A mesh VPN: your devices linked through the cloud
You install the service's app on every device you want to link and sign in with your account. The service puts them in touch, and from then on they can talk to each other wherever they are: your laptop, the office computer, your phone.
A VPN server at home: you walk into your own network
A computer at home acts as the entrance. Your phone or laptop connects to it and you are inside your home network, as if you were sitting on the sofa.
You reach everything at home, even devices where you cannot install apps, like the printer, cameras, a NAS or the TV. And you go online with your home IP.
Side by side
| Mesh VPN | VPN server at home | |
|---|---|---|
| What you reach | The devices that have the app | Everything in your home |
| Printer, cameras, TV | Not directly | Yes |
| App on every device you want to reach | Yes | No |
| Going online with your home IP | Only with extra setup | Yes |
| Devices in many different places | Its strong point | One home per server |
When a mesh VPN fits better
- Your devices are in many places: several offices, homes or servers.
- All of them can run the app.
- You want to connect a team and decide who reaches what.
When a VPN server at home fits better
- You want everything in your home, including devices without apps.
- You need your home IP when you are away, for your bank or work tools. See how to use your home IP while traveling.
- You prefer one simple entrance, on a computer you own.
How MiVPN does it
MiVPN is a VPN server at home. You install it on a computer that stays on (a Raspberry Pi is enough) and sign in to the app on your phone or laptop. It prepares the router by itself when it can, and if your internet provider does not give you your own public IP, the paid plans include a relay. See how to reach your home without a public IP.
Your own VPN server, free to start
Install MiVPN Server on any computer at home and connect from your phone or laptop. No configuration files, no third-party servers.
Frequently asked questions
Which one is safer?
Both protect your connection. The difference is who runs the service that links your devices, and from where you go online.
Can I reach my printer and cameras with a mesh VPN?
Not directly: you would need to set up a device at home to give access to the rest. With a VPN server at home you reach them straight away.
Do I need technical knowledge for a VPN server at home?
Not with MiVPN: you install it, sign in and it prepares everything for you.
Is a commercial VPN the same thing?
No. A commercial VPN takes you to other countries; it does not let you into your home. See your own VPN or a commercial VPN.