What Are The Different VPN Protocols

What Is The Best VPN Protocol For Torrenting

When it comes to torrenting with a VPN, you are definitely going to need a VPN protocol that is stable, fast, and secure. Based on that, you should use IKEv2 or WireGuard. SoftEther is also a speedy option, but its not for all users since it requires an initial setup that might seem difficult to some.

L2TP/IPSec is also a good option since its pretty secure and fast. But dont use PPTP! While its very fast, its encryption is too weak .

You could also try using OpenVPN UDP to download torrents, though we recommend only doing that if you use a VPN that offers a Kill Switch since it doesnt offer perfect stability. And you definitely dont want your torrenting activities being exposed if your VPN connection suddenly goes down.

Our Recommendation: WireGuard, IKEv2, OpenVPN UDP, or SoftEther

DISCLAIMER: We here at CactusVPN dont encourage illegal copyright infringement and illegal torrenting. However, we do understand that for some people file-sharing is the only possible way to get access to entertainment and work or school files.

Pointtopoint Tunneling Protocol :

PointtoPoint Tunneling Protocol produces a tunnel and limits the data bundle. Point-to-Point Protocol is utilized to encrypt the data between the connection. The point-to-point protocol is perhaps the most generally utilized virtual private network protocol and has been being used since the early arrival of Windows. Point-to-Point Protocol is additionally utilized on Linux and Mac separated from Windows.

How Many Types Of VPNs Are There

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 were 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 and extranet-based .

Protocols are the driving forces of VPNs. Here are six common VPN protocols along with their pros and cons.

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When To Use A Personal VPN Service

There are many reasons to use a personal VPN. Some of the most popular ones include:

• Streaming movies and TV shows videos that arent available in your geographic location. For example, you could connect to a VPN server in the US and access American Netflix, which is one of Netflixs biggest content libraries.

• Evading censorship and surveillance in authoritarian states, such as China and the UAE. The VPN gives you access to content that is blocked by national firewalls, and hides your web traffic from state surveillance systems.

• Hiding your IP address to protect yourself from targeted Distributed Denial of Service attacks. Gamers increasingly use short but intense DDoS attacks to block competitors and secure an unfair victory. A VPN helps avoid this.

• Safeguarding your privacy online by stopping your internet service provider , governments, hackers, and anyone else from snooping on your activity. ISPs sometimes throttle your connection if they can see you are streaming games or movies. Using a VPN stops them from knowing what youre doing online.

For a more extensive list, check out our guide to what VPNs are used for.

What Is The Most Cross

PPTP seems to be the most natively supported VPN protocol being available across multiple operating systems and devices. However, its worth noting that due to its security weakness, PPTP might no longer be supported on newer devices and operating systems. For example, the VPN protocol is no longer natively supported on macOS Sierra .

A good alternative to PPTP is L2TP/IPSec which is natively available on numerous platforms as well. IKEv2 is a good option too especially since it works on BlackBerry devices.

OpenVPN doesnt have native support on operating systems and other devices, but its easily available through third-party software like VPN clients. WireGuard works on the most popular operating systems too .

Our Recommendation: L2TP/IPSec, OpenVPN, IKEv2, and WireGuard

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What Is A VPN Protocol

Virtual Private Networks and VPN protocols are not the same thing. NordVPN, for example, is a VPN service that lets users choose from a number of different VPN protocols depending on their needs and the device theyre using.

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 and processes that determine how that tunnel is actually formed. Each one is a different solution to the problem of secure, private, and 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. Lets delve into each protocols pros and cons.

Ikev2/ipsec: Great Protocol For Mobile Users

PROS

• Possibly compromised by the NSA
• Bad for bypassing firewalls

Internet Key Exchange version 2 is a VPN protocol that is especially popular among mobile users.

It offers very fast connection speeds and uses a MOBIKE protocol to seamlessly deal with the changing of networks. This makes IKEv2 great for mobile VPN users, who frequently switch between cellular data and WiFi networks.

IKEv2 was developed in a collaboration between Microsoft and Cisco, and is a successor to the original IKEv1.

What Is IPSec?

On its own, IKEv2 doesnt provide any encryption. Its focus is on authentication and creating a secure VPN tunnel. Thats why IKEv2 is typically combined with IPSec to form IKEv2/IPSec.

IPSec is a suite of security protocols that uses 256-bit ciphers, such as AES, Camellia or ChaCha20. After IKEv2 has established a secure connection between your device and the VPN server, IPSec encrypts your data for its journey through the tunnel.

