What solution for Linux Mint?

[tranquivox69 27]

I am in the process of setting up a small Linux Mint server to handle... well, server-like activities. These will include torrenting through AirVPN and for that I'd like to understand what my best options are.
The machine is a NUC i3-1115G4 with 16GB of RAM, in case it matters for performance or instructions supported for ciphering.

I see that there's two kinds of downloads available for Linux. The Eddie client (which I guess is similar to the Windows release I'm familiar with) and the Suite which is all CLI based.
My first question is, with the Eddie client, with GUI, will I get equal performance to what I'm currently getting under Windows? Performance was seriously improved once the Wintun driver was adopted but I hope that (or, more likely, simply tun driver) is included for Linux as well?

Second question: would I have much to gain from going the Bluetit/Goldcrest way? Maybe their performance gains are significant for low powered machines such as a Pi and don't matter that much on an i3?

As an aside, I would also need a solution to drive traffic through the VPN on specific applications, while leaving the rest of it through my regular ISP. I've asked on a different thread but I mention it here, in case different readers could provide different ideas.

Thanks in advance for any help and for the patience needed to help a total Linux newbie. 🙂

[NaDre 157]

6 hours ago, tranquivox69 said:

...

As an aside, I would also need a solution to drive traffic through the VPN on specific applications, while leaving the rest of it through my regular ISP. ...

This is what I do for Linux:

https://github.com/tool-maker/VPN_just_for_torrents/wiki/Running-OpenVPN-on-Linux-without-VPN-as-Default-Gateway

Might be a bit much for a newbie though.

 

[Staff 9968]

@tranquivox69

Hello!

Linux kernel includes since decades a module for a tun virtual network interface which guarantees performances higher than the bandwidth you can get from your line. No need for additional, external drivers. On equal grounds, the throughput in modern Linux systems should be better than the throughput on modern Windows machines, but the difference can be usually noted only above sustained 600-700 Mbit/, which is anyway a limit on most machines and our servers nowadays (700 Mbit/s client side = 1400 Mbit/s server side).

On Raspberry Pi machines you may test WireGuard, which might beat OpenVPN performance. Bluetit and Goldcrest do not support WireGuard currently (they use OpenVPN3-AirVPN library), so you might prefer Eddie, which fully supports WireGuard. Next Suite release will support WireGuard too. In any case always test both WireGuard and OpenVPN, because in some networks (for example those which enforce traffic shaping against UDP), OpenVPN in TCP mode can be faster than WireGuard, which works only in UDP.

Traffic splitting only for one or a specific set of applications is not supported by Eddie and the Suite (next Suite version for Linux will support it, but we need still some weeks to release the first alpha version). Currently, if you need a simple solution, you may consider to install a VM, or a docker, and connect it to the VPN. Then, you run in the VM only the program (or the few programs) whose traffic must be tunneled. Free and open source software such as VirtualBox allows you to setup a fully working Linux guest in a Linux host in a matter of minutes literally.

Kind regards

 

[tranquivox69 27]

13 hours ago, NaDre said:

This is what I do for Linux:

https://github.com/tool-maker/VPN_just_for_torrents/wiki/Running-OpenVPN-on-Linux-without-VPN-as-Default-Gateway

Might be a bit much for a newbie though.

 

Yes, I saw that and thanks for sharing it. As you said, it's a bit intimidating. I used your work (that is yours, right) to achieve the same in Windows and if there are no alternatives (as it seems), I will give that a try.

[tranquivox69 27]

3 hours ago, Staff said:

@tranquivox69

Hello!

Linux kernel includes since decades a module for a tun virtual network interface which guarantees performances higher than the bandwidth you can get from your line. No need for additional, external drivers. On equal grounds, the throughput in modern Linux systems should be better than the throughput on modern Windows machines, but the difference can be usually noted only above sustained 600-700 Mbit/, which is anyway a limit on most machines and our servers nowadays (700 Mbit/s client side = 1400 Mbit/s server side).

On Raspberry Pi machines you may test WireGuard, which might beat OpenVPN performance. Bluetit and Goldcrest do not support WireGuard currently (they use OpenVPN3-AirVPN library), so you might prefer Eddie, which fully supports WireGuard. Next Suite release will support WireGuard too. In any case always test both WireGuard and OpenVPN, because in some networks (for example those which enforce traffic shaping against UDP), OpenVPN in TCP mode can be faster than WireGuard, which works only in UDP.

Traffic splitting only for one or a specific set of applications is not supported by Eddie and the Suite (next Suite version for Linux will support it, but we need still some weeks to release the first alpha version). Currently, if you need a simple solution, you may consider to install a VM, or a docker, and connect it to the VPN. Then, you run in the VM only the program (or the few programs) whose traffic must be tunneled. Free and open source software such as VirtualBox allows you to setup a fully working Linux guest in a Linux host in a matter of minutes literally.

Kind regards

 

Ok, so... performance shouldn't be a problem, I get it.

You say that I might wanna test WireGuard. As stated I am using an i3 NUC with plenty of RAM, don't know if I would benefit from WireGuard but, in case I want to try it... how can I do so? I installed Eddie Client right now (GUI) and I don't see options to choose between OpenVPN and WireGuard. They're both listed under protocols, but that's it. I see there's an "Automatic" option, active by default, in Preferences/Protocols. But I don't understand how to choose protocol in case I disable that.

Thanks for all the help.

[Staff 9968]

Hello!

To select a specific connection mode in Eddie's "Preferences" > "Protocols" window please uncheck "Automatic", select (left click) the line describing the desired connection mode (the selection is confirmed if the whole line gets highlighted, you can't miss it) and click "Save". Start a new connection to apply the change.

Kind regards
 

[tranquivox69 27]

3 minutes ago, Staff said:

Hello!

To select a specific connection mode in Eddie's "Preferences" > "Protocols" window please uncheck "Automatic", select (left click) the line describing the desired connection mode (the selection is confirmed if the whole line gets highlighted, you can't miss it) and click "Save". Start a new connection to apply the change.

Kind regards
 

Thank you. Seems easy enough.