WireGuard, OpenVPN and IKEv2 explained without jargon

Let’s tell you why the protocol you choose is so important in one VPNand we will also explain three of the most important ones in detail. We will talk to you about WireGuard, OpenVPN and IKEv2, which you can find in services such as NordVPN or any of the best vpn serviceseven also in some free vpn.

Let’s start by explaining to you what VPN protocols are and why they are so important. And then we will tell you what the protocols offer WireGuard, OpenVPN and IKEv2so you know which one to choose. We will try to explain all this in an easy and understandable way.

Why protocol may matter more than other things

When choosing a VPN, it is normal to look above all at practical aspects, such as the price of its subscription, the number of servers it offers and how many countries it has them distributed in, and even aspects such as the aesthetics and design of its application. However, We don’t usually pay so much attention to protocols. supported by each service, and it is something important.

The protocol is the layer that determines the operation of the VPN itself. The one you choose can directly define aspects such as the speed or encryption strength of the connectionas well as other things like network stability, and how they manage potential network outages or transitions.

Therefore, protocol shapes the VPN experience when you use it. There are several modern options here, such as an OpenVPN that offers great security, a WireGuard with faster performance, or IKEv2 that is perfect for mobile users. Which one to choose will depend on how you want to use the network and the purposes at all times.

OpenVPN is the industry standard

OpenVPN has been the standard that dominates the VPN industry since its launch in 2001. He is the great veteranthat has enormous value for cybersecurity, since it involves two and a half decades of audits, testing in real environments, and reviews by security researchers around the world.

Its main advantage is its flexibilitysince it can be easily configured to work on any port, using both UDP and TCP. This allows the protocol to work against restrictive firewalls, being a very good weapon against Internet censorship, as well as in blocked corporate networks where WireFuard or IKEv2 could be cut.

As OpenVPN has among its modes the ability to operate over TCP on port 433, the same port used by normal https web traffic, it is impossible to block it without breaking general browsing. Use encryption AES-256considered indecipherable by current computing standards, so your traffic travels safely so that they don’t spy on what you do.

The price to pay is in speed. Because yes, OpenVPN is that perfectly secure and private veteran technology, but it offers a slightly lower browsing speed than other alternatives.

WireGuard is modern and fast

WireGuard is the most modern protocol of the three we are talking about today, and its great asset is its extreme simplicity. Its source code takes up only about 4,000 lines compared to OpenVPN’s 100,000, and less code means fewer points where something can fail or get stuck, and greater speed. It also makes things much easier for audits.

The most interesting part of this protocol is that it prioritizes simplicity and speed, but does not make sacrifices in security. It is open source, so anyone can review and use it, and uses various types of ciphers such as ChaCha20Poly1305 for packet encapsulation in UDP, or various cryptographic algorithms such as Curve25519 for key exchange, ChaCha20 for encryption, Poly1305 for authentication, and BLAKE2s for hashing. It is a carefully chosen selection of technologies.

But where this protocol really shines is in speed, being able to reach quadruple OpenVPN connection speed in some configurations. It also maintains low latency in real-time activities, being the best alternative for gaming, streaming content or video conferencing.

The only drawback that can be made is that it is not a protocol created for the general public, and that it stores IP addresses on the server during connections. However, most commercial VPNs that use it have created effective solutions, such as double NAT systems or dynamic IP assignment to maintain privacy.

IKEv2 is perfect for mobile

IKEv2 is a protocol designed for the mobile phone and the real life of conventional users. Specifically for those users who move from one place to another and connect to different networks.

Its great asset is the MOBIKE protocol, which keeps the VPN connection active even when you change networks. Come on, if you change from home WiFi to your mobile data, your connection tunnel is maintained without you having to do anything. The other protocols can handle this as well, but MOBIKE was designed specifically for these scenarios.

Another of the strong points of this protocol is in your connection timeswhich equals and even exceeds those of the competition’s protocols. Users typically connect within seconds, and reconnections after a network outage occur almost instantly.

IKEv2 uses the AES-256-GCM encryption algorithm to offer maximum security. It also uses SHA-2-384 for integrity verification and 3072-bit Diffie-Hellmann keys. This security structure meets the strict requirements of companies and public administrations. In addition, IKEv2 also offers advantages in speed, security and stability.

The Achilles heel of this protocol is visibility. It uses fixed ports and specific protocols, so it is easier to block than OpenVPN when faced with aggressive firewalls like those used by some countries to censor the Internet. Therefore, sometimes it doesn’t work well where other protocols do.

What protocol to use

As you can see, each protocol has its pluses and minusesso there is no easy choice. There is no one that surpasses the others in everything, so it will depend on what you want to use each of them for. This could be a good summary of when to use each standard:

• in your house: For general use in your home, WireGuard is faster and safer for everyday use.
• Streaming and gaming: WireGuard for having lower latency and higher speed.
• On your mobile, moving between networks: IKEv2 maintains the connection when you switch from WiFi to data without you noticing.
• In countries with Internet censorship: OpenVPN is the hardest to block.
• On aggressive firewalls: OpenVPN is the hardest to block.
• If you need maximum security: OpenVPN, for having received all kinds of independent audits for more than two decades.
• If you don’t know which one to choose and your VPN supports it: WireGuard is quite balanced, and a good default option.

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