Best Windows Server 2016 VPN - Top 6 Options for Absolute Privacy
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Are you searching for the best Windows Server 2016 VPN options?
After thorough research and testing, I identified six VPNs that offer a safe and secure online experience with advanced privacy features.
Does that sound like a good deal? Then let’s get into it!
6 Best Windows Server 2016 VPN Options
Check out these fantastic VPNs:
1. ExpressVPN – Advanced Security and High Speed
ExpressVPN comes with several built-in privacy and security features that help you enjoy a safer experience online. For instance, it protects your data with advanced AES-256 encryption. It also contains its own encrypted private DNS and doesn’t log DNS queries, or log traffic data that can be used for identification.
Furthermore, it supports a Network Lock that keeps your data safe in case your VPN connection drops. Moreover, its Threat Manager restricts your system from communicating with known trackers or malicious sites.
ExpressVPN uses a Lightway protocol that provides excellent speed and allows you to easily switch between mobile and Wi-Fi networks with strong security. Best of all, it serves over 105 countries.
Pros:
- Advanced security on servers and apps
- Offer fast speed across all server locations
- Zero logs policy
- Works in China and UAE
- Supports Split Tunneling
- Provides access to popular streaming sites from abroad, including Netflix
- 24/7 live chat support
Cons:
- Expensive compared to its competitors
- Streaming servers aren’t labeled
2. Proton VPN – Secure Core Architecture
Proton VPN is a secure and reliable VPN that hides your real IP address. It uses HMAC with SHA384 for message authentication, 4096-bit RSA to exchange keys, and encrypts all network traffic with AES-256. More specifically, this VPN generates a new encryption key each time you connect.
Moreover, with full disk encryption, Proton VPN protects your data from resource-intensive man-in-the-middle attacks. It also has a NetShield filtering feature that prevents your system from loading unnecessary content from websites, protects it from malware, and blocks ads.
Furthermore, Proton’s VPN Accelerator overcomes your CPU limitations. It utilizes advanced networking techniques to reduce latency. Additionally, its Secure Core architecture enables you to defend against network-based attacks.
Proton VPN comes with built-in Tor support, a Kill Switch, and an always-on VPN. If you lose connection with the VPN server, the Kill Switch blocks all network traffic and the always-on VPN helps you automatically re-establish your connection.
Pros:
- Comes with a NetShield filter, VPN Accelerator, and VPN Profiles
- Includes DNS leak protection, a Kill Switch, a Secure Core, and Split Tunneling
- Offers 5,029 servers in 91 countries
- Follows a no-logs policy
Cons:
- Its free plan has limitations compared to paid plans
- Crashes occasionally
- Only a few servers are available for free plan users
3. NordVPN – Threat Protection and Double VPN Security
NordVPN is a popular VPN that offers threat protection to stop malware, ads, and web trackers. It also includes various other security features, such as reliable leak protection, AES-256 encryption, two Kill switches, and specialized server categories.
Best of all, you can create your own private encrypted network to ensure safe file sharing, work, or LAN parties. For this, it assigns you a dedicated IP to skip denylists, access IP-restricted networks, and maintain your online reputation. Moreover, with its Split Tunneling, you can select which apps need VPN protection and which ones don’t.
NordVPN also keeps your account safe with multi-factor authentication. It combines Tor with extra VPN security. In addition, it helps hide the fact that you’re using a VPN, even from your Internet Service Provider (ISP).
Regarding connection speed, it utilizes NordLynx which is an in-house variant of the WireGuard protocol. It provides service across 6000+ servers in 111 countries.
Pros:
- Consistently delivers fast speed
- Simple and easy-to-use interface
- Allows you to choose from multiple server locations
- Provides a secure and fast connection with a stable IP address
- Double-VPN and Tor-over-VPN servers
- 24/7 helpful customer support
- Works with many streaming sites, including Netflix
Cons:
- Sometimes its server crashes and you have to switch
- Installs some unnecessary additional packages
- Offers limited P2P servers
4. CyberGhost VPN – High-Speed Streaming and P2P Optimized Servers
CyberGhost VPN features 10 Gbps streaming-optimized servers to ensure access to your favorite platforms with minimal buffering and high speed. It also offers P2P torrenting and gaming-optimized servers that shield you from DDoS attacks.
This VPN service supports several secure protocols including IKEv2, OpenVPN, L2TP/IPSec, and Wire Guard. Notably, these protocols are quite effective for maintaining connection stability, lag-free streaming, bypassing geo-restrictions, and more.
