# Sentinel > Analysis by Optimly for Optimly AI Visibility, in the Optimly AI Brand Index. Last analyzed August 9, 2026. > Sentinel is a peer-to-peer networking protocol and framework for building decentralized VPNs (dVPNs). It provides a censorship-resistant infrastructure where users can build dVPN apps, use dVPN apps, or host dVPN nodes, utilizing blockchain for network discovery, session management, and payments. - Business Profile: https://optimly.ai/brand/sentinel - Publisher: Optimly (https://optimly.ai) - Dataset: Optimly AI Brand Index (https://optimly.ai/brand) - Official website: https://sentinel.co/ - Logo: https://logo.clearbit.com/sentinel.co - Slug: sentinel - Brand Authority Index tier: Emerging - Archetype: Challenger - Category: Blockchain Infrastructure - Last Analyzed: August 9, 2026 ## Buyer Intent Signals Problems: Self-hosting VPN: Setting up and maintaining a personal VPN server (e.g., WireGuard on a VPS) provides full control over one's privacy but requires significant technical expertise, ongoing maintenance | No VPN/Direct Internet Access: Accessing the internet without any VPN or privacy tools exposes users to ISP tracking, geo-restrictions, and potential government censorship or surveillance, completely Solutions: decentralized VPN protocol | build dVPN | host dVPN node | Sentinel crypto | Sentinel VPN reviews | Centralized VPN providers (e.g., ExpressVPN, NordVPN): Traditional VPN services offer encryption and IP masking but operate through centralized servers, requiring users to trust the VPN provider with Comparisons: centralized vs decentralized VPN