Debian 12 Wireguard Client Connection to Fritzbox 7530 VPN Router/Server: How to Force Local Internet Connection

Title: Force Local Internet Connection on Debian 12 Wireguard Client using Fritzbox 7530 VPN Router/Server

Introduction:

This article aims to guide users on how to force a Debian 12 Wireguard client to use a local internet connection rather than passing through a VPN. We will be using a Fritzbox 7530 VPN router/server for this purpose.

Prerequisites:

• Debian 12 installed and configured
• Fritzbox 7530 VPN router/server set up
• Basic understanding of Wireguard and networking

Steps:

1. Configure Fritzbox 7530 VPN Router/Server:

   • Log into your Fritzbox 7530 web interface.
   • Navigate to the VPN section and create a new Wireguard server configuration.
   • Fill in the necessary details such as the IP address, private key, and listening port.
   • Save and apply the changes.

2. Install Wireguard on Debian 12:

   • Open a terminal and update your system:

     sudo apt update
     sudo apt upgrade
     

   • Install Wireguard:

     sudo apt install wireguard
     

3. Generate Wireguard Private and Public Keys:

   • Generate a private key for the Debian 12 client:

     wg genkey | tee /etc/wireguard/privatekey
     

   • Copy the public key to the Fritzbox 7530 VPN server:

     cat /etc/wireguard/privatekey | ssh fritzbox_ip 'sudo tee -a /etc/wireguard/wg0.conf << EOF
     ...
     [Peer]
     PublicKey = YOUR_PUBLIC_KEY_HERE
     Endpoint = fritzbox_ip:LISTENING_PORT
     ...
     EOF
     

4. Configure Wireguard on Debian 12:

   • Create a configuration file for the client:

     sudo nano /etc/wireguard/wg0.conf
     

   • Add the following details:

     [Interface]
     Address = YOUR_CLIENT_IP/32
     PrivateKey = YOUR_PRIVATE_KEY_HERE
     ListenPort = 51820
     
     [Peer]
     PublicKey = FRIZBOX_PUBLIC_KEY_HERE
     Endpoint = FRIZBOX_IP:LISTENING_PORT
     AllowedIPs = 0.0.0.0/0
     PersistentKeepalive = 25
     

   • Replace YOUR_CLIENT_IP, YOUR_PRIVATE_KEY_HERE, FRIZBOX_PUBLIC_KEY_HERE, FRIZBOX_IP, and LISTENING_PORT with your respective values.

5. Start and Enable Wireguard:

   • Start the Wireguard service:

     sudo systemctl start wg-quick@wg0
     

   • Enable the Wireguard service to start at boot:

     sudo systemctl enable wg-quick@wg0
     

6. Test the Connection:

   • Check the Wireguard interface status:

     sudo wg show
     

   • If everything is set up correctly, you should see the interface up and running.

Conclusion:

By following these steps, you can force a Debian 12 Wireguard client to use a local internet connection via a Fritzbox 7530 VPN router/server. This setup allows you to bypass the VPN for specific tasks while still maintaining the VPN connection for secure internet browsing.

References:

• Books:

  • "WireGuard: The Complete Guide" by Daniel Micay

• Articles:

  • WireGuard: The Simplest VPN You've Ever Seen
  • Setting up WireGuard on Debian 10

• Online Resources:

  • WireGuard Documentation
  • Fritzbox 7530 Manual