How to choose, use and configure a VPN in Proxmox (Comparison)

Choosing the Right VPN for Proxmox

Proxmox VE is a Debian-based virtualization platform, preferred by sysadmins who appreciate a lean, headless environment with a web-UI for managing VMs and containers. Its package manager is apt, the default desktop environments (when used on a workstations) tend to be XFCE or KDE, but most deployments are server-only. Technical peculiarities include a focus on ZFS, clustering, and Ceph integration. Any VPN solution must integrate cleanly with systemd, support WireGuard or OpenVPN, and ideally offer a dedicated Debian/Ubuntu repository or a .deb package for easy automation.

Here are the key criteria for a Proxmox-friendly VPN:

Official Debian/Ubuntu repository or .deb package
WireGuard support for minimal latency and CPU usage
Systemd service units for reliable auto-start on boot
CLI tools or scripts, since most admins won’t have a full desktop

Based on these, the top contenders are Mullvad, ProtonVPN and NordVPN. Each offers an apt repository or .deb installer, zero-logs policy, and both WireGuard/OpenVPN support.

Comparison Table

Provider	Debian Support	Protocols	Logging Policy	Server Locations	More Info
Mullvad	Official .deb amp apt repo	WireGuard, OpenVPN	No logs	40 countries	Mullvad Linux Downloads
ProtonVPN	Apt repo via Proton	WireGuard, OpenVPN	No logs	60 countries	ProtonVPN Linux Guide
NordVPN	Apt repo via Nord	NordLynx (WireGuard), OpenVPN	No logs	60 countries	NordVPN Linux Setup

Installation Configuration

Mullvad

Mullvad provides a .deb and an apt repository. The CLI tool supports both WireGuard and OpenVPN. Below is a WireGuard example.

# Add Mullvad’s repository and key
wget -qO- https://mullvad.net/download/app/deb/public.key  sudo apt-key add -
echo deb https://mullvad.net/download/app/deb/ ./   sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/mullvad.list

# Update and install
sudo apt update
sudo apt install mullvad-vpn

# Login (replace with your Mullvad account number)
mullvad relay set kill-switch always
mullvad account set YOUR_ACCOUNT_NUMBER
mullvad tunnel wireguard
mullvad connect

# Check status
mullvad status

ProtonVPN

ProtonVPN’s official client is written in Python and uses systemd to manage connections. We’ll configure WireGuard here.

# Install dependencies and add repo
sudo apt install -y wget gnupg
wget -qO - 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

# Update  install client
sudo apt update
sudo apt install -y protonvpn-cli protonvpn-cli-ng

# Initialize
sudo protonvpn init

# Connect using WireGuard
sudo protonvpn c --fastest --protocol wireguard

# To enable on boot
sudo systemctl enable protonvpn-client.service

NordVPN

Nord’s repo supplies both the classic OpenVPN client and NordLynx (their WireGuard fork). Here’s how to set it up:

# Add NordVPN repo and key
curl -s 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

# Install the client
sudo apt update
sudo apt install nordvpn

# Login
nordvpn login

# Enable Kill Switch and connect with NordLynx
nordvpn set killswitch on
nordvpn set technology nordlynx
nordvpn connect

# Auto-connect at boot
sudo systemctl enable nordvpnd

Conclusion

For Proxmox servers and management workstations, Mullvad, ProtonVPN, and NordVPN stand out due to their Debian integration, WireGuard support, and CLI-driven workflows. If you want minimal overhead and rock-solid privacy, Mullvad’s lean .deb package is excellent. ProtonVPN’s Python client is feature-rich and well-maintained, while NordVPN’s NordLynx offers extremely fast tunnel performance. Pick the one that aligns with your operational style, and you’ll have secure, automated VPN connectivity on your Proxmox infrastructure.

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