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Decentralized VPNspromise to be the upgrade to existing,standard VPN services.
To see how they plan to deliver on these promises, we need to understand how decentralized VPNs work.
How Are Decentralized VPNs Different?
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Related:What Is a VPN, and Why Would I Need One?
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.
However, because of the informal nature of this setup, there are some key differences.
Note that this isn’t mandatory—you might choose not to have your gadget used as a node.
This is also what sets dVPNs apart fromTor, as Tor’s nodes are run by volunteers.
The platform only facilitates the trade and takes a cut for its trouble.
TheMysterium data pipe, for example, uses a coin called MYST, whileOrchidhas one called OXT.
That way, whether somebody is using your node or not you’re able to still make money.
It won’t be a lot, but it’s a nice way to monetize your internet connection.
Note that some dVPN platforms go further down the crypto rabbithole than others.
However, decentralization also means greater transparency for users.
As we’ve argued before in our article onno-log VPNs, regular VPNs are a black box.
In the end, though, you’re always going to have to trust in somebody else’s word.
Not so decentralized VPNs, where the system is set up for transparency.
While dVPNs use thesame protocolsas VPNs do, the way that logs are handled is different.
According to awhitepaperby dVPN platform Sentinel, dVPNs don’t have this issue.
That said, there’s a lot of promise in what we’ve seen so far.
As much as we like regular VPNs, they have some key weaknesses that dVPNs could potentially solve.
However, they also come with some issues.
One of them is the use of crypto, which could potentially scare people off.
