{"id":34783,"date":"2026-01-12T01:07:30","date_gmt":"2026-01-12T09:07:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/?p=34783"},"modified":"2026-01-12T01:07:40","modified_gmt":"2026-01-12T09:07:40","slug":"softether-vpn","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/softether-vpn\/","title":{"rendered":"SoftEther VPN: What Is It and How Does It Work?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">SoftEther is a newer VPN technology that\u2019s been getting a lot of attention for being fast and reliable under any network condition. In this guide, we\u2019ll break down what makes SoftEther special and how it stacks up against the classic VPN protocols you already know.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-what-is-softether-vpn\">What Is SoftEther VPN?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">SoftEther (Software Ethernet) VPN is a free, open-source VPN platform created to establish secure client-to-server and site-to-site connections over the internet.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It was started as a master\u2019s thesis project by Daiyuu Nobori at the University of Tsukuba in Japan, whose goal was to create a VPN solution that works in restrictive network environments. After realizing that VPN protocols like IPsec, PPTP, and L2TP can\u2019t connect through firewalls, proxy servers, and NATs without the use of additional software, he developed the SoftEther VPN protocol.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Now, the SoftEther VPN project is further developed and consists of several important components: the SoftEther server, protocol, client, and bridge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"ss\">SoftEther VPN Server<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This is the first major component of the SoftEther ecosystem. It turns your device into a VPN host, so you can connect to it from a remote location. After setting it up, you can connect to this server using various protocols, including SoftEther (more on that below), OpenVPN, or L2TP\/IPsec. You don\u2019t need to install additional software on the remote device \u2013 as long as you configure it properly, you can access your SoftEther server using your device\u2019s built-in VPN settings.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Unlike commercial VPNs, SoftEther doesn\u2019t offer its own server network. However, volunteers from the University of Tsukuba host a network of free public servers that run on SoftEther. These servers can be found at <a href=\"https:\/\/www.vpngate.net\/en\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">VPN Gate<\/a>, and most of them are located in Japan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-softether-vpn-protocol\">SoftEther VPN Protocol<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The SoftEther VPN protocol uses SSL\/TLS encryption over TCP port 443, which is the same port used by HTTPS. Since the majority of internet traffic runs on HTTPS, SoftEther can easily blend into a normal internet connection and avoid detection and blocks.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">However, although the protocol is secure and fast, it\u2019s not widely adopted by major commercial VPNs because it\u2019s quite complex to set up across many servers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"background-color: #cfe2f3; padding: 1em; border-radius: 1em;\"><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">There are other ways to disguise VPN traffic. For example, when you enable the <em>Multi-Hop and <\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/what-are-obfuscated-servers\/\"><em>Obfuscation<\/em> <\/a>feature in the PIA VPN app, it hides your traffic behind two layers: a secure VPN server and a Shadowsocks proxy that makes your traffic appear like a regular internet connection.<\/p><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-softether-vpn-client\">SoftEther VPN Client<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This is the official VPN software you use to connect to a SoftEther Server. It\u2019s only available for Windows devices, but you can also set it up on Mac and Linux using terminal-based tools. The SoftEther VPN Client enables you to manage virtual adapters that SoftEther uses, create a new connection profile, select the connection method, and connect or disconnect from the server.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-softether-vpn-bridge\">SoftEther VPN Bridge<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The SoftEther VPN Bridge connects two separate networks as if they were physically connected to each other. This is like a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/site-to-site-commercial-vpn-vs-remote-access-personal-vpn\/\">site-to-site VPN<\/a> connection \u2013 devices in both networks can see each other as if they were all connected to the same router.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-how-does-softether-vpn-work\">How Does SoftEther VPN Work?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">SoftEther creates a virtual network adapter that behaves like an extra network card inside your computer. That gives it more control and allows it to do things that some VPNs sometimes struggle with, like avoiding detection and keeping connection speeds high despite using encryption.