Setting up a wireguard server/peer is a whole pain in the ass

Feature Request
1

Hi there,

I’m always interested in technical gadgets. So I tried today to test the wireguard server on may TS-464 which is being offered with qnap vpn service 3.

The whole process is a pure pain in the ass. To “export” the public key you need to set up e. g. the mobile client you MUST copy the key to a file - transfer the file to the client in order to use. Guys thats - sorry for harsh wording - inaccaptable bullsh**. On Top the help page is to complicate.Non intuitive.

I. e. look on how AVM Fritz is doing this job

  1. Set up the wireguard server on router
  2. Setup all needed clients with the option to switch every time to allow or disallow a client on router
  3. DOWNLOAD the ready to use client config file from router
  4. Transfer the client config file to i. e. mobile device
  5. Open wireguard app and import the config file
  6. Thats it - ready to use immediately

My suggestion:

I want 100% same easy way to handle wireguard on my qnap nas.

Greetings

2

If your router can handle the Wireguard (WG) connection, then use that - that’s 100% better than using the QNAP. IMO, the VPN entry point should be at the router and not at a device on the network unless it’s really a dedicated VPN server.

I’ve never set up a WG connection on my QNAPs. I have a MicroTik router that handles all the WG traffic and with that I have to use a QR code or copy and paste the key. It’s not that bad.

Simply copy the public key, open a text messaging app on your computer, paste the key into a new message and send that message to yourself. Then on the mobile device copy and paste the key into the WG app.

Also, technically, with WG. there is no server and no client. It’s a peer to peer connection system.

3

Hi GhOsT51,

Thanks for the detailed feedback and the FRITZ!Box comparison — really appreciate you taking the time.

We’ve shared this internally with our product team for discussion.

Thanks again for caring enough to write this up.

CY Chen

4

The process of setting up WG on a Raspberry Pi was quite techie but straightforward as long as you follow the instructions carefully. It works and is reliable.

5

I usually do this of course. I’m only interested in checking out new things like the wireguard implementation now in qts.

And compared with the efforts a user have to get a wireguard vpn connection to run like in my case with a avm fritzbox router is the effort to do the same with a qnap nas like the real hell on earth. the router provides erverything at the end in a downloadable zip file which only needs to be loaded in the client app and it runs like a charme. Atm there is no reason to handle this by using the option by qts.

So complicate. Errors are being made is 100% for shure.

6

I doubt it - For example there is not written down in the official how to that you must set up the peer at the server configuration site.

On the other hand a configuration by hand from scratch for the client where you have to put in the public key of the server and vise versa the public key of the client in the peer list of the server manually gives so great options to mismatch.

Technically yes it works - but not to use the option to handle this by using a premade zip file is spoken in really friendly words complete ridiculously.

7

I’m speaking from personal experience. By following the various online guides (I didn’t have AI help when I installed it), I was able to get WireGuard installed on the RPi by following the step by step instructions. I used https://www.pivpn.io/ but there are lots of others.