---
title: Types of CloudConnexa Connectors
canonical: https://openvpn.net/cloud-docs/owner/get-started/about-cloudconnexa/types-of-cloudconnexa-connectors/
product: CloudConnexa Docs
description: 'Connectors are of two types: a CloudConnexa Network Connector or a CloudConnexa Host Connector, depending on the CloudConnexa entity they are associated with.'
keywords: Connector Types
---

# Types of CloudConnexa Connectors

Connectors are of two types: a CloudConnexa Network Connector or a CloudConnexa Host Connector, depending on the CloudConnexa entity they are associated with.

## Difference between Host and Network Connectors

### **Network Connector**

A Network Connector connects a private network to CloudConnexa. Since it connects two networks (i.e., the CloudConnexa WPC and your private network), it must act as a router. The Connector's OpenVPN connection profile can be used with an OpenVPN-compatible hardware router or installed on a general-purpose computing device or virtual machine configured to act as a software router.

A Network Connector is an unattended Client application that is always connected to CloudConnexa for the purpose of:

- Providing inbound access from the CloudConnexa WPC to the private network based on the private and public applications, routes, and IP Services configured as being reachable from that private network.
- If the private network is [configured to act as an Internet Gateway](https://openvpn.net/cloud-docs/owner/networks/networks---networks/make-a-network-act-as-an-internet-gateway.md), providing inbound access to Internet traffic from the WPC to the private network
- Providing outbound access to devices on the private network to WPC

A Network Connector can use IPsec and OpenVPN protocols.

### **Host Connector**

Unlike a Network Connector, a Host Connector does not connect the WPC to a private network and, therefore, cannot be a router. A Host Connector connects an application server (for example, FTP server, remote desktop server, network attached storage system) to the CloudConnexa WPC.

Unlike a Network Connector, the Host Connector can only provide access to private applications running on the computing device it is installed on and can allow that device access to the WPC.

A Host Connector has to use OpenVPN protocol and not IPsec.

---

Prev: [About Connectors](https://openvpn.net/cloud-docs/owner/get-started/about-cloudconnexa/cloudconnexa-connectors.md)
Next: [Router Connectors](https://openvpn.net/cloud-docs/owner/get-started/about-cloudconnexa/network-connectors-for-routers.md)
Index: https://openvpn.net/cloud-docs/llms.txt