How to Set Up a Private VPN Mesh Across Multiple VPS Servers

[johny899]

I seriously like to build a private VPN mesh because I really like the idea of creating my own private and secure network on the Internet. If you want your VPS servers to communicate securely, this is the best way to do it.

Have you ever wanted for your servers to communicate and exchanged data with each other - without being monitored? This will let you do that.

What a Private VPN Mesh is​

A VPN mesh is just a collection of servers that stay connected to each other through secure encrypted connections. Each of your servers in your network is a connection point and all can connect to each other. This is especially great if you are running docker apps in multiple locations or if you want to share or move data securely from location to location.

Choosing the Right Tool​

I like to use WireGuard, I think it is easy to use and really fast. You could also use Tailscale or ZeroTier as well if you want it to be even easier to install and configure.

Main Reasons I Like WireGuard

• Extremely fast
• Effortless to configure
• Not a lot of complicated configuration options
• Works properly with allocated IPs for the mesh (without intercepting or addressing networking issues)

If you’ve worked with OpenVPN and find yourself frustrated, WireGuard is pretty straightforward.

How to Configure the Mesh Network​

Here is the quick and easy way to attach multiple VPS servers together.

Step 1: Install WireGuard​

You can install WireGuard using your VPS's package manager, as it takes a few seconds to install.

Step 2: Generate Keys​

Each individual server generates a public key and private key. The public keys and private keys are what allow each separate VPS to trust each other when there is a working connection, So, I always double check the keys to make sure there's no confusion.

Step 3: Assign Each Server a Private IP Address​

For this step I simply assign each VPS a private network IP like 10.0.0.1, 10.0.0.2, and so on. This keeps the network nice and tidy and easy to tell which is which.

Stage 4: Implement Peers​

At this point the real mesh gets started. I will add each VPS public key and the private IP into each other. This creates the secure tunnel between all the VPS already there.

A VPN mesh can prove useful when:

• You are running apps at different VPS locations.
• You are syncing files or databases safely.
• You are serving services needing to remain private.
• You want secured, yet solid connections to your servers.

With this approach, you have fast servers, secure transfer, and true ownership over your resources.