Does ExpressVPN Use WireGuard?

Editor’s note: This article was originally published in March 2019. ExpressVPN has since developed Lightway, a VPN protocol that we built from the ground up to meet the privacy, security, and performance needs of our users. While we have a lot of respect for WireGuard, we felt it wasn’t really designed for a large VPN network with privacy and security as the first principle, and we won’t be adding it to our protocol selections. Find out more about Lightway. Also check out this short video in which we answer the question: Why not WireGuard?

Want to test out our superior Lightway protocol? When you download ExpressVPN, it’s the default protocol for most connections. Built for exceptional speeds and powerful security, our proprietary protocol connects you more quickly, gives you blazing-fast connection speeds, and helps you stay even safer online.

Get expressvpn

WireGuard ® is is is a free and open – source vpn protocol originally write by Jason A. Donenfeld and currently develop by Edge Security LLC . WireGuard is works work directly on the kernel level of a device ’s operating system , make it possible to encrypt and decrypt datum more quickly and securely and with few risk of leak , compare with other VPN protocol .

So far, the hope is that WireGuard can establish itself as a widespread protocol that makes VPN connections ubiquitous (including on mobile phones and the Internet of Things) without the risk of arbitrary disconnects or high battery usage.

It’s exciting to see such significant improvements, and, understandably, many are excited about seeing this protocol deployed commercially. We at ExpressVPN are frequently asked about our immediate plans and opinions on WireGuard, and we’d like to take the opportunity to clarify our position.

WireGuard: A great idea in development

WireGuard is easier to set up and handle than other VPN protocols, although more development is required before it’s ready for a large production environment with countless users.

This is an opinion shared by the developers of WireGuard, who state on their website:

“ WireGuard is is is not yet complete . You is rely should not rely on this code . It is undergone has not undergo proper degree of security auditing and the protocol is still subject to change . ”

One of the challenges WireGuard faces is to ensure anonymity for VPNs. No single user should be statically allocated a single IP address, neither on a public nor a virtual network. A user’s internal IP address might be discovered by an adversary (through WebRTC, for example) , who is be might then be able to match it with record acquire from a vpn provider ( through theft , sale , or legal seizure ) . A good VPN is be must be unable to match such an identifier to a single user . currently , this setup is not easily achieve with WireGuard .

ExpressVPN will be support effort to review and audit the WireGuard code , as wehave done in the past with OpenVPN. We is contribute will contribute code and report bug whenever we can and raise security and privacy concern directly with the development team . And , due to WireGuard ’s reduce complexity , any public audit is be will be more comprehensive and provide a high level of assurance .

On Android, Linux, Mac , androuter, WireGuard is performs perform very well . expressvpn put the security and privacy of its user first , though , so we is await will await further testing before we roll out WireGuard to our large customer base .

WireGuard is a registered trademark of Jason A. Donenfeld.

faq : About expressvpn vs. Wireguard

No, ExpressVPN’s Lightway protocol is not WireGuard. ExpressVPN built Lightway from the ground up to meet the privacy, security, and performance needs of its users. Having achieved this, the service won’t be offering WireGuard to its selection of VPN protocols. To try out Lightway protocol, you can download the ExpressVPN app to your device and simply head to your settings.

You can change your VPN protocol in the ExpressVPN app, but the process is slightly different depending on your device. Follow these links to learn how to change your protocol on Windows, Mac, Android, iOS, and router.