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You have plenty of reasons for wanting to use a virtual private network (VPN) on your Mac. They include browsing safely on public Wi-Fi, hiding your location, accessing region-locked content, and keeping your file sharing habits to yourself.

• Open Source Vpn Client For Mac
• Anyconnect Vpn Client For Mac

Open Source Vpn Client For Mac

Setting up a VPN on your Mac is easy. macOS has built-in support, and some VPN services provide their own hassle-free software. You can also install third-party tools for using different protocols.

It’s an open source Virtual Private Network solution that is compatible with Windows, Linux and Mac operating systems and offers a secure environment to connect to your network. OpenVPN allows simplified OpenVPN Connect UI, OpenVPN server capabilities and enterprise management capabilities. The ChameleonVPN Client is an open source self-healing VPN client / server combo created with the hope of improving personal security and ensuring Internet Freedom for as many people as possible. The OpenVPN Connect Client for macOS, latest version, currently supports these operating systems. Select ‘OpenVPN Connect for Mac OS X’. Wait until the download completes, and then open it (the exact procedure varies a bit per browser). Open the ‘OpenVPN Connect installer’ to start the installation. Click ‘Continue’.

Anyconnect Vpn Client For Mac

Method 1: Use Your VPN Provider’s Software

Depending on your VPN provider (check out our best VPN servicesThe Best VPN ServicesThe Best VPN ServicesWe've compiled a list of what we consider to be the best Virtual Private Network (VPN) service providers, grouped by premium, free, and torrent-friendly.Read More), they may provide access to software that allows you to use the service. This software is tailored to your provider. Thus, you don’t have to mess around with configuring your connections, inputting IP addresses, or checking which protocols you can use.

Most VPN providers provide this software for Mac and Windows users. Linux users will likely need to set up your VPN on their ownEverything Linux Users Need to Know About Installing a VPNEverything Linux Users Need to Know About Installing a VPNLinux is inherently more secure than Windows. But this doesn't mean that you shouldn't keep an eye on how you access the internet. A firewall is necessary, and increasingly so is a VPN.Read More. Using provider software is a simple case of downloading and installing the client, logging in with your username and password, then connecting to a server of your choice.

Provider software makes it easy to jump around from server to server, since the software keeps a list of available connections. If you’re using your VPN to access region-locked content, this makes it easy to pick a server to connect to. Some providers have specific servers that are compatible with BitTorrent traffic. The software makes it easy to make sure you don’t fall foul of the rules.

Method 2: Use Apple’s Networking Tools

macOS has built-in support for creating VPN connections as part of Apple’s own networking tools. You can access these by heading to System Preferences > Network, then clicking on the Plus button.

From here you can specify a VPN connection, pick the VPN type (protocol), and give your new VPN connection a name. It pays to be descriptive when naming your connection if you intend to use more than one VPN server. For example, you might plan to access region-locked content in other countries.

macOS includes support for L2TP (Layer 2 Tunneling Protocol) over IPSec, Cisco IPSec, and the newer IKEv2 (internet Key Exchange version 2) protocol when setting up a VPN. L2TP is considered reasonably secure, though the protocol itself provides no protection. Instead it uses the IPSec secure network protocol, which is still relied upon by millions of VPN users every day.

IKEv2 is a more modern choice of protocol, favored for its ability to quickly reestablish a VPN connection in case of network dropout. Like L2TP, it also uses IPSec for encryption, though it’s still favored by many over L2TP for its speed.

Apple’s desktop OS used to support PPTP (Point-to-Point Tunneling Protocol). This is a much older and more vulnerable protocol that was once favored by corporate networks but has since fallen by the wayside. If you want to create a PPTP connection, you’ll need to use a third-party app (like Shimo) to do so. But you should avoid this unless it’s necessary.

So which protocol should you use? That depends on which protocols your VPNThe 5 Major VPN Protocols ExplainedThe 5 Major VPN Protocols ExplainedOpenVPN, SSTP, L2TP: what do they all mean? We explain the major VPN protocols so you can choose the best one for your privacy needs.Read More provider provides access to. You should always avoid PPTP where possible, with L2TP and IKEv2 providing a passable level of security. But if you want an even more secure VPN connection…

Method 3: Use Third-Party VPN Software

Two other VPN protocols exist that aren’t supported out-of-the-box within macOS: SSTP (Secure Socket Tunneling Protocol) and OpenVPN.

SSTP is a proprietary standard which mostly only works with Windows, since it’s owned by Microsoft. SSTP uses closed-source SSL 3.0 encryption, which is why it’s considered highly secure (even though the code isn’t open to inspection).

CloudMagic is a popular email client for iOS with a newer Mac version. First, the good: this app is absolutely gorgeous and supports many account types (including Exchange). First, the good: this app is absolutely gorgeous and supports many account types (including Exchange).

OpenVPN, as the name may suggest, is a fully open source technology based on OpenSSL. This means the code is freely available for anyone to inspect. It supports AES (Advanced Encryption Standard). This open approach is often lauded a a proof-of-concept for stress-testing technology against outside attack.

Both of these standards are more secure than any included with macOS. It’s possible for VPN provider software to use either, so you might already use OpenVPN or SSTP and not even realize. But if you want greater control over your VPN setup, try one of the following apps.

We’ve recommended other free and open source macOS VPN clientsThese Are the Best Free Mac VPN ClientsThese Are the Best Free Mac VPN ClientsHow do you know which VPN client to use? Should you use your VPN provider's proprietary ap, or a flexible solution that can connect to several different services?Read More if you need more options.

