---
title: "NymVPN CLI: Run NymVPN from the Command Line"
description: "Install and run NymVPN from the terminal on Linux, macOS, and Windows. Requires Rust and Go. Includes mnemonic generation and testnet configuration."
schemaType: "HowTo"
section: "Developers"
lastUpdated: "2026-02-11"
---
import { Callout } from 'nextra/components'
# Nym VPN CLI
This is a short guide to setting up and using the `nym-vpnc` tool, which is used in conjunction with the `nym-vpnd` daemon.
These binaries have superceded the older `nym-vpn-cli` binary. This still operates for the moment as it is being used in testing scenarios but will go out of date quickly.
Download and run instructions for the GUIs can be found [here](https://nymvpn.com/en/download/linux).
## Download & Extract Binary
Check the [release page](https://github.com/nymtech/nym-vpn-client/releases/) page for the latest release version and modify the instructions accordingly. These instructions use the latest as of the time of writing.
```sh
wget -q https://github.com/nymtech/nym-vpn-client/releases/download/nym-vpn-core-v1.1.0-beta.3/nym-vpn-core-v1.1.0-beta.3_.tar.gz &&
tar -xzf nym-vpn-core-v1.1.0-beta.3_.tar.gz &&
cd nym-vpn-core-v1.1.0-beta.3_/ &&
chmod u+x *
```
## Build from Source
### Prerequisites
All operating systems require both [Rust](https://www.rust-lang.org/tools/install) and [Go](https://go.dev/doc/install).
**Arch specific packages:**
```sh
yay -S gcc make protobuf base-devel clang
```
**Ubuntu24 specific packages:**
```sh
apt install gcc make protobuf-compiler pkconfig libdbus-1-dev build-essential clang
```
Older Debian/Ubuntu versions need to manually install `protobuf-compiler` >= v3.21.12
### Clone & `make`
```sh
git clone https://github.com/nymtech/nym-vpn-client.git
cd nym-vpn-client/
make
```
## Mnemonic Generation
Head to the mnemonic generator at [https://nym.com/account/create](https://nym.com/account/create) and obtain a mnemonic.
## Start the daemon
```sh
sudo ./PATH/TO/nym-vpnd
```
If you are running for the first time you will see the following:
```sh
2024-12-11T11:03:58.202159Z INFO nym_vpnd::environment: Setting up environment by discovering the network: mainnet
2024-12-11T11:03:58.202205Z INFO nym_vpn_network_config::discovery: No discovery file found, writing default discovery file
2024-12-11T11:03:59.905505Z INFO nym_vpnd::command_interface::start: Starting command interface
2024-12-11T11:03:59.905660Z INFO nym_vpnd::service::vpn_service: Starting VPN service
2024-12-11T11:03:59.905879Z INFO nym_vpnd::command_interface::start: Starting socket listener on: /var/run/nym-vpn.sock
2024-12-11T11:03:59.906227Z INFO nym_vpn_account_controller::controller: Starting account controller
2024-12-11T11:03:59.906285Z INFO nym_vpn_account_controller::controller: Account controller: data directory: "/var/lib/nym-vpnd/mainnet"
2024-12-11T11:03:59.906313Z INFO nym_vpn_account_controller::controller: Account controller: credential mode: false
2024-12-11T11:03:59.913215Z INFO nym_vpnd::command_interface::listener: Removed previous command interface socket: "/var/run/nym-vpn.sock"
2024-12-11T11:03:59.977206Z INFO nym_vpnd::service::vpn_service: VPN service initialized successfully
2024-12-11T11:03:59.979246Z INFO nym_vpn_account_controller::controller: Account id: (unset)
2024-12-11T11:03:59.979265Z INFO nym_vpn_account_controller::controller: Device id: BZWA5MRnEvRYD8WWrH9KULdj2Q1uTssu6idjgWFae9dv
2024-12-11T11:03:59.979762Z INFO nym_vpn_account_controller::storage: Ticketbooks stored: 0
2024-12-11T11:03:59.982125Z INFO nym_vpn_account_controller::controller: Received command: UpdateAccountState
2024-12-11T11:03:59.982181Z INFO nym_vpn_account_controller::shared_state: Setting mnemonic state to NotStored
2024-12-11T11:03:59.982200Z WARN nym_vpn_account_controller::commands: Returning error: NoAccountStored
2024-12-11T11:03:59.982218Z INFO nym_vpn_account_controller::controller: Received command: UpdateDeviceState
2024-12-11T11:03:59.982230Z INFO nym_vpn_account_controller::shared_state: Setting mnemonic state to NotStored
2024-12-11T11:03:59.982240Z WARN nym_vpn_account_controller::commands: Returning error: NoAccountStored
```
Ignore the `NoAccountStored` errors: these will disappear after the next step. **Leave the daemon running and run the following commands in another terminal window** or create an init file for `nym-vpnd`.