IKEv2/IPSec is supported by most VPN services, but unfortunately its code base is closed-source.

The protocol appears secure from the outside, but without the transparency of open-source it is impossible to verify that Microsoft havent built backdoors or other vulnerabilities into it.

NOTE: Linux versions of IKEv2/IPSec are open-source and audits have shown nothing untoward with the protocol. For this reason, the closed-source nature of IKEv2 is less concerning than with other closed-source protocols, such as SSTP.

When to use IKEv2/IPSec:

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What VPN Protocol Should I Use

This is a question that everyone has to answer for themselves. We can tell you about some protocols that are often recommended and why. But you will have to make up your own mind.

OpenVPN

OpenVPN is an excellent open-source protocol, but many users struggle to set it up properly. If you have an installer software or expert help, then this is not your problem. You will find that OpenVPN is the default protocol used by many paid VPN providers. It is a secure protocol but not super-fast .

L2TP/IPSec

L2TP/IPSecis actually a combination. Layer 2 Tunnel Protocol is the protocol that is paired with Internet Protocol Security . In speed and security, it is on par with OpenVPN. It is easier to set up unless you have to bypass a firewall. Some security concerns have been raised because the NSA helped develop IPSec.

SSTP

SSTP is short for Secure Socket Tunneling Protocol which was developed by Microsoft. Although the protocol works on Linux it is primarily thought of as a Windows-only technology. It is easy to set up on Windows machines as you might expect. It is impossible to use on Macs and hard to deploy on Linux. Speed and security are about the same as for OpenVPN and L2TP/IPSec.

IKEv2

IKEv2was developedin a joint effortby Microsoft and Cisco. It is very well suited for mobile devices on 3G or 4G LTE because its good at reconnecting whenever the connection drops out. The protocol is very fast and secure. It is also easy to set up on the few devices that are compatible.

PPTP

Whats Wireguard Best Suited For

WireGuard is an excellent choice if you need sheer speed without sacrificing online privacy and security. So, itll be perfect for your streaming, online gaming, and all other data-intensive operations. If youre traveling abroad and need a secure option for roaming, WireGuard can fit that bill as well. Its also pretty impressive at bypassing firewalls unless the network is blocking UDP traffic.

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Which VPN Protocol Should You Use

Selecting the best VPN protocols for your needs can indeed be a headache, but also necessary. There are two different kinds of VPN protocols. One is good for security. The other offers better streaming speeds. None can provide the best of both worlds, though.

Any VPN protocol that offers good security will be weaker when it comes to browsing speeds. To understand how this happens, imagine the VPN protocol as a tunnel. When we add more security features, like encryption, it gets narrower. Every packet of data is encrypted first, before it is sent on to the World Wide Web.

Speed-friendly VPN protocols, do not offer security features. These tunnels are wider and your data packets route in an easy manner. Hence, you receive great streaming speeds.

The following chart provides a thorough comparison of different VPN protocols:

How Fast Is L2tp/ipsec

Without IPSec, L2TP is very fast since it doesnt have any encryption to slow it down. With IPSec, the speeds will be decent but not extreme.

L2TP/IPSec is very resource-intensive so youll need a fast connection and a powerful CPU. With that in mind, this is not a protocol for people with slow internet and older devices.

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Types Of Virtual Private Network And Its Protocols

Why Are There Different VPN Protocols And How Do They Differ

As one of the most important inventions of the 20th century, the Internet has opened up a world of new opportunities. But it has also led to the rise of new threats by enabling malicious actors to access private or commercially valuable data quickly and easily. One way to overcome this problem and protect important data is by creating a secure connection between a computer and the Internet.

The first practical solution was proposed by Microsoft in 1995: A precursor to todays Virtual Private Network technology, point-to-point tunneling protocol promised users a secure, private connection, elimination of the risk of data theft or misuse. Over the years, VPN technology has grown to encompass several different protocols.

At its core, a VPN protocol is a method by which your device connects to a VPN server. Using a VPN helps ensure digital privacy and security and offers protection from malware and hacking. As an additional benefit, VPNs unblock geo-restricted content and hide their users physical location.

In the process of designing new protocols, engineers often focus on specific attributes, such as privacy, security, speed, or support for specific platforms or regions. Every platform is compatible with certain VPN protocols, depending on the OS and the level of access to system settings not all functionalities are open to application developers.

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The Rising Star: Wireguard

Released in 2018, WireGuard is a new open-source VPN protocol that is still undergoing active development. It uses high-speed cryptographic primitives and lives inside the Linux kernel, which makes networking both secure and lightning-fast. The WireGuard protocol features a much lighter code base than most VPN protocols, with approximately 4,000 lines of code . However, WireGuard is still under development and can potentially be blocked by network admins.

