Choosing the Right VPN for Webconverger

Webconverger is a specialised Debian-based kiosk distribution designed for secure, read-only browser environments. It boots straight into Firefox in kiosk mode, with very limited user interaction and no traditional desktop environment like GNOME or KDE. Instead, it runs on a minimal X server and uses APT for package management. Because of its locked-down nature and lack of persistent storage by default, your VPN solution must:

• Offer a lightweight, command-line or minimal GUI client.
• Provide a native Debian package or a static binary that’s easy to deploy via apt-get.
• Support modern protocols like WireGuard or OpenVPN, since you won’t have NetworkManager or other GUI helpers.
• Be reliable in unattended kiosk scenarios, with auto-reconnect and low maintenance.

Based on these requirements, the top candidates are:

• Mullvad – excellent WireGuard support and a small Debian package.
• Proton VPN – robust CLI client with official Debian repository.
• NordVPN – mature CLI tool, good OpenVPN/WireGuard support.
• ExpressVPN – well-documented CLI, though heavier than others.

Comparison Table

Installation Configuration

Below you’ll find step-by-step guides for the top three VPNs, ready for Webconverger’s APT-driven, minimal environment.

1. Mullvad VPN

Mullvad provides a small Debian package and a WireGuard configuration generator. You can fetch and install the .deb directly.

Installation:

apt-get update
wget https://mullvad.net/download/app/deb/latest -O mullvad.deb
dpkg -i mullvad.deb
apt-get -f install
  

Configuration:

• Log in with your account number:

mullvad account login YOUR_ACCOUNT_NUMBER
    

• Generate a WireGuard config for a chosen location:

mullvad tunnel wireguard generate --name kiosk
    

• Start the tunnel:

mullvad tunnel wireguard up kiosk
    

• Check status:

mullvad status
    

2. Proton VPN

Proton VPN’s CLI client installs from their official repository. It supports both WireGuard and OpenVPN.

Installation:

# Add the Proton VPN repo
apt-get update
apt-get install -y gnupg2 curl
curl -fsSL https://repo.protonvpn.com/debian/public_key.asc  apt-key add -
echo deb https://repo.protonvpn.com/debian stable main  tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/protonvpn.list
apt-get update
apt-get install -y protonvpn-cli
  

Configuration:

• Initialize the CLI and login:

protonvpn init
    

• Connect using WireGuard:

protonvpn connect --protocol wireguard
    

• Or use OpenVPN:

protonvpn connect --protocol openvpn
    

• Disconnect:

protonvpn disconnect
    

3. NordVPN

NordVPN’s Linux CLI is distributed as a .deb and offers an auto-connect feature plus a good kill-switch.

Installation:

wget -qnc https://downloads.nordcdn.com/apps/linux/install.sh -O nordvpn-install.sh
bash nordvpn-install.sh
apt-get install -f
  

Configuration:

• Log in:

nordvpn login
    

• Enable the kill switch:

nordvpn set killswitch on
    

• Connect with NordLynx (WireGuard):

nordvpn set technology NordLynx
nordvpn connect
    

• Verify connection:

nordvpn status
    

All three VPNs above integrate smoothly with Webconverger’s Debian base and minimal kiosk setup. Choose Mullvad for the leanest footprint, Proton VPN for official repo support, or NordVPN for advanced features like a kill switch and auto-connect. Your kiosk sessions will route securely and reliably, protecting both data and user privacy.