How to choose, use and configure a VPN in Omarine (Tutorial)

Choosing the Best VPN for Omarine

As an IT specialist based in London, I’ve tested countless VPN clients across various Linux distributions. Omarine has carved a niche for itself as a Debian-based, rolling-release distro tailored to power users and privacy enthusiasts. It uses APT for package management, ships mainly with GNOME and XFCE desktop environments, and leverages systemd-resolved plus NetworkManager for network configuration.

Omarine’s typical user is comfortable with the command line, values transparent open-source tooling, and often disables snaps in favour of pure .deb packages. Any VPN we choose must integrate cleanly with APT, offer NetworkManager or CLI support, and align with the distro’s focus on privacy.

Most Suitable VPN Solutions for Omarine

ProtonVPN – Official .deb packages, NetworkManager plugin, OpenVPN WireGuard support.
Mullvad – Standalone .deb, robust WireGuard tooling, CLI-first, no account-based tracking.
NordVPN – APT repository, systemd service, NetworkManager plugin, plus proprietary Linux GUI.
Private Internet Access – Official Debian package, WireGuard OpenVPN, interactive CLI wizard.

Comparison of VPNs for Omarine

VPN	APT / Debian Package	NetworkManager Plugin	CLI Client	WireGuard Support	Proprietary GUI
ProtonVPN	Yes (official repo)	Yes	protonvpn-cli	Yes	No
Mullvad	Yes (downloadable .deb)	No (but easy WireGuard setup)	mullvad-cli	Yes	No
NordVPN	Yes (APT repo)	Yes	nordvpn	Yes	Yes
Private Internet Access	Yes (official .deb)	Yes	piactl	Yes	No

Installation Configuration Guides

ProtonVPN

ProtonVPN’s official repo makes installation on Omarine seamless.

1. Add the repo and install:

sudo apt update
sudo apt install -y wget gnupg2
wget -q -O - https://repo.protonvpn.com/debian/public_key.asc  sudo apt-key add -
echo deb https://repo.protonvpn.com/debian stable main  sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/protonvpn.list
sudo apt update
sudo apt install -y protonvpn-cli

2. Initialise and login:

protonvpn-cli login your_username
# Follow the browser-based OAuth or enter password
protonvpn-cli c --fastest

3. (Optional) Enable NetworkManager plugin:

sudo apt install network-manager-openvpn-gnome
# Then import .ovpn profiles from /etc/protonvpn

Mullvad

Mullvad’s distro-agnostic .deb works flawlessly on Omarine. It focuses on WireGuard by default.

1. Download and install the .deb:

wget https://mullvad.net/download/app/deb/latest -O mullvad.deb
sudo apt install -y ./mullvad.deb

2. Login and connect via CLI:

mullvad account login YOUR_ACCOUNT_NUMBER
mullvad connect
mullvad status

3. For a GUI approach, install the Flatpak from Flathub or use NetworkManager WireGuard profiles located in /etc/mullvad.

NordVPN

NordVPN provides both CLI and a proprietary GUI, plus a network-manager plugin.

1. Set up the repo:

curl -sSL https://repo.nordvpn.com/gpg/nordvpn_public.asc  sudo apt-key add -
echo deb https://repo.nordvpn.com/deb/nordvpn/debian stable main  sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/nordvpn.list
sudo apt update
sudo apt install -y nordvpn

2. Login and connect:

nordvpn login
nordvpn set technology wireguard
nordvpn connect
nordvpn status

3. (GUI) Launch via application menu: NordVPN

Conclusion

For Omarine’s APT-driven ecosystem, strong systemd integration and privacy focus, ProtonVPN, Mullvad and NordVPN stand out. They all offer polished CLI tools, WireGuard support, and official .deb packages. Choose the one that best aligns with your workflow—whether it’s ProtonVPN’s NetworkManager integration, Mullvad’s CLI-centric simplicity, or NordVPN’s GUI and service breadth.

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