Understanding VPN protocols
A VPN protocol is a set of rules that dictates how a VPN handles your online traffic. While a VPN is a tunnel your data travels through, a VPN protocol is like the road signs guiding your data on how fast to go, which lanes to take, and how to exit the tunnel securely.
Some VPN protocols are highly complex and can be customized to control every detail of the data's journey. Others are simpler, designed to ensure your data enters and exits the VPN tunnel efficiently — and pretty much nothing else. Let’s compare the most popular VPN protocols — WireGuard and OpenVPN.
What is WireGuard?
A WireGuard VPN protocol is the newest protocol and it is designed for speed. Unlike traditional protocols, such as OpenVPN and IKEv2/IPsec, WireGuard uses modern cryptographic techniques, including ChaCha20 encryption, which is faster and more efficient than the widely used AES-256 encryption. Deployment, debugging, and maintenance are fast and easy because of its lightweight design. In turn, this helps connections stay reliable and fast.
However, while WireGuard is faster than any other VPN protocol, it’s not built for privacy. To extend its capabilities and circumvent the limitations, NordVPN built its own VPN protocol called Nordlynx. The NordLynx protocol is based on WireGuard, which is open source, but ensures that the privacy issues aren’t overlooked.
How does the WireGuard protocol work?
WireGuard establishes an encrypted tunnel between a client, such as an app on your phone, and a VPN server. Like OpenVPN, it encrypts data as it moves between the client and server. But to do so, WireGuard uses the ChaCha20 encryption algorithm, not the slightly more complex and slower AES-256.
Another reason why WireGuard often beats OpenVPN in speed tests is its mode of operation. WireGuard doesn’t need to switch between the kernel storage and the userspace because it already operates within the Linux kernel.
What is OpenVPN?
OpenVPN is a widely used and highly secure VPN protocol known for its versatility and robust encryption. It works with two internet protocols: TCP (Transmission Control Protocol) and UDP (User Datagram Protocol). The TCP ensures data is delivered completely and in the correct sequence, making it ideal for stability. The UDP, on the other hand, prioritizes faster speeds, which is better suited for activities like streaming or gaming.
OpenVPN is commonly used by VPN providers, such as NordVPN, because it’s already designed to provide advanced security and great performance — the choice between the TCP and the UDP helps users squeeze even more out of it based on their needs.
How does the OpenVPN protocol work?
Like any VPN protocol, OpenVPN creates a secure tunnel between a VPN client and server by authenticating users, encrypting data, and routing it through the tunnel to ensure privacy. It uses SSL/TLS protocols for establishing the connection and supports various encryption and authentication methods for more flexibility and security.
Compared to WireGuard, OpenVPN is more complex. It gives users a lot of freedom to customize but often at the expense of speed and connection reliability.
What are the key differences between OpenVPN vs. WireGuard?
The main difference between OpenVPN and WireGuard is the length of the codebase. For example, WireGuard code is only 4,000 lines long, making it lightweight and easy to manage. OpenVPN’s codebase, on the other hand, is almost 20 times longer, making it more adaptable but likely slower and more complex to manage. You can see the differences between OpenVPN and WireGuard in this table:
| | WireGuard | OpenVPN |
|---|---|---|
| Speed | Faster | Slower |
| Security | No known vulnerabilities | No known vulnerabilities |
| Encryption | ChaCha20. Fixed modern cryptography | AES, Blowfish, Camellia, also supports ChaCha20 |
| Authentication | Poly1305 | Supports Poly1305 |
| Codebase | ~4,000 lines of code | ~70,000 lines of code |
| Auditability | The size of the codebase makes auditing easy | The size of the codebase makes auditing time-consuming |
| Transport layer | Only supports UDP | Supports both UDP and TCP |
| Compatibility | Less compatible | Compatible with all major OS and many routers |
| Privacy | No known privacy issues | No known privacy issues |
| Setup | Fewer choices in cryptography but less complex | More customization options but also more complex |
Speed
A major reason for choosing WireGuard is performance. Whenever someone compares VPN protocols, WireGuard typically comes out on top as far as speed is concerned. But why are other protocols slower? The simple answer is encryption. OpenVPN encryption algorithms aren’t as efficient as ChaCha20, which is used by WireGuard.
Security
When it comes to security, neither OpenVPN nor WireGuard have known vulnerabilities – both protocols are very secure. However, because OpenVPN is highly configurable, it can be vulnerable if not set up correctly, especially if you use a weaker or outdated encryption algorithm.
