VPN Gate is a trial project created at the University of Tsukuba that aims to expand the knowledge of Internationally distributed public VPN relay servers and know the better way out for distributed VPN server systems. It is an open-source VPN project making secure VPN networks available to internet users anywhere in the world.
VPN Gate is a network of virtual private network servers by volunteers all over the world, a server network that uses the SoftEther VPN technology for routing traffic, encrypting information, and secure communications. The VPN Gate’s primary purpose is to mask your IP address while browsing the internet and help you benefit from the other VPN services advantages.
VPN Gate’s users do not need to sign up to use the service, and anonymous collections are accepted. This might appeal to internet users who need to improve their internet browsing anonymity but still need an open-source and free VPN solution. It is a completely free system, and you do not need to register.
The Software running the VPN Gate server network is based on SoftEther technology, and it was developed as a plugin to expand SoftEther. VPN Gate and SoftEther are operated at the University of Tsukuba, but it is essential to mention that VPN Gate is not part of SoftEther.
- How does VPN Gate work?
- When to use the VPN Gate?
- Pros and Cons of VPN Gate
- Is VPN Gate trustworthy?
- Free VPN Vs. VPN Gate
- How to set up VPN Gate?
How does VPN Gate work?
VPN Gate stands for the infrastructure that allows servers to be added by volunteers. The architecture is totally based on the SoftEther technique and benefits from its security, multiple protocols, and performance. When a volunteer installs the SoftEther app on his device, the server is added to the public list, which can be discovered by interested users.
When a user needs to connect to the network, she/he looks through the available public list of servers, chooses one, and directly connects to it. No data traffic is passed through the VPN Gate network, only between the VPN server, the user, and the internet.
VPN Gate uses several VPN protocols, including SSL, L2TP/IPSec, OpenVPN, and Microsoft SSTP. These protocols enable VPN Gate to be used by macOS, IOS, Windows, and Android devices.
When to use the VPN Gate?
VPN Gate is a completely free VPN solution to connect to a VPN, mask your IP address, and encrypt your internet traffic. The VPN Gate is useful in various scenarios. Let’s have a look at some of the scenarios:
- Bypass government firewalls: The main purpose of VPN Gate is to improve internet freedom. Its protocols work on HTTPS, and it is difficult to be blocked and detected. Thus, it is perfect for bypassing firewalls of any type, including the Great Wall of China.
- Bypass Geo-restrictions or ISP throttling: Some streaming websites are only available in certain regions. By connecting to a VPN Gate server from the country with access to the streaming site, you may enjoy an incredible online internet experience without any restrictions.
Pros and Cons of VPN Gate
Like other VPN services, VPN Gate has strengths and weaknesses. TechNinjaPro is going to list them below to help you decide whether VPN Gate is an ideal choice for you or not.
Pros | Cons |
VPN Gate is an open-source project. | Its interface is a bit complicated for the average internet user. |
There is an important volunteer force that maintains the project. | Many servers offer slow speed as they are basic computers located in residential areas. |
VPN Gate has more than 17000 servers. | On iPhone, Android, or iPad, you may not connect using the SoftEther protocol. |
VPN Gate’s servers are not placed in data centers, and they are harder to be blocked based on IP addresses. | VPN Gate has a general logging policy of the network which means it keeps logs for two weeks. It also allows you to check specific logging settings for each server in the server list. |
VPN Gate offers access to various VPN protocols with high encryption. | |
The majority of servers use SoftEther protocol which is fast, stealthy, and safe. | |
VPN Gate unblocks all the major streaming websites. | |
No IP leaks |
Is VPN Gate trustworthy?
VPN Gate looks perfect from various angles, such as it is free, it was created and maintained by an academic institute, and it is open source. But, should you trust it with your personal information?
It was created primarily as an experimental project to help those in need of bypassing governmental restrictions. And for that purpose it is excellent! You will possibly not find a better free tool than this. The main concern of VPN Gate is the fact that volunteers offer the servers. Although VPN Gate’s technology seems safe and secure both for volunteers and users, there are still concerns about how server owners manage users’ information. For example, volunteers may have access to your internet connection and usage logs. Are you comfortable with the thought that someone you do not know and is not restrained by any rule and regulations has access to such private information?
Thus, if your information and internet activity’s privacy is important to you, TechNinjaPro’s advice is to pick a premium VPN service. Premium VPN services are better to keep your internet activity information safe and maintain your privacy more than some volunteers from random locations around the world.
Free VPN Vs. VPN Gate
VPN Gate is a free solution, but there is a clear difference to free VPN services. Most free VPN services aim to make money, but they do not charge you directly, unlike commercial VPN services. Free VPN services are monetizing their users either by showing ads or selling their private data to third-party organizations. That is why we do not suggest free virtual private network services.
VPN Gate identifies a general infrastructure that is regulated by the team at the University of Tsukuba. Its VPN servers are exposed to the network by volunteers, free of charge, with the only goal to help the project study and help those in need of bypassing numerous geo-restrictions or government firewalls.
How to set up VPN Gate?
There are many ways to connect to a VPN gate server. TechNinjaPro has listed two aspects down below that you need to take into consideration.
- VPN protocols that are showing by a VPN Gate server
- The operating system of the device you need to connect from
Here are the steps to connect to a VPN Gate servers:
- Open the VPN Gate relay server list and select a VPN server from your preferred location.
- Check the protocols shown by the Selected server such as SoftEther/SSL, OpenVPN, SSTP, or L2TP/IPSec.
- Select the protocol suitable for the device you need to connect to the VPN server.
- Download and install any app that you want to connect.
- Fill in the VPN connection properties such as server hostname, IP address, port number, type of connection.
- Connect to the server. There is no registration required.
And here are the suitable protocols for the operating systems:
OS/Protocol | SoftEther VPN | OpenVPN | L2TP/IPSec | SSTP |
Windows | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
macOS | Not Easy | Yes | Yes | No |
iOS | No | Yes | Yes | No |
Android | No | Yes | Yes | No |
Linux | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
- Therefore, for Windows, you have to install the official SoftEther Client and connect using the SSL VPN protocol. There is a VPN gate Client plugin that integrates with the SoftEther app and starts the VPN gate connection with a single click.
- You may also connect from the integrated VPN clients with L2TP/IPSec or Microsoft SSTP. OpenVPN is also an excellent choice by installing the OpenVPN client app.
- On Linux, all choices are available with limitations. For SSTP, you have to install an SSTP library.
- On Mac, there are choices to connect to SoftEther VPN servers. Use of SoftEther protocol is possible, but sometimes it does not work as it depends on a third-party app.
- On iOS and Android, SSL VPN and SSTP are not available, but you can connect using L2TP/IPSec or OpenVPN.
Conclusion
Ultimately, VPN Gate might be a perfect free option for bypassing geo-restricted regions and internet service provider throttling, but not for much else. While the tea behind the VPN Gate seems trustworthy and everyone loves the concepts, it is not fully private and should not be used if you are looking for anonymous browsing that the other best VPN providers can offer.