VPN Gate offers support for a variety of VPN protocols, including OpenVPN, L2TP/IPSec, MS-SSTP, and SoftEther VPN’s SSL-VPN protocols. As a free anti-censorship tool driven by global volunteers, VPN Gate provides a unique service. However, issues related to trust, logging practices, and inconsistent speeds may prevent it from being considered among the top VPN options.
Features
VPN Gate is an academic project developed by the Graduate School of the University of Tsukuba, Japan. It is a free, open-source service with approximately 6,608 servers operated by volunteers worldwide.
The service is compatible with major platforms such as Windows, Mac, Android, and iOS, as well as any operating system that supports OpenVPN. Users can connect to the servers either by manually configuring device settings or by using the open-source OpenVPN app. Additionally, the SoftEther VPN client, which is also open-source, can be used as a robust alternative.
The installation process is straightforward for experienced users, though novices may require additional time to follow the clear and well-illustrated setup guide.
During testing, both OpenVPN with configuration files and the SoftEther VPN client were evaluated. The OpenVPN setup involves using both the OpenVPN program and configuration files, which are readily available from the VPN Gate website. The site provides an updated list of servers with details such as session duration and connection numbers. While acquiring these files is simple, sorting through the extensive list can be time-consuming.
Configuration files typically do not include a username/password; however, for those that do, the default credentials are vpn/vpn.
Connecting through OpenVPN was generally smooth, although some connections experienced drops. This issue is attributed to the volunteer-operated nature of the servers, which can lead to inconsistent performance.
The SoftEther VPN client, which utilizes SSL-VPN via HTTPS and SSL/TLS encryption over TCP port 443, offers a higher level of security. By making VPN traffic indistinguishable from standard HTTPS traffic, SoftEther VPN effectively bypasses geo-blocks and local censorship.
Installation and connection with SoftEther VPN were completed within minutes using the setup guide. The client includes an embedded server list, which simplifies server selection compared to OpenVPN. SoftEther VPN supports various protocols and is compatible with Windows, Mac, Linux, FreeBSD, Solaris, Android, and iOS.
Support and Usage
VPN Gate does not provide customer support but has a dedicated forum and a comprehensive knowledge base for user inquiries. Given the extensive list of servers and the ability to connect from multiple devices, VPN Gate is versatile in its usage.
However, it is advisable to avoid torrenting with VPN Gate. This could potentially lead to legal issues for node operators and may result in the implementation of torrent-blocking measures. Additionally, VPN Gate may not offer sufficient privacy to protect users from copyright enforcement.
Pricing
VPN Gate is entirely free of charge and does not require registration. The developers at the University of Tsukuba have chosen to keep the service free to avoid compliance with Japanese data retention laws, which are among the most stringent in the world.
Performance Evaluation
VPN Gate may not deliver exceptionally high speeds, as each server is operated by a volunteer, which affects consistency. Additionally, the speed performance can be influenced by your geographic proximity to the VPN server.
In my assessments, I found that some servers experienced significant latency, while others were sufficiently fast for video streaming. Here are the speed results from my tests:
- Default speed before VPN:
- Speed test on the VPN Gate US server:
- Speed test on the VPN Gate UK server:
- Speed test on the VPN Gate Australian server:
Regarding security, my tests did not reveal any DNS, WebRTC, or IPv6 leaks.
It is worth noting that VPN Gate offers a substantial number of servers in East Asia. If you are located near South Korea or Japan, you can expect improved performance.
Unexpectedly, despite the speed limitations, VPN Gate excelled in streaming capabilities. It successfully unblocked:
- Netflix
- BBC iPlayer
- Australian Channel 9, which is often challenging to access, similar to Netflix.
Privacy and Security
Using VPN Gate introduces complexities related to trust, particularly in relying on anonymous operators. While VPN Gate supports robust encryption protocols, the selection of encryption methods is determined by the individual server operators. Although the technology supports up to 256-bit AES encryption with a 4096-bit RSA key, in practice, most servers I tested employ AES-128 encryption, which is less secure. This suggests that the strongest encryption methods are not consistently implemented.
Additionally, the anonymity of the exit node operators—whether they are well-meaning volunteers or potential threats such as hackers—adds another layer of risk. The server you connect to could potentially be a malicious entity designed to intercept data, host malware, or even conduct surveillance. Although each server’s logging policy is disclosed, there is no assurance that these policies are strictly adhered to. The operators remain anonymous and unaccountable to users.
Furthermore, the University of Tsukuba retains connection logs for a period of three months to monitor for abuse. These logs include detailed information such as connection times, IDs, IP addresses, server hostnames, and protocol details, as well as data on the VPN software used and communication errors. The Anti-Abuse Policy stipulates that these logs may be disclosed to authorized entities, including law enforcement and legal professionals.
While VPN Gate serves as an anti-censorship tool rather than a privacy or anonymity solution, and its logging and disclosure practices are aligned with its intended purpose, potential users should exercise caution.
