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93 lines
3.7 KiB
Plaintext
93 lines
3.7 KiB
Plaintext
---
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title: "Pangolin vs. VPN"
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description: "Learn how Pangolin provides application-specific access with zero-trust security compared to traditional VPNs"
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---
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Pangolin and VPNs serve different purposes: Pangolin focuses on secure ingress and application routing, while VPNs provide remote access to internal networks. They offer different approaches to secure connectivity.
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## Traditional VPN Limitations
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<CardGroup cols={2}>
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<Card title="Over-Permission" icon="key">
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Users get access to entire networks, not just the applications they need.
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</Card>
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<Card title="Client Software Required" icon="download">
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Users must install and configure VPN client software.
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</Card>
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<Card title="Network Complexity" icon="network-wired">
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Requires public IP addresses, open ports, and complex network configuration.
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</Card>
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<Card title="Limited Access Control" icon="shield">
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Basic network-level security with few granular controls or complicated ACLs.
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</Card>
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<Card title="Single Point of Failure" icon="heart-crack">
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If the VPN server goes down, all access is lost.
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</Card>
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<Card title="Security Risk" icon="triangle-exclamation">
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Broad network access can be risky if user devices are compromised.
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</Card>
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</CardGroup>
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## Pangolin's Ingress-First Approach
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Pangolin provides secure, application-specific ingress and routing without the limitations of traditional VPNs:
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### Zero-Trust Access Control
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<CardGroup cols={2}>
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<Card title="Application-Specific" icon="window-maximize">
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Users access only the applications they're authorized to use.
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</Card>
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<Card title="Browser-Based" icon="globe">
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No client software installation required - works with any web browser.
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</Card>
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<Card title="Granular Permissions" icon="shield-check">
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Role-based access control, path-based rules, and contextual policies.
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</Card>
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<Card title="Multi-Factor Authentication" icon="key">
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Support for SSO, OIDC, 2FA, and passkeys.
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</Card>
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</CardGroup>
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### Simplified Ingess Infrastructure
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<CardGroup cols={2}>
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<Card title="No Public IPs" icon="network-wired">
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Edge networks don't need public IP addresses.
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</Card>
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<Card title="Highly Available Mesh" icon="circle-nodes" href="/manage/remote-node/ha">
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Multiple nodes ensure high availability.
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</Card>
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</CardGroup>
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## Key Differences
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| Feature | Traditional VPN | Pangolin |
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|---------|----------------|----------|
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| **Access Scope** | Full network access | Application-specific access |
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| **Client Software** | Required | Not needed (browser-based) |
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| **Network Requirements** | Public IP, open ports | No public IP needed |
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| **Access Control** | Network-level | Zero-trust, granular |
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| **Authentication** | Basic credentials | Multi-factor, SSO, OIDC |
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| **Infrastructure** | Single server | Distributed nodes |
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| **Security Model** | Network-based trust | Identity-based trust |
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<Card title="Try Pangolin Cloud" icon="rocket" href="https://app.pangolin.net/auth/signup">
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Get application-specific access with zero-trust security and no client software required.
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</Card>
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# Pangolin vs. Mesh VPN (e.g., Tailscale, Netbird)
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Pangolin and mesh VPNs like Tailscale or Netbird both provide secure remote access, but they differ in their approach and functionality. Mesh VPNs focus on creating peer-to-peer connections between devices for full network access, while Pangolin is designed to expose specific applications or services securely through nodes, with no need for client-side software on user devices.
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Pangolin is a better choice for application-specific access with zero-trust security and no client-side software requirements. Mesh VPNs like Tailscale or Netbird are more suitable for full network access and peer-to-peer connectivity. For environments prioritizing granular access control and simplicity, Pangolin offers a more focused and secure solution.
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