High performance and security make WireGuard suitable for small devices like smartphones and loaded backbone routers. Its smaller code base makes it easier to audit and implies a minimal attack surface for cybercriminals. Overall, WireGuard is the top choice for mobile devices and for the individual user who does not need to disconnect, reconnect, or reinitialize, since everything is handled automatically.

What Is The Fastest VPN Protocol

Wireguard is considered to be one of fastest VPN protocols, offering quicker connection/reconnection times and improved battery life for mobile devices. NordLynx by NordVPN couples Wireguards speed with enhanced security. IKEv2/IPsec is also considered a fast protocol and it may serve the needs of many.

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Premium Budget And Free VPNs

According to their price, VPNs are generally divided into premium, budget, and free services.

Premium VPNs are where youll find most of the leading providers. As the name implies, these services stand out with their level of equipment, as well as their overall combination of privacy, security, and performance.

For example, ExpressVPN is an acclaimed premium service, which is widely considered to have the fastest speeds on the market along with valuable extras like split tunneling, anti-DDoS servers, and obfuscation for challenging VPN blocks

Premium VPNs are also marked by intuitive clients for all major platforms and helpful, responsive customer support with live chat included. Of course, all of this comes at a price. These VPNs are on the expensive side, especially if you prefer one-month plans however, their long-term offerings often compensate for that with great discounts.

Budget VPNs are on the opposite side the price is usually their biggest strength. In some cases, these affordable services are good enough to reach premium status in some aspects.

Private Internet Access is one of the cheapest VPNs around, yet it gives you 29,650 servers, SOCKS5 proxy support, and a kill switch. Still, theres a reason why its in the budget category other aspects of the service, like customer support and overall speeds, arent on the level of most premium providers.

Whats Sstp Best Suited For

Like L2TP/IPsec, SSTP performs well in a number of important fields. We can even go one step further and say its the best protocol integrated into Windows OS but we have VPN protocols that perform better.

Even on Windows, we would rather use OpenVPN or WireGuard. They require less power and are not owned by Microsoft. So, if you want to use a native protocol on Windows, SSTP is your best bet. Its just not something wed recommend with so much better options out there.

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To Capitalize On VPN Protocols Strengths

Different VPN protocols are good for different reasons . Knowing what your VPN type is and which VPN protocol you should use for which task will greatly improve your browsing experience and online security.

Here are some examples of VPN protocols available in KeepSolid VPN Unlimited and when to use them:

WireGuard – the general consensus is that this VPN protocol will soon become the best VPN for any needs, from security to streaming and torrenting . However, WireGuard is currently still in beta, so VPN Unlimited is one of the few VPNs that support it. Also, considering its still in development, some people may prefer to turn to other, time-tested VPN protocols for now.

OpenVPN – a highly secure VPN protocol thats also quite difficult to track. This makes OpenVPN a nice option for a general use protocol when theres a possibility that your VPN connection might get blocked in a network.

IKEv2 – one of the best VPN protocols for mobile devices due to its speed, lightweight, and reliability. If you wish to stay secure and private while torrenting or gaming, this protocol will suit your needs best.

KeepSolid Wise – our proprietary protocol that further develops the ideas behind OpenVPN. It was specifically designed to work in networks where Virtual Private Networks are normally restricted.

Which VPN Protocol Is The Fastest

Contrary to popular belief, VPN protocols themselves dont have a dramatic impact on your connection speed. Heres what really matters:

• The speed of your internet connection.
• VPN server load and throughput.
• Compatibility and quality of your device.
• The geographical distance between you and the VPN server.

Most of our tests and user feedback show that the connection speed competition comes down to the wire between WireGuard and IKEv2 .

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Pptp Outdated And Not Secure

PPTP stands for Point-to-Point Tunneling Protocol and is one of the oldest VPN protocols still in use today. It runs on TCP port 1723 and was initially developed by Microsoft.

PPTP is now essentially obsolete due to serious security vulnerabilities. We wont spend too much time discussing PPTP because most people are not even using it anymore.

PPTP is supported natively on all versions of Windows and most operating systems. While it is relatively fast, PPTP is not as reliable and does not recover as quickly from a dropped connections as OpenVPN.

Overall, PPTP should not be used in any situation where security and privacy are important. If you are just using a VPN to unblock content, PPTP may not be a bad choice, but there are more secure options worth considering.

Verdict: Not recommended