Author: Jamie Cambell

In August 2018, NordVPN finally launched their native NordVPN Linux app. This now makes it easier than ever to install the top-tier NordVPN app on your Linux-based machine, regardless of whether you are using Ubuntu, Debian, or another distro.

Prior to this, those who wanted to install NordVPN on Linux had to go through a roundabout process of configuring NordVPN and OpenVPN independently. For those who aren’t particularly tech savvy—although most Linux users are quite tech savvy—this was an irritating and time-consuming process.

Now, it is easier than ever to get NordVPN on Linux with just a few clicks of a mouse and some command lines.

Installing NordVPN On Linux

For the best experience, it is recommended that you download NordVPN’s native app on your Linux device(s). With it, you will have access to the full suite of NordVPN features including CyberSec, an automatic kill switch, and the ability to switch servers and locations at will.

As a Linux user, you will probably know that installations are a little more involved, and NordVPN’s installation is no different.

Here’s how you do it.

1. Visit NordVPN and download the app from their downloads page

Alternatively, you can click this link for a direct download.

2. Open your Linux terminal and install the NordVPN repo:

Run the following command:

sudo apt-get install {/path/to/}nordvpn-release_1.0.0_all.deb

When you do this, you will be asked to enter your machine’s root password. Once you have done this, wait for the package installation to finish and then update it.

3. Update the package list

You do this by running the command:

sudo apt-get update

4. Finally, install NordVPN and authenticate

Run the command:

sudo apt-get install nordvpn

and then log in to your NordVPN account using your authentication details—email address and password.

To connect to a NordVPN server, simply type:

nordvpn connect

in your Linux terminal.

Accessing NordVPN On Linux Settings

Because NordVPN on Linux is entirely terminal based (there is no graphical interface), you must run commands to access settings and other features.

Simply type nordvpn in your terminalto access NordVPN’s client settings. You can then run a whole range of different commands.

NordVPN On Linux Commands

This is the full list of commands available for NordVPN on Linux.


nordvpn login
nordvpn logout
nordvpn help---see the list of commands
nordvpn settings---view your current settings
nordvpn status---view current connection information
nordvpn countries---see the list of available countries
nordvpn cities---see the list of available cities
nordvpn groups---see a list of available server groups
nordvpn c---connect to a random NordVPN server
nordvpn c <server number>---connect to a chosen NordVPN server
nordvpn d---disconnect from NordVPN
nordvpn s---set a configuration
nordvpn s cybersec on/off
nordvpn s killswitch on/off
nordvpn s autoconnect on/off
nordvpn s protocol tcp/udp
nordvpn s obfuscate on/off
nordvpn whitelist add port 22---open incoming port 22
nordvpn whitelist remove port 22---close incoming port 22


Why Use NordVPN With Linux?

NordVPN provides a line of defense between you and the internet. We have written extensively on this topic and we highly recommend reading our comprehensive NordVPN review to find out not only how you can use NordVPN on Linux (and any other device or OS for that matter), but why NordVPN is the best choice.

As hackers get smarter, governments step up their monitoring, and attacks become harder to spot, having a VPN is no longer an option—it’s a necessity. You need to be using one for all your internet activities, especially on public networks if you value your privacy.

NordVPN and torrenting are two things that go together perfectly.

In fact, any good VPN service is suitable, and necessary, for torrenting and other P2P activities, however, it is NordVPN that comes out on top (more on why later) of them all.

Do I Need a VPN for Torrenting?

If you regularly participate in torrenting or other peer-to-peer activities then you need to have a VPN behind you, and a good one at that.

Just like it is very easy to fire up torrenting software such as uTorrent and begin downloading video games, movies, TV shows, and music, it is very easy to get caught doing this.

After all, most cases of torrenting copyrighted media result in copyright violations and license holders can and chase people down to fine them.

Not only that, by not using a VPN you leave yourself, your identity, IP address, and data open to be intercepted and snooped upon by other third parties. In addition to license holders, these can include malicious hackers, government agencies, and law enforcement bodies.

How Torrenting Works

Torrenting relies on peer-to-peer networking. This is where multiple devices, usually PCs and laptops, are connected and share their resources with one another without having to go through a separate network or server, e.g. a website’s servers.

This is necessary because copyright holders quickly shut down websites that host pirated content.

