IKEv2 VPN
The IKEv2 VPN protocol is also known as Internet Key Exchange version 2. It is an advanced VPN protocol that provides a balance between security and speed. It is an ideal protocol for mobile devices.
The IKEv2 is a request-and-response encryption protocol developed by Cisco and Microsoft. It establishes as well as handles the Security Association (SA) attribute, which is used to support secure communication between two network entities. It does so in an authentication suite, usually the IPSec to ensure secure traffic. It is secure, stable, and easy to setup. It is also one of the speediest VPN protocols out there.
The IKEv2 protocol lets the VPN devices at the two ends of the tunnel encrypt as well as decrypt the packets using either pre-shared keys, Extensible Authentication Protocols (EAP) or digital signatures. The encryption and decryption use the Asymmetric Authentication which means either ends of the tunnel do not need to mutually agree upon a single authentication method. IKEv2 uses four different types of message exchanges (IKE_SA_INIT, IKE_AUTH, CREATE_CHILD_SA, and INFORMATIONAL) to establish IKE SA. The SA deals with different types of attributes including traffic encryption key and cryptographic algorithm, to name a few.
IKEv2 uses UDP port 500 which is ideal for network applications. As such, it supports those apps where user-perceived latency is important.
IKEv2 offers faster speeds than L2TP and PPTP. It has newer architecture and a more effective response/request message exchange scheme.
Certificate-based authentication ensures no actions are performed until the requester’s identity is determined.
MOBIKE support allows you to keep the VPN connection active while you switch between Wi-Fi and cellular data.
The PFS feature in IKEv2 assures complete secrecy and integrity of your data. It does so by ensuring the non-duplication of keys and session expire.
With MOBIKE, it is also possible for a multi-homed host to move traffic to another network interface if the one currently in use stops working.
IKEv2 vs OpenVPN vs SSTP vs L2TP vs PPTP
The following is an in-depth comparison of IKEv2 against other common VPN protocols.
IKEv2 | OpenVPN | SSTP | L2TP | PPTP | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Encryption | 256-bit | 256-bit | 256-bit | 256-bit | 128-bit |
Security | Latest VPN protocol which implements IPSec and is highly secure | OpenVPN can be considered extremely secure when used in conjunction with robust cipher and ephemeral keys | Can be considered as secure as OpenVPN when used in conjunction with robust cipher and ephemeral keys | IPSec over L2TP, when properly implemented, has no major known vulnerabilities | PPTP implementation has several known security vulnerabilities |
Stability | Highly stable and consistent connection once established | Stable Connection | Stable, but more so on Windows | Stable Connection | Unstable and may disconnect frequently |
Speed | Faster than other VPN protocols due to MOBIIKE support, which makes it stable and resilient | Great speed across long distances and on connections with high latency | Faster than PPTP and L2TP | L2TL/IPSec is still fast, despite tunneling overhead, due to high encryption/decryption efficiency. | Fastest VPN protocol because of basic encryption |
Supported OS | Windows OS iOS Android (Manual) Mac OS X (Manual) BlackBerry (Manual) | Windows OS iOS (Manual) Android Mac OS X (Manual) And More... | Windows OS iOS (Not Supported) Android (Not Supported) MAC OS X And More... | Windows OS iOS (Manual) Android (Manual) Mac OS X (Manual) And More... | All Platforms (Manual) |
Conclusion | Fast speed, strong security, the only VPN protocol supported by Blackberry | Good speed, strong security, native support for most OS. | Safer and faster than PPTP and L2TP, ideal for Windows OS, can easily bypass firewalls | Easy-to-setup, stable, and secure | Highly recommended for speed, but isn’t the best option for security |
PureVPN Offers Support for all major VPN protocols and platforms.
For manual configuration on other preferred devices, Check out this guide.
For manual configuration on other preferred devices, Check out this guide.
As PureVPN offers support for a variety of VPN protocols, choosing the best one can prove to be a challenging task. To make things easier, we automatically select the VPN protocol most suitable for your circumstances. This feature is on by default, so connect and rest assured that you are protected by the most advanced technology.
However, you can also configure your VPN connection to use a different protocol. You should take a look at our comparison chart of all VPN protocols for a clear understanding of what each has to offer. If you are still unsure about which one to use, it is recommended that you try these VPN protocols in the following order:
Whether IKEv2 is better than OpenVPN protocol depends on numerous factors. The most important factors are speed and security. Let me explain!Speed: Due to MOBIKE support, IKEv2 is faster and more stable than the other VPN protocols. But OpenVPN has excessive speed with long range and high latency.Security:IKEv2 is the newest VPN protocol which applies IPSec and uses 256-bit encryption. This is why, it is more secure. OpenVPN can be deliberated to become highly secure when used in combination with robust encryption and cryptographic keys.