If you are wondering what is the difference between VPN and MPLS, you have come to the right place! In this piece, we are going to compare MPLS vs. VPN security, connection speed, and encryption.
Let’s start with a quick comparison between MPLS and VPN technologies.
| MPLS | VPN |
| Provides multipoint technology only | Provides both point-to-point and multipoint technologies |
| Works between 2 and 3 OSI layers | Works on up to 7 OSI layer |
| Offers no IP address masking feature | Masks your actual IP address with a virtual one |
| No encryption | Ciphers all data using AES 256-bit encryption |
| Can be used on any three-layer devices | Supports iOS, Android, macOS, Windows, browsers, routers, smart TVs, and gaming consoles |
| Offers features to manage traffic | Provides traffic management |
Multi-Protocol Label Switching, or MPLS for short, is a protocol that routes packets using labels instead of IP addresses. This technology creates direct virtual links between different nodes regardless of locations and distances and directs data between these network nodes.
A Virtual Private Network, abbreviated as VPN, is a virtual network within a physical network. This technology creates an impenetrable tunnel between your device and the world wide web and transmits all data through this tunnel. As a result, any unauthorized parties can not access your information.
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Both these technologies are developed to modify your internet connection and safeguard your online data. The difference between them is how they go about that.
Multi-Protocol Label Switching technology, as well as Virtual Private Network, aims to safeguard your data and traffic. Let’s take a closer look at MPLS vs. VPN security.
Since MPLS reduces the number of individual IP lookups, it is less vulnerable to certain types of hacking.
However, if the MPLS equipment wasn’t set up properly, especially at the edges of the network where routers perform IP lookups, your data might be at stake.
Furthermore, since MPLS traffic is not encrypted, if someone gets lucky to find a way into your private network, your privacy could be at risk. Once the hacker gets in, they easily access all of your passwords, banking details, and other sensitive unciphered information.
Virtual Private Network uses several layers of defense to protect your private information. Since your data is routed through VPN servers located in other countries through virtual tunnels, it would be difficult for a hacker to get to it.
However, even if any cybercriminal breaks into your internet traffic, they cannot be able to make sense of your data, since it’s encrypted.
To top it off, some VPNs, including VPN Unlimited, offer a set of extra security features.
It depends largely on the particular settings of each network. However, in most cases, MPLS is faster. And that is no wonder because MPLS doesn't encrypt traffic and thus saves time. Theoretically, MPLS could even boost the connection speed, since each router does not need to perform an IP lookup.
Almost all VPN applications may slightly slow down internet speed since it reliably ciphers your data and routes it through the virtual server, thus taking additional time. However, even despite these additional steps, some Virtual Private Networks still speed up traffic.
Unfortunately, VPN apps entail slight speed loss. To boost your VPN connection, follow these steps:
Both these technologies have their advantages and disadvantages. Choosing VPN vs. MPLS, pay attention to your requirements: cost, security, reliability, connection speed, and whatnot.
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