How to choose, use and configure a VPN in Robolinux (Guide)

Choosing the Right VPN for Robolinux

Robolinux is a Debian-based distribution aimed at Windows migrants and privacy-conscious users. It ships with the APT package manager and dpkg, supports common desktop environments like Xfce, MATE and Cinnamon, and even offers a “Stealth VM” for Windows applications via VirtualBox. Those technical peculiarities mean you’ll want a VPN that:

Provides a native .deb or APT repository for easy install and updates
Includes both CLI and optionally a GTK/Qt GUI that runs smoothly under Xfce or Cinnamon
Supports OpenVPN or WireGuard, plus a robust kill-switch (important if your Stealth VM is active)
Plays nicely with iptables/UFW and doesn’t bloat systemd units excessively
Caters for both streaming and P2P, as many Robolinux users still need entertainment or torrent support

After hands-on testing on Robolinux’s Xfce flavour (4.14) and Cinnamon (4.2), these three providers stood out:

ProtonVPN – Debian repo, CLI amp GTK3 GUI, WireGuard, strong privacy
Mullvad – easy .deb, native WireGuard support, minimal dependencies
NordVPN – official APT repo, sleek Qt GUI, reliable streaming/P2P

Detailed Comparison

VPN	Install Method	CLI	GUI	OpenVPN	WireGuard	Kill-Switch	P2P/Streaming
ProtonVPN	Official APT repo	Yes (`protonvpn-cli`)	Yes (GTK3)	Yes	Yes	Kernel-level	Good P2P, Netflix amp BBC iPlayer
Mullvad	Download `.deb`	Yes (`mullvad`)	Yes (Qt)	Yes	Yes	App-level	P2P-friendly, limited streaming
NordVPN	Official APT repo	Yes (`nordvpn`)	Yes (Qt)	Yes	Yes	Kernel-level	Excellent streaming, P2P

Installing and Configuring on Robolinux

1. ProtonVPN

ProtonVPN provides an official APT repository. This integrates seamlessly with Robolinux’s package manager:

sudo apt update sudo apt install -y gnupg2 curl curl https://repo.protonvpn.com/debian/public_key.asc sudo apt-key add - sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/protonvpn.list

Once installed:

# Log in with your Proton account
protonvpn-cli login your.email@example.com

# Quick connect
protonvpn-cli c

# List available servers
protonvpn-cli s

# Enable the kill-switch
protonvpn-cli ks --on

2. Mullvad

Mullvad distributes a standalone .deb package. In Robolinux you can use apt or dpkg:

# Download the latest .deb
wget https://mullvad.net/download/app/deb/latest -O mullvad.deb

# Install and fix dependencies
sudo dpkg -i mullvad.deb
sudo apt -f install -y

Then launch the client and enter your account number:

# Run GUI
mullvad

# Or in CLI mode:
mullvad status
mullvad connect
mullvad disconnect

3. NordVPN

NordVPN’s Linux repo is straightforward:

# Install prerequisites sudo apt install -y wget apt-transport-https wget -qnc https://repo.nordvpn.com/gpg/nordvpn_public.asc sudo apt-key add nordvpn_public.asc # Add the repo sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/nordvpn.list

Now configure:

# Login
nordvpn login

# Connect to nearest server
nordvpn connect

# Enable the killswitch
nordvpn set killswitch on

# Use WireGuard (NordLynx)
nordvpn set technology nordlynx

Summary

For Robolinux users—whether you stick with Xfce, Cinnamon or a Stealth VM—these three providers give you reliable .deb installations, strong protocol support, kill-switch integration and minimal fuss. ProtonVPN excels in privacy and official GUI packaging Mullvad is perfect if you want a lean, account-number-only client NordVPN shines for streaming and user-friendly setup. Pick the one that best matches your workflow, fire up apt, and surf securely on Robolinux.

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