What Is WireGuard? The Fast, Modern VPN Protocol
Detectable by ISPAvailable on SHP
WireGuard is a fast, modern VPN protocol built on modern cryptography. Learn how it works, its pros and cons, and how to set it up on SHP in minutes.
Official websitewww.wireguard.com/
Community & docslists.zx2c4.com/mailman/listinfo/wireguard
DeveloperJason A. Donenfeld (zx2c4)
First releasedStarted in 2015; first open-source release in June 2016
Current statusCore protocol unchanged since March 2020; client apps actively maintained
LicenseOpen source, part of the Linux kernel, GPLv2 (userspace implementations vary)
Independent auditFormally verified with a Tamarin proof of the protocol
Why it was createdBuilt to replace the large codebases of OpenVPN and IPsec with something compact and easy to audit, using modern cryptography.
How it worksEach device holds a key pair, similar to SSH. A single short handshake sets up the session, then traffic flows over a UDP port (51820 by default) encrypted with ChaCha20-Poly1305.
Censorship resistanceWeak — not designed to bypass network restrictions; obfuscation add-ons exist
Setup time~6 min
SpeedHigh
Works on your devices
Desktop, mobile, TV boxes and routers — where this protocol runs natively vs. needs a workaround.
Desktop & Mobile
WindowsSupported
macOSSupported
iOSSupported
AndroidSupported
LinuxSupported
TV & Streaming
Apple TVSupported — 3rd-party app
Android TVSupported
Fire TV StickSupported — Sideload APK
Routers
TP-LinkSupported
ASUSSupported
D-LinkModel-dependent
AVM FRITZ!BoxSupported
MikroTikSupported
GL.iNetSupported
KeeneticSupported
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WireGuard® is a registered trademark of Jason A. Donenfeld. OpenVPN® is a registered trademark of OpenVPN, Inc. All other product names, operating-system and device-brand logos, and trademarks shown above are the property of their respective owners; their use here is for identification only and does not imply any affiliation or endorsement.