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To connect, you need to add a server first. This can be a device you set up as a SoftEther server, a free server from VPN Gate, or a rented server. Once you enter your server\u2019s address and your login details, simply click <em>Connect<\/em>, and your traffic will be routed using the SoftEther protocol.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-is-softether-vpn-safe\">Is SoftEther VPN Safe?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Yes, the SoftEther VPN framework supports strong protocols and encryption methods, including the top-grade AES 256-bit encryption. It\u2019s fully open-source, so anyone can inspect the code for vulnerabilities.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">However, SoftEther has only gone through one independent security audit, which was back in 2017. This audit discovered several security vulnerabilities that were later patched, but there has been no follow-up to verify that SoftEther is 100% safe now.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-softether-vpn-benefits-and-drawbacks\">SoftEther VPN Benefits and Drawbacks<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-fixed-layout\"><tbody><tr><td><strong>Pros<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>Cons<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>\u2705 <\/strong>Multi-protocol support<\/td><td><strong>\u274c <\/strong>More complex to set up than regular VPNs<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>\u2705 <\/strong>Fast performance<\/td><td><strong>\u274c <\/strong>Client app available only for Windows<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>\u2705 <\/strong>Works well behind firewalls<\/td><td><\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>\u2705 <\/strong>Free and open-source<\/td><td><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"svop\">SoftEther vs. Other Protocols<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"776\" style=\"margin-bottom: 15px; margin-top: 15px;\" src=\"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/SoftEther-vs-Other-Protocols-1024x776.png\" alt=\"A table comparing SoftEther to other security protocols, including OpenVPN, WireGuard, IKEv2\/IPsec, L2TP\/IPsec, SSTP, and PPTP\" class=\"wp-image-34786\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/SoftEther-vs-Other-Protocols-1024x776.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/SoftEther-vs-Other-Protocols-300x227.png 300w, https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/SoftEther-vs-Other-Protocols-768x582.png 768w, https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/SoftEther-vs-Other-Protocols-1536x1164.png 1536w, https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/SoftEther-vs-Other-Protocols-2048x1551.png 2048w, https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/SoftEther-vs-Other-Protocols-1200x909.png 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 709px) 85vw, (max-width: 909px) 67vw, (max-width: 1362px) 62vw, 840px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"svov\">SoftEther vs. OpenVPN<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Both SoftEther and OpenVPN are open-source and use AES 256-bit encryption. They\u2019re similar security-wise, but OpenVPN has a long-standing reputation as one of the safest VPN protocols.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">OpenVPN also has a larger user base, so it\u2019s continuously tested and improved. While the researchers at the University of Tsukuba are also reviewing and working on SoftEther, it\u2019s not as widely adopted or tested in real-world environments as OpenVPN.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Both options can use TCP over the 443 port for reliability under restrictive network conditions, but with OpenVPN, you also have the option to switch to the UDP port for better speeds. Still, SoftEther is much faster.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Another advantage of SoftEther is that the servers can use any protocol, while OpenVPN servers can only use OpenVPN.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-softether-vs-wireguard\">SoftEther vs. WireGuard<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/vpn-features\/wireguard\">WireGuard<\/a> is another open-source VPN protocol, but it has a much smaller codebase than SoftEther, making it much easier to audit. It\u2019s also less prone to vulnerabilities and easier to set up and maintain.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The lightweight design also allows WireGuard to achieve fast speeds, similar to or faster than SoftEther.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">However, WireGuard can\u2019t go around network admin blocks because its packets and handshake are easily recognized by network filters and DPI. It\u2019s fast, easy to use, and secure for regular use, but if you need a VPN that works behind firewalls, SoftEther is a much better option.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-softether-vs-ikev2-ipsec\">SoftEther vs. IKEv2\/IPsec<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The IKEv2\/IPsec protocol is great if you need a stable connection when switching networks, like from mobile to Wi-Fi. Both options are similar in terms of speed, with SoftEther being slightly faster. Security strength is roughly equal, but IKEv2\/IPsec is much more likely to be blocked because it relies on well-known VPN ports, like 500, 4000, and ESP.