The standards that govern how internet data is transmitted over a virtual private network, or VPN, are followed. However, the speed, security, and dependability of various VPN protocols vary. Learn more about VPN protocols in this article, including their definition, operation, and comparative analysis. Install a VPN after that to protect your online privacy using reputable protocols and bank-grade encryption.
Which VPN protocols are there?
There are popular varieties of VPN protocols. Learn about the distinctions and our recommendations.
Lightway
Lightway was designed with the modern world in mind, eschewing features that are superfluous for a VPN and incorporating those that offer a seamless, safe experience. Depending on your network, setting up a VPN connection just takes a few seconds, and your device will continue to connect to the VPN even if it changes networks. Lightway uses less battery power and connects you swiftly and securely because it is lightweight.
Lightway employs wolfSSL for security, a well-respected encryption library that has undergone thorough testing by other parties, including comparison with the FIPS 140-2 standard. Additionally, Lightway comes with post-quantum protection by default, protecting you from attackers who have access to both quantum and traditional computers.
Layer 2 Tunneling Protocol (L2TP)
While it sacrifices speed, the Layer 2 Tunneling Protocol is a major improvement on groundbreaking but antiquated protocols like PPTP and SSTP. To provide AES-256 encryption, L2TP is frequently combined with the IPsec protocol; this combination is known as L2TP/IPsec.
Internet Protocol Security, or IPsec, is a versatile VPN protocol that encrypts and verifies each individual IP packet. It is frequently used in conjunction with protocols like L2TP, which by themselves do not provide encryption.
Since other protocols, like OpenVPN, offer even higher degrees of security, L2TP/IPsec is better suited for anonymization than for security.
OpenVPN (TCP vs. UDP)
An extremely customizable open-source protocol is OpenVPN. It is widely used by consumer VPN services, is openly accessible on all platforms, and is highly regarded by the community.
The easiest way for OpenVPN to hide from firewalls and filters is to set it up to look like regular internet traffic. It is suitable for deployment even in sensitive areas because it has undergone extensive auditing by reputable independent researchers.
What makes TCP and UDP different from one other?
Put simply, TCP puts reliability above speed, but UDP puts speed over reliability when it comes to data transfer. Furthermore, UDP is a connectionless protocol, which increases the risk of data packets being lost in transit or arriving out of order. In contrast, TCP is a connection-oriented protocol, requiring the establishment of a connection before data is transferred.
Version 2 of the Internet Key Exchange (IKEv2)
One of the newest protocols, IKEv2, has a lot going for it, especially in terms of speed. It works great on all mobile devices and platforms.
IKEv2 lacks native support for Linux and is largely utilized in corporate situations, hence its lack of configurability can be a disadvantage. IKEv2’s stringent licensing makes it even more challenging to audit. ExpressVPN uses an open-source implementation of IKEv2 to ensure the integrity of the protocol.
Point to Point Tunneling Protocol (PPTP)
PPTP, one of the first protocols ever developed, has a long and illustrious history. Although it has been available since Windows 95, it is easily cracked because it uses the antiquated MS-CHAP v2 authentication suite.
WireGuard
Developed by Edge Security LLC, WireGuard® is a free and open-source VPN protocol that was first created by Jason A. Donenfeld. Due to its lighter codebase and demonstrated speed as a modern VPN protocol, several VPN providers have started implementing it in the last few years.