A peer-to-peer network also hosts the files publically for all and therefore facilitates the distribution effort.

Law enforcement bodies will logically go after the individuals who are part of the peer-to-peer network who have not protected themselves with a VPN.

How a VPN protects you

When you are connected to a reliable VPN network—for example, NordVPN—your IP address, identity, and internet activities are encrypted and transmitted through one of the service’s secure VPN tunnels. This prevents third-parties, malicious or otherwise, from seeing who you are and what you are doing.

By encrypting your traffic and hiding your identity, hackers cannot compromise you, and nobody can see that you are participating in torrenting activities.

What Makes NordVPN the Best VPN for Torrenting?

It is very easy to say X VPN is the best for torrenting, however, there are a bunch of reasons NordVPN truly is the best. Here are three of them.

1. A vast and fast server network

With over 5,000 servers in over 60 locations, NordVPN boasts the world’s biggest VPN server network. In addition, all their servers are lightning-fast and don’t hinder your download speeds. This is very important for torrenting, something that is a data-heavy task that can be marred by slow internet speeds.

2. A proven zero-logs policy

NordVPN logs nothing about you or your usage activities. This means that they have nothing to hand over to the authorities in the virtually impossible situation—NordVPN is located in Panama, a country beyond the reach of Western governments—where they were legally compelled to. This zero-logs policy has been proven by an external PwC audit.

3. No IP or DNS leaks

In our comprehensive testing of NordVPN, we found that none of their servers “leaked” information such as our IP address or DNS traffic outside of the VPN tunnel.

Setting Up NordVPN for Torrenting

If you are wanting to give NordVPN a try for yourself and see that it truly is the best service for torrenting, here’s how you can set it up yourself. First of all, you will need to download and install NordVPN.

1. Purchase a NordVPN subscription

Before you can download, install, and use NordVPN, you need to purchase a subscription. While this may sound off-putting—it’s totally understandable that you want to try before you buy—NordVPN offers a 30-day money-back guarantee on all their plans.

If you aren’t satisfied after you have tested the service out, you can simply ask for a refund with no questions asked.

After purchasing a subscription, you will need to activate your account via email.

2. Download and install NordVPN from the UCP

In this example, we are using Windows. The .exe file only takes a couple of seconds to download (even with slow internet speeds!). Once it has, simply click on the .exe file to begin the installation process.

Then click install.

After the installation process—something that only lasts a few minutes tops—NordVPN will launch and you will be prompted to authenticate. Use the email address and password you signed up with.

Once you have logged in, you will see the main NordVPN screen.

3. Connect to a server

You can do this either by clicking “Quick Connect”, one of the pins hovering above a country or by using the left-hand server list. When connected, you will be good to go and protected while torrenting.

For extra privacy and security, we recommend setting up a SOCKS5 proxy with your P2P client, though.

Setting Up SOCKS5 for Torrenting

SOCKS5 is an internet protocol that routes packets between a server and client using a proxy server. In layman’s terms, your data is routed through a proxy server that generates a random IP address before reaching you reach your final destination.

The primary advantages of using SOCKS5 are:

• Better performance with torrenting and P2P activity when compared to other proxies;
• The ability to easily bypass geoblocking, firewalls, and censorship;
• Enhanced security and encryption;
• It works with all types of traffic, not just internet (HTTP) traffic; and
• It is reliable and more efficient as it uses both UDP and TCP.

You can use any NordVPN P2P server even with SOCKS5 configured, you don’t have to use the same one all the time.

SOCKS5 with uTorrent

Launch uTorrent and head to “Options > Preferences”.

This will open a new window.

Click “Connection”. Set the “Type” to “Socks5” and then in the “Proxy” box type in a NordVPN server address that allows torrent traffic. You can put in the address of any server that says “P2P” under it. In the “Port” box type “1080”.

Finally, check all the boxes aside from “Randomize port each start” and “Add Windows Firewall exception” as above. Enter your NordVPN username and password in the “Username” and “Password” fields.

Press ‘OK’ and you are done.

SOCKS5 with BitTorrent

Fire up BitTorrent and head to “Options > Preferences“.

A new window will open.

Click “Connection”. Set the “Type” to “Socks5” and then in the “Proxy” box type in a NordVPN server address that allows torrent traffic. You can put in the address of any server that says “P2P” under it. In the “Port” box type “1080”.

