Protocol choice
OpenVPN can run over UDP or TCP. UDP is usually faster and better for latency, while TCP is often easier to pass through restrictive networks. The best choice depends on your network, port, device and how fresh the server check is.
Use this guide before choosing a public OpenVPN profile by protocol. It explains what the live table signals mean and when to switch protocols.
Try UDP when the network allows it and you want lower overhead.
Try TCP when UDP fails, especially on public Wi-Fi or restricted networks.
Use speed, latency and freshness instead of protocol alone.
Changing protocol can change routing, reliability and DNS behavior.
UDP has less transport overhead than TCP and does not perform TCP-style retransmission at the transport layer. For VPN traffic, that often means better speed and lower latency when packet loss is low.
UDP is commonly preferred for streaming tests, calls, gaming, remote shells and browsing where responsiveness matters. In the PublicVPNList table, a low-latency UDP row can be a good starting point if your network allows it.
The downside is that some networks block UDP or rate-limit unusual UDP ports. If a UDP profile fails immediately, the server may not be dead; the path may simply be blocked.
TCP is more likely to pass through restrictive firewalls because normal HTTPS traffic also uses TCP. OpenVPN over TCP 443 can look more acceptable to networks that block UDP or unknown ports.
TCP can be slower because VPN traffic often already contains TCP sessions. Wrapping TCP inside TCP can create extra retransmission behavior when packets are lost. This is why TCP OpenVPN may feel sluggish on poor networks even if it connects reliably.
For public Wi-Fi testing, hotel networks, airports and office guest networks, TCP is often the practical first try. For open home networks, UDP may perform better.
Do not choose protocol from theory alone. Compare the current speed, latency and last check time. A fresh TCP 443 profile with good speed can beat an old UDP profile that no longer responds.
Quality combines measured speed, observed latency and freshness signals, but it is not a privacy score. Use it to compare usability, then verify the connection after importing.
If two rows are similar, choose the one with lower latency for interactive work and higher speed for downloads. If one row is much fresher, test it first.
Switch from UDP to TCP when the connection times out, the network blocks the port, or you are on a heavily restricted public network. Switch from TCP to UDP when the connection works but feels slow and you have access to an open network.
After switching, run IP and DNS checks again. Different profiles can push different DNS and route settings even if they point to the same country.