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-softether-vs-l2tp-ipsec\">SoftEther vs. L2TP\/IPsec<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">L2TP\/IPsec has weaker security compared to SoftEther. It can be safe, but only with careful configuration. However, even then, SoftEther takes the lead. For example, unlike L2TP\/IPsec, SoftEther uses perfect forward secrecy by default \u2013 it frequently changes encryption keys, so future and past sessions can\u2019t be decrypted if the current key gets compromised.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">SoftEther is also faster and less likely to be blocked. The only advantage of L2TP\/IPsec is that it\u2019s natively supported in every major OS. However, most VPNs stopped using it due to its weak performance and security risks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-softether-vs-sstp\">SoftEther vs. SSTP<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">SoftEther and SSTP are both secure options that use the 443 port to appear like a standard HTTPS connection. However, SSTP\u2019s signature is easily recognized by DPI, while SoftEther can mimic HTTPS traffic at the packet level and go undetected.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Another flaw of SSTP is its high CPU usage. It\u2019s also only available on Windows.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Since it\u2019s closed-source and owned by Microsoft, which has some questionable security practices, it can\u2019t be trusted to keep your data private. Plus, it doesn\u2019t support authenticated proxies, so it won\u2019t work with servers that require a username and a password.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-softether-vs-pptp\">SoftEther vs. PPTP<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">PPTP is considered obsolete and unsafe \u2013 its MS-CHAPv2 authentication protocol is weak and can be broken in minutes. It\u2019s known for its fast speeds, but SoftEther is a safer recommendation in any scenario.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-faq\">FAQ<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"schema-faq wp-block-yoast-faq-block\"><div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1768208592003\"><h3 class=\"schema-faq-question\">How does SoftEther VPN compare to OpenVPN?<\/h3> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\"><a href=\"#svov\">SoftEther and OpenVPN are similar in terms of security<\/a>, but OpenVPN is more trusted. However, SoftEther is faster and works behind firewalls by default, without requiring a specific configuration.<br><br><\/p> <\/div> <div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1768208603618\"><h3 class=\"schema-faq-question\">Is SoftEther VPN good for privacy and security?<\/h3> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">SoftEther\u2019s strong encryption and open-source design mean it\u2019s secure enough for most users. However, the privacy aspect depends on the server you use. SoftEther servers can log your data, but it\u2019s optional and configurable. If online privacy is essential to you, a provider with a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/vpn-features\/no-logs-vpn\">verified no-logs policy<\/a>, like PIA, is a much better option.<br><br><\/p> <\/div> <div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1768208611639\"><h3 class=\"schema-faq-question\">Can I use SoftEther VPN on multiple operating systems?<\/h3> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">Yes, you can host a SoftEther server on Windows, macOS, Linux, FreeBSD, and Solaris. Only Windows has an official SoftEther client app, though. For other devices and routers, you can manually connect to a <a href=\"#ss\">SoftEther server<\/a> using supported protocols like L2TP\/IPsec or OpenVPN.<br><br><\/p> <\/div> <div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1768208619723\"><h3 class=\"schema-faq-question\">What are the advantages of using SoftEther VPN over other VPN protocols?<\/h3> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">SoftEther works reliably under challenging network conditions. <a href=\"#svop\">It\u2019s faster than most other major security protocols<\/a> and offers better security features than older options like L2TP\/IPsec or SSTP.<\/p> <\/div> <\/div>\n\n\n\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>SoftEther is a newer VPN technology that\u2019s been getting a lot of attention for being fast and reliable under any network condition. In this guide, we\u2019ll break down what makes SoftEther special and how it stacks up against the classic VPN protocols you already know. What Is SoftEther VPN? SoftEther (Software Ethernet) VPN is a &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/softether-vpn\/\" class=\"more-link\">Continue reading<span class=\"screen-reader-text\"> &#8220;SoftEther VPN: What Is It and How Does It Work?&#8221;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":143,"featured_media":34784,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_stopmodifiedupdate":false,"_modified_date":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[845],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-34783","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-guides"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v26.9 (Yoast SEO v26.9) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>SoftEther VPN: What Is It and How Does It Work?<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Learn what SoftEther VPN is, how safe it is, and how it compares to other VPN protocols.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/softether-vpn\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"SoftEther VPN: What Is It and How Does It Work?