This time uncheck all the boxes aside from “Enable UPnP port mapping” and “Enable NAT-PMP port mapping” and put your NordVPN username and password in the “Username” and “Password” boxes.

Press “OK”.

That’s it—BitTorrent is now good to go with SOCKS5 and NordVPN.

NordVPN P2P Servers

While the above is all you need to do to successfully use NordVPN while torrenting, there is something else that deserves a mention—NordVPN’s P2P Servers. It is these, among other specialist servers, that makes NordVPN not only the best VPN for torrenting but the best VPN all-round.

These P2P servers are dedicated and optimized for the sole purpose of torrenting and other peer-to-peer activities. This has been done to:

1. prevent other servers on the NordVPN network being hindered by torrenting activity; and
2. ensure that users who do participate in torrenting get a consistently reliable experience.

Only P2P servers can be used for torrenting with NordVPN.

If you try to participate in any P2P activity outside of these specialized P2P servers, NordVPN will automatically reroute your traffic through one of their P2P servers located in Canada or The Netherlands.

To connect to one of the P2P servers, simply click “P2P” in the left-hand column to connect to the most optimum one for you. If you want to choose, however, just hover over “P2P” and click the three dots (. . .) that appear.

Torrent Safely

If you are somebody who regularly torrents or carries out any other sort of peer-to-peer activity and you don’t use a VPN, you need to stop this right away!

Right here, right now, you should download NordVPN and begin using it not only while torrenting but at all times. In today’s uncertain digital world, using a VPN is becoming more and more commonplace. By not using one, you leave yourself vulnerable.

As we mentioned above, you can try out NordVPN risk-free for 30 days thanks to their 30-day money-back guarantee.

Sign Up Here

Apple TV is a pretty sweet device… that is if you are based in the US (access to the best content library) and have other Apple devices. Unfortunately, Apple TV suffers the same fate as other streaming services and tools such as Netflix and Hulu—content is geoblocked meaning you can only stream content from the library where you are physically located.

NordVPN, one of the best VPNs on the market, can solve this problem for you just like it does with other services.

Why Should I Use NordVPN with Apple TV?

Using NordVPN, you can spoof your location and make it look like you are physically located in over 60 different places. By doing this, you can trick Apple TV into giving you access to content you otherwise wouldn’t be able to view—this is great news for customers outside the US in particular.

In addition to this, using a VPN with Apple TV has several other benefits.

For instance, all traffic flowing into and out of your Apple TV device will be encrypted. This prevents third-parties and prying eyes from eavesdropping on what you are doing, such as your ISP who might see that you are streaming lots of content and then slow down (throttle) your connection.

Installing NordVPN on Apple TV

While NordVPN has native apps for several devices, Apple TV is not one of them. Furthermore, Apple TV devices cannot run NordVPN nor do they support OpenVPN.

This means using NordVPN with your Apple TV device is a little more involved than simply downloading an app. This is soon set to change though, so watch this space!

Right now, you can only use NordVPN with your Apple TV device by installing it on your router. By doing this, every single device on your home’s network will be secured by NordVPN and their traffic will all go to the same NordVPN server.

We recommend reading our article on installing VPN on a router.

If you’re here for a step-by-step guide specifically for NordVPN and (Asus) router, keep reading:

1. Go to your router’s control panel

You should be able to get here by typing 192.168.1.1 into your address bar. This is the default on Asus routers (what we are using) and most other ones, too.

By default, the username and password should both be “admin”.

2. Click ‘VPN’ in the dashboard

Then click ‘VPN Client’ on the screen that comes after.

3. Create a new OpenVPN profile

Do this by clicking ‘Add profile’ towards the bottom of your browser.

Then select the tab that says ‘OpenVPN’ and fill out the details:

• Description: Your choice.
• Username: Your NordVPN email address
• Password: Your password
• Import .ovpn file: This is in the next step.

4. Download the NordVPN server (.ovpn) file you want to use

Since you are manually setting up NordVPN and there is no app for router installation, you need to manually create a profile for the server you want to use. This is done with OpenVPN (.ovpn) files.

As a starting point, visit the NordVPN server recommendation page. This will tell you what your most optimum server is, however, you can choose different ones from the dropdown menu.

When you have settled on a server, click ‘Show available protocols’ and then download the OpenVPN UDP (faster than TCP) file by clicking ‘Download config file’.

5. Upload the OpenVPN file

Go back to your router’s control panel and upload the OpenVPN file you just downloaded. It goes in the same place as your username and password did.

Then click ‘Upload’ and ‘OK’.

6. Set up the NordVPN DNS servers

To do this, click ‘WAN’ (in the same menu where you found ‘VPN’), check ‘No’ next to “Connect to DNS server automatically” and enter this DNS information:

DNS Server 1: 103.86.96.100

DNS Server 2: 103.86.99.100

Then click ‘Apply’.

7. Activate the profile you just made

Exit ‘WAN’ and go back to ‘VPN’. If all is well, you will see the profile that you’ve just made. To set things in motion, simply click ‘Activate’.

If everything is working, ‘Connection Status’ will show a blue checkmark. To disconnect from the NordVPN server, click ‘Deactivate’.

8. Check it’s all working

You can double check that everything is working by visiting the NordVPN website and looking at the status bar at the top of your browser.

If you see “Protected” it means you are connected to NordVPN and you can start accessing geoblocked content with Apple TV.

Want to Find Out More?

If you would like to learn more about routers including which routers are best and what the difference between them is, check out our full-length guides:

• Best VPN for Routers
• Best VPN Routers

Sometimes, things just break… especially with computers and tech.

All of a sudden, something that was working perfectly no longer wants to play ball. It’s frustrating and stressful but there’s almost always a fix if you are patient and do your research.

VPNs are no exception to this, even the very best ones like NordVPN! The complicated nature of VPN services means that sometimes issues can arise that cause all sorts of problems, from constant crashing to connectivity issues.

Here are three of the most common NordVPN issues that Windows users have and how you can fix them.

Issue #1 – Your NordVPN Account Is Not Active

By far, the most common NordVPN issue is an account that hasn’t been activated. If you want to use the NordVPN service, you must activate your account via email. When you register, you get sent an activation link—don’t ignore this!

You will still be able to log in to the app with an inactive account, but you won’t be able to connect to anything.

The Fix: Check the status of your NordVPN account

Head on over to nordvpn.com, log in, and navigate to ‘My Account’. From there, you can check the status of your account.

If you do not see the green ‘Active’ box it means your account (and subscription) has not been activated via email. If this is the case, there will be a button you can press to have an activation email re-sent to you.

Once you’ve activated your account through email, you will be able to use NordVPN.

Oh, and make sure you have the latest version of NordVPN.

Issue #2 – Unable to Connect to Servers with an Active Account

This is a problem we had once upon a time—NordVPN simply would not connect to any of their servers. We would choose one, it’d start connecting, and then it would just drop.

Caused by Windows networking problems, this can be fixed by resetting winsock.

The Fix: Launch command prompt as an administrator

You can do this by pressing the START key and then typing “cmd”. Right-click the “Command Prompt” app and then press “Run as administrator”.

Type in “netsh winsock reset catalog” and press ENTER.

Then type in “netsh int ipv4 reset reset.log” and press ENTER.

Then type in “netsh int ipv6 reset reset.log” and press ENTER.

Restart your computer and this problem will be fixed.

Issue #3 – TAP Driver Error

OpenVPN uses the TUN/TAP driver to pass and receive data packets from your operating system’s network stack. The TAP driver itself is a virtual Ethernet network device. If OpenVPN cannot communicate with the TAP driver, NordVPN will not work since this is the tunneling protocol it uses. Usually, restarting the TAP driver will fix this problem.

1. Close down NordVPN

In the system tray, right-click the NordVPN icon and press ‘Quit App’.

2. Restart your TAP drivers

Navigate to Control Panel > Network and Sharing Center > Change Adapter Settings.

One of the local area connections will say “TAP-NordVPN Windows Adapter v9” underneath it. Right-click it, select ‘Disable’ before right-clicking again and selecting ‘Enable’.

The TAP driver error should now be fixed, and you can connect to NordVPN as normal.

Got Another Problem?

These are three common problems that NordVPN users face.

If you have another issue that isn’t listed here or these solutions didn’t work for you, reach out to NordVPN’s 24/7 customer support team and they will be able to provide you with further assistance.