NymVPN uses the AmneziaWireGuard protocol exclusively. OpenVPN, IKEv2, and other VPN protocols are not currently supported. AmneziaWireGuard is a censorship-resistant fork of WireGuard that adds decoy packets to prevent detection and blocking in restrictive network environments.
Will NymVPN add OpenVPN support?
OpenVPN support is under consideration for future releases. Some users need OpenVPN for router configurations, firewall compatibility, or specific enterprise setups.
Many users requesting OpenVPN need it for router-level configurations. Learn more about the differences between hardware vs software VPNs and where NymVPN fits.
Track upcoming protocol support and other features on the NymVPN public roadmap.
Why NymVPN uses AmneziaWireGuard
AmneziaWireGuard offers three advantages over traditional VPN protocols:
- Speed: WireGuard's cryptographic optimizations deliver near-native connection speeds.
- Censorship resistance: Decoy packets before the handshake prevent deep packet inspection from identifying and blocking the VPN connection.
- Privacy: Combined with NymVPN's decentralized 2-hop routing, AmneziaWireGuard prevents any single node from seeing both your identity and your destination.
Traditional protocols like OpenVPN are easier to detect and block in censored regions because their traffic patterns are well-known to network filters.