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hwdsl2/setup-ipsec-vpn

📈 Trending★ 27,768ShellAudience · developerComplexity · 3/5ActiveLicenseSetup · moderate

TLDR

Automated shell scripts that set up your own private VPN server on Linux in minutes, supporting IPsec, Cisco IPsec, and IKEv2 protocols.

Mindmap

mindmap
  root((repo))
    What it does
      Auto VPN setup
      Three protocols
      User management
    Supported platforms
      Ubuntu Debian
      CentOS RHEL
      Raspberry Pi
    Client devices
      Windows macOS
      iOS Android
      Chrome OS Linux
    Tech stack
      Shell Bash
      Docker available
    Use cases
      Self-hosted VPN
      Secure remote access
      Privacy protection

Things people build with this

USE CASE 1

Host your own VPN server on a cloud instance or rented virtual machine to encrypt your internet traffic.

USE CASE 2

Set up secure remote access for a team or family members across multiple devices without paying for a commercial VPN service.

USE CASE 3

Protect your privacy on public WiFi networks at coffee shops, airports, or hotels by routing traffic through your own encrypted server.

Tech stack

ShellBashDockerLinux

Getting it running

Difficulty · moderate Time to first run · 30min

Requires a Linux server (cloud VM or dedicated) with root access and open ports for VPN protocols.

Use freely for any purpose, including commercial use, as long as you keep the copyright notice and license text.

In plain English

This project provides a set of scripts that automatically install and configure a VPN server on a Linux machine you control. A VPN, or virtual private network, encrypts your internet traffic so that nobody between your device and the server can read what you are doing online, which is especially useful on untrusted networks like coffee shop or hotel Wi-Fi. Rather than paying a commercial VPN provider, this project lets you run your own. The scripts set up three styles of VPN that work with built-in clients on most operating systems: IPsec/L2TP, Cisco IPsec, and IKEv2. Under the hood it uses Libreswan as the IPsec server and xl2tpd as the L2TP provider, and supports modern IKEv2 with strong, fast ciphers such as AES-GCM. Installation is fully automated, a one-line command downloads a shell script which then handles the whole setup, generating random VPN credentials at the end. Helper scripts are included to add or remove VPN users and manage certificates, and the project can generate ready-made profiles so iOS, macOS, and Android devices configure themselves automatically. Windows, Chrome OS, and Linux are also supported as clients. You would use this when you want a private VPN tunnel without trusting a third-party provider, or to access your home network remotely. It runs on a server you rent or own, a cloud VPS, a dedicated server, or even a Raspberry Pi. The README warns against running it on your personal computer; it is meant to live on a server. Pre-built Docker images are also offered for users who prefer containers. The project is written in Shell, and the full README is longer than what was provided.

Copy-paste prompts

Prompt 1
How do I use this setup-ipsec-vpn script to create a VPN server on my DigitalOcean Ubuntu droplet?
Prompt 2
Show me how to add a new VPN user and generate their configuration profile using the helper scripts in this repo.
Prompt 3
What are the differences between IPsec/L2TP, Cisco IPsec, and IKEv2 protocols, and which should I choose for my setup?
Prompt 4
How do I install and run this VPN setup using Docker instead of directly on my Linux server?
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Generated 2026-05-21 · Model: sonnet-4-6 · Verify against the repo before relying on details.