Not all VPNs were created equal. Depending on its VPN protocol it can have different speeds, capabilities, or even security & privacy vulnerabilities. We’ll review the main VPN protocols so you can choose the best one for you.

Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) & VPN protocols are not the same thing. vTechNinja is a VPN service that uses the best VPN protocols for consumer needs & devices.

A VPN transmits your online traffic through encrypted tunnels to VPN servers that assign your device a new IP address. VPN protocols are sets of programs & processes that determine how that tunnel is actually formed. Each one is a different solution to the problem of secure, private, & somewhat anonymous internet communication.

No VPN protocol is perfect. Each may have potential vulnerabilities, documented or yet to be discovered, that may or may not compromise your security. Let’s delve into each protocol’s pros & cons.

There are two types of VPNs:

• remote access VPN encrypts data that is sent or received on your device, so nobody could snoop on you. When we’re talking about VPNs employed by private users, they are all remote access VPNs;
• site-to-site VPNs are used to extend a company’s network between different locations. They are divided into two categories: intranet-based (to combine multiple LANs to one private network) & extranet-based (when a company wants to extend its network & share it with partners or customers).

Protocols are the driving forces of VPNs. Here’s a list of the leading VPN protocols with their strengths & weaknesses.

OpenVPN is a very popular & highly secure protocol used by many VPN providers. It runs on either the TCP or UDP internet protocol. The former will guarantee that your data will be delivered in full & in the right order while the latter will focus on faster speeds.

Pros

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  Open source, meaning it’s transparent. Anyone can check the code for hidden backdoors or vulnerabilities that might compromise your VPN’s security.
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  Versatility. It can be used with an array of different encryption & traffic protocols, configured for different uses, or be as secure or light as you need it to be.
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  Security. It can run almost any encryption protocol, making it very secure.
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  Bypasses most firewalls. Firewall compatibility isn’t an issue when using vTechNinja, but it can be if you ever set up your own VPN. Fortunately, with OpenVPN you’ll be able to bypass your firewall easily.

Cons

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  Complex setup. Its versatility means that most users may be paralyzed by choice & complexity if they try to set up their own OpenVPN. Fortunately, we do that work for you.

When to use it: OpenVPN is irreplaceable when you need top-notch security: connecting to public Wi-Fi, logging into your company’s database, or using banking services.

IKEv2 sets the foundation for a secure VPN connection by establishing an authenticated & encrypted connection. It was developed by Microsoft & Cisco to be fast, stable, & secure. It succeeds on all of these fronts, but where it really shines is its stability. As part of the IPSec internet security toolbox, IKEv2 uses other IPSec tools to provide comprehensive VPN coverage.

Pros

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  Stability. IKEv2 usually uses an IPSec tool called the Mobility & Multi-homing Protocol, which ensures a VPN connection as you move between internet connections. This makes IKEv2 the most dependable & stable protocol for mobile devices.
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  Security. As part of the IPSec suite, IKEv2 works with most leading encryption algorithms, making it one of the most secure VPN platforms.
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  Speed. It takes up little bandwidth when active & its NAT traversal makes it connect & communicate faster. It also helps to get through firewalls.

Cons

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  Limited compatibility. IKEv2 isn’t compatible with too many systems. This won’t be an issue for Windows users since Microsoft helped to create this protocol, but some other operating systems will need adapted versions.

When to use it: IPSec/IKEv2 stability guarantees that you won’t lose your VPN connection when switching from Wi-Fi to mobile data, so it could be a good choice when you’re on the move. It also quickly bypasses firewalls & can offer high speeds on streaming platforms.

Wireguard is the newest & fastest tunnelling protocol the entire VPN industry is talking about. It uses state-of-the-art cryptography that outshines the current leaders – OpenVPN & IPSec/IKEv2. However, it’s still considered experimental, so VPN providers need to look for new solutions to overcome Wireguard’s vulnerabilities.

Pros

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  Free and Open Source. Anyone can look into its code, which makes it easier to deploy, audit, & debug.
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  Modern & extremely fast. It consists of only 4,000 lines of codes, making it “the leanest” protocol of them all. In comparison, OpenVPN code has 100 times more lines.

Cons

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  Incomplete. Wireguard is promising to be the “next big thing”, but its implementation is still in its early stages & it has a lot of room for improvement. It currently fails to provide users full anonymity, so VPN providers need to find custom solutions for providing the necessary security without losing speed.

When to use it: Use Wireguard whenever speed is a priority: streaming, online gaming, or downloading large files.

Secure Socket Tunneling Protocol (SSTP) is a fairly secure & capable VPN protocol created by Microsoft. It has its upsides & downsides, meaning that each user has to decide for themselves whether this protocol is worth using it. Despite being a primarily Microsoft product, SSTP is available on other systems besides Windows.

