A virtual server location is a type of VPN server that changes your IP address using DNS routing. It is called a virtual VPN location because the physical server is located in a different place than the IP address you get. This guide explains everything you need to know about virtual VPN servers.
Virtual server locations allow VPN providers to offer IP addresses in countries where providing a physical server is risky or expensive. While some criticize the use of virtual servers, there is nothing inherently wrong with this practice. Virtual VPN server locations can improve efficiency and network performance for subscribers while reducing their costs.
That said, it is important to understand the privacy and security nuances caused by virtual VPN servers. Anybody who uses a VPN for privacy should know whether they are using a physical or virtual location. This is why we prefer VPNs that clearly label virtual locations in their apps.
In this guide, we will discuss the pros and cons of virtual server locations, explain how virtual VPN locations work, and discuss how they affect privacy. Keep reading to determine whether a virtual location server is right for you.
What is a VPN server?
A VPN server is a private proxy server you connect to via an encrypted tunnel. Connecting to a VPN server allows you to hide your home IP address from the websites and services you visit.
The VPN also encrypts your data to prevent local networks, ISPs, government agencies, and other unwanted eavesdroppers from monitoring your internet activities. This provides you with online privacy and location spoofing.
The best VPNs offer a wide choice of servers for subscribers to connect to. Our top picks have servers in more than 100 countries around the world, giving subscribers the ability to get an IP address almost anywhere on the globe.
For example, depending on your needs, you could use a VPN to change your IP address to another city, state, or country. If you want to watch a British TV channel like BBC iPlayer, you can connect to a VPN server in the UK. You can also connect to a US VPN server if you want to access US Netflix on vacation.
VPN servers can be physical or virtual. Here’s the difference:
- Physical VPN server: A bare metal server (a physical piece of hardware) located in a data center.
- Virtual VPN server: A VPN server that runs on a physical server but is located in a different country than where you get an IP address (virtual location server).
Virtual location server vs. physical server
A physical VPN server is real hardware hosted in a data center in the country it claims to be in. The IP address you get matches the physical location of the VPN server you pick in the app.
A virtual VPN server uses DNS routing to give you an IP address where you need it. However, the physical server hosts your data elsewhere.
When you use a virtual server location, your IP address shows you are in one country, but the data routes through a server in a different country. This distinction is important because virtual servers could pose different privacy and legal implications for users.
Why do VPNs use virtual server locations?
The best consumer-facing VPNs offer a wide choice of IP addresses, which allows VPN users to switch their IP addresses whenever they need to.
As a result, a VPN is useful for bypassing online censorship or region locks. Many VPNs implement some virtual server locations to provide more server location choices.
Below are the main reasons VPNs use virtual server locations:
- Larger server network: Virtual servers let VPN providers offer IPs in more countries without needing physical servers everywhere.
- Bypassing censorship: Virtual locations let VPN providers offer servers in countries without having a physical presence. This helps citizens bypass censorship without risking user data in particularly restrictive locations.
- Cost-saving: Setting up a physical VPN server can be expensive in some countries. Using a virtual location to provide IP addresses in those countries helps reduce subscription costs while still giving users access to IPs where they need them.
- Improved speeds: Virtual servers can sometimes offer faster connections because the physical server is in a region with better infrastructure. This allows users to get an IP address where they need it while still receiving fast speeds.
- Testing new locations: If a VPN extends its network, it may use virtual locations for testing. This helps the VPN gauge user interest before investing in physical servers.
What are the pros and cons of virtual VPN servers?
Virtual servers let consumer VPNs offer access to IP addresses in countries where hosting a physical server might create privacy risks. For example, virtual servers allow VPNs to provide IPs in Russia or China, where hosting a physical server creates privacy risks associated with server raids and data requests.
Virtual routing also lets VPNs offer IP addresses in regions with high server costs. This allows the VPN to cater to users who need IPs in a specific country without setting up a physical server.
Virtual servers can also improve network speeds by offering fast Tier 1 servers even in countries with slower speeds due to infrastructure limitations. This is perfect for users who need optimal speeds while using IP addresses in those countries.
Virtual servers also result in privacy considerations. When you use a virtual location, the physical server handling your data is elsewhere. This means that your data is subject to regulations and potential data requests by authorities acting in that jurisdiction.
This is why VPN users must know when using a virtual server. By understanding this, users can determine where their data is processed and which regulations apply to them.
Here are the main pros and cons of virtual VPN servers:
Pros:
- Access to more locations: Virtual servers let you connect to regions that might not have many physical data centers. This is great for those traveling abroad for vacation or digital nomads who relocate frequently.
- Bypass censorship: You can appear in a country restricting VPN use without the VPN needing a physical presence there.
- Faster speeds: In some cases, virtual servers provide better speeds due to better routing or improved infrastructure over what is available physically.
- Lower subscription costs: VPNs can pass on additional savings to their users by avoiding the high costs of hosting servers in some countries. This makes VPNs more affordable.
Cons:
- Privacy concerns: Your data could be processed in a country with invasive internet laws, raising privacy concerns. This is why VPNs must transparently explain which servers are virtual locations and where they are hosted.
- Potentially slower speeds: Depending on routing, virtual servers may introduce additional lag, ping issues, or slower connections.
Are VPN virtual locations safe?
Yes. Using a virtual VPN server location is just as safe as a physical one. The VPN routes your data to a private proxy server controlled by the VPN. Your data remains encrypted securely inside the VPN tunnel while in transit, protecting it against eavesdroppers and concealing your home IP address from the websites you visit.
