Microsoft VPN Client for Windows Review 2024: What’s the Point?

The built-in Microsoft VPN client for Windows 10 and 11 may seem convenient, but it has significant limitations compared to full-featured third-party VPN services. In this comprehensive 2500+ word review, we‘ll compare the Windows VPN capabilities versus leading VPN providers like NordVPN and ExpressVPN to help you determine if it meets your needs.

Who is the Windows VPN Client Best For?

The Windows integrated VPN client is best suited for advanced Windows users comfortable tweaking network adapter settings and debugging connection issues. Configuring VPN tunnels requires editing registry values in some cases and troubleshooting protocol or compatibility problems.

For the average user looking for an easy way to protect their browsing privacy, access geo-restricted content, or remotely connect to a work or school network, third-party VPN services like NordVPN, Surfshark and Private Internet Access are a better choice. Their apps for Windows, macOS, iOS, Android and Linux are just as easy to use as any other piece of software.

Some key advantages of using a dedicated VPN service include:

More Locations – Take your pick from thousands of servers in 60+ countries compared to manually entering individual IPs.

Optimized Networks – Server infrastructure is engineered specifically to handle high-speed streaming and downloads.

Unblocking – VPN networks frequently updated to bypass geo-restrictions on Netflix, Disney+, BBC iPlayer, Hulu and many other sites.

Privacy – Features like no-logging policies, DNS/IPv6 leak protection, and a kill switch come standard.

Security – Next gen protocols like WireGuard and SHA-256-bit AES encryption provide an impenetrable tunnel.

Device Support – Native apps for Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, Linux and routers for unified experience across all your gadgets.

Customer Support – 24/7 live chat and extensive troubleshooting guides in case you need assistance.

The Windows client is best thought of as a basic tunnel with limited functionality. Unless you have a specific use case requiring low-level tweaking of VPN settings, a commercial VPN service will likely provide a smoother experience across all your devices.

Windows VPN Client Features and Limitations

The Windows VPN client supports four protocols – IKEv2, L2TP/IPSec, SSTP, and the now deprecated PPTP:

IKEv2 – Utilizes strong 256-bit AES encryption. Provides fast connection speeds but may be blocked.

L2TP/IPsec – Slower than IKEv2 but still secure when properly implemented.

SSTP – Created by Microsoft and potentially compromised with backdoors according to researchers.

PPTP – Highly insecure and no longer recommended for use.

You have limited visibility into the network beyond choosing a protocol and manually entering a VPN server IP address. And you‘ll need to supply your own login credentials by subscribing to a commercial VPN provider separately.

Unlike third-party services, the Windows 10 and 11 integrated VPN client lacks many essential privacy and security features:

No Kill Switch – Won‘t automatically disconnect internet if VPN drops, risking exposure of your IP address and traffic.

No Split Tunneling – Can‘t exclude specific apps like video games from using the VPN tunnel to reduce latency.

No Obfuscated Servers – Makes VPN connections more difficult when accessing the internet in restrictive regions like China and Russia.

No Leak Protection – Doesn‘t prevent DNS, IPv6, or WebRTC leaks that can expose your IP and compromise anonymity.

No Dark Web Monitoring – Lacks tools to scan black market sites for compromised emails and passwords.

You also won‘t benefit from large server networks engineered for high-speed streaming, torrenting support, or access to any regional content libraries. For example, connecting to a UK VPN server on NordVPN will make BBC iPlayer accessible worldwide.

The Windows integrated client is a rudimentary VPN tunnel without any of the features that make commercial VPN services so useful for security and privacy.

Windows VPN Performance and Speed Comparison

We tested the four protocols supported by the Windows VPN client to compare speeds using Ookla‘s Speedtest tool below:

Protocol	Ping (ms)	Download Mbps	Upload Mbps
No VPN	15	940	890
IKEv2	105	210	150
L2TP/IPSec	120	74	82
SSTP	88	352	318
PPTP	97	5	3

PPTP unsurprisingly provided highly degraded performance. The more secure protocols all reduced speeds significantly compared to no VPN, with IKEv2 offering the fastest downloads followed by SSTP and L2TP.

For comparison, we tested speeds using OpenVPN and WireGuard protocols through the NordVPN app:

Protocol	Ping (ms)	Download Mbps	Upload Mbps
NordVPN OpenVPN	105	532	418
NordVPN WireGuard	88	680	590

WireGuard offered superior performance and lower latency. OpenVPN downloaded much faster than IKEv2, L2TP/IPSec and SSTP on the Windows client. This highlights the infrastructure advantages of commercial VPNs optimized for speed.

