What is visible when using work VPN from Home - multiple computers.

Question

I have seen similar questions regarding VPN and security but not regarding multiple computers/users.

When i use work laptop from home i sometimes use VPN. In my home there are multiple computers and users - all connecting to one WiFi router. These users and OTHER PCs could be accessing nsfw content at anytime. Is their connection visible to the office if i am on VPN on my work machine?? In other words is the VPN only for the initiating machine only or also includes all machines that are on my network?

Solution

Unless your work laptop hosts a service that other computers on your home LAN are connected to (such as a proxy or internet connection sharing), anything you access on your other computers at home should not be visible to your work network.

If your VPN works like most VPNs, the VPN interface on your laptop will receive an IP address that is internal to your work network, which, technically, places it on a completely different network than your home, isolating its traffic from other traffic on your home network. (Hence "virtual private network")

Edit: In my answer I am making the assumption that these "other users" are all on other devices than your work computer.

Comments

[Dawit]

you are right, the VPN tool tells me i have been assigned a new IP when i start it. But when i do WhatsMyIp.com from the work machine while being on VPN, the website tells me a different IP - same IP as what the other non VPN machine reporting. not sure how its working.