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Linux Users First In Line For NordVPN’s New WireGuard System
If you’re using Linux and NordVPN, you’re going to be one of the first in line to try the new WireGuard protocol, which it’s calling NordLynx…
Do you use NordVPN on Linux? If so, you’re going to be first in line for NordVPN’s brand new technology which is called NordLynx and is based on the relatively new WireGuard protocol.
The WireGuard protocol will replace the standard OpenVPN protocol, though it will only be available to Linux users at first. Why the change? Simple: WireGuard is outperforming OpenVPN in quite a few key areas (see below). Plus, WireGuard is a mere 4000 lines of code, whereas OpenVPN is comprised of hundreds of thousands. This makes it easier to manage and deploy.
Advantages of WireGuard
- Performance & Speed – WireGuard uses the latest high-performance cryptography algorithms (Noise Protocol Framework, Curve25519, ChaCha20, Poly1305, BLAKE2, SipHash24 or HKDF) and provides more performance and bandwidth than both IPsec and OpenVPN.
- Security – As noted above, WireGuard runs on a very spartan amount of code, a mere 4000 lines. Less code means easier deployment, and it also makes it easier to spot errors. Conversely, OpenVPN has several hundred thousand lines of code.
- Cross-Platform Usage – WireGuard is available on all major platforms and operating systems. Beyond Linux, you have full support for Android, macOS, FreeBSD, OpenBSD, and Windows.
NordVPN will be using WireGuard in conjunction with a double NAT system in order to bolster WireGuard’s user anonymization capabilities, which aren’t quite as sophisticated as OpenVPN’s.
What is NordLynx & Why Should I Care?
This is a BIG move by NordVPN, one that could initiate moves in a similar direction by other, big-name VPN providers. The “test” on Linux will allow NordVPN to gather data and test performance. The company outlined its plans for NordLynx inside a blog post:
“We needed to find a way for the WireGuard protocol to work without posing a risk to our customers’ privacy. And we found it. We developed something called a double NAT (Network Address Translation) system. To put it simply, the double NAT system creates two local network interfaces for each user. The first interface assigns a local IP address to all users connected to a server. Unlike in the original WireGuard protocol, each user gets the same IP address.”
It added: “Once a VPN tunnel is established, the second network interface with a dynamic NAT system kicks in. The system assigns a unique IP address for each tunnel. This way, internet packets can travel between the user and their desired destination without getting mixed up.”
How To Download NordLynx For Linux Right Now
Back in late-2018, NordVPN invited a select few users to road-test NordLynx. Months later, following copious amounts of testing and data mining, NordVPN has now released NordLynx into the public domain. And this is how you download NordLynx for Linux:
- Update your app to the latest version.
- Install WireGuard. Tutorials for different distributions are available in our Help Center.
- Open the terminal and enter ‘nordvpn set technology NordLynx’.
- Enter ‘nordvpn c’ to connect to the VPN.
Interested in NordVPN? It’s currently ranked #1 in our Best VPN Guide. It’s the VPN the KnowYourMobile team trust for all our devices and computers. For speed and security, nothing else comes close. And then you have the prices…
NordVPN starts from as little as $3-$4 a month, and it’ll run on up to six devices.