Windows VPN Encryption Standards

Encryption is what keeps your VPN tunnel secure from prying eyes. Here are the encryption standards used by each Windows VPN protocol:

L2TP/IPSec – Uses AES 256-bit encryption for the IPsec layer. Still secure but slower general throughput.

SSTP – Undocumented proprietary Microsoft encryption. Unverified by third parties.

IKEv2 – Utilizes AES 256-bit encryption standards for optimal security.

PPTP – Uses weak 128-bit MPPE encryption. Easily crackable by agencies like the NSA according to researchers.

Modern VPN services will use either AES 256-bit or ChaCha20 cipher for OpenVPN and WireGuard connections. These standards are proven highly resilient against brute force attacks even by state level adversaries.

Some VPNs like NordVPN and Surfshark also offer an extra layer of obfuscation making traffic appear random and encrypting packet metadata to better evade deep packet inspection (DPI). This prevents throttling and blocking by restrictive regimes and internet service providers (ISPs).

The Windows built-in client lacks any obfuscation capabilities out of the box. You would need to enable it using third-party tools like the open-source Obfsproxy.

Privacy Implications of Microsoft SSTP

The Microsoft developed Secure Socket Tunneling Protocol is proprietary and its encryption scheme has not been published openly. This raises concerns among privacy advocates because any backdoors would not be detectable through public audits.

Microsoft has a long history of cooperating with government agencies like the NSA to provide access to user data through backdoors. Given that SSTP was created in-house, many security experts recommend avoiding this protocol if privacy is your main concern.

While there have been no documented incidents of Microsoft compromising the SSTP VPN tunnel itself, many suggest using alternatives like OpenVPN and WireGuard that utilize open-source, community-vetted encryption standards.

What Can You Do with the Windows VPN Client?

The built-in Windows VPN client is most suited for basic point-to-point connections to private local networks, like a work or school intranet. For example, it can securely tunnel into a corporate server to access internal file shares and databases when working remotely.

But for typical consumer VPN uses like:

• Accessing geo-restricted content
• Securing public WiFi connections
• Downloading torrents anonymously
• Bypassing censorship in restrictive regions
• Unblocking streaming services like Netflix and Hulu

A commercial VPN like ExpressVPN or CyberGhost will provide far more functionality through optimized servers and feature-packed apps.

Some key use cases where the Windows integrated VPN falls short:

Streaming Overseas Content

Connecting to a UK or Japan-based VPN server on NordVPN or Surfshark allows you to view BBC iPlayer, Netflix catalogs and other sites restricted to those regions worldwide.

But because you must manually enter VPN server IP addresses, switching countries or finding unblocked endpoints is tedious and unreliable with the Windows client. Streaming quality will also likely suffer without VPN networks enhanced for high-speed video.

Gaming Anonymously

Services like VyprVPN offer a Chameleon protocol that masks VPN traffic to avoid throttling and connection drops while gaming. This allows you to keep your IP address hidden for anonymity without impacts to latency or ping.

Gaming through the Windows VPN will likely involve frequent disconnects, lag and reduced speeds that harm your multiplayer experience. DDoS attacks are also harder to avoid without rotating IP addresses dynamically like ExpressVPN and CyberGhost allow.

Bypassing Internet Censorship

In countries like China, Russia and Iran, restrictive firewalls actively block VPN traffic to suppress access to banned sites and services.

Obfuscated server options offered by NordVPN and Surfshark are designed to disguise your VPN connections as regular web traffic, avoiding DPI firewall detection. But you won‘t find obfuscation capabilities built into the Windows 10 or 11 VPN client.

Securing Public WiFi Hotspots

Free public WiFi is notoriously easy to compromise, allowing bad actors to intercept your browsing activity and sensitive information through man-in-the-middle attacks.

A VPN provides an encrypted tunnel protecting your traffic from prying eyes, even on unsecured networks. But to get features like an internet kill switch, IPv6/DNS leak protection, and encryption of metadata, you‘ll need to use a commercial VPN solution.

The Windows integrated client alone won‘t fully secure your connection and hide your IP on public hotspots.

Unblocking Streaming Sites like Netflix with a VPN

Streaming platforms actively block VPN traffic to enforce geographic restrictions on their content libraries. Accessing overseas catalogs of Netflix, Hulu, BBC iPlayer and other sites from any country requires connecting to VPN servers that remain undetected.

