This native port from Linux to the Windows kernel has been a much-anticipated advancement. However, the WireGuardNT is an experimental work in progress.
How WireGuardNT is Different
WireGuard is a newer VPN tunneling protocol that uses modern cryptography standards and a secure codebase. Known for its high performance and easily configured VPN protocol, WireGuard is currently integrated into the Linux kernel but had only used a user-space implementation for Windows. WireGuard’s current implementation for Windows is Wireguard-go but this implementation is on a virtual network device. The “tap-window”, as the virtual network interface is known, lives in the user-space and is written in Google’s Go programming language. One of the problems with WireGuard’s current Windows protocol is the performance when the VPN is connected over Wi-Fi. Users typically experience slowdowns. WireGuardNT was created to address this need. The new VPN protocol is an implementation that will be in the Windows networking stack, instead of the user-space. Using the TUN driver, Wintun, this protocol is said to improve speed and efficiency.
WireGuardNT’s Linux Beginning
WireGuardNT began as a direct port of the WireGuard’s Linux in-kernel implementation. This means, WireGuardNT ditches the user-space components but keeps the in-kernel components like the VPN’s setup for Linux. Per WireGuard creator Jason Donenfeld, “the NT codebase quickly diverged to fit well with native NTisms and NDIS APIs. The end result is a deeply integrated and highly performant implementation of WireGuard for the NT kernel, that makes use of the full gamut of NT kernel and NDIS capabilities.”
How to Test WireGuardNT for Yourself
Windows users are able to test WireGuardNT as it is available in the general version 0.4 Windows download of WireGuard. However, since WireGuardNT is considered experimental, users will have to manually opt-in by using the registry key “ExperimentalKernelDriver”. WireGuard plants to make WireGuardNT enabled by default in future Windows versions of the VPN.
Need More Information Before Choosing a VPN Protocol?
If you’re not fully comfortable with trying out an experimental VPN protocol on your Windows PC and want more information, we have you covered. Read our VPN Protocols Compared article for more information on WireGuard and other available VPN protocols. For our current choices for the top 5 VPN providers, read our article: Best VPN Providers of 2021.
