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PiVPN on Ubuntu (VMware Setup)

This guide covers the installation of PiVPN on an Ubuntu Server VM running within VMware. This setup uses WireGuard for high-performance, secure tunneling without the complexity of a full firewall appliance.

1. VM Prerequisites (VMware)

Before starting the installation, ensure the virtual machine is configured for network accessibility:

• Network Adapter: Set to Bridged mode. This allows the VM to receive its own IP address on your local network.
• Static IP: Ensure the VM has a consistent internal IP. You can set this via Template:Ic or a DHCP reservation on your router.
• Resources: 1 vCPU and 1GB RAM is more than sufficient for a dedicated VPN VM.

2. Installation Steps

Login to your VM via SSH or the VMware console and run the following commands:

Update the system

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y

Run the PiVPN automated installer

curl -L https://install.pivpn.io | bash

3. Recommended Installer Settings

During the text-based wizard, use these recommended settings to avoid common pitfalls:

• User: Select your local system user to hold the configuration files.
• Protocol: Choose WireGuard (highly recommended over OpenVPN for speed).
• Port: Default is 51820 (UDP).
• DNS: Select a provider (e.g., Google or Cloudflare) or point to a local Pi-hole if applicable.
• Unattended Upgrades: Enabled (highly recommended for security).

4. Client Management

PiVPN uses a simple command-line interface to manage connected devices.

To create a new client profile

pivpn add

To generate a QR code for mobile devices

pivpn -qr

To list all active clients

pivpn -l

5. Networking & Firewall

For the VPN to function, you must allow traffic through the Ubuntu firewall and your physical router.

Configure UFW (Uncomplicated Firewall)

sudo ufw allow 51820/udp
sudo ufw allow OpenSSH
sudo ufw enable

Router Configuration

Forward UDP Port 51820 from your router's WAN/Public IP to the Internal IP of your VMware VM.

6. Troubleshooting Commands

If you encounter issues, use the built-in self-check tool:

• Template:Ic — Runs a full diagnostic of the network and service status.
• Template:Ic — Shows currently connected clients and data transfer stats.