## Run VPN
We have to first store the account we have created online:
```sh
./PATH/TO/nym-vpnc store-account --mnemonic ""
```
You will see this registration in the daemon logs:
```sh
2024-12-11T11:04:31.918455Z INFO grpc_vpnd: ← StoreAccount ()
2024-12-11T11:04:31.919296Z INFO nym_vpnd::service::vpn_service: Storing account
2024-12-11T11:04:31.919531Z INFO nym_vpn_store::mnemonic::on_disk: Storing mnemonic to: /var/lib/nym-vpnd/mainnet/mnemonic.json
2024-12-11T11:04:31.920327Z INFO nym_vpn_account_controller::controller: Received command: UpdateAccountState
2024-12-11T11:04:31.950720Z INFO nym_vpn_account_controller::shared_state: Setting mnemonic state to Stored { id: "n1nghj6qnmfww22tq6wyntnf709lr90qjem0uezz" }
2024-12-11T11:04:34.616249Z INFO nym_vpn_account_controller::shared_state: Setting account to Registered
2024-12-11T11:04:34.616363Z INFO nym_vpn_account_controller::shared_state: Setting account summary to AccountSummary { account: Active, subscription: Active, device_summary: DeviceSummary { active: 0, max: 10, remaining: 10 }, fair_usage: FairUsage { used_gb: None, limit_gb: None, resets_on_utc: Some("2025-01-09 15:43:37.223Z") } }
2024-12-11T11:04:34.981875Z INFO nym_vpn_account_controller::controller: Received command: RegisterDevice
2024-12-11T11:04:35.008575Z INFO register_device: nym_vpn_account_controller::shared_state: Setting device registration result to InProgress id=09876a3a
2024-12-11T11:04:35.008611Z INFO register_device: nym_vpn_account_controller::commands::register_device: Registering device: Device { identity_key: BZWA5MRnEvRYD8WWrH9KULdj2Q1uTssu6idjgWFae9dv } id=09876a3a
2024-12-11T11:04:36.765850Z INFO register_device: nym_vpn_account_controller::commands::register_device: Response: NymVpnDevice {
created_on_utc: "2024-12-11 11:04:36.432Z",
last_updated_utc: "2024-12-11 11:04:36.432Z",
device_identity_key: "BZWA5MRnEvRYD8WWrH9KULdj2Q1uTssu6idjgWFae9dv",
status: Active,
} id=09876a3a
2024-12-11T11:04:36.765998Z INFO register_device: nym_vpn_account_controller::commands::register_device: Device registered: BZWA5MRnEvRYD8WWrH9KULdj2Q1uTssu6idjgWFae9dv id=09876a3a
```
You can then connect `nym-vpnc` (in this case, with 2 hop wireguard mode enabled):
```sh
./PATH/TO/nym-vpnc connect --enable-two-hop
```
Which shows as such in the daemon logs:
```sh
2024-12-11T11:05:25.727784Z INFO grpc_vpnd: ← VpnConnect ()
2024-12-11T11:05:25.728107Z INFO grpc_vpnd: nym_vpnd::command_interface::listener: Got connect request: Request { metadata: MetadataMap { headers: {"te": "trailers", "content-type": "application/grpc", "user-agent": "tonic/0.11.0"} }, message: ConnectRequest { entry: None, exit: None, dns: None, disable_routing: false, enable_two_hop: true, netstack: false, disable_poisson_rate: false, disable_background_cover_traffic: false, enable_credentials_mode: false, user_agent: Some(UserAgent { application: "nym-vpnc", version: "1.1.0-beta.3 (1.1.0-beta.3)", platform: "Manjaro Linux; Linux 24.2.0 Manjaro Linux; x86_64", git_commit: "59c0714f1dac1a2d8bf77f3d2705a5c9bb57a5be (59c0714f1dac1a2d8bf77f3d2705a5c9bb57a5be)" }), min_mixnode_performance: None, min_gateway_mixnet_performance: None, min_gateway_vpn_performance: None }, extensions: Extensions }
