There are some main differences between the dual VPN configuration and the normal VPN connection:
- Internet traffic goes through two VPN servers instead of one
- Internet traffic is encrypted twice
Double VPNs are also known as Double VPNs, Multi-hop VPNs, Cascading VPNs, Nested VPNs, or Chained VPNs.
So what are the advantages and when are you going to use the double VPN?
What is a Double VPN?
A normal Virtual private network encrypts data from the Internet so that it cannot be decrypted by third parties. The data is transferred via an intermediate server at a user’s preferred site and its IP address is replaced by a VPN server.
In a typical VPN, the procedure for outputs appears as follows:
- On the terminal using the data are encrypted (smartphone, laptop, etc.)
- Encrypted data is forwarded to the VPN server
- Crypted data on the VPN server is decrypted
- The information will be forwarded to the target site, app or service online.
This process is reversed simply by entering data to be encrypted on the server and decrypted on the end-user device.
Dual VPN adds a second VPN server to the connection as well as a second layer of encryption.
The process for outgoing data looks like this:
- Data is encrypted on the end user’s device
- Encrypted data is encrypted a second time on the end user’s device
- Double encrypted data is sent to the first VPN server
- The second layer of encryption is removed by the first VPN server.
- Encrypted data is sent to a second VPN server
- The first level of encryption is removed and the data is completely decrypted
- The data is sent to the target site, app or online service
The entry of data is in reverse order through the same procedure. Every server uses a layer of encryption and both are decrypted on the device of the end user.
The most secure and private setup is this “nested” Doppel VPN. Some VPN providers and administrators do not, however, encrypt data on the device of the user. Instead, the outbound traffic is encrypted by one level. It is removed when the first VPN server is reached, before being sent to the second server a second stage of encryption is applied. This procedure provides only one level of encryption at any point and all servers will view unencrypted circulation, so this setting is not recommended. It does very little for privacy or security.
You can add additional servers and encoding layers to build triple vpn or quad VPN setup, a method called VPN server chaining, and cascading of a VPN server.
Which VPNs offer double VPN connections?
Nord VPN is the highest recommendation for a single provider that provides twin VPN connections. You can actually choose dual VPN server locations right in the app from a list of available locations. Dual VPNs in eight countries, one in North and Europe plus one in Taiwan, were available when they were written.
BEST DOUBLE VPN: NordVPN is a solid all-round choice with good speeds, solid security, and the ability to unblock region-specific content. It comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Dual VPN with different VPN providers
However, if you want to maximize your privacy, you should use two different VPN providers.
Why?
NordVPN doesn’t keep logs, so if it is ever scammed and chooses to record everything you do on the internet, whether you use a double VPN doesn’t matter. If one company owns both VPN servers, despite the added safety, it will consolidate its online activities.
Setting up a two-provider Dual VPN guarantees that no one can control your IP address and network activity.
It is not difficult to use two VPN apps when it works, but configuration and fixing problems will take a long time. In particular when VPN applications use the same protocol and virtual network cards, they will conflict with each other. On your laptop and on your Wi-Fi router or virtual machine, you will choose to set up one VPN.
For example, I have been able to set up a dual VPN with NordVPN and IPVanish using the two apps on the same device. I just started the apps and linked to both apps. The server of one ISP can see my device and the other can see what I do on the net, but neither I receive the full information so that I can successfully anonymise my connection.
Do you need a double VPN? What are the benefits?
Perhaps not. No. However, security is advantageous in various situations.
Double VPN provides a certain degree of VPN security, but is usually redundant. The idea is to encrypt the data for the second server, and not read by third parties, if the security key for a particular server is compromised.
Another significant advantage is that the source or destination of Internet traffic can be found on no VPN server. The first VPN server will, for instance, see data from your smartphone but cannot see which websites you are visiting behind the second VPN server. Conversely, the second VPN would see whatever website you visit, but the source is your previous smartphone, not the previous VPN server.
For journalists, political activists and individuals under powerful Internet surveilance, NordVPN proposes a dual VPN feature.
How are the double VPN disadvantages?
Because of the extra server your data has to go through, double connections are usually a little slower.
It is also more resource intensive to encrypt and decrypt your smartphone or laptop twice. This may lead to a higher degradation of speed in devices with low power consumption.
Offering dual VPN connections, providers like NordVPN prevent you from linking any desired servers or locations together. You have to choose between a much narrower preset list of options because they are static configurations.
