Q: Do I need root access? A: Yes. Install requires sudo/root.
Q: What Linux versions work? A: Ubuntu 22.04+, Debian 11+, Fedora 35+, or any systemd-based Linux.
Q: Can I use this on Windows/Mac? A: No, Linux only. Use native Psiphon app on other platforms.
Q: How much disk space?
A: ~50MB in /opt/psiphon-tun/
Q: What's the difference between reload and restart? A: Reload = quick, keeps kill switch. Restart = full rebuild, slower.
Q: How do I change the VPN region?
A: Edit /opt/psiphon-tun/psiphon/psiphon.config, set "EgressRegion": "US" (or CA, GB, AU, etc.)
Q: Can I use multiple tunnels for speed?
A: Yes, set "TunnelPoolSize": 2 or 3. Uses more CPU. Restart Psiphon after.
Q: Is obfuscation always needed? A: No, but it helps avoid detection. Keep enabled unless you have compatibility issues.
Q: Can I limit bandwidth? A: Yes, add to config:
"LimitDownstreamBytesPerSecond": 1000000,
"LimitUpstreamBytesPerSecond": 500000Q: How do I use the SOCKS proxy? A: Port 1081. In Firefox: Settings → Network → Proxy → SOCKS Host: 127.0.0.1:1081
Q: What's the HTTP proxy port? A: 8081. Use for browsers that don't support SOCKS.
Q: Can other apps use the VPN? A: Yes, they automatically route through the TUN interface. Or use SOCKS/HTTP proxy for specific apps.
Q: How do I check if VPN is working?
A: curl --interface PsiphonTUN https://ifconfig.me should show a different IP.
Q: Can I auto-start on boot?
A: Yes: sudo systemctl enable psiphon-tun
Q: VPN won't connect. What do I do? A: See Troubleshooting - No Internet Access
Q: Disconnects after 5 minutes. Why?
A: Probably timeout too short. Change "EstablishTunnelTimeoutSeconds": 300 in config.
Q: Can I use WARP with Psiphon? A: Psiphon → WARP chain is possible but not recommended. Focus on Psiphon alone.
Q: Why is connection slow? A: Try different region, reduce tunnels, or disable obfuscation (less secure).
Q: What is the kill switch? A: Firewall rule that blocks ALL traffic if VPN disconnects. Always on for safety.
Q: Is DNS leaking?
A: Run: sudo ./Psiphon-Linux-VPN-Service-Setup.sh diagnose and check "DNS Leak Detection"
Q: Can it be disabled? A: Kill switch? No - it's a security feature. VPN can be stopped to disable it.
Q: Is IPv6 supported? A: Yes, automatically. Setup takes 10-30 seconds.
Q: Can I trust this? A: Code is open source. Psiphon Labs is reputable. Check GitHub for details.
Q: Service says it's running but no internet.
A: Wait 15 seconds for tunnel to establish. Then: sudo systemctl reload psiphon-tun
Q: Logs show errors. What now? A: See Troubleshooting or post error in GitHub Issues.
Q: How do I reset everything?
A: sudo ./Psiphon-Linux-VPN-Service-Setup.sh uninstall then install
Q: How do I uninstall?
A: sudo ./Psiphon-Linux-VPN-Service-Setup.sh uninstall
Q: Stuck? What's the nuclear option? A: Full reset:
sudo ./Psiphon-Linux-VPN-Service-Setup.sh uninstall
sleep 5
sudo ./Psiphon-Linux-VPN-Service-Setup.sh installQ: How do I make it faster?
A: Try "EstablishTunnelTimeoutSeconds": 60 and "TunnelPoolSize": 2
Q: How do I make it more stable?
A: Use "EstablishTunnelTimeoutSeconds": 600 and "TunnelPoolSize": 1
Q: What if it's using too much CPU?
A: Reduce "TunnelPoolSize" to 1 and/or restart: sudo systemctl restart psiphon-tun
Q: Can I see how much bandwidth it uses?
A: Check process: ps aux | grep psiphon-tunnel-core
Q: Can I run multiple instances? A: Not recommended. One VPN is enough.
Q: Can I edit the firewall rules? A: Advanced only. Rules are auto-generated. Edit at your own risk.
Q: Can I use with other VPNs? A: Only as a chain (Psiphon → other VPN). Not recommended.
Q: Where are the logs? A:
- Systemd:
sudo journalctl -u psiphon-tun -f - Script logs:
/opt/psiphon-tun/psiphon-tun.log - Psiphon logs:
/opt/psiphon-tun/psiphon-core.log
- Commands Reference - All commands
- Troubleshooting - Fix problems
- Configuration - Change settings
- Usage & Commands - How to use