Suggestions for a VPN server to run in Proxmox

Hello everyone,

I’m using proxmox to run a home lab. It has a TrueNAS SCALE virtual machine, a pfSense 2.4.5 virtual machine and an Ubuntu linux LXC that has docker (!) installed inside it for running some docker apps (smokeping, duckdns, etc).

I now want to set up a VPN server so that I can have my own VPN for when I am away from hope. I intend to use duckdns (already working) to locate my home external IP.

So it seems like my options are to either use:

  • The pfSense VM as it is anyway the gateway and “sees” the external ethernet NIC as its own
  • Maybe an app in the TrueNAS VM?
  • A new LXC in Proxmox

I don’t know much about VPN software so wanted to ask the community for pointers. Does anyone run a VPN server in pfSense within Proxmox (which is my first choice)? What VPN software would you recommend instead of that (if going for option 2 or 3) and why?

Thanks!

Wireguard in any form.

wireguard probably. ovpn won’t run so fast on mobile clients. if it’s a laptop then you might be fine for 100-200Mbs. it’s nice to have it hardware offloaded.

WireGuard FTW, it’s simple to install and way better than OVPN crap

I have a opnsense on a VM, running openvpn server and dns.

I prefer opnsense because it have a friendly GUI.

You could also look into a zero tier or equivalent solution.

I suggest Tailscale.

PiVPN makes this really easy. Put it on a Debian VM and it’s great.

I’m a wg user. What is the advantage of TS? I’ve looked at their literature and I don’t understand what their value proposition is.

I went with https://www.turnkeylinux.org/wireguard. It’s super-easy to install in Proxmox and less resource-heavy than a VM (also runs in unvprivileged mode which I did not expect).

Thanks u/RealPjotr and u/madrascafe for the suggestion.

My only issue with WireGuard is the Windows client. I wanted to be able to connect/disconnect from a Windows 11 Home Edition laptop without having admin privileges and managed to drive myself into a pickle.

I’ve given the account admin privileges for now, but very keen on getting that group problem fixed! I can’t believe I drove myself into that corner!

The main advantage is that you don’t have to configure it. You just install it and register the machine you want to connect.
https://tailscale.com/kb/1017/install/

The hosted solutions is the better. Tailscale is a third party solution.