2024-12-11T11:05:25.728225Z INFO grpc_vpnd: nym_vpnd::command_interface::connection_handler: Starting VPN
2024-12-11T11:05:25.728430Z INFO nym_vpnd::service::vpn_service: Using entry point: None
2024-12-11T11:05:25.728450Z INFO nym_vpnd::service::vpn_service: Using exit point: None
2024-12-11T11:05:25.728468Z INFO nym_vpnd::service::vpn_service: Using options: ConnectOptions { dns: None, disable_routing: false, enable_two_hop: true, netstack: false, disable_poisson_rate: false, disable_background_cover_traffic: true, enable_credentials_mode: false, min_mixnode_performance: None, min_gateway_mixnet_performance: None, min_gateway_vpn_performance: None }
2024-12-11T11:05:25.729112Z INFO nym_vpnd::service::config: Config file updated at "/etc/nym/mainnet/nym-vpnd.toml"
2024-12-11T11:05:25.729161Z INFO nym_vpnd::service::vpn_service: Using config: entry point: Random, exit point: Random
2024-12-11T11:05:25.729611Z INFO nym_vpnd::service::vpn_service: Tunnel event: Connecting
2024-12-11T11:05:25.730108Z INFO nym_gateway_directory::gateway_client: Fetching gateways from nym-vpn-api...
2024-12-11T11:05:26.387699Z INFO nym_vpn_lib::tunnel_state_machine::tunnel::gateway_selector: Found 113 entry gateways
2024-12-11T11:05:26.387744Z INFO nym_vpn_lib::tunnel_state_machine::tunnel::gateway_selector: Found 113 exit gateways
2024-12-11T11:05:26.387752Z INFO nym_gateway_directory::entries::exit_point: Selecting a random exit gateway
2024-12-11T11:05:26.387794Z INFO nym_vpn_lib::tunnel_state_machine::tunnel::gateway_selector: Using entry gateway: CcYinhLeFU8n6xs78FG6Rz3wvosGTCU2hLB1CZyfkMVe, location: IN, performance: 96%
2024-12-11T11:05:26.387814Z INFO nym_vpn_lib::tunnel_state_machine::tunnel::gateway_se
lector: Using exit gateway: Atcji22Wnfwi6nEkGC5BmgbqNPLYdhx5r4NxTqXAzFeq, location: GB, performance: 99%
2024-12-11T11:05:26.387852Z INFO nym_vpn_lib::tunnel_state_machine::tunnel::gateway_selector: Using exit router address 3MJSnmUeH54a7DJ8C4C8oZPkCjtENSfwcMLJ39zUk9Ys.59h9HKGTM4MPXVJRDfaJYFg1aoAdeBGjLHMFxQ6fBsfF@Atcji22Wnfwi6nEkGC5BmgbqNPLYdhx5r4NxTqXAzFeq
2024-12-11T11:05:26.388144Z INFO nym_vpn_lib::mixnet::connect: mixnet client poisson rate limiting: disabled
2024-12-11T11:05:26.388154Z INFO nym_vpn_lib::mixnet::connect: mixnet client background loop cover traffic stream: disabled
2024-12-11T11:05:26.388158Z INFO nym_vpn_lib::mixnet::connect: mixnet client minimum mixnode performance: 50
2024-12-11T11:05:26.388163Z INFO nym_vpn_lib::mixnet::connect: mixnet client minimum gateway performance: 50
2024-12-11T11:05:26.388434Z INFO nym_client_core::client::base_client::non_wasm_helpers: loading existing surb database
2024-12-11T11:05:26.391135Z INFO nym_client_core_surb_storage::backend::fs_backend::manager: Database migration finished!
