5 Advantages and Disadvantages of L2TP | Drawbacks & Benefits of L2TP

 

L2TP: What is it?

One type of tunneling technology that makes a VPN tunnel and permits data traffic to flow through is called Layer 2 Tunneling technology (L2TP). Point to Point Tunneling Protocol (PPTP) and Layer 2 Forwarding are the two protocols that are typically combined to form L2TP. It is frequently employed to facilitate VPN services. Internet service providers (ISPs), in addition to VPN providers, utilize L2TP in their daily operations.

What use does L2TP serve?

L2TP cannot perform data encryption on its own; it is typically used in conjunction with IPSec. It is known as L2TP/IPSec for this reason. Because of its extremely high level of encryption, L2TP is regarded as one of the most secure protocol models. Even while L2TP offers numerous security benefits, there are certain unavoidable disadvantages. It is vital to comprehend the advantages and disadvantages of L2TP prior to selecting a VPN service provider.


This article will discuss the 5 Advantages and Disadvantages of L2TP | Drawbacks & Benefits of L2TP. You will learn about the pros and cons of using L2TP from this post.

Now let's get started,

 

Advantages of L2TP

1. Security

Since L2TP doesn't have any significant flaws, it is regarded as being incredibly secure. To provide the best security, it employs the industry standard 256 bit key encryption. 

 

But L2TP cannot provide this encryption by itself; IPSec is typically used in conjunction with L2TP. 

 

Additionally, every piece of data that is sent from the sender to the recipient is protected from alteration. In cases when the user prioritizes security, L2TP is the recommended choice.


2. Compatibility

Like PPTP, L2TP is readily accessible on many different platforms, including Windows, Linux, and Mac, because it is integrated into them. Other operating systems may also be able to support them.


3. Configurations

The L2TP protocol makes setting and setup simple for both computers and mobile devices. This is a result of L2TP protocol being supported natively by most platforms. 

 

Furthermore, as L2TP employs UDP for data encapsulation, firewall setups are relatively simple.


4. Stability

L2TP is thought to be incredibly steady and dependable when it comes to creating erratic connections. 

 

This is why it is especially advised to develop contacts in far-off places. However, there can also be stability problems if the device is linked to a NAT router.


5. MiM Prevention

As was previously mentioned, L2TP prevents data alteration. Man-in-the-Middle attacks may also be avoided as a result of this. 

 

 

Disadvantages of L2TP

1. Speed

While there are security benefits to encapsulating data twice, speed is undoubtedly not one of them. 

 

There is a detrimental influence on the rate of data traffic due to the large slowdown in transmission speed. 

 

Generally, this speed difference is negligible when using OpenVPN in conjunction with the L2TP protocol.


2. Security Keys Mismatch

Pre-shared keys are used by L2TP throughout the authentication procedure. Alternation is necessary for these keys at both ends of the tunnel. 

 

Should there be an incompatibility between them, L2TP will cease to function.


3. Port Support

The L2TP protocol provides a restricted number of ports, just like PPTP. These protocols are few in number, thus if they are utilized behind a NAT firewall, they can be readily stopped.


4. Eavesdropping

As everyone is aware, L2TP uses pre-shared keys, which are frequently hijacked by the provider's website. 

 

Thus, this may result in malware planting and identity theft due to hackers listening in on your VPN servers.


5. Cracking

There are allegations that claim the NSA is capable of purposefully weakening and cracking L2TP. This may allow the L2TP/IPsec protocol to become vulnerable to security flaws.