How it works

Every device gets a private address

When you create a network, CloudVPN gives it its own private address range. Each device you add gets an address in it, such as 10.88.4.11, and keeps it. Your server, shared folders and point-of-sale system are reachable at those addresses from every device you allow, wherever it is.

The connections are encrypted tunnels, built on a modern VPN protocol used by large networks worldwide. Each device makes its own key, and the key never leaves the device.

Direct first, the hub when needed

Devices connect straight to each other whenever their networks allow it. They find each other's addresses, work around routers and firewalls, and keep the faster of the direct path and the hub. Direct is usually quicker and keeps your traffic off the hub.

Some networks make direct connections impossible, for example two phones on mobile data. Those pairs go through the CloudVPN hub automatically, with the same rules. The app keeps trying direct every few minutes and switches back when it works, without dropping your connection.

Who can reach whom

When you create a network, you choose how it starts:

• Every device reaches every other, for one office or team whose devices all work together.
• Devices reach servers only, which suits shops, tills and staff laptops.
• Only what you allow, starting from nothing.

You then put devices in groups and add rules, one way or both ways, for all traffic or exact services: "Laptops can connect to Sage server on SQL Server and file sharing" lets the laptops in without the server or the laptops reaching each other. The dashboard sums up every network's rules in plain sentences.

The rules are applied on each device, on its CloudVPN connection only. You don't add anything to Windows Firewall or to a Linux server's firewall, and the device's other connections keep their own settings.

When something is wrong

The dashboard shows every pair of devices and how they connect: direct, through the hub, or not at all. When a pair cannot connect directly, it says why in plain words and what would fix it, such as turning on UPnP on a router. Staff can press "Report a problem" in the app to send a connection test to you.

What you manage, and what we run

• You: your networks, devices, users and the rules for who reaches what, in the dashboard.
• CloudVPN: the hubs, the relays for networks that block VPNs, updates, and keeping it all running.

More detail is in the help pages.