Whether you want to protect your privacy online or just want to cover your security bases while using public Wi-Fi, virtual private networks (VPN) put another layer between your device and the internet. The best VPNs work by routing your internet connection through a VPN server before accessing the rest of the internet, putting a secure tunnel between your device and the servers from which you’re pulling data. VPNs are a good way to give yourself some peace of mind online.