Without a GUI, WireGuard is configured entirely via the command line by placing a .conf file in the right location and using wg-quick to manage it. Here's the full process:

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1. Install WireGuard

bash

Debian/Ubuntu

sudo apt update && sudo apt install wireguard

Fedora/RHEL/CentOS

sudo dnf install wireguard-tools

Arch

sudo pacman -S wireguard-tools

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2. Place the Config File

WireGuard reads configs from /etc/wireguard/. The filename becomes the interface name — so wg0.conf creates a wg0 interface.

Option A — Create it directly and paste your config: bash sudo nano /etc/wireguard/wg0.conf

Paste your config, then save with Ctrl+O, Enter, and exit with Ctrl+X.

Option B — Copy an existing file you already have: bash sudo cp ~/Downloads/your-config.conf /etc/wireguard/wg0.conf

Option C — Transfer it from another machine via SCP: bash

On the remote machine, send it over:

scp wg0.conf user@server-ip:/tmp/wg0.conf

Then on the server, move it into place:

sudo mv /tmp/wg0.conf /etc/wireguard/wg0.conf

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Example config structure

ini [Interface] PrivateKey = <your_private_key> Address = 10.0.0.2/32 DNS = 1.1.1.1

[Peer] PublicKey = <peer_public_key> Endpoint = vpn.example.com:51820 AllowedIPs = 0.0.0.0/0, ::/0 PersistentKeepalive = 25

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3. Secure the Config File

The config contains your private key, so lock down its permissions: bash sudo chmod 600 /etc/wireguard/wg0.conf

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4. Start the Tunnel

bash

Bring the interface up

sudo wg-quick up wg0

Bring it down

sudo wg-quick down wg0

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5. Enable at Boot (Optional but Recommended)

bash sudo systemctl enable --now wg-quick@wg0

This starts WireGuard immediately and ensures it comes back up after a reboot.

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6. Verify the Connection

bash

See interface status, peer handshake, and traffic

sudo wg show

Or confirm the network interface exists

ip addr show wg0

A successful handshake in wg show output confirms the tunnel is working.

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Bonus: Generate Keys if You Need Them

If you don't have a keypair yet: bash wg genkey | tee privatekey | wg pubkey > publickey

This writes your private key to privatekey and public key to publickey in the current directory. Use the private key in your [Interface] block and share the public key with your peer.

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Quick Summary

bash sudo apt install wireguard sudo nano /etc/wireguard/wg0.conf # paste your config sudo chmod 600 /etc/wireguard/wg0.conf sudo wg-quick up wg0 sudo systemctl enable wg-quick@wg0 # auto-start on boot sudo wg show # verify

If you're on a specific platform (router firmware, minimal Alpine install, etc.) the steps may differ slightly — let me know and I can tailor the guidance.