.fbq)return;n=f.fbq=function(){n.callMethod?\n  n.callMethod.apply(n,arguments):n.queue.push(arguments)};\n  if(!f._fbq)f._fbq=n;n.push=n;n.loaded=!0;n.version='2.0';\n  n.queue=[];t=b.createElement(e);t.async=!0;\n  t.src=v;s=b.getElementsByTagName(e)[0];\n  s.parentNode.insertBefore(t,s) } (window, document,'script',\n  'https:\/\/connect.facebook.net\/en_US\/fbevents.js');\n   fbq('init', '335401813750447');\n   fbq('track', 'PageView');\n  },3000);\n<\/script><\/p>\n<blockquote><p><strong><span style=\"color: #ff6600;\">If you liked the article, do not forget to share it with your friends. Follow us on\u00a0<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><a style=\"color: #ff0000;\" href=\"https:\/\/news.google.com\/publications\/CAAqBwgKMLG0nwswvr63Aw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\">Google News<\/a><\/span>\u00a0too, click on the star and choose us from your favorites.<\/span><\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">For forums sites go to <span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/forum.buradabiliyorum.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Forum.BuradaBiliyorum.Com<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>If you want to read more like this article, you can visit our <span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/technology\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Technology category.<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"color: black;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.howtogeek.com\/823522\/how-does-a-decentralized-vpn-dvpn-work\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Source<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&#8220;How Does a Decentralized VPN (dVPN) Work?&#8221; ArtemisDiana\/Shutterstock.com Decentralized VPNs promise to be the upgrade to existing, standard VPN services. They claim to offer better privacy at lower prices than their traditional counterparts, while also improving the internet as a whole. To see how they plan to deliver on these promises, we need to understand&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":492202,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.howtogeek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/shutterstock_2114108573.jpg?height=200p&trim=2,2,2,2","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[18],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-492201","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-technology"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/492201","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=492201"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/492201\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/492202"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=492201"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=492201"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=492201"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}