VPN is a general term used to describe a network for communication that makes use of different integrations of technologies to secure a network connection which would otherwise be tunneled by way of an unreliable or unsecured network. Data transmitted through a VPN connection will take place as if it were running on a private, confidential network. This data transmission by way of a VPN happens through what is known as tunneling. The data to be transferred will first be encapsulated at the starting point of the tunnel, which will then travel through the tunnel and once it reaches the endpoint of the tunnel, the data will get decapsulated and then will be forwarded to its final destination. In order for the data transmission to be secure, the VPN will use a tunneling protocol which has to be supported by both the endpoints of the tunnel. One such tunneling protocol is the PPTP protocol, otherwise known as Point-to-Point tunneling protocol.
The operation of PPTP relies on the range of capabilities of the Point-to-Point Protocol (PPP), the basic use of which is to obtain broadband access to commercial networks, by facilitating to connect securely through a VPN for securing networks, like that of their business partners or employers. This unique set of communication rules enables business organizations to expand their corporate network by way of private tunnels over the public network connection, like the internet.
Free PPTP VPN Functionality
A free PPTP VPN basically uses an encapsulation technique called Generic Routing Encapsulation (GRE) to transfer data from and to its final destination. The most common type of PPTP VPN used is known as PPTP-based internet remote access VPN. PPTP mainly depends on the indigenous process of PPP in order to encapsulate packets, maintain the connection as well as authenticate or authorize users. There are two protocols used by PPTP: the Password Authentication Protocol (PAP) or the Challenge Handshake Authentication Protocol (CHAP). Maintenance of the tunnel and also transmission of data through that tunnel will be directly handled by the free PPTP VPN. In addition, it also supports certain other security features for VPN data besides those provided by PPP.
Advantages of Free PPTP VPN
One of the major advantages of using a free PPTP VPN is that it is supported by default in all Windows devices. And as most of us use a computer or laptop with a Windows OS, there would not be quite a lot of trouble when it comes to installing and running the VPN software. In addition to being supported by the Windows operating system, PPTP VPN can also be connected by devices with Macintosh, Linux, and UNIX operating systems. One other benefit of this security protocol is that it is cheaper than most other types of VPN protocols, such as Layer 2 Tunneling Protocol (L2TP) and the rest. The reason behind this is that this protocol is easier to install than the rest and also does not require several certificates for running.
Best Free PPTP VPN
If you are looking for the best free PPTP VPN service providers, then take a look at the list given below which comprises of the top five PPTP VPNs you can sign up with: