What is NordLynx and how does it work?
The NordLynx protocol is an encryption system that can protect your privacy while you’re using a VPN. It’s a process that encrypts your user data while it’s traveling to and from the VPN server, so no one can intercept and view it while it’s in transit.
NordLynx is built around a protocol called WireGuard®, and it has two really great properties. One is its capacity to provide NordVPN app users with lighting-fast internet connection speeds, without compromising on encryption security. If you’ve ever wondered “What internet speed do I need and can I get it with a VPN?”, our NordLynx protocol may be the answer.
While connecting to VPN servers adds an extra step on your data’s journey, NordLynx should ensure that you won’t notice any perceptible slowdown on your end. Your data will travel rapidly to the NordVPN server and back, staying fully encrypted as it moves.
The other selling point is its simplicity; because the NordLynx code is much more streamlined than old VPN protocols, it’s really easy to troubleshoot and resolve technical issues. That means we’ll be able to continually maintain and improve your VPN service.
Benefits of NordLynx
- Thanks to NordLynx, we can offer one of the fastest VPNs in the industry.
- This VPN protocol is great for gaming online, because you don’t have to worry about buffering and lag.
- NordLynx is supported on multiple operating systems, including Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, and Linux. And remember that with just one NordVPN account, you can cover up to six devices.
- Its encryption is extremely strong, thanks to WireGuard’s security.
- NordLynx is very easy to use: it’s built directly into your NordVPN app.
The background
Offering a high-speed connection while maintaining top-notch online security is one of the biggest challenges for a VPN provider. What if there was something that could bring a radical change?
The emergence of WireGuard, a new VPN tunneling protocol, seemed like a breath of fresh air in the industry.
Modern, extremely fast, and insanely lean in its architecture, WireGuard uses state-of-the-art cryptography and is backed by thorough academic research. With this combo, it outshines the current leading VPN protocols – OpenVPN and IPSec. WireGuard consists of only 4000 lines of code, making it easy to deploy, audit, and find bugs. To compare: OpenVPN runs on 400,000 lines of code, meaning that WireGuard would make up only 1% of the massive OpenVPN’s architecture.
However, it’s not all as great as it sounds. The WireGuard protocol is still under heavy development, and it’s far from perfect. Yes, WireGuard can promise better connection speeds already, but its capabilities to keep users anonymous fall behind.
But an opportunity to offer a faster and more reliable VPN connection to our users was right there. And as a leading VPN provider, we took it as a challenge.
That’s how Project NordLynx came to life.
Project NordLynx
WireGuard alone can’t ensure complete privacy. Here’s why. It can’t dynamically assign IP addresses to everyone connected to a server. Therefore, the server must contain a local static IP table to know where internet packets are traveling from and to whom they should return. It means that the user’s identity must be stored on the server and linked to an internal IP address assigned by the VPN.
To put it less technically: by implementing the out-of-the-box WireGuard protocol in our service, we would have put your privacy at risk. And we would never do this.
So we had a puzzle to solve: how can we bring WireGuard’s benefits to our users while strengthening the wobbly privacy part?
How we made it work
We needed to find a way for the WireGuard protocol to work without posing a risk to our customers’ privacy.
And we found it. We developed something called a double NAT (Network Address Translation) system. This is the key to a secure connection.
To put it simply, the double NAT system creates two local network interfaces for each user. The first interface assigns a local IP address to all users connected to a server. Unlike in the original WireGuard protocol, each user gets the same IP address.
Once a VPN tunnel is established, the second network interface with a dynamic NAT system kicks in. The system assigns a unique IP address for each tunnel. This way, internet packets can travel between the user and their desired destination without getting mixed up.
The double NAT system allows us to establish a secure NordLynx connection without storing any identifiable data on a server. Dynamic local IP addresses remain assigned only while the session is active. Meanwhile, user authentication is done with the help of a secure external database. That means you can enjoy an excellent connection speed without compromising on your security and privacy.
How do I turn on NordLynx protocol?
You can enable NordLynx very easily. Follow these simple steps to turn on the NordLynx protocol on your NordVPN app.
- Open your NordVPN app, and make sure you’re signed in.
- Click the wheel icon in the top left corner of the screen.
- Click VPN protocol (in the Advanced section)
- Select NordLynx from the list of protocols available.
Follow these steps, and you’ll connect with NordLynx as your encryption protocol whenever you use a NordVPN service.
How can I disable NordLynx?
If you want to disable NordLynx, it will only take a few seconds; in fact, it’s almost the same as the NordLynx setup process. If you’ve already selected NordLynx as your protocol, open your NordVPN app and follow the steps from the previous section. When you get to Step 4, select a different protocol, and now that will be your default the next time you auto connect or manually select a server. It’s that simple to disable NordLynx!
Alternatively, you can pick the Use Recommended option, which will connect you with the best VPN protocol for your system and area.
Linux users, try NordLynx now
In fall 2018, we invited a small group of users to take our WireGuard implementation for a test drive as a part of a closed beta. Then, after months of further research, development, and testing, we went public with NordLynx – our solution for a fast, private and secure VPN connection. And we’re inviting every curious soul out there to try it!