Encryption and authentication
Encryption is the core function of any VPN protocol. It involves two key elements: encryption, which protects your data, and authentication, which verifies the identities of the sender and receiver. When it comes to WireGuard, everything is set up for you in advance. ChaCha20 is responsible for encryption, while the Poly1305 hashing function does the authentication. Both are known for security and versatility.
OpenVPN also supports ChaCha20 and Poly1305, but your choices are not set in stone. You can also use various AES encryption ciphers as well as Camellia. For authentication
OpenVPN offers several options, such as HMAC-SHA., so you can configure everything to your needs. But note that more choices is not always good. OpenVPN also offers the Blowfish encryption algorithm which is considered outdated.
Codebase and auditability
WireGuard and OpenVPN are both open-source, allowing their code to be inspected for vulnerabilities. However, WireGuard’s smaller codebase makes it much easier to audit compared to OpenVPN. Not to say you should be concerned when using OpenVPN. These are two very popular VPN protocols — their code has been combed through numerous times.
Transport layer
OpenVPN offers flexibility by supporting both UDP and TCP for data transmission. UDP is commonly used for faster connections, while TCP is better if your priority is connection reliability. This flexibility allows OpenVPN to adapt to a variety of network conditions and fit a range of use cases.
WireGuard, on the other hand, only supports UDP. So while you won’t have any problems with speed, the lack of support for TCP can prove to be disadvantageous on heavily restricted networks.
Compatibility
OpenVPN is well-established and works on almost all operating systems. You can even set it up on your router and protect your whole household. But WireGuard was made for Linux first and is less compatible, especially if you need to set up a VPN on your router.
Privacy
When it comes to privacy, WireGuard and OpenVPN are relatively equal. At the end of the day, the VPN protocol is just a tool that can have a negative or a positive impact on the user’s privacy. It all depends on how the VPN provider sets up these protocols within the VPN service at large.
Setup
Most of the time, you’ll be using a VPN app — all you have to do is click on the VPN protocol of your choice. But WireGuard is by far the simpler one to set up manually. It doesn’t mean that OpenVPN is particularly hard to deploy, though. If you just want to get started quickly, both are manageable for anyone with basic VPN knowledge.
What are the similarities between OpenVPN vs. WireGuard?
OpenVPN and WireGuard each has its use cases but they’re also very similar:
- Open source. Both protocols are open source, so anyone can review their code and even enhance it.
- Cross-platform compatibility. Both work across multiple operating systems, such as Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, and Android.
- Encryption standards. Both use modern encryption techniques to secure user data and ensure privacy.
- Privacy focused. They aim to protect users' IP addresses and ensure that internet traffic is secure.
- Trusted. Both protocols are highly trusted by VPN services to provide speed, security, and a reliable connection.
- Flexible configuration. Each protocol can be customized for specific use cases, offering adaptability for diverse user needs.
Is WireGuard or OpenVPN better?
While neither is inherently better, Wireguard and OpenVPN were both designed to solve different problems. Here’s why you might choose one over the other.
Benefits of choosing WireGuard over OpenVPN
- Speed. WireGuard is faster due to its lightweight code and efficient ChaCha20 encryption.
- Simplicity. With 20 times fewer lines of code, WireGuard is easier to audit and maintain.
- Quick connections. WireGuard establishes VPN connections more rapidly, especially on mobile devices.
- Kernel-level performance. It runs in the Linux kernel directly. As a result, the experience is smoother.
Benefits of choosing OpenVPN over WireGuard
- Security. With over 20 years of use, OpenVPN has a long track record of advanced security.
- Extensive configuration options. OpenVPN allows advanced customizations, including support for a variety of encryption algorithms and authentication methods.
- TCP and UDP support. OpenVPN supports both TCP and UDP, making it flexible for different use cases.
- Network obfuscation. OpenVPN offers built-in support for obfuscation, allowing you to bypass VPN blocks and firewalls.
WireGuard vs. OpenVPN: Which should you choose?
We’ve covered the many ways WireGuard is similar to OpenVPN and a few that make them different. For example, if you switch between networks often and speed is a priority, you should use WireGuard. If your device doesn’t support WireGuard or you have the skills to customize OpenVPN for your needs, use OpenVPN.
Online security starts with a click.
Stay safe with the world’s leading VPN
