Vessel
A VPN the anoni.net community runs for the people around it, so you can get online with confidence where VPNs often fail: at school, in hotels, abroad.
No email address, no fee, and someone answers when something goes wrong.
When it helps
Public Wi-Fi
On Wi-Fi at a café, hotel or school, whoever runs the network cannot see which sites you visit.
Trips abroad
Connections are disguised, so they get through more easily on networks that block VPNs. Before you leave, install the app, create the device and test the connection at home.
Blocked sites
Sites your network blocks have a better chance of opening through a Vessel node.
Vessel protects the connection between you and Vessel's server. It does not make you anonymous: Vessel's server can see which sites you visit, and the accounts you sign in to still know it is you. When you need anonymity, use Tor Browser.
How it works
Redeem an invite
Enter your invite code and you get a 16-digit account number. You sign in with it from then on.
Add a device
Pick the city of the node, name the device, and choose whether to block malicious sites and ads.
Import into the app
Scan the QR code with the AmneziaWG app or import the downloaded file, then switch it on.
Why the community runs it
People often ask the community which VPN to use. We saw how getting online goes at school, in hotels and abroad, and wanted a service we could recommend to the people around us without hesitation, so we put the community's skills into building Vessel. It costs nothing to use. Partners who support the community fund its development and running costs.
Someone reads every piece of feedback, and the state of the service is public on the status page.
Frequently asked questions
How do I get an invite code?
During the test, codes go out through the anoni.net newsletter, one per subscriber. If you did not get the newsletter, write to [email protected], or tell us on the feedback page and leave a way to reach you, saying what you need. Places are limited, and codes go out in rounds depending on how the service is used.
Does it cost anything?
No. Vessel is a service the community runs for the people around it, and partners who support the community fund its development and running costs.
How do VPN, WireGuard and AmneziaWG relate?
VPN is the general name for services that send your connection through another server before it goes out. VPNs connect in different ways, called protocols, and WireGuard is one of them: simple, fast and used by many VPN apps. AmneziaWG is an open-source project built from WireGuard that adds a disguise, so connections are harder to recognize as a VPN and get through more easily on networks that block VPNs. Vessel uses AmneziaWG.
Why can't I use the regular WireGuard® app?
Vessel disguises its connections with AmneziaWG, so its packets look different from regular WireGuard, and the regular app cannot use the config.
AmneziaWG is missing from my App Store
It is listed in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Japan. In the few regions where it is missing, you can download it with an Apple ID from another region; iPhones have no other way to install it. On Android you can install the APK instead.
What if I lose my account number?
It cannot be recovered. The service has no email address for you and keeps only a hash of the number, so you would need a new invite code. A password manager is a good place to keep it.
Can I use one config on two devices?
No. Two devices connected at once keep taking the connection from each other and drop out often. Create a config for each device, up to 3 per account.
What about a new phone or a reinstall?
A config is shown only once, when it is created, and the service's servers do not have the private key. Delete the old device from your list and create a new one.
The VPN says connected, but nothing loads?
Like WireGuard, AmneziaWG shows "connected" as soon as you turn it on, without checking that the node answers. The connection details in the app show a "Latest handshake" time; if none appears, the node is not answering. Sign in to the portal and look at your devices: if this one is missing, it has expired and been deleted, so add a new one. A device marked "Paused" has used up this month's 50 GB and resumes on the 1st. If neither applies, the network you are on may be blocking the connection; try mobile data.
Why do devices expire?
Even if you stay connected, an account's devices expire after 30 days without opening the Vessel portal. Expired devices are deleted from the nodes and the device list, so unused configs do not linger on the nodes. Signing in, or opening the Vessel portal while signed in, extends them by 30 days, and opening it while connected to Vessel counts too. The device list shows each expiry date.
What happens after 50 GB?
The account's devices pause and resume automatically at 00:00 UTC on the 1st of the month. Nothing needs to be set up again.
Can the service see what I do?
Nodes handle the domains and IP addresses you connect to, but not the contents of HTTPS connections. Nodes keep no logs of them, and the DNS resolvers do not log queries. Using a VPN moves the trust you place in your network provider to the service. Use Tor Browser when you need anonymity.