How to configure a WireGuard client

How to configure a WireGuard client

Configure a WireGuard client on Linux, macOS, or Windows to connect to a WireGuard VPN server.

Prerequisites

• WireGuard installed on the client device.
• The server's public key and endpoint address.

Step-by-Step: Configure a WireGuard Client

1. Generate the client key pair:

   wg genkey | tee client_private.key | wg pubkey > client_public.key

2. Create the client configuration file (e.g., wg0.conf):

   [Interface]
   PrivateKey = <CLIENT_PRIVATE_KEY>
   Address = 10.0.0.2/24
   DNS = 1.1.1.1
   
   [Peer]
   PublicKey = <SERVER_PUBLIC_KEY>
   Endpoint = server.example.com:51820
   AllowedIPs = 0.0.0.0/0
   PersistentKeepalive = 25

   AllowedIPs = 0.0.0.0/0 routes all traffic through the tunnel. Use AllowedIPs = 10.0.0.0/24 to route only VPN traffic. PersistentKeepalive = 25 sends a keepalive packet every 25 seconds to maintain the connection behind NAT.

3. Connect the tunnel:

   sudo wg-quick up wg0

How to Verify the Client Is Connected

sudo wg show

A successful connection shows a recent handshake timestamp under the peer section.