Choosing the right VPN protocol impacts your security, speed, and compatibility. Here's a comprehensive comparison of modern VPN protocols.
Protocol Comparison
| Protocol | Security | Speed | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| WireGuard | Excellent | Fastest | Modern deployments |
| OpenVPN | Excellent | Good | Cross-platform |
| IPSec/IKEv2 | Excellent | Good | Mobile, enterprise |
| L2TP/IPSec | Good | Moderate | Legacy systems |
| PPTP | Broken | Fast | DO NOT USE |
WireGuard
Modern, minimal codebase (~4,000 lines vs 100,000+ for OpenVPN). Uses state-of-the-art cryptography.
# WireGuard server config
[Interface]
PrivateKey = SERVER_PRIVATE_KEY
Address = 10.0.0.1/24
ListenPort = 51820
[Peer]
PublicKey = CLIENT_PUBLIC_KEY
AllowedIPs = 10.0.0.2/32OpenVPN
Battle-tested, highly configurable. Works over UDP or TCP, can traverse most firewalls.
IPSec/IKEv2
Native support on iOS, Windows, macOS. Excellent for mobile with MOBIKE for seamless network switching.
Recommendation
Use WireGuard for new deployments. Use OpenVPN if you need maximum compatibility or complex configurations.
December 2024