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

Why These VPNs Are Ideal for Ultimate Edition

Ultimate Edition is an Ubuntu-based distro maintained via APT and Synaptic, popular among power users who appreciate preconfigured desktop environments like MATE, Xfce, KDE Plasma and Cinnamon. It bundles custom kernel tweaks, multimedia codecs and graphics drivers out of the box. Its audience ranges from desktop tinkerers to privacy-minded professionals. When choosing a VPN for Ultimate Edition, look for native .deb packages or dedicated APT repositories, straightforward CLI/GUI tools, systemd integration (for auto-start and kill-switch), and support for both OpenVPN and WireGuard protocols.

After extensive testing on Ultimate Edition 7.x (based on Ubuntu 22.04), these three providers stand out for seamless integration, performance and reliability:

NordVPN – Robust CLI app, native kill-switch, WireGuard via NordLynx.
ProtonVPN – Official APT repo, OpenVPN amp WireGuard, GUI via ProtonVPN-cli-gui.
Mullvad – Simple Debian installer, strong WireGuard support, lightweight GTK GUI.

Quick Comparison

VPN	Native Debian Package	Protocols	CLI / GUI	Systemd Kill-Switch	APT Repository
NordVPN	Yes (.deb)	OpenVPN, WireGuard (NordLynx)	CLI	Yes	No, direct download
ProtonVPN	Yes (via APT)	OpenVPN, WireGuard	CLI Optional GUI	Yes	protonvpn/protonvpn-stable
Mullvad	Yes (.deb)	WireGuard, OpenVPN	CLI GTK GUI	Yes	No, direct download

Installation Configuration Guides

1. NordVPN

NordVPN’s CLI app is ideal for headless servers or desktops. It integrates with systemd for auto-start and uses NordLynx (WireGuard) by default.

Download and install the official .deb:

sudo apt update
wget -qnc https://downloads.nordcdn.com/apps/linux/install.sh
chmod  x install.sh
sudo ./install.sh

nordvpn login
nordvpn set technology nordlynx
nordvpn set killswitch enabled
nordvpn connect

To auto-connect on boot:

sudo systemctl enable nordvpnd

2. ProtonVPN

ProtonVPN offers an APT repository and an optional GTK-based GUI client for MATE, Xfce or KDE.

Add the official repo and install:

sudo apt update
sudo apt install -y gnupg2 curl
curl 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 protonvpn protonvpn-cli protonvpn-gui

Initialize and connect:

protonvpn-cli login your-username
protonvpn-cli c --protocol wireguard

Enable systemd service (for kill-switch):

sudo systemctl enable protonvpn

3. Mullvad

Mullvad provides a straightforward .deb installer and a minimal GTK GUI that pairs well with Cinnamon or Xfce.

Download the latest package and install:

cd /tmp
wget https://mullvad.net/download/app/deb/latest
sudo dpkg -i latest
sudo apt-get install -f

Run the GUI or use the CLI:

mullvad account login ABCD-1234-EFGH-5678
mullvad connect

For WireGuard specifically:

mullvad tunnel wireguard up

To auto-start on login, add mullvad connect to your desktop environment’s Session amp Startup settings.

Conclusion

On Ultimate Edition, tight integration with APT and systemd is key. NordVPN excels in performance via NordLynx, ProtonVPN shines with its official repository and GUI, and Mullvad offers simplicity plus robust WireGuard support. Choose the one that best fits your workflow, install using the steps above, and enjoy secure, private browsing on your customized Ubuntu-based system.

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