So /g/ this is my second free trail with Nord and I'm posting

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>>60267283
You need at least up to the transport layer to get the packets to the termination pointer, usually a VPN concentrator.

VPN also implies layer two connectivity within the "tunnel" -- which in this case is encrypted. It doesn't technically have to be, however arguing that it's private is another matter.

Drew a picture...because your "VPN" tunnel works over a TCP link, the TCP part for transporting the encrypted data must be un-encrypted.

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>>60267283
>>60267437
The "black" non-encrypted connection gets you two the endpoints, there after it is de-crypted is clear again after the connection.

One of the problems with vpns is that you are still vulnerable to basic deep packet analysis. Sending data over the internet is like sending a letter, you MUST have a destination address, and for TCP you must include a return to sender address. when your data reaches the VPN they edit the packet header to have their own return address before forwarding, but anyone reading the data before it reaches the VPN sees a regular TCP header.
The actual contents of the communication should always be encrypted though.

>>60267437
>>60267743

Thanks for the responses.

>>60267283
>hi guys I'm a fucking idiot who has no idea what a VPN is or how it works

Who cares if they can see the data before it enters the tunnel? If you aren't sending any personal identifiable information over the internet, all they know is that it went to a VPN provider and that's it. Almost all internet traffic is HTTPS at this point, so your traffic is encrypted before entering the tunnel in the first place. Big fucking deal, good luck actually matching that to a user. Especially with a VPN that doesn't keep any logs. Also, do you have any idea how many millions of packets pass through any given VPN providers exit nodes every second?