# MPLS L2VPN vs L3 VPN

**URL:** <https://forum.networklessons.com/t/mpls-l2vpn-vs-l3-vpn/6910>\
**Category:** MPLS\
**Created:** [April 23, 2019, 3:56am UTC](https://forum.networklessons.com/t/mpls-l2vpn-vs-l3-vpn/6910 "2019-04-23T03:56:51Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![rahulrajmadhapur](https://cdn-forum.networklessons.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/r/d9b06d/32.png) [@rahulrajmadhapur](https://forum.networklessons.com/u/rahulrajmadhapur)\
**Post date:** [April 23, 2019, 3:56am UTC](https://forum.networklessons.com/t/mpls-l2vpn-vs-l3-vpn/6910/1 "2019-04-23T03:56:51Z")

</div>

Hi Rene and team,

Could you please what is the difference between MPLS L2VPN and MPLS L3 VPN.

i read articles on MPLS L3VPN, but specifically i could not get MPLS L2VPN.

Request you to explain MPLS L2 VPN use cases and with Topology with configuration.

in terms of P2P seudowire and P2MP Seudowire.

Thanks,  
Rahul

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![ReneMolenaar](https://cdn-forum.networklessons.com/user_avatar/forum.networklessons.com/renemolenaar/32/488_2.png) [@ReneMolenaar](https://forum.networklessons.com/u/ReneMolenaar)\
**Post date:** [April 25, 2019, 6:42am UTC](https://forum.networklessons.com/t/mpls-l2vpn-vs-l3-vpn/6910/2 "2019-04-25T06:42:11Z")

</div>

Hello Rahul,

MPLS L3 VPN means the service provider participates in customer routing. For example, take a look at these lessons:

> **[MPLS Layer 3 VPN PE-CE RIP](https://networklessons.com/mpls/mpls-layer-3-vpn-pe-ce-rip)**
>
> This configuration example explains how to configure MPLS L3 VPN with RIP as the PE-CE routing protocol.

> **[MPLS Layer 3 VPN PE-CE EIGRP](https://networklessons.com/mpls/mpls-layer-3-vpn-pe-ce-eigrp)**
>
> In this lesson you learn how to use EIGRP as the PE-CE routing protocol in a MPLS L3 VPN network.

> **[MPLS Layer 3 VPN PE-CE OSPF](https://networklessons.com/mpls/mpls-layer-3-vpn-pe-ce-ospf)**
>
> This lesson explains how to configure OSPF as the PE-CE routing protocol for MPLS L3 VPN.

For a high level overview, take a look at this lesson:

> **[MPLS Layer 3 VPN Explained](https://networklessons.com/mpls/mpls-layer-3-vpn-explained)**
>
> This lesson explains how we use MP-BGP, Route Distinguishers, Route-Targets and VPN labels to build MPLS L3 VPN topologies.

Between the PE (provider) and CE (customer) routers we run a routing protocol like OSPF, EIGRP, RIP, or BGP.

With MPLS L2 VPN, we don’t do routing between the PE and CE routers. We transport a L2 protocol like Ethernet or frame-relay, over the MPLS network. To the customer, the MPLS network is transparent and to them, it seems like a regular L2 link. Here is an example:

> **[Any Transport Over MPLS (AToM)](https://networklessons.com/mpls/any-transport-over-mpls-atom)**
>
> Any Transport Over MPLS (AToM) transports layer 2 frames like Ethernet or Frame-Relay over the MPLS Backbone. This lesson explains it all.

I hope this helps!

Rene