OpenVPN: Tunnelblick

If you want to use OpenVPN on your Mac, Tunnelblick is the best tool for the job. It’s free, open source, and provides an easy-to-manage GUI for connecting your Mac via OpenVPN. You can add a long list of connections using downloadable configuration files, then select different servers using the main client or menu bar icon.

Download:Tunnelblick (Free)

SSTP: sstp-client

While SSTP is a Windows technology, it’s possible to connect to an SSTP server using macOS or Linux with sstp-client. The macOS version of this client depends on the Macports project; the easiest way to install it is using Mac command line package manager Homebrew.

Download:sstp-client (Free)

Which VPN Solution Should You Use?

Your VPN provider will likely recommend you use their own client, which makes connecting and managing your VPN connections easy. If you want to use your own client, you’ll need to make sure the connection you make is compatible with your chosen VPN protocol.

When given the choice, OpenVPN provides better security than L2TP or IKEv2. You should always endeavor to keep your VPN client updated, since security issues can and do arise (and often receive patches quickly).

Another option is to install a VPN connection on your routerHow to Set Up a VPN on Your RouterHow to Set Up a VPN on Your RouterVPNs are great for online privacy but running a VPN on every device is a pain. Save time and install a VPN on your router instead.Read More. This allows you to manage your connection for the entire network, ideal if you’re connecting to a local VPN strictly for security purposes.

Explore more about: Mac Tips, Online Security, VPN.

1. I just downloaded NordVPN app on Mac, joined to network with my logins and turned the VPN on.

Power users love open source software for its transparency and flexibility – but what about open source VPN software? Are there any open source VPN clients that can stand up to being compared with the more popular VPN apps from premium providers like ExpressVPN, VyprVPN, IPVanish or NordVPN?

The short answer is.. not really. But the long answer depends a lot on your level of technical know-how, patience, and where you’re willing to place your trust.

What are some open source VPN clients?

The most popular open source VPN clients are:

• OpenVPN Network Manager plugin for Ubuntu Linux (sudo apt-get install network-manager-openvpn)
• Built-in OpenVPN clients on DD-WRT and Tomato firmware for routers

These VPN clients are built on the OpenVPN protocol, which is itself open source, has been audited several times, and is generally considered to be the most secure VPN protocol available. Even most closed source VPN clients tend to use OpenVPN as the default VPN protocol.

Keep in mind, however, that these apps only provide the VPN client software. Unless you’re willing to go down the manual setup rabbit hole (see below), you’ll still need to sign up for service from a VPN provider to get connected.

What are the advantages of open source VPN clients?

Like all open source software, these VPN clients have their source code on display for all to see, inspect, and audit. If they contained any major vulnerabilities or security backdoors, we probably would have heard about them by now.

This transparency is a major advantage over proprietary VPN apps. If you can’t inspect a VPN app’s source code, how can you be 100% sure it is protecting your privacy? You obviously need to be able to interpret the code, and loopholes that are deliberately placed might not be obvious.

So in theory, you can’t be 100% sure about protecting your privacy with a proprietary app. But practically speaking, if you don’t trust your VPN provider to protect your privacy in its app, you shouldn’t be sending your traffic to its servers at all. Always research a VPN provider’s reputation before signing up.

If you absolutely refuse to trust any VPN provider, it is possible to set up your own virtual private server (VPS) through a cloud service provider like Amazon.

Be forewarned, however, that the process is far longer and more involved than entering a few IP addresses into your VPN client’s settings. If you’re not comfortable using the command line or possibly spending several hours troubleshooting, this option probably isn’t for you.

While we’re talking about drawbacks, other than the time factor, also consider the possibility that you are more likely to make mistakes that will ruin your attempts to be anonymous online.

What about VPN provider apps?

Ease of use is probably the biggest advantage of using the app made by your VPN provider. Paid VPN providers not only have greater resources to streamline their software and give you the best user experience possible, these companies have also likely designed their apps to work seamlessly with their particular VPN service. You’ll save tons of time not fooling around with manual configurations or entering server IP addresses.

VPN apps from major providers also tend to have more privacy-enhancing features than open source VPN clients, including:

• Leak protection (DNS, WebRTC, IPv6, and others)
• Kill switches (to cut off your internet connection if your VPN disconnects)
• VPN protocol switching (OpenVPN, L2TP, PPTP, and more) and server location switching

Finally, if your VPN app is made by the same people that manage the network of servers you connect to, you can be pretty sure that important changes in the network will be quickly reflected in the app.

For instance, if a server location in Los Angeles is no longer working, it will be removed from the app. If the provider adds a server cluster in Buenos Aires, you will see it as a new option in the app. With an open source client, you have to manually load new configuration files from the provider – and sure, you can do that, but it will take you far longer.

Open source vs VPN app: which is better?

Open source VPN clients like OpenVPN GUI and Viscosity get the job done, but at the cost of a more lengthy setup process, and the possibility of more time consumed in the form of manual upgrades in the future. That’s why we recommend sticking with your VPN provider’s app.

If, however, your VPN provider doesn’t make an app for your particular device, or you’d prefer to set up your own VPN server in the cloud, it’s good to know that dependable open source VPN clients will always be available as a backup. Need help choosing a VPN app from a provider you can trust? Check out our roundup of the best VPN