2024-12-11T11:05:26.503966Z INFO nym_client_core::init::helpers: nym-api reports 195 valid gateways
2024-12-11T11:05:27.888231Z INFO nym_client_core::client::base_client: Starting nym client
2024-12-11T11:05:27.894924Z INFO nym_client_core::client::base_client: Starting statistics control...
2024-12-11T11:05:27.895105Z INFO nym_client_core::client::base_client: Obtaining initial network topology
2024-12-11T11:05:28.047235Z INFO nym_client_core::client::base_client: Starting topology refresher...
2024-12-11T11:05:29.024114Z INFO perform_initial_authentication: nym_gateway_client::bandwidth: remaining bandwidth: 0.00 B gateway=CcYinhLeFU8n6xs78FG6Rz3wvosGTCU2hLB1CZyfkMVe gateway_address=wss://gateway4.lunardao.net:9001/
2024-12-11T11:05:29.024375Z INFO nym_gateway_client::client: Claiming more bandwidth with existing credentials. Stop the process now if you don't want that to happen.
2024-12-11T11:05:29.024413Z WARN nym_gateway_client::client: Not enough bandwidth. Trying to get more bandwidth, this might take a while
2024-12-11T11:05:29.024430Z INFO nym_gateway_client::client: The client is running in disabled credentials mode - attempting to claim bandwidth without a credential
2024-12-11T11:05:29.171514Z INFO nym_gateway_client::client: managed to claim testnet bandwidth
2024-12-11T11:05:29.175555Z INFO nym_client_core::client::base_client: Starting received messages buffer controller...
2024-12-11T11:05:29.175648Z INFO nym_client_core::client::base_client: Starting mix traffic controller...
2024-12-11T11:05:29.175698Z INFO nym_client_core::client::base_client: Starting real traffic stream...
2024-12-11T11:05:29.176182Z INFO nym_task::manager: Starting status message listener
2024-12-11T11:05:29.189388Z INFO nym_vpn_lib::bandwidth_controller: Registering with wireguard gateway
2024-12-11T11:05:29.189449Z INFO nym_gateway_directory::gateway_client: Fetching gateway ip from nym-vpn-api...
2024-12-11T11:05:32.373749Z INFO nym_vpn_lib::bandwidth_controller: Registering with wireguard gateway
2024-12-11T11:05:32.373860Z INFO nym_gateway_directory::gateway_client: Fetching gateway ip from nym-vpn-api...
2024-12-11T11:05:36.675679Z INFO nym_vpn_lib::tunnel_state_machine::tunnel_monitor: Created entry tun device: tun0
2024-12-11T11:05:36.679774Z INFO nym_vpn_lib::tunnel_state_machine::tunnel_monitor: Created exit tun device: tun1
2024-12-11T11:05:36.681435Z INFO nym_dns: Setting DNS servers: Tunnel DNS: {1.1.1.1, 1.0.0.1, 2606:4700:4700::1111, 2606:4700:4700::1001} Non-tunnel DNS: {}
2024-12-11T11:05:36.690464Z INFO nym_vpnd::service::vpn_service: Tunnel event: Connecting WireGuard tunnel with entry 213.210.21.111:51822 and exit 45.140.167.83:51822
2024-12-11T11:05:36.690577Z INFO nym_vpnd::service::vpn_service: Tunnel event: Connected WireGuard tunnel with entry 213.210.21.111:51822 and exit 45.140.167.83:51822
2024-12-11T11:05:37.734615Z INFO nym_wg_gateway_client: Remaining wireguard bandwidth with gateway CcYinhLeFU8n6xs78FG6Rz3wvosGTCU2hLB1CZyfkMVe for today: 256000.00 MB
2024-12-11T11:05:39.240143Z INFO nym_wg_gateway_client: Remaining wireguard bandwidth with gateway Atcji22Wnfwi6nEkGC5BmgbqNPLYdhx5r4NxTqXAzFeq for today: 256000.00 MB
```
You should see the `Remaining wireguard bandwidth` decrease as you use your allowance.
