VPN Open Gateway (VPN:OG) is a free, self-hosted WireGuard VPN gateway allowing users to easily direct traffic from network devices via a VPN without installing and managing VPN software on every device
What is VPN:OG?
- VPN:OG runs on a dedicated Linux system, providing a straightforward way to configure and manage connections to compatible WireGuard VPN providers.
- VPN:OG provides a web-based interface, avoiding the need for users to be familiar with the underlying architecture and management of Wireguard configurations.
- The system is provider agnostic, requiring only a configuration file from VPN providers. So far, we have validated this using both Mullvad and Proton VPN services with more testing as we develop this platform further.
- VPN:OG is not intended to be a replacement for your router, many of which can be connected directly to a VPN provider. The problem with this is, typically, without sophisticated route management in the router, all connections on the network will be routed via VPN, this can be undesirable in some cases. VPN:OG allows users to point specific devices through the VPN leaving others to use their standard, non-VPN route to the internet.
- Devices can be configured to use VPN:OG by changing their default network gateway to the address of the VPN:OG system. This is generally straightforward, and we will provide instructions for popular operating systems.
- VPN:OG currently supports IPv4 only. IPv6 support may be considered in future releases, depending on demand.
Why does VPN:OG exist?
- At present, a lot of VPN users have to install and manage client software on each device they want to use over a VPN. This is time-consuming and can be complex for some users.
- Some devices do not support VPN clients directly, whilst these numbers are reducing, we wanted to create a device and provider-agnostic solution, moving away from provider lock-in by default - that is to say, once people have made the effort to install and configure a client, they tend to be tied to that provider for simplicity. VPN:OG makes switching provider trivial.
- Once installed, VPN:OG is largely managed through its web interface, greatly simplifying the process of managing and connecting to VPN services.
- Many providers will allow a paying customer to connect a fixed number of devices. VPN:OG typically appears as a single device from the VPN provider perspective, users can have multiple devices connected to the gateway and still have "slots" with their provider for a client device, for example, should a user want to use on their mobile devices over cellular networks.
- VPN:OG incorporates fail-closed routing, commonly referred to as a "kill switch". If the VPN connection fails, the gateway blocks client internet traffic rather than allowing it to bypass the VPN. The system will attempt to restore the connection and will only resume forwarding once the VPN is verified as operational.
Current Status
VPN:OG is in early development although progress is relatively rapid, we anticipate a beta release in the coming weeks and would be interested in talking to anyone who may be interested in participating.
Please feel free to email [email protected] if you would like to be considered for the trial.
Users should have the capability of running Debian 13 on a standalone device or within a VM.