Problem getting WireGuard to work on my Windows laptop

[TheLyppardMan]

I wonder if someone might be able to help me diagnose a problem with trying to get WireGuard on my Windows 11 laptop. It worked OK using my ISP's router and it works OK on my Android phone (using the QR code). I've attached the Wireguard log file.

This is what I did:-

1. Created a VPN user profile on the router.
2. Exported the file and then imported it into the WireGuard app on my laptop.
3. Disconnected the Wi-Fi and then set up my laptop to use mobile tethering from my phone's mobile data.
4. Checked that I had an internet connection.
5. Activated the tunnel in the WireGuard app, which it said it was "activated".
6. Tried to access the internet. Result, no internet.
7. Tried to access my home LAN. Result: no access.
8. Checked the status on my ASUS router. Result: not showing the little blue icon on the VPN client.
9. Disabled to internet security, just in case. Result: no difference.

I've no idea how to troubleshoot this, so any help would be appreciated. In the meantime, I might give OpenVPN a try, to see if that works.

 

[TheLyppardMan]

I've found the answer! I'd forgotten to disconnect my mobile phone from the Wi-Fi before trying to use it as a mobile hotspot. It's all working now and I've just tried OpenVPN and that works as well. So just one more question if I may - which would be the better one to use to access my files on my NAS when I'm away from home, or are they both as good as each other?

 

[ZebMcKayhan]

which would be the better one to use to access my files on my NAS when I'm away from home, or are they both as good as each other?

Why don't you try both and tell us?

 

[TheLyppardMan]

Why don't you try both and tell us?

I don't know enough about them to answer my question. I assumed that some of the knowledgeable folk on this forum would have some pros and cons of each, but perhaps I'm being too optimistic.

 

[ZebMcKayhan]

I don't know enough about them to answer my question. I assumed that some of the knowledgeable folk on this forum would have some pros and cons of each, but perhaps I'm being too optimistic.

SMB is foremost very sensitive to latency, which will probably limit the performance more than each VPN speed capabilities. So physical distance between your test site and how internet decides to route the data, how many hops et.c. will probably determine performance.
I have no idea if OpenVPN have higher or lower latency than Wireguard, but I would expect any difference to be minor compared to the latency you get when going far away from home.
being very sensitive to latency also means sensitive for packets fragmentation or dropping/retransmissions, regardless of VPN used. As VPNs usually also have issues with fragmentation various tweaks are in place to limit the possibility of this, but it could differ.
you may be able to increase the performance in some cases by limiting how large packets the NAS is allowed to send, this to further avoid fragmentations and/or retransmissions.

Im not sure there is any given better or worse and what works best for one, may not be the best for another, which is why I would recommend you try both and see what works best for you.

 

[TheLyppardMan]

One thing worth attention is the fact that WireGuard isn't protected by a password, so if someone stole your device while you were logged in, then the thief would have access to your data. On my phone, that wouldn't be so much of a problem, because I only allow my phone to view media files (videos and music files), so the person who had stolen the phone wouldn't be able to delete anything from my NAS or view any of my personal data. For that reason, I think OpenVPN would be the better choice for my laptop, as it would provide an extra layer of security when viewing any personal data.