OpenVPN: Open Source VPN Protocol

OpenVPN is a highly configurable open-source VPN that is supported by all major operating systems.

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OpenVPN Protocol

What is OpenVPN?

As the name suggests, it is an open-source technology that uses both TCP and UDP ports for transmission. OpenVPN also offers users 256-bit AES encryption. Due to its open-source nature, any security vulnerability reported publicly is usually fixed by the open-source community.

This protocol is widely used due to the various advantages it offers. For starters, unlike other common protocols, OpenVPN is compatible with mobile operating systems like Android and iOS. More importantly, it can bypass any firewall and access a number of ports for communication.

Benefits of OpenVPN

Full Anonymity

It can run over UDP or TCP tunnels, due to which your Internet traffic cannot be detected over Deep Packet Inspection (DPI)

Fast Speed

The TCP tunnel transport support on the OpenVPN protocol used by PureVPN lets users seamless online gaming, video conferencing, audio conferencing, & more.

High Security

It keeps all your communications secure by using various methods, such as shared keys, HMAC authentication, and 256-bit encryption via OpenSSL.

Beats Firewalls

It can be run on any port between 1 and 65535. This multi-port functionality makes OpenVPN ideal for bypassing firewalls.

Perfect Forward Secrecy

The PFS feature in OpenVPN adds an extra layer of security to your VPN connection with complete secrecy and data integrity.

More Portable

Since it is implemented in the user space and only requires the TUN/TAP virtual network driver, OpenVPN is more portable and secure than other protocols.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of OpenVPN?

Advantages

  • It is backed by the open-source community that catches and fixes any security issues promptly.
  • Capable of bypassing any firewall as it supports multiple ports.
  • Extremely secure as it uses up to AES 256-bit encryption.
  • Provides the best blend of both security and speed.
  • Compatible with major operating systems, including Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, and iOS.

Disadvantages

  • Requires third-party software and applications to run on every OS as it cannot be configured directly.
  • Setup is not easy and requires technical knowledge.

How to Setup OpenVPN

  • Subscribe to PureVPN
  • Download PureVPN Android app for your device
  • Launch the app and select your desired mode
  • Enjoy secure and speedy VPN connection!
openvpn android

For manual configuration on your preferred devices, check out these guides.

  • Subscribe to PureVPN
  • Download PureVPN Windows app for your device
  • Launch the app and go to Settings
  • Select the OpenVPN Protocol
  • Enjoy secure and speedy VPN connection!
openvpn windows

For manual configuration on your preferred devices, check out these guides.

How to Select the Best VPN Protocol?

Automatic Selection

PureVPN is all about ease of use. Our app automatically selects the best VPN protocol for your connection. So, you don't need to set up a single thing.

Manual Selection

If you want to change auto selected protocol you can select a different protocol. See our VPN protocols comparison chart for selecting the right one according to your need. If you are unsure try setting up protocols in following order:

OpenVPN
Frequently Asked Questions

What is VPN Encryption?
To put it simply, encryption refers to the process of converting plaintext data or information into indecipherable form in order to prevent unauthorized access. Similarly, VPN encryption protects all your data by scrambling it and making it gibberish to the prying eyes of hackers, service providers, governments, and corporations.

PureVPN uses Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) with 256-bit keys, also referred to as AES-256. This encryption standard is used by the US government and banks as well as security experts around the world for protecting classified information. Furthermore, it is impossible to crack in theory due to an outrageously large number of possible combinations.

How Does OpenVPN Work?
OpenVPN uses the OpenSSL library for providing encryption to users. The protocol allows the OpenSSL technology to manage not only the encryption but also the authentication. The protocol uses UDP port 53 and TCP port 80 for transmission. Moreover, it can also transmit data through other TCP ports 5500 – 55000.

What is UDP?
UDP is the acronym for User Datagram Protocol. Since it does not perform error correction, packets are received without any retries or acknowledgements. This makes UDP faster, but less reliable.

What is TCP?
TCP is the acronym for Transmission Control Protocol. Unlike UDP, TCP performs error correction and its retransmission mechanism ensures packets are sent reliably at both ends. The increased reliability, however, results in increased latency.

TCP vs UDP: Which one to Choose?
If speed is your primary concern, then UDP is better for playing games, VoIP communications, streaming media, etc. TCP, on the other hand, will slow down your connection depending on various network factors. For this reason, you should switch to TCP only if you are experiencing connection issues or connecting to a nearby VPN server.
  • TCP = Reliable
  • UDP = Fast

Which UDP Port and TCP Port Does OpenVPN Support?
OpenVPN uses UDP port 53 and TCP port 80 for transmission. In addition, it can also transmit data through other TCP ports of the range 5500 – 55000.

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