\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Learn what SoftEther VPN is, how safe it is, and how it compares to other VPN protocols.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/softether-vpn\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"PIA\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/privateinternetaccess\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-01-12T09:07:30+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-01-12T09:07:40+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/featured-image-SoftEther-VPN.png\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"2400\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1600\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/png\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Andjela Nikolic\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@buyvpnservice\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@buyvpnservice\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Andjela Nikolic\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"7 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/softether-vpn\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/softether-vpn\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Andjela Nikolic\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/09ad505b51569fa4172eb6e82cdea471\"},\"headline\":\"SoftEther VPN: What Is It and How Does It Work?\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-01-12T09:07:30+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-01-12T09:07:40+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/softether-vpn\/\"},\"wordCount\":1492,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/softether-vpn\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/featured-image-SoftEther-VPN.png\",\"articleSection\":[\"Guides\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":[\"WebPage\",\"FAQPage\"],\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/softether-vpn\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/softether-vpn\/\",\"name\":\"SoftEther VPN: What Is It and How Does It Work?\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/softether-vpn\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/softether-vpn\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/featured-image-SoftEther-VPN.png\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-01-12T09:07:30+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-01-12T09:07:40+00:00\",\"description\":\"Learn what SoftEther VPN is, how safe it is, and how it compares to other VPN protocols.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/softether-vpn\/#breadcrumb\"},\"mainEntity\":[{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/softether-vpn\/#faq-question-1768208592003\"},{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/softether-vpn\/#faq-question-1768208603618\"},{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/softether-vpn\/#faq-question-1768208611639\"},{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/softether-vpn\/#faq-question-1768208619723\"}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/softether-vpn\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/softether-vpn\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/featured-image-SoftEther-VPN.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/featured-image-SoftEther-VPN.png\",\"width\":2400,\"height\":1600},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/softether-vpn\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"SoftEther VPN: What Is It and How Does It Work?\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/\",\"name\":\"PIA\",\"description\":\"Online privacy news from around the world.\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/#organization\",\"name\":\"Private Internet Access\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/pialogowhitekglogo.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/pialogowhitekglogo.png\",\"width\":1200,\"height\":1200,\"caption\":\"Private Internet Access\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/privateinternetaccess\/\",\"https:\/\/x.com\/buyvpnservice\",\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/piavpn\/\",\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/channel\/UClyJZ47Rizb1xnwuKXDI0_w\"]},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/09ad505b51569fa4172eb6e82cdea471\",\"name\":\"Andjela Nikolic\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/cropped-image3-96x96.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/cropped-image3-96x96.jpg\",\"caption\":\"Andjela Nikolic\"},\"description\":\"Andjela Nikolic is a writer and editor at Private Internet Access, where she covers online privacy, security tools, and digital freedom. Coming from a marketing background, she became increasingly aware of how much personal information is harvested online and used by companies and government agencies to track, profile, and influence users. That realization sparked her interest in digital privacy and led her to explore the tools and strategies that give people more control over their data.\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/author\/andjela-nikolic\/\"},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/softether-vpn\/#faq-question-1768208592003\",\"position\":1,\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/softether-vpn\/#faq-question-1768208592003\",\"name\":\"How does SoftEther VPN compare to OpenVPN?