Why Remote Teams Need a VPN

A Virtual Private Network (VPN) creates an encrypted tunnel between your employees' devices and your company's network or the internet. For remote teams, a business VPN serves two critical purposes: protecting sensitive data transmitted over public or home Wi-Fi networks, and providing secure access to internal company resources like servers, shared drives, and internal apps.

This guide walks you through the process of setting up a VPN solution for a remote team — from choosing the right type to onboarding your first users.

Step 1: Decide What Type of VPN You Need

There are two main categories to consider:

  • Remote Access VPN: Connects individual users to a central company network. Ideal for employees working from home who need access to on-premises resources.
  • Site-to-Site VPN: Connects two entire networks (e.g., a branch office to a headquarters). Less relevant for fully remote teams.

For most remote teams, a Remote Access VPN — whether self-hosted or cloud-managed — is the right choice.

Step 2: Choose Your VPN Solution

You have three broad options:

Option A: Business VPN Service (Managed)

Providers like NordLayer, Perimeter 81, and Cisco AnyConnect offer fully managed business VPN solutions with central admin dashboards, user management, and no server infrastructure to maintain. Best for teams without dedicated IT staff.

Option B: Self-Hosted VPN Server

Deploy an open-source VPN server (such as OpenVPN or WireGuard) on your own cloud infrastructure. This gives you full control and lower ongoing costs, but requires technical setup and maintenance.

Option C: Cloud-Native Access Solutions

Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA) tools like Cloudflare Access or Tailscale are modern alternatives to traditional VPNs — they verify user identity per-application rather than granting broad network access. Worth considering for cloud-first teams.

Step 3: Set Up Your VPN Server (Self-Hosted Example with WireGuard)

  1. Provision a cloud server — a small VPS from a provider like DigitalOcean, Linode, or AWS Lightsail works well for most small teams.
  2. Install WireGuard on your Linux server:
    sudo apt update && sudo apt install wireguard
  3. Generate server key pairs:
    wg genkey | tee server_private.key | wg pubkey > server_public.key
  4. Configure the WireGuard interface — create /etc/wireguard/wg0.conf with your server's private key, IP range, and port.
  5. Enable IP forwarding and configure your firewall rules to allow VPN traffic through.
  6. Start the WireGuard service:
    sudo systemctl enable wg-quick@wg0 && sudo systemctl start wg-quick@wg0

Step 4: Create User Profiles

For each remote team member:

  1. Generate a unique key pair for their device
  2. Add their public key as a "peer" in the server config
  3. Create a client config file with the server's public key, endpoint address, and their assigned IP
  4. Distribute the config file securely (never via unencrypted email)

Step 5: Install the Client and Connect

WireGuard clients are available for Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, and Android. Users simply import their config file and tap Connect. The interface is minimal and the connection is fast.

Step 6: Establish VPN Usage Policies

A VPN is only effective if it's used consistently. Establish clear policies:

  • Require VPN use on any network other than a known-secure home network
  • Always require VPN when accessing internal company systems or sensitive databases
  • Define offboarding procedures — immediately revoke VPN access when an employee leaves

Ongoing Maintenance

Keep your VPN server software updated, review access logs periodically, and rotate credentials if you suspect any device has been compromised. A VPN is a living part of your security infrastructure, not a set-and-forget tool.