Pros

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  Owned by Microsoft. With the lion’s share of the market, you can be confident that your Windows OS will either support SSTP or have it built-in. That also means if you try to set it up yourself, it should be easy and you can expect Microsoft support.
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  Secure. Similarly to other leading VPNs, SSTP supports the AES-256 encryption protocol.
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  Bypasses firewalls. SSTP can get through most firewalls without interrupting your communications.

Cons

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  Owned by Microsoft, meaning that the code isn’t available to security researchers for testing. Microsoft has been known to cooperate with the NSA and other law-enforcement agencies, so some suspect that the system may have backdoors. Many VPN providers avoid this protocol.

When to use it: SSTP is good for bypassing geo-restrictions & enhancing privacy while browsing the internet.

Layer 2 tunneling protocol (L2TP) doesn’t actually provide any encryption or authentication – it’s simply a VPN tunneling protocol that creates a connection between you & a VPN server. It relies on the other tools in the IPSec suite to encrypt your traffic & keep it private & secure. This protocol has a few convenient features, but certain issues prevent it from being a leading VPN protocol. We do not support L2TP for these reasons.

Pros

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  Security. Ironically, L2TP not offering any security at all makes it fairly secure. That’s because it can accept a number of different encryption protocols, making the protocol as secure or lightweight as you need it to be.
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  Widely available. L2TP is available on almost all modern consumer systems, meaning that admins will have no trouble finding support and getting it running.

Cons

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  Potentially compromised by the NSA. Like IKEv2, L2TP is usually used with IPSec, therefore it presents the same previously mentioned vulnerabilities.
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  Slow. The protocol encapsulates data twice, which can be useful for some applications but makes it slower compared to other protocols that only encapsulate your data once.
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  Has difficulties with firewalls. Unlike other VPN protocols, L2TP doesn’t have any clever ways to get through firewalls. Surveillance-oriented system administrators use firewalls to block VPNs, and people who configure L2TP themselves are an easy target.

When to use it: You can use L2TP to securely shop online & perform banking operations. It is also beneficial when you want to connect several company branches into one network. However, overall there are far better options.

Point to Point Tunneling Protocol (PPTP) was created in 1999 & was the first widely available VPN protocol. It was first designed to tunnel dialup traffic! It uses some of the weakest encryption protocols of any VPN protocol on this list & has plenty of security vulnerabilities. We do not support this protocol either.

Pros

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  Fast. It’s outdated, so modern machines run PPTP very efficiently. It’s fast but offers minimal security, which is why it’s popular among people who want to set up home VPNs strictly for accessing geo-blocked content.
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  Highly compatible. In the many years since it was made, PPTP has essentially become the bare-minimum standard for tunneling & encryption. Almost every modern system & device supports it. This also makes it easy to set up & use.

Cons

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  Insecure. Numerous vulnerabilities & exploits have been identified for PPTP. Only some have been patched & even Microsoft has encouraged users to switch to L2TP or SSTP.
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  Cracked by the NSA. The NSA is said to regularly decrypt this protocol as a matter of course.
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  Blocked by firewalls. As an old, outdated & bare-bones system, PPTP connections are easier to block via firewall. If you’re using the protocol at a school or business that blocks VPN connections, this can disrupt your service.

When to use it: We recommend using PPTP only for streaming or accessing geo-blocked content. For anything else, you should use more advanced VPN protocols.

There is no such thing as the best VPN protocol suitable for everyone, simply because you may have different specific needs compared to the next user. The answer to this question depends on your needs & what you do on the internet. If you’re an avid gamer, you probably use VPN for different reasons than someone who watches a lot of TV shows or often works from cafes. However, generally speaking the most dependable protocols for majority of users are OpenVPN & IKEv2.

Wireguard is considered to be one of fastest VPN protocols, offering quicker connection/reconnection times & improved battery life for mobile devices. IKEv2/IPsec is also considered a fast protocol & it easily serves the needs of most.

Most VPN experts recommend OpenVPN as the most secure protocol. It uses 256-bit encryption as a default but also offers other ciphers such as 3DES (triple data encryption standard), Blowfish, CAST-128, & AES (Advanced Encryption Standard).

IKEv2/IPsec is considered to be the most stable VPN protocol as it provides a strong connection & allows users to switch between networks without risking their security.

PPTP protocol is built into many devices, making it one of easiest protocols to set up. However, since it is outdated & is well-known for security issues, we don’t recommend using it. Look into other options such as OpenVPN or IKEv2/IPsec.

As previously mentioned we set up the protocols for you, so you don’t need to worry about tweaking them for better performance. However, you can switch between the OpenVPN & IKEv2 protocols on the Connect App with just a couple of clicks.

Enhance your security & take the best out of VPN protocols.