The safety of a VPN with virtual servers depends on the individual VPN provider and how they implement their service. Many VPNs have outdated apps, insecure servers, poorly implemented encryption, IP or DNS leaks, and other vulnerabilities, which can make them unsafe.
This is why you must be careful when choosing a VPN. They are not all created equally, so you should pick a VPN that has been thoroughly tested by our experts (and preferably subjected to independent third-party audits by a reputable cybersecurity firm).
Here is what to look out for when choosing a VPN with virtual server locations:
- Provider reputation: Choose a reputable VPN with a proven record for data security and privacy. Virtual servers aren’t inherently unsafe, but they must be set up securely. You must trust that your VPN provider knows what it is doing.
- Strong encryption: Look for VPNs with secure protocols like OpenVPN or WireGuard, implemented with robust AES-256 encryption and RAM-only servers.
- Transparent server lists: The best VPNs clearly label which servers are virtual and disclose the actual location of those servers. This transparency helps you understand where your data is processed.
Note: You can read more on our full VPN testing methodology here.
How to change your virtual location with a VPN – Spoofing guide
When discussing VPNs, the term “virtual location” can refer to two different things, which often leads to confusion.
In this guide, we’ve explained what a virtual VPN location is. (A virtual location server provides an IP address in a different country from where the physical server is located.)
Whether using a physical VPN server or a virtual server, you can use a VPN to change your location by hiding your IP address and replacing it with one in a different location. This process, known as location spoofing, is often called changing your virtual location.
How to change your virtual location with a VPN:
- Choose a VPN provider: To spoof your location to a different city, state, or country, we recommend NordVPN for its reliability, speed, and security features at an affordable price. Alternatively, consider IPVanish, which offers many US server locations, or Surfshark, which provides incredible value for money.
- Subscribe: Once you’ve chosen a VPN, subscribe to the service. Using the links in this guide will apply automatic coupon codes that unlock the lowest available prices (we’ve arranged special discounts for our readers).
- Install the VPN app: Download and install the VPN app on your preferred device. The VPNs we recommend have Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android apps, so you can use them to spoof your IP address across all your devices.
- Log in to the VPN: Open the VPN app and log in with the credentials you used during sign-up.
- Choose a server location: Each VPN we recommend allows you to connect to servers in more than 50 countries worldwide. This lets you change your location “virtually” and get an IP address in your selected region.
- Connect to the server: Once connected, your IP address will change to match the server’s location.
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Does it matter if my data is processed in a different country?
As long as you use a no-logs VPN, it doesn’t matter whether the IP address you use is virtual or physical. A no-logs VPN ensures that no records of your activities are kept while connected. This includes storing no records of the websites you visit, your home IP address, or the location of the server you use.
This means that your activities are not stored or tracked even when using a virtual location. If the government (or any other legal entity) were to approach the VPN, it would have no information to supply.
In practice, you don’t need to worry about the host country of the physical server (behind the virtual location) because the VPN stores no user data, which could put you at risk.
That said, we still advise being mindful of whether you connect to a physical or virtual server. This is particularly important if you have an elevated threat model and require the highest level of security.
Anyone seeking the highest level of privacy should pick a physical server in a country with strong privacy protections and no invasive data retention laws or intelligence-sharing agreements.
Virtual Private Server (VPS) vs virtual location server
Virtual location servers (also called virtual server locations) and Virtual Private Servers (VPS) are not the same thing. A virtual location server refers to a simulated location provided by a VPN using DNS routing. You connect to a virtual server, but your data routes through a physical server somewhere else.
A Virtual Private Server (VPS) is a web hosting service. It involves renting a portion of a physical server to host a website or application remotely.
You can use a VPS to access the internet from a different location by setting it up as a proxy or a private VPN server. However, because you rent a VPS exclusively, it does not offer the same privacy benefits as a shared VPN IP.
Anyone could theoretically trace any activity you perform while connected to the VPS’s IP address back to you as the sole owner of the server. This is why most people prefer secure VPNs over VPS servers for privacy.
That said, VPSs have many benefits, including getting a static IP in a fixed location at a reasonable rate. However, it is worth noting that some leading VPN providers also offer static dedicated IPs at affordable prices, eliminating the need to roll your own VPN, which can be pretty technical.
Frequently asked questions
What is the meaning of virtual server location?
The virtual server location meaning refers to a VPN server providing an IP address from one country while the physical server is actually located in another country. This setup helps VPNs to offer access to a wider number of IP addresses while ensuring fast speeds and lower costs.
What are the risks and benefits of using a virtual server location?
The main risk of using a virtual server is privacy. Since your data is processed in a different country than the virtual IP suggests, you could be exposed to different data regulations.
The benefits are more IP addresses, lower costs, and sometimes faster speeds if the physical server has better infrastructure.
How do I choose a VPN with virtual server locations?
When choosing a VPN with virtual server locations, look for transparency about which servers are virtual and where they are hosted. Make sure to pick a trusted VPN provider with solid encryption (like OpenVPN or WireGuard) and a proven track record for privacy.
Why do VPNs use virtual servers?
VPNs use virtual servers to provide IP addresses in countries where it may be risky, costly, or impractical to set up physical servers. Virtual servers let VPNs offer more locations, avoid censorship, cut costs, and boost performance.
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