There are a lot of configuration options available to you regarding how to connect:
```sh
❯ ./PATH/TO/nym-vpnc connect --help
Connect to the Nym network
Usage: nym-vpnc connect [OPTIONS]
Options:
--entry-gateway-id
Mixnet public ID of the entry gateway
--entry-gateway-country
Auto-select entry gateway by country ISO
--entry-gateway-low-latency
Auto-select entry gateway by latency
--entry-gateway-random
Auto-select entry gateway randomly
--exit-router-address
Mixnet recipient address
--exit-gateway-id
Mixnet public ID of the exit gateway
--exit-gateway-country
Auto-select exit gateway by country ISO
--exit-gateway-random
Auto-select exit gateway randomly
--dns
Set the IP address of the DNS server to use
--disable-routing
Disable routing all traffic through the nym TUN device. When the flag is set,
the nym TUN device will be created, but to route traffic through it you will
need to do it manually, e.g. ping -Itun0
--enable-two-hop
Enable two-hop wireguard traffic. This means that traffic jumps directly from
entry gateway to exit gateway using Wireguard protocol
-w, --wait-until-connected
Blocks until the connection is established or failed
--netstack
Use netstack based implementation for two-hop wireguard
--enable-credentials-mode
Enable credentials mode
--min-gateway-mixnet-performance
An integer between 0 and 100 representing the minimum gateway performance
required to consider a gateway for routing traffic
--min-gateway-vpn-performance
An integer between 0 and 100 representing the minimum gateway performance
required to consider a gateway for routing traffic
-h, --help
Print help
```
## Command Reference
```sh
❯ ./PATH/TO/nym-vpnc --help
NymVPN commandline client
Usage: nym-vpnc [OPTIONS]
Commands:
connect Connect to the Nym network
disconnect Disconnect from the Nym network
status Get the current status of the connection
info Get info about the current client. Things like version and
network details
set-network Set the network to be used. This requires a restart of the
daemon (`nym-vpnd`)
store-account Store the account recovery phrase
is-account-stored Check if the account is stored
forget-account Forget the stored account. This removes the stores recovery
phrase, device and mixnet keys, stored local credentials, etc
get-account-id Get the account ID
get-account-state Get the current account state
get-account-links Get URLs for managing your nym-vpn account
get-device-id Get the device ID
list-entry-gateways List the set of entry gateways for mixnet mode
list-exit-gateways List the set of exit gateways for mixnet mode
list-vpn-gateways List the set of entry and exit gateways for dVPN mode
list-entry-countries List the set of countries with available entry gateways for
mixnet mode
list-exit-countries List the set of countries with available exit gateways for
mixnet mode
list-vpn-countries List the set of countries with available entry and exit
gateways for dVPN mode
help Print this message or the help of the given subcommand(s)
Options:
--http Use HTTP instead of socket file for IPC with the daemon
--verbose
-h, --help Print help
-V, --version Print version
```
```sh
❯ ./PATH/TO/nym-vpnd --help
NymVPN daemon
Usage: nym-vpnd [OPTIONS]
Options:
-c, --config-env-file
Path pointing to an env file describing the network
--enable-http-listener
--disable-socket-listener
--run-as-service
-h, --help
Print help
-V, --version
Print version
```
## Default Config Directories
Configurations are stored in `/etc/nym`. State stored between runs (keys, mnemonic, etc) are stored in `/var/lib/nym-vpnd`.