VPN Basics Cheat Sheet
Explains VPN protocol options, tunneling modes, and basic WireGuard/OpenVPN configuration for securing remote network access.
2 PagesBeginnerFeb 18, 2026
Common VPN Protocols
Widely used protocols and their tradeoffs.
- OpenVPN- Mature, highly configurable, uses SSL/TLS for key exchange, works over TCP or UDP
- WireGuard- Modern, minimal codebase, fast, uses state-of-the-art crypto (Curve25519, ChaCha20)
- IPsec (IKEv2)- Widely supported natively on OS/mobile, good for site-to-site and roaming clients
- L2TP/IPsec- Legacy combo, weaker than modern alternatives, still found in older setups
- PPTP- Obsolete and insecure; should not be used
WireGuard Basic Config
Minimal server and peer configuration for a WireGuard tunnel.
ini
# /etc/wireguard/wg0.conf (server)[Interface]PrivateKey = <server_private_key>Address = 10.0.0.1/24ListenPort = 51820[Peer]PublicKey = <client_public_key>AllowedIPs = 10.0.0.2/32
WireGuard Commands
Generating keys and managing the interface.
bash
# Generate a private/public key pairwg genkey | tee privatekey | wg pubkey > publickey# Bring the tunnel up/downwg-quick up wg0wg-quick down wg0# Show current connection statuswg show
Tunneling Concepts
Key terminology for how VPN traffic is routed.
- Split tunneling- Only traffic destined for specific networks goes through the VPN; rest uses local internet
- Full tunneling- All client traffic is routed through the VPN, including general internet browsing
- Site-to-site VPN- Connects two networks (e.g. office to cloud VPC) rather than a single client
- Remote access VPN- Connects individual client devices to a private network
Pro Tip
Prefer full tunneling for remote employees on untrusted Wi-Fi — split tunneling improves performance but leaves the client's general internet traffic (and the device itself) outside your monitoring and DNS filtering controls.
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