\",\"answerCount\":1,\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"<a href=\\\"#svov\\\">SoftEther and OpenVPN are similar in terms of security<\/a>, but OpenVPN is more trusted. However, SoftEther is faster and works behind firewalls by default, without requiring a specific configuration.<br\/><br\/>\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/softether-vpn\/#faq-question-1768208603618\",\"position\":2,\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/softether-vpn\/#faq-question-1768208603618\",\"name\":\"Is SoftEther VPN good for privacy and security?\",\"answerCount\":1,\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"SoftEther\u2019s strong encryption and open-source design mean it\u2019s secure enough for most users. However, the privacy aspect depends on the server you use. SoftEther servers can log your data, but it\u2019s optional and configurable. If online privacy is essential to you, a provider with a <a href=\\\"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/vpn-features\/no-logs-vpn\\\">verified no-logs policy<\/a>, like PIA, is a much better option.<br\/><br\/>\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/softether-vpn\/#faq-question-1768208611639\",\"position\":3,\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/softether-vpn\/#faq-question-1768208611639\",\"name\":\"Can I use SoftEther VPN on multiple operating systems?\",\"answerCount\":1,\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"Yes, you can host a SoftEther server on Windows, macOS, Linux, FreeBSD, and Solaris. Only Windows has an official SoftEther client app, though. For other devices and routers, you can manually connect to a <a href=\\\"#ss\\\">SoftEther server<\/a> using supported protocols like L2TP\/IPsec or OpenVPN.<br\/><br\/>\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/softether-vpn\/#faq-question-1768208619723\",\"position\":4,\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/softether-vpn\/#faq-question-1768208619723\",\"name\":\"What are the advantages of using SoftEther VPN over other VPN protocols?\",\"answerCount\":1,\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"SoftEther works reliably under challenging network conditions. <a href=\\\"#svop\\\">It\u2019s faster than most other major security protocols<\/a> and offers better security features than older options like L2TP\/IPsec or SSTP.\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"SoftEther VPN: What Is It and How Does It Work?","description":"Learn what SoftEther VPN is, how safe it is, and how it compares to other VPN protocols.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/softether-vpn\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"SoftEther VPN: What Is It and How Does It Work?","og_description":"Learn what SoftEther VPN is, how safe it is, and how it compares to other VPN protocols.","og_url":"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/softether-vpn\/","og_site_name":"PIA","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/privateinternetaccess\/","article_published_time":"2026-01-12T09:07:30+00:00","article_modified_time":"2026-01-12T09:07:40+00:00","og_image":[{"width":2400,"height":1600,"url":"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/featured-image-SoftEther-VPN.png","type":"image\/png"}],"author":"Andjela Nikolic","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_creator":"@buyvpnservice","twitter_site":"@buyvpnservice","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Andjela Nikolic","Est. reading time":"7 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/softether-vpn\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/softether-vpn\/"},"author":{"name":"Andjela Nikolic","@id":"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/09ad505b51569fa4172eb6e82cdea471"},"headline":"SoftEther VPN: What Is It and How Does It Work?","datePublished":"2026-01-12T09:07:30+00:00","dateModified":"2026-01-12T09:07:40+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/softether-vpn\/"},"wordCount":1492,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/softether-vpn\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/featured-image-SoftEther-VPN.png","articleSection":["Guides"],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":["WebPage","FAQPage"],"@id":"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/softether-vpn\/","url":"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/softether-vpn\/","name":"SoftEther VPN: What Is It and How Does It Work?","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/softether-vpn\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/softether-vpn\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/featured-image-SoftEther-VPN.png","datePublished":"2026-01-12T09:07:30+00:00","dateModified":"2026-01-12T09:07:40+00:00","description":"Learn what SoftEther VPN is, how safe it is, and how it compares to other VPN protocols.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/softether-vpn\/#breadcrumb"},"mainEntity":[{"@id":"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/softether-vpn\/#faq-question-1768208592003"},{"@id":"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/softether-vpn\/#faq-question-1768208603618"},{"@id":"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/softether-vpn\/#faq-question-1768208611639"},{"@id":"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/softether-vpn\/#faq-question-1768208619723"}],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/softether-vpn\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/softether-vpn\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/featured-image-SoftEther-VPN.