What are VPN types and which should you choose?

Short answer

VPN types include remote access VPNs for individual users, site-to-site VPNs for connecting networks, and protocol variations like IPsec, SSL/TLS, and WireGuard.

Key differences

• Remote Access VPN: Allows individual devices to connect to a private network from anywhere. Common protocols include SSL VPN and IPsec IKEv2.
• Site-to-Site VPN: Connects entire networks, such as branch offices to headquarters. Typically uses IPsec in tunnel mode.
• Protocol comparison:
• IPsec: Mature, standardized, complex configuration.
• OpenVPN: Flexible, cross-platform, moderate performance.
• WireGuard: Modern, simple, high performance, smaller codebase.

When to use each

• Use remote access VPN for work-from-home employees and traveling staff.
• Use site-to-site VPN for connecting data centers, branches, and cloud VPCs.
• Use WireGuard for new deployments where simplicity and speed are priorities.

Why it matters

Choosing the wrong VPN type leads to poor performance, complex management, or security gaps. Align the protocol and topology with your user base, performance requirements, and administrative capacity.