Why These VPNs Excel on Austrumi

Austrumi is a super-lightweight, RAM-bootable distro (around 14 MB) that uses its own LZM-module system atop a Slackware-compatible core. It doesn’t have APT or DNF, nor systemd: instead you add functionality by creating or installing .lzm modules via the dir2lzm and lzm2dir tools, or by unpacking standard Slackware .txz packages with installpkg. Typical desktops include JWM, Openbox or IceWM, and most users are power-users or admins who need a portable toolkit in RAM with minimal persistence.

Given these constraints, the ideal VPNs are those that:

• Provide static or portable binaries (no systemd dependencies).
• Offer pure OpenVPN or WireGuard configuration files you can invoke manually.
• Allow you to bundle the client into an LZM module or install via Slackware .txz.

Based on these criteria, the standout providers for Austrumi are:

• Mullvad – offers a portable WireGuard/OpenVPN client binary and simple CLI.
• ProtonVPN – provides easy OpenVPN config packages and a lightweight Python CLI.
• Private Internet Access – publishes ZIPs of OpenVPN configs compatible with any OpenVPN install.

Comparison of Top VPNs on Austrumi

1. Installing Configuring Mullvad

Mullvad’s Linux package is a self-contained tarball with both WireGuard and OpenVPN clients. You simply unpack, optionally wrap into an LZM module, then run the mullvad CLI.

1. Download and extract:

wget https://mullvad.net/download/app/deb/latest -O mullvad-linux.tgz
tar xzf mullvad-linux.tgz -C /tmp
cd /tmp/mullvad-linux_/

2. Convert to an Austrumi module (optional but recommended):

# From within /tmp/mullvad-linux_/
dir2lzm -m /usr/local/modules/mullvad.lzm .
# Now you can load via the Austrumi GUI or:
lzm2dir /usr/local/modules/mullvad.lzm /tmp/mullvad
export PATH=/tmp/mullvad/usr/bin:PATH

3. Authenticate and connect:

# Use your Mullvad account number
mullvad account get
mullvad account set YOUR-ACCOUNT-NUMBER
# Example: connect via WireGuard
mullvad connect wireguard
# Or use OpenVPN
mullvad connect openvpn

2. Installing Configuring ProtonVPN

ProtonVPN supports a simple CLI written in Python, but on Austrumi you may prefer raw OpenVPN configurations. First install OpenVPN, then fetch configs.

1. Install the Slackware OpenVPN package:

# Adjust URL for your Slackware mirror
wget https://slackware.osuosl.org/slackware/slackware64-current/slackware/a/openvpn-2.5.7-x86_64-1.txz
installpkg openvpn-.txz

2. Download ProtonVPN configs and unzip:

wget https://protonvpn.com/download/protonvpn-openvpn-config.zip -O protonvpn.zip
unzip protonvpn.zip -d protonvpn-config

3. Connect with your credentials:

# Example for Switzerland UDP
openvpn --config protonvpn-config/Switzerland-UDP.protonvpn.com.udp.ovpn 
         --auth-user-pass 

(Optional) Bundle as LZM:

mkdir -p /tmp/protonvpn
cp -r /usr/bin/openvpn protonvpn-config /tmp/protonvpn
dir2lzm -m /usr/local/modules/protonvpn.lzm /tmp/protonvpn

3. Installing  Configuring Private Internet Access
PIA publishes ZIPs of OpenVPN configs and provides a shell script for setting up WireGuard. For most users, OpenVPN is the simplest.

Fetch and unpack the OpenVPN configs:

wget https://www.privateinternetaccess.com/openvpn/openvpn.zip -O pia.zip
unzip pia.zip -d pia-config


Connect using your PIA credentials:

openvpn --config pia-config/US East.ovpn 
        --auth-user-pass 

Optionally wrap as an LZM module:

mkdir -p /tmp/pia
cp -r pia-config /tmp/pia
cp /usr/bin/openvpn /tmp/pia
dir2lzm -m /usr/local/modules/pia.lzm /tmp/pia

Conclusion
On Austrumi, you’ll get the smoothest experience by choosing VPNs that play nicely with a non-systemd, module-centric workflow. Mullvad stands out for its all-in-one binary and WireGuard support, ProtonVPN is unbeatable if you prefer managed OpenVPN configs, and PIA remains a solid choice for straightforward ZIP-based config bundles. With the steps above, you can bundle any of these clients into an LZM module or run them directly from RAM, keeping your live environment lean yet fully protected.