9. VPN¶
NTPSense Pro supports four VPN technologies, each suited to a different use case. All four are optional packages, installed on demand from Package Manager.
| Type | Best for | Protocol |
|---|---|---|
| 9.1 WireGuard | Fast remote-access VPN for staff and devices | WireGuard |
| 9.2 OpenVPN | Remote access through restrictive networks (works over TCP/443) | SSL/TLS |
| 9.3 Site Mesh VPN | Connecting all your gateways (HQ + branches) into one private network | Tailscale/WireGuard mesh |
| 9.4 IPsec | Site-to-site VPN to other vendors' firewalls | IKEv2 |
Not sure which one to use?
- Need to let staff connect their laptops/phones from home or on the road? Start with WireGuard — it's the fastest and simplest to set up.
- Working from somewhere that blocks most VPN traffic (hotel Wi-Fi, corporate networks)? Use OpenVPN, which can run indistinguishably from ordinary HTTPS traffic.
- Have more than one NTPSense gateway (HQ + branch offices) and want them all to reach each other automatically? Use Site Mesh VPN.
- Connecting to a partner's or another office's non-NTPSense firewall (Fortinet, pfSense, Cisco)? Use IPsec.
These aren't mutually exclusive — most deployments use two or more together (e.g. WireGuard for staff, IPsec for a partner site).