NordVPN offers two options for Mac users. Continue reading to learn more about NordVPN for Mac IKEv2 vs OVPN.
Nord also offers a third option. Tunnelblick, a third-party open-source app, uses NordVPN’s OpenVPN configuration files. If you’re interested in Tunnelblick, you can download the app here: https://tunnelblick.net/.
Are you ready to get NordVPN? Use our link now. Otherwise, continue learning about NordVPN apps for Mac OS.
NordVPN for Mac: IKEv2 vs OVPN
NordVPN develops and maintains free software clients for use by their customers. If you’re a Mac user, you have two choices.
NordVPN native applications give you the fastest and easiest way to use NordVPN.
NordVPN IKEv2 (App Store)
First, you can install the NordVPN IKEv2 app from the Apple App Store. Nord recommends this version for Mac users.
In the past, the NordVPN IKEv2 app from the App Store only supported the IKEv2 protocol. Now, however, that app also supports the new NordLynx protocol and OpenVPN.
NordLynx is NordVPN’s secure, proprietary implementation of WireGuard (Read about it at the NordVPN website).
NOTE: Specialized features such as Double VPN and Onion over VPN are not available with NordVPN from Apple’s Mac App Store. If you want to use those features, download the OpenVPN app from the NordVPN website.
Also, the NordVPN IKEv2 app is not available in some jurisdictions. So, if you discover that it’s not available to you, you can download the NordVPN app from within your Nord account.
NordVPN OpenVPN (Download)
Families and businesses can choose to download the NordVPN OpenVPN app directly from your NordVPN account page. This version supports specialty servers such as Double VPN and Onion over VPN.
If you download the NordVPN OpenVPN app from NordVPN, you gain access to several “Specialty Servers” such as:
- Dedicated IP. You can purchase a dedicated IP address as an add-on feature.
- DoubleVPN. Get extra security and anonymity by routing your data through two encrypted VPN servers.
- Obfuscated. Use this option when you need to bypass internet restrictions, such as network firewalls. NordVPN recommends the use of this option for countries with restricted internet access.
- P2P. Send your data through VPN servers optimized for peer-to-peer.
- Firefox. App support for Firefox available, along with extensions for Edge, Chrome, and Safari.
Sadly, if you use the downloadable NordVPN app for Mac OS, you can only use OpenVPN.
Onion over VPN
NordVPN offers Onion over VPN as a “Specialty Server,” but this feature is not available via NordVPN apps for Mac OS.
We asked NordVPN support about the absence of Onion over VPN in the Mac OS apps. Here’s what they had to say:
Unfortunately, the Onion over VPN servers are currently faulty. We only have a few of them in total and they end up being overloaded often. That is why they sometimes appear and sometimes disappear from the server list.
If you do wish to access certain websites in the onion network, I would suggest using regular servers with a TOR browser instead. Please note that for general everyday browsing you do not need this feature. Our server administrators are looking into it.
However, we do not currently have an ETA on when they would be fully operational again. We apologize if this has caused you any inconveniences.
Otis, NordVPN support agent, 29 January, 2021
Learn More about NordVPN
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