Choosing the Right VPN for Refracta

Over here in London, many of us working with Refracta GNU/Linux—Debian-based, apt-powered and often running lightweight Xfce, LXDE or Openbox—need a VPN that sits nicely within a non-systemd, sysvinit environment. Refracta users typically are tinkerers and privacy-conscious hobbyists who appreciate granular control via the terminal and the traditional apt toolchain.

When selecting a VPN for Refracta, look for these qualities:

• Debian repositories or straightforward .deb packages, so you can apt install without fuss.
• Full CLI support or OpenVPN/WireGuard configuration files, since NetworkManager GUIs may not be pre-installed.
• No hard dependency on systemd services—you’re on sysvinit or OpenRC, not systemctl.
• Proven stability on lightweight desktop environments and compatibility with headless or minimal setups.

Based on these criteria, here are the top contenders for your Refracta box:

1. Mullvad – Offers a native .deb repository, WireGuard and OpenVPN, plus a streamlined CLI that doesn’t assume systemd.
2. ProtonVPN – Provides an official Debian repo and a Python-based CLI supports OpenVPN and WireGuard configs out of the box.
3. Windscribe – Distributes a .deb and a lightweight CLI client works with OpenVPN and SOCKS5, no systemd required.

Comparison Table

1. Installing and Configuring Mullvad

Mullvad makes life easy on Debian-based systems. Here’s how to get it up and running via apt:

# Add the Mullvad repository and key
echo deb https://repo.mullvad.net/deb/ default main  sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/mullvad.list
curl -fsSL https://repo.mullvad.net/deb/mullvad_pubkey.gpg  sudo apt-key add -

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

# Log in (use your account number)
mullvad login YOUR_ACCOUNT_NUMBER

# Connect to the fastest server or pick a country code
mullvad relay list               # view available relays
mullvad connect us               # connect to a US server
mullvad status                   # verify connection
  

Mullvad also supports WireGuard by running mullvad tunnel, but for most Refracta setups the OpenVPN-backed mullvad connect will suffice.

2. Installing and Configuring ProtonVPN

ProtonVPN’s CLI is Python-based but integrates well with sysvinit. Follow these steps:

# Install prerequisites
sudo apt update
sudo apt install -y wget apt-transport-https gnupg

# Add the ProtonVPN repository
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 and install ProtonVPN CLI
sudo apt update
sudo apt install protonvpn-cli

# Initialize and log in
protonvpn-cli init       # follow prompts for username/password, 2FA
protonvpn-cli c --fast   # connect to the fastest server
protonvpn-cli s          # show connection status
  

Should you prefer WireGuard, ProtonVPN provides configuration files you can drop into /etc/wireguard and bring up via wg-quick up wg0.

3. Installing and Configuring Windscribe

Windscribe’s Debian package and CLI work well in minimal environments:

# Download and install the .deb
wget https://assets.windscribe.com/desktop/linux/cli/windscribe-cli_latest_amd64.deb
sudo dpkg -i windscribe-cli_latest_amd64.deb
sudo apt -f install -y           # fix dependencies if needed

# Log in and connect
windscribe login                 # follow username/password prompt
windscribe connect US            # connect to a US server
windscribe status                # check current session
  

If you need OpenVPN configs, you can generate them under your Windscribe account and place them in /etc/openvpn, then start with sudo openvpn --config /etc/openvpn/us-east.ovpn.

Wrapping Up

Each of these VPNs meshes neatly with Refracta’s apt-focused, non-systemd landscape. Mullvad stands out for seamless CLI usage and WireGuard support ProtonVPN delivers top privacy credentials and flexible protocol choices Windscribe covers the basics with an easy-to-install client. Pick the one that best aligns with your workflow, plugin on your Debian-based Refracta system, and you’ll be browsing securely in no time.