| Updated: January 15, 2025
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PPTP, or Point-to-Point Tunneling Protocol, was one of the earliest VPN protocols developed by Microsoft in the late 1990s to enable secure remote connections. Initially popular for its ease of setup, high speeds, and compatibility across many devices and operating systems, PPTP allowed for fast data transfers and straightforward configurations. However, as technology advanced, the protocol’s 128-bit encryption and outdated authentication methods began to show vulnerabilities, raising significant security concerns.
While PPTP provided advantages like quick connection speeds due to its lighter encryption, these same qualities made it an easy target for attacks. The protocol relies on TCP Port 1723, which firewalls can detect and block, limiting its effectiveness in bypassing censorship.
Given these limitations, most VPN providers have phased out PPTP in favor of more secure protocols. OpenVPN, IKEv2, and WireGuard have become the preferred options, offering stronger encryption, better stability, and more robust security.
Point-to-point tunneling —PPTP is one of the oldest VPN protocols used to create secure tunnels for data transfer and encryption. The protocol was developed by Microsoft in the late 90s to create a secure connection between remote sites and servers.
PPTP pioneered secure VPN tunnels, but due to advancements in technology, its vulnerabilities, and the emergence of OpenVPN and WireGuard, it is no longer widely used.
Modren VPN users might wonder what it would be like to connect to PPTP for fast downloading or video calling. I had a good experience using the PPTP protocol until 2016 to transfer heavy files to a remote computer.
At that time, we didn’t have OpenVPN or WireGuard readily available for VPN applications. We only had SSTP, PPTP, and IKEv2 (maybe). This article will discuss the once-used PPTP VPN protocol, why it was surrendered, and if it’s still used!
As mentioned in the introduction, PPTP stands for Point-to-Point Tunneling. The idea behind this technology was to create a secure and encrypted tunnel between two users or points to send sensitive files or data.
This technology was adopted by VPNs, and PPTP was widely used in VPNs from 2001-2015. However, over time, the vulnerabilities with this protocol came to light, and new and secure protocols were developed that were better than PPTP in all aspects: speed, security, encryption, stability, etc.
In 2012, some tools were released at Defcon that easily cracked PPTP tunneling, making it clear to VPN users and providers that this VPN protocol had to retire.
PPTP works on PPP (Point-to-Point protocol) technology, which creates a secure tunnel between you and a remote server. Once the connection is securely established, your data is encrypted into IP envelopes and transmitted through that tunnel to reach the endpoint. Your data is then decrypted so that the receiving end can read it.
PPTP has two types of data flow:
Your transmitted data is converted into IP packets, an old encryption technology developed by Microsoft —MPPE (Microsoft Point-to-Point Encryption) – 128-bit encryption. Control messages are used to start and end the encrypted connection.
PPTP has been retired, which means it has more disadvantages than advantages it offers. Here are a both of them listed for you to make an informed decision.
A PPTP passthrough is a router feature that was offered in the late 90s and early 2000s. This feature allowed the PPTP protocol to send encrypted traffic directly to the router for further broadcasting. However, modern routers have replaced this feature with NAT (network address translation) — which is used to give one IP address to all the devices connected to the router.
However, you won’t need the passthrough with modern VPN protocols like WireGuard, IKEv2/IPsec, and OpenVPN because all of them support NAT. This is one of the biggest disadvantages of using the PPTP VPN protocol.
PPTP is an obsolete VPN protocol and has been retired by all modern VPN providers. However, let’s have a comparison between PPTP and other VPN protocols.
OpenVPN was developed in 2001 and became a sensation in no time. Today, it is the most used VPN protocol and is available in all the best VPNs on the market. OpenVPN is fast, secure, reliable, and open source, which is why several security agencies have audited it, making it a perfect product.
| Feature | PPTP | OpenVPN |
| Encryption | 128-bit encryption, offering minimal protection | Advanced AES-256 encryption, providing high-level security |
| Performance | Faster speeds due to lightweight encryption | Potentially slower, but optimized for secure connections |
| Security | Multiple vulnerabilities, less secure | Highly reliable security against most threats |
| Connection Stability | Stable but may experience interruptions with IP changes | Exceptionally stable, minimal connection drops |
| Configuration | Quick and simple to set up | Requires a more complex setup, offers extensive options |
IKEv2 is mostly used for mobile devices due to its nature of utilizing limited resources and speed. The protocol is widely offered by most VPN providers and is best when it comes to speed. People often prefer IKEv2 over OpenVPN. Here are the differences between IKEv2 and PPTP.
| Feature | PPTP | IKEv2 |
| Encryption | 128-bit encryption, minimal protection | AES-256 encryption, high security |
| Speed | Faster due to simpler encryption | Can be slower with advanced encryption |
| Security | Multiple vulnerabilities, less reliable | Reliable, robust security |
| Stability | Stable but may drop with IP changes | Highly stable, auto-reconnects if dropped |
| Setup | Quick and easy configuration | Easy with VPN software, complex otherwise |
Layer Two Tunneling Protocol, or L2TP, is widely used by ISPs to enable VPN on their networks. It is an extension of PPTP and was once offered in VPN applications. Here are the differences between the two.
| Feature | PPTP | L2TP |
| Encryption | 128-bit encryption, basic security | No encryption by itself, uses IPSec for security |
| Speed | Faster due to low CPU demand | Slower, requires more CPU resources |
| Security | Less secure, has vulnerabilities | More secure with certificate-based authentication |
| Stability | Stable but may disconnect with IP changes | Steady and reliable performance |
| Setup | Simple and fast setup | Easy to configure |
Are you wondering if PPTP is a safe VPN protocol? No, it’s not, and this is the very reason VPN providers are retiring it. PPTP once ruled the VPN world, but due to its vulnerabilities, it was left to die, and new VPN protocols took its place.
So far, I have discussed PPTP, how it functions, and its advantages. I have also made a comparison table between PPTP and its competitors so you know why it failed.
PPTP (Point-to-Point Tunneling Protocol) is an early VPN protocol developed by Microsoft to enable secure data tunneling for remote connections, but it’s now outdated due to weak encryption and security vulnerabilities.
PPTP is outdated and insecure, and here’s why we advise against it:
Installing a PPTP VPN client on your Android phone is still possible, and many people do it. Check out this guide by TP-Link for installing PPTP on Android.
Point-to-Point Tunneling Protocol (PPTP) is a networking protocol designed to establish a secure VPN. It enables the secure transfer of data over the internet, often used to connect remote devices to a private server securely.
Most commercial VPNs have phased out support for the PPTP protocol due to its outdated security standards. However, providers like PureVPN, Private VPN, VyprVPN, Mullvad VPN, and Ivacy still offer PPTP, which can be used through manual VPN configuration on Android or other devices.
Mustafa is a cybersecurity analyst and a co-founder of VPN for What. Since 2017, Mustafa has gained international experience, working with governments, NGOs, and the private sector as a cybersecurity and VPN expert and advisor.