CyberGhost VPN also contains a content blocker that helps you avoid malicious and disruptive ads from tracking your internet activity. With its dedicated IP, you can securely access sensitive information and avoid blocklisting. Moreover, if your connection drops by chance, CyberGhost’s automatic Kill Switch blocks all internet traffic and protects your data.
With every reboot, CyberGhost VPN’s servers wipe your data for maximum anonymity. It also provides direct internet access to local content. Furthermore, its VPN service automatically activates if you connect to an exposed network.
Pros:
- Decent WireGuard speed
- Covers 9200+ servers and 100 countries
- RAM-only servers
- Provides dedicated streaming servers
- Offers free trials to its users
- Swift replies from live chat support
Cons:
- Its ad-blocker isn’t so good
- Some users might feel its user interface is complex
- It doesn’t support obfuscation on any of its servers
5. OpenVPN – Highly Customizable and Free To Use
OpenVPN is a well-known service provider that offers flexible solutions to secure data communications. It has gained a lot of attention because of its open-source and free-to-use nature. You can easily deploy this protocol on-premises using virtual appliances, standard servers, or CloudConnexa.
OpenVPN has a built-in Cyber Shield that protects your data against threats without tunneling internet traffic. It defines and enforces identity-based policies to assist you in establishing zero-trust network access. Moreover, it uses military-grade ciphers, 256-bit encryption, and supports Perfect Forward Secrecy (PFS) implementation for creating a new key per session.
OpenVPN supports tunneling through the Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) and Transport Layer Security (TLS). These protocols enable you to share the keys for encoding and decoding information sent through tunnels. In addition, it also contains TLS-auth which verifies that only the desired users and devices can interfere with the data.
For your data protection, OpenVPN utilizes different methods and protocols such as OpenSSL, HMAC authentication, and shared keys. It supports multiple cryptographic algorithms which include 3DES, AES, and Blowfish.
Overall, these features allow you to hide data traffic from third parties, like your ISP, any employer, hackers, or agencies.
Pros:
- It’s free to download and use
- Highly customizable
- Can easily bypass firewalls
- Implement 256-bit encryption keys and high-end ciphers
- Supports PFS to code your data
- It has an active worldwide community
Cons:
- Newbies may find it difficult to install and configure
- Requires installation and configuration of additional software
- Supports limited version of servers in free version
6. Private Internet Access VPN – MACE for Ad and Malware Blocking
Private Internet Access (PIA) VPN is a full-featured, configurable, and secure VPN. It utilizes WireGuard protocol and 256-bit encryption to increase stability, speed, and overall security.
You can choose between 22,500+ servers from 91 countries, each with a 10Gpbs server network. On each PIA VPN server, you can enjoy P2P support for torrenting and sharing files more privately. It also activates port forwarding on the selected server to optimize the torrent performance.
Moreover, PIA masks IP addresses automatically to stay one step ahead of trackers and snoops. Its MACE tool blocks trackers, malware, and ads at the DNS level. Furthermore, its Advanced Kill Switch prevents data transmission when the VPN is turned off.
Notably, PIA follows the No Logs policy. It never stores, tracks, sells, or records your browsing data. With an unbreakable SSL encryption, it stops prying eyes and even your ISP to monitor your online activities. Additionally, with its Split Tunneling feature, you can direct traffic through and around PIA simultaneously.
Pros:
- Offers extra security and privacy features
- Easy-to-use interface
- Supports unlimited simultaneous connections
- Provides budget-friendly plan and duration
- Flexible encryption options
- It doesn’t log any user data whatsoever
Cons:
- No Tor over VPN
- It doesn’t work well for Netflix and streaming
- Its speed could be improved
Get Private Internet Access VPN
How I Chose the Best Windows Server 2016 VPN?
During my tests, I prioritized the following characteristics to choose the best Windows Server 2016 VPNs. I selected the options that:
- Deploy advanced protocols to protect user data
- Have a global network of fast and reliable servers for smooth performance
- Easily bypass geo-restriction
- Have a user-friendly interface
- Support additional features, such as data leak protection, ad blocker, kill switch, etc.
So, now you have all the info you need to find the best Windows Server 2016 VPN. Also, if you need an antivirus or virtual machine, I’ve got you covered as well. Let me know which option you prefer in the comments below!