WireGuard
FreeA modern encrypted tunnel protocol configured in a dozen lines
A lightweight modern VPN protocol and implementation. Its codebase is a fraction of OpenVPN's, it is merged into the Linux kernel, and its cryptography is fixed rather than negotiable, which avoids downgrade attacks. It joins machines or devices into one encrypted private network with configuration files that usually run about a dozen lines.
Why we picked it
Traditional VPN software — OpenVPN, IPsec — suffers from complexity: tens of thousands of lines of code, dozens of negotiable cipher options, configuration files running to hundreds of lines, and near-impossible troubleshooting. Complexity is itself a security liability.
WireGuard inverts that philosophy: simple enough to be audited completely. The core is a few thousand lines, the cryptography is fixed (ChaCha20, Poly1305, Curve25519 and friends) rather than selectable — so there is nothing to choose wrongly and no downgrade attack. It has been merged into the mainline Linux kernel, which is a meaningful endorsement of its code quality.
A real configuration looks like this — one file each on a server and a client:
[Interface]
PrivateKey = <your private key>
Address = 10.0.0.2/24
[Peer]
PublicKey = <their public key>
Endpoint = your-server.com:51820
AllowedIPs = 0.0.0.0/0
That is all. Generate a key pair each, exchange public keys, assign an address range, and the tunnel exists.
Typical uses:
- Your own VPN. Run it on a cloud instance and connect a phone and laptop back to it while travelling, with traffic encrypted and exiting from your own server. The cost is the cheapest VPS available.
- Linking scattered machines: a home NAS, an office server and a cloud instance on one private network.
- As a foundation for other tools. Tailscale is automatic configuration and key distribution built on top of WireGuard, inheriting its performance characteristics.
To be clear about:
- It is a protocol and a tool, not a click-to-connect service. You need a server, you generate the keys, you write the configuration, and you handle firewall and routing. Without that background, use Tailscale — the same WireGuard underneath, with configuration and key distribution handled for you.
- It does not hide that you are using a VPN. Its traffic signature is identifiable and can be targeted on networks with deep packet inspection. It was designed for security and performance, not censorship resistance.
- Official mobile apps exist for iOS and Android, and configurations import by scanning a QR code — easier than expected.
- There is no account concept. Everything rests on key pairs; a lost key means generating and redistributing a new one.
If you want complete control of your own encrypted tunnel with no third-party service involved, this is the best foundation available today.