NordLynx Explained: NordVPN's Enhanced WireGuard Protocol
NordLynx is NordVPN's custom implementation of WireGuard that adds a double Network Address Translation (NAT) system to solve WireGuard's static IP privacy concern. It delivers full WireGuard speeds while ensuring that no identifiable user data is stored on VPN servers.
How NordLynx (NordVPN) Works
NordLynx wraps the WireGuard protocol with a custom double NAT system. Standard WireGuard requires static IP assignments, which means the server needs to store a user's IP to route traffic. NordLynx solves this by creating a dynamic interface that assigns IPs through double NAT, then destroys the association when the session ends. This means no identifiable information is stored on the server.
Technical Details
Advantages & Disadvantages
Advantages
- + Full WireGuard speeds with enhanced privacy
- + Double NAT eliminates static IP privacy concern
- + Fastest protocol in our speed tests
- + No user-identifiable data stored on servers
- + Sub-second connection times
- + Excellent battery efficiency
Disadvantages
- - Only available on NordVPN
- - Not open-source (the double NAT addition is proprietary)
- - UDP only -- same firewall limitation as WireGuard
- - Cannot manually configure on routers (must use NordVPN app)
VPNs That Support NordLynx (NordVPN)
Our Verdict on NordLynx (NordVPN)
NordLynx is the fastest VPN protocol we have tested, delivering 94% speed retention on local connections. It solves WireGuard's privacy limitation with an elegant double NAT system. If you are a NordVPN user, NordLynx should be your default protocol for everything except firewall-restricted networks.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Is NordLynx faster than WireGuard?
- NordLynx and standard WireGuard deliver nearly identical speeds since NordLynx is built on WireGuard. The double NAT adds negligible overhead. In practice, any speed differences come from server infrastructure, not the protocol.
- What is double NAT in NordLynx?
- Double NAT creates two layers of network address translation. The first NAT assigns a dynamic local IP when you connect. The second NAT maps this to the VPN server's outgoing IP. When you disconnect, the association is destroyed, meaning no identifiable data is retained.