Choosing the Best VPN for Rescatux

As an IT specialist based in London, I often rely on Rescatux for system recovery tasks. This Debian-based rescue distro uses apt-get as its package manager, typically boots into a lightweight LXDE desktop or even a pure console environment. It’s tailored for power users who need robust command-line tools rather than flashy GUIs. That means your VPN client of choice must install cleanly via apt (or .deb), run smoothly in a minimal environment and integrate well with OpenVPN or WireGuard kernels. Here are the top picks adapted specifically for Rescatux’s technical peculiarities:

• Debian-based package system: native apt-get and dpkg.
• Lightweight LXDE or CLI only, so CLI clients are preferred.
• Live-CD environment: ephemeral storage, so each boot may require reinstallation or persistence setup.
• Must handle manual DNS and interface configuration if network-manager isn’t present.

VPN Comparison Table

Detailed Setup: Mullvad VPN

Mullvad’s .deb package and lightweight CLI make it a perfect match for Rescatux. You can run everything from the terminal, configure WireGuard or OpenVPN, and avoid bulky dependencies.

Installation Steps

# Update package lists
sudo apt-get update

# Download the latest Mullvad .deb (example URL check https://mullvad.net/)
wget https://mullvad.net/download/deb/mullvad-release_2023.1_all.deb

# Install the repository package
sudo dpkg -i mullvad-release_2023.1_all.deb

# Fix dependencies and install CLI
sudo apt-get install -f
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install mullvad

Configuration Connection

# Log in with your Mullvad account number
mullvad account login YOUR-ACCOUNT-NUMBER

# Check available WireGuard servers
mullvad relay list

# Connect to a server (e.g., Stockholm)
mullvad connect wireguard stockholm

# Verify connection
ip a show mullvad
ping -c 3 8.8.8.8

Detailed Setup: ProtonVPN

ProtonVPN offers an official Debian repository and a straightforward CLI wizard. On Rescatux, you can rely on their protonvpn-cli tool without pulling in heavy desktops.

Installation Steps

# Install dependencies
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install -y wget apt-transport-https

# Add ProtonVPN’s APT repository
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

# Update and install CLI
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install protonvpn-cli

Configuration Connection

# Initialize the CLI and login
protonvpn-cli init

# Follow prompts: enter ProtonVPN username and password, choose default settings

# Connect to the fastest server
protonvpn-cli connect

# Or connect to a specific country (e.g., United_Kingdom)
protonvpn-cli connect United_Kingdom

# Check status
protonvpn-cli status

Brief Note on NordVPN

NordVPN also supports a Debian APT repo and CLI commands. The installation follows similar steps—adding the repo, apt-get install nordvpn, then nordvpn login and nordvpn connect. It’s solid, but slightly heavier than Mullvad or ProtonVPN, so I recommend it if you’re already a subscriber and don’t mind the extra service processes.

Conclusion

For Rescatux’s live-CD, Debian-based environment, Mullvad and ProtonVPN stand out thanks to their lean CLI clients, official .deb/APT support, and minimal dependency footprints. They integrate seamlessly with OpenVPN/WireGuard kernels, remain easy to script in recovery workflows, and won’t bog down your rescue session. If you need a third option, NordVPN works fine too—but for pure efficiency, stick with Mullvad or ProtonVPN.