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/featured-image-SoftEther-VPN.png","width":2400,"height":1600},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/softether-vpn\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"SoftEther VPN: What Is It and How Does It Work?"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/","name":"PIA","description":"Online privacy news from around the world.","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/#organization","name":"Private Internet Access","url":"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/pialogowhitekglogo.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/pialogowhitekglogo.png","width":1200,"height":1200,"caption":"Private Internet Access"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/privateinternetaccess\/","https:\/\/x.com\/buyvpnservice","https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/piavpn\/","https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/channel\/UClyJZ47Rizb1xnwuKXDI0_w"]},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/09ad505b51569fa4172eb6e82cdea471","name":"Andjela Nikolic","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/cropped-image3-96x96.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/cropped-image3-96x96.jpg","caption":"Andjela Nikolic"},"description":"Andjela Nikolic is a writer and editor at Private Internet Access, where she covers online privacy, security tools, and digital freedom. Coming from a marketing background, she became increasingly aware of how much personal information is harvested online and used by companies and government agencies to track, profile, and influence users. That realization sparked her interest in digital privacy and led her to explore the tools and strategies that give people more control over their data.","url":"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/author\/andjela-nikolic\/"},{"@type":"Question","@id":"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/softether-vpn\/#faq-question-1768208592003","position":1,"url":"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/softether-vpn\/#faq-question-1768208592003","name":"How does SoftEther VPN compare to OpenVPN?","answerCount":1,"acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"<a href=\"#svov\">SoftEther and OpenVPN are similar in terms of security<\/a>, but OpenVPN is more trusted. However, SoftEther is faster and works behind firewalls by default, without requiring a specific configuration.<br\/><br\/>","inLanguage":"en-US"},"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Question","@id":"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/softether-vpn\/#faq-question-1768208603618","position":2,"url":"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/softether-vpn\/#faq-question-1768208603618","name":"Is SoftEther VPN good for privacy and security?","answerCount":1,"acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"SoftEther\u2019s strong encryption and open-source design mean it\u2019s secure enough for most users. However, the privacy aspect depends on the server you use. SoftEther servers can log your data, but it\u2019s optional and configurable. If online privacy is essential to you, a provider with a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/vpn-features\/no-logs-vpn\">verified no-logs policy<\/a>, like PIA, is a much better option.<br\/><br\/>","inLanguage":"en-US"},"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Question","@id":"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/softether-vpn\/#faq-question-1768208611639","position":3,"url":"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/softether-vpn\/#faq-question-1768208611639","name":"Can I use SoftEther VPN on multiple operating systems?","answerCount":1,"acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"Yes, you can host a SoftEther server on Windows, macOS, Linux, FreeBSD, and Solaris. Only Windows has an official SoftEther client app, though. For other devices and routers, you can manually connect to a <a href=\"#ss\">SoftEther server<\/a> using supported protocols like L2TP\/IPsec or OpenVPN.<br\/><br\/>","inLanguage":"en-US"},"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Question","@id":"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/softether-vpn\/#faq-question-1768208619723","position":4,"url":"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/softether-vpn\/#faq-question-1768208619723","name":"What are the advantages of using SoftEther VPN over other VPN protocols?","answerCount":1,"acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"SoftEther works reliably under challenging network conditions. <a href=\"#svop\">It\u2019s faster than most other major security protocols<\/a> and offers better security features than older options like L2TP\/IPsec or SSTP.","inLanguage":"en-US"},"inLanguage":"en-US"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34783","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/143"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=34783"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34783\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":34787,"href":"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34783\/revisions\/34787"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/34784"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=34783"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=34783"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=34783"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}