Leave WireGuard selected and forget the menu exists. That is the right answer most of the time, and it is why most people never touch their protocol setting.
The menu matters on the days WireGuard does not work. A network drops your connection, a router refuses the app, a train journey kills the tunnel every few minutes. Each of those has a protocol that handles it better, and knowing which saves you from assuming the VPN is broken.
Here is what each protocol is for, and the specific situations worth switching in.
The Five Protocols at a Glance
Most providers give you two or three options. A GnuVPN five protocols setup covers the full range, so here is what each one is actually good at.
| Protocol | Best at | Trade-off |
| WireGuard | Speed, quick connections | No obfuscation, easy to detect |
| AmneziaWG | Speed with a hidden signature | Newer, less widely supported |
| SoftEther | Getting through heavy filtering | Heavier overhead |
| OpenVPN | Compatibility, routers, old devices | Slower than WireGuard |
| IKEv2 | Switching networks without dropping | Weaker against blocking |
The fastest VPN protocol here is WireGuard, and nothing in the list beats it on a network that is not fighting you. Everything below is about the situations where that stops being true.
Match the Protocol to the Situation
Five scenarios cover almost everything. Work out which one you are in, and the choice makes itself.
1. Ordinary Browsing on a Normal Network
Use WireGuard. Its codebase runs to about four thousand lines, it operates in kernel space on Linux, and its handshake completes in a single round trip, so connections come up almost instantly.
There is no reason to carry heavier overhead on a network that is not blocking you. If you only ever learn one thing about protocols, it is that WireGuard should be your default and you should switch away from it only when something forces you.
2. The Network Blocks VPN Connections
Switch to SoftEther. WireGuard has a recognisable traffic signature, so a filter watching for VPNs spots it and drops the connection, which is why yours works at home and fails at the office.
SoftEther tunnels through HTTPS on port 443, the same port ordinary websites use, so inspection sees routine browsing. Where that port is watched too, it can fall back to ICMP or DNS, transports almost no network blocks completely. This is the answer for campus filters, corporate networks and national firewalls.
3. Blocked, but You Still Need the Speed
Try AmneziaWG first. It is a modified WireGuard that scrambles its traffic signature to defeat fingerprinting while keeping WireGuard’s performance, which makes it the middle option between the two above.
On a network doing basic VPN detection, AmneziaWG usually clears it without the overhead SoftEther carries. Reach for SoftEther when AmneziaWG fails, not before, since you pay for the extra capability in speed.
4. Routers, Smart TVs and Older Devices
Use OpenVPN. It has been around since 2001 and runs on effectively everything, which is why it remains the protocol of choice for router configurations and hardware too old or too limited for a modern app.
It is slower than WireGuard and its configuration is fussier. What it offers is compatibility nothing else matches, so when a device will not run the app, OpenVPN is usually how you get it connected anyway.
5. Moving Between Wi-Fi and Mobile Data
Use IKEv2. It supports MOBIKE, which lets a tunnel survive a change of network, so walking out of a café or riding a train does not drop your connection and force a reconnect.
That makes it the VPN protocol for mobile use specifically, where you switch networks constantly without thinking about it. Its weakness is that it uses fixed ports and is straightforward to block, so it suits movement, not resistance.
How to Actually Switch
The mechanics are simple and the same across most apps. Open settings, find the protocol or connection section, and select from the list. GnuVPN protocol switching works this way in the app on every platform it supports.
Two habits make it painless. Disconnect before changing protocol, since some apps handle a live switch badly. And test the new protocol on the network that was giving you trouble, because a protocol that connects at home tells you nothing about the network you actually need it for.
If you are running the GnuVPN mobile app, the setting sits in the same place as on desktop, which matters because phones and laptops sometimes take different routes onto the same network.
Why Having the Choice Matters
Most providers do not offer this decision. NordVPN gives you NordLynx and NordWhisper. Proton VPN gives you WireGuard and Stealth. Mullvad removed OpenVPN entirely in January 2026 and now runs WireGuard alone, with obfuscation layered on top of it.
Those are reasonable products, and for most users one or two protocols is enough. The gap shows on a network that defeats the one option you have, because there is nothing else to try.
A VPN protocol comparison only becomes a practical decision when your provider actually carries the options. GnuVPN runs all five, which is why a failed connection there is a switch away from another attempt instead of the end of the session.
The Short Version
Run WireGuard by default and change nothing until something stops working. When a network blocks you, move to AmneziaWG for speed or SoftEther for depth, in that order.
Use OpenVPN when the device is old or the connection lives on a router, and IKEv2 when you are moving between networks all day.
The point of carrying five protocols is not that you will use all of them, or even most of them. It is that whichever situation you land in, one of them fits, and you are never left with a single option that has already failed.
FAQ
Which VPN protocol should I use?
WireGuard, unless something prevents it. Which VPN protocol should I use has a simple default answer because WireGuard is the fastest and simplest option available, and the alternatives exist for specific problems: obfuscation when you are blocked, OpenVPN for compatibility, IKEv2 for network switching.
When should I change my VPN protocol?
When the current one fails or underperforms. When to change VPN protocol comes down to symptoms: connections refused or dropped point to blocking, so switch to an obfuscated option. Frequent drops while moving suggest IKEv2. A device that will not run the app usually needs OpenVPN.
Is WireGuard better than OpenVPN?
For speed and simplicity, yes. WireGuard vs OpenVPN is not close on performance, since WireGuard is faster, leaner, and easier to audit. OpenVPN keeps two advantages: it runs on far more devices, including routers, and it has two decades of scrutiny behind it.
What is IKEv2 good for?
Mobile use. The IKEv2 protocol supports MOBIKE, so a tunnel survives switching between Wi-Fi and cellular data without dropping. That makes it well suited to phones and travel. It is easier to block than obfuscated protocols, so it is the wrong choice on a restrictive network.
Does GnuVPN let you switch protocols?
Yes, across all five: WireGuard, AmneziaWG, SoftEther, OpenVPN and IKEv2, selectable in the app. That range is the reason a blocked connection has alternatives to try, where a single-protocol service leaves you with none.
Disclaimer: This article is provided for informational purposes only. It is not offered or intended to be used as legal, tax, investment, financial, or other advice.
