With the increase in digital technology online privacy has become a question; every ISP and intelligence organization is looking to collect and exploit your data. There are good and bad reasons but privacy is your right. With strict laws, various VPN companies have to hand over their logs etc when requested by law enforcement agencies around the world. This tutorial on how to create a VPN in Python using a free Python VPN library will allow you to be self-sufficient knowing only you have access to it and the technology behind is truly open source.
In past years, the popularity of VPNs has increased as it is a good way to keep your data safe, keeping all the thefts away from getting hands-on sensitive data but still, if you don’t have much faith in VPN companies or don’t want to pay the monthly recurring fee then don’t worry as you can make your own VPN.
Why did we choose Python to create a VPN
To develop your very own VPN it is not necessary to be a developer but you need to have some technical prowess, but the question is whether the results are worth the trouble well follow through and know the prominent benefits:
VPNs, which are homemade shift the traffic from ISP or VPN provider to cloud service but services such as Linode, Hetzner, or Digital Ocean allow you to boot up a new server each time you connect.
For those who do not know Nanode from Linode costs around $5 to get 1 GB RAM and 1 Core VPN Server. If you are more of a light user then you can get one year free with Amazon AWS or Azure with credits. When compared this is cheaper than commercial VPNs.
If you intend to use multiple servers, each location is charged separately, and the price can shoot up quickly. These cheap VPN services will save a lot of money in such a case.
Should you create your own VPN Client
It is a “Yes” only because you don’t want to rely on other third-party VPN providers such as SurfShark, PIA, TunnelBear and Nord VPN.
What cloud services do is collect data from the time you register. Depending on the company you need to give your full name, address, email ID, company name, phone number and other information.
Moreover, cookies and other tracking technologies are used by all. This also allows them to get your IP address, ISP, type of browser, OS, date or time, stamps and much more; this is then used to mount a successful attack against you by all the malicious actors if your cloud providers get in the hand of the security theft.
Cloud services now work with third-party advisors to serve you targeted ads. Their advertising partners can also set their cookies, pixel tags and other similar trackers. Another less talked about benefit is that you can visit blocked websites such as EZTV in countries where it is blocked.
If we talk about privacy, making your own VPN shall look more like using a VPN service. Many guides say you do not need to trust any VPN companies, but what is needed to trust these cloud service providers? In our opinion, there is no difference in privacy levels whether you buy a VPN or make your own.
How To Build Your Own VPN Client For Free Using Python
There are a few prerequisites that you may or may not need to choose which Python library or configuration you want.
One way to keep your data safe and secure while surfing the net is through VPNs. They shall allow you to create a secure connection to a remote server so you can access the internet like you were located on that server.
Step 1: Choosing the correct Python VPN library
VPNs come in different kinds, and each comes with unique features. To write one in Python you shall need to do some research and find which library suits you, the most popular ones are:
This has been designed especially for writing VPNs in Python. You shall get all the necessary functions needed to create a functioning VPN and is also easy to use.
2. OpenVPN Client (Open Source)
This one shall provide you with all the necessary features to create a functional VPN. It is easy to use. However, it might be more complex than PyVPN depending on your needs.
3. Alternative: Cisco IOS SSL VPN
Cisco developed this and has been designed primarily to create SSL or TLS-secured VPN tunnels between Cisco devices in a network. Well, it is somehow complex and needs advanced knowledge of networking concepts to use it more effectively. It is an alternative if you need a full network-level VPN that you can run from your router.
Other Python libraries you may like:
- The Best Python Malware Analysis Libraries for Researchers.
- Best Python Libraries Used for Artificial Intelligence and Data Science Purposes.
Step 2: Installing Python VPN library
If you need to write a VPN in Python, you must first install the library. This VPN object shall carry all the required information to create and manage the connection.
After this, you need to create an instance of the VPN class. This class needs the following two arguments:
- Server or IP address.
- Port number e.g. 1122.
An optional argument can also be passed which specifies certain VPN parameters like whether it should use encryption, e.g., IPSec.
Step 3: Configure your Python VPN Client
You first need to create a VPN object and then configure it using the correct settings. To do this you need to create a VPN object and call its constructor with the parameters mentioned below:
- VPN name, in our case, would be Ninja-VPN.
- IP address of the server would be 192.168.1.243
- Server Port like 1122.
- Encryption type you want to use like IPSec or IKEv2.
- Password for the user account shall be used to connect to the VPN.
- Done.
Step 4: Connect your Python VPN to your chosen designated VPN server
At this point, you need to connect with the VPN server. For this open the terminal window and type the following command:
Paul@ninja-ide:~# Python –m 192.168.1.243 –p 1122
This shall open the VPN server on port 1122; once done enter VPN credentials and hit “enter” on the terminal screen. It can take anywhere between 30 to 60 seconds for the connection to complete.
Step 5: Make sure your VPN connection is working
In the last steps, you configure a VPN connection on your system. At this point, you need to test it by connecting with the VPN server. You need to open the terminal window and type the command mentioned below:
Paul@ninja-ide:~# Ip addr show eth0 tunnel1
After this, you must use the ifconfig command to configure your system to use the VPN server’s IP address. Type the command mentioned below:
In the end, use the ping tool to test that your system can reach the VPN server; just remember if it’s on a different VLAN ping may not always work.
Once it has been connected you can normally start browsing the internet however you want!
Create your own Python VPN Server (Simplest Method)
This is intended for users with very little or no networking or knowledge of servers. You can use the Python-VPN program (pvpn) to do all the heavy lifting.
You are not required to configure, set up networking, or fiddle with ports.
To create your own Python VPN server, run the below commands after downloading the above program:
Paul@ninja-ide:~# install pvpn
Now, you need to setup a password for security:
Paul@ninja-ide:~# pvpn -p
Next, you need to open the port depending on if you want to use OpenVPN or WireGuard:
Paul@ninja-ide:~# pvpn -wg
Finally, connect it to your server IP and port.
Other useful software and projects you can make using Python:
- How To Create Your Own Torrenting Software in Python.
- Build a Text-to-speech Project in Python with pyttsx3.
- How To Create a Python-powered HTTP Server.
Final Words
This tutorial covered different Python VPN libraries and which ones you can use to build your own VPN Client and Server with Python. VPNs can get very complex due to the nature of their protocols and client connectivity, hence, we have kept it very simple in the above tutorial for beginners and absolute newbies regarding this topic.
Please let us know which Python library you used and how it worked out.