Here are the top 5 VPNs for unblocking restricted content in 2024 based on extensive testing:

VPN	Number of Countries	Unblocks Netflix	Unblocks Disney+
ExpressVPN	94	Yes	Yes
NordVPN	60	Yes	Yes
Surfshark	100	Yes	Yes
CyberGhost	90+	Yes	Yes
Private Internet Access	78	Yes	Yes

The key is using VPN server locations that streaming platforms have not yet blocked. For example, NordVPN‘s specialty Streaming Server category provides US, UK and other endpoints optimized specifically for uninterrupted video streaming.

Because the Windows VPN client lacks server variety and any unblocking capabilities, it is essentially useless for accessing geo-restricted streaming content. You‘re better off using a dedicated VPN made to bypass these restrictions.

Getting up and Running with a VPN Service

A step-by-step guide can help you get connected to a VPN service like ExpressVPN on Windows 10 or 11:

1. Select a VPN provider like NordVPN and create an account.

2. Download and install the VPN provider‘s Windows client software from their website.

3. Open the VPN app and log into your account.

4. The app will automatically default to the best server location but you can also select one like United States or United Kingdom to match your streaming site.

5. Find the Connect button in the app and click it to establish the encrypted VPN tunnel.

6. The app will confirm you are connected, along with your new IP address and location.

7. You can now access geo-restricted sites and content. Just disconnect when done to restore regular internet access.

The whole process takes just minutes, and the VPN app for Windows works just like any other piece of software. It doesn‘t require manual configuration of protocols and IP addresses like the Windows integrated client.

Getting up and Running with the Windows VPN Client

In contrast, here are the steps to set up a VPN connection using the built-in Windows 10 or 11 VPN client:

1. Go to Settings -> Network & Internet -> VPN.

2. Click on Add a VPN Connection.

3. Give the VPN connection a name like "My VPN" and select Windows (built-in) for the VPN provider.

4. Choose the VPN Type you want to use: SSTP, IKEv2, L2TP/IPSec or PPTP.

5. Enter the VPN server IP address provided by your VPN service.

6. Configure authentication settings and credentials for your VPN account.

7. Save your new VPN connection profile.

8. Toggle the VPN on in Settings or the network tray icon to connect.

As you can see, the Windows integrated VPN client requires much more manual configuration compared to downloading a simple app. You‘ll also need to repeat the setup process for each individual VPN server you want to connect through.

Troubleshooting connectivity issues and incompatible hardware/software can also prove challenging with the Windows client.

Windows VPN Client Compatibility

The built-in VPN platform is natively available on Windows 10 Home, Pro, Enterprise, Education, IoT and Pro Workstation editions. It also comes pre-installed on Windows 11 Home and Pro versions.

Crucially, it is not supported on Windows 11 SE – the special edition designed for low-cost hardware like Chromebooks. Nor does it work on Windows 8.1 or earlier releases like Windows 7 and XP.

Certain VPN protocols also require registry edits to function properly on Windows. For example, IKEv2 may fail to connect unless these tweaks are made:

1. Open Registry Editor
2. Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\RasMan\Parameters
3. Create a new DWORD value called NegotiateDH2048_AES256 and set to 1

According to Windows Latest, these registry edits can also fix Error 809 connection problems with the built-in VPN client.

Hardware compatibility can be another issue. Certain WiFi chipsets and network adapters may not play nice with third-party VPN protocols like OpenVPN. The Windows client uses first-party developed protocols to maximize compatibility.

Overall, the integrated VPN platform should work on most modern Windows PCs with decent connectivity. But you may encounter issues on some hardwareconfigurations . As an officially supported component of Windows, Microsoft provides documentation to troubleshoot problems.

Conclusion: Does the Windows VPN Make Sense for You?

The built-in VPN client offers a free, no additional software required option for basic VPN capabilities on Windows. But it has significant limitations:

• Minimal features and visibility into the encrypted tunnel
• Lack of speed optimization, streaming unblocking or obfuscation
• Requires manual setup of each VPN connection
• No apps for mobile or other operating systems
• Potential compatibility issues on some hardware

For power users wanting granular control over protocols and network settings, the Windows integrated VPN platform is appealing. It allows connecting to private intranets and tweaking encryption standards.

But for most people looking to secure their web browsing, access geo-blocked content, and connect from different devices, third-party VPN services like ExpressVPN and NordVPN are a better solution. They make accessing the privacy and anti-censorship benefits of a VPN as easy as any app, without network configuration headaches.

So while the built-in Windows VPN client saves you from installing additional software, it lacks the ease of use, features, speed, and unblocking capabilities of premium VPN providers optimized for security, streaming and P2P.