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Openswan

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description Openswan Overview

Openswan is an open-source implementation of the IPsec protocol suite for Linux, originally derived from the FreeS/WAN project and released under the GNU GPL. It is used to build site-to-site and remote-access virtual private networks, supporting IKEv1 and IKEv2 negotiation along with various encryption and authentication options. Openswan is commonly deployed on Linux servers and gateways for interoperability with commercial VPN devices.

help Openswan FAQ

Is Openswan still the main IPsec implementation for new Linux deployments?

Openswan remains available, but many modern Linux deployments use strongSwan or Libreswan instead. Libreswan was forked from Openswan and is commonly packaged by current enterprise Linux distributions.

What is the relationship between Openswan and FreeS/WAN?

Openswan originated as a continuation of the FreeS/WAN IPsec project after FreeS/WAN development ended. It retained the goal of providing standards-based IPsec networking on Linux.

Can Openswan build a site-to-site VPN using a pre-shared key?

Yes, Openswan can establish site-to-site IPsec tunnels using pre-shared keys. Production deployments can also use certificate-based authentication, which avoids sharing one reusable secret between gateways.

Does Openswan use the same configuration files as Libreswan?

Both projects use the familiar ipsec.conf style and share considerable historical syntax. They are not completely interchangeable, so options and supported cryptographic algorithms must be checked before migrating a tunnel.

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