Question 1

How do I set up a TAP interface on Linux using water?

Accepted Answer

Create a water.Config with DeviceType: water.TAP, then use water.New. After running your Go code with sudo, bring up the interface and assign an IP using commands like 'sudo ip addr add' as shown in the README's Linux example.

Question 2

Water library vs tuntap for Go networking?

Accepted Answer

Water is a pure Go library with no C dependencies and better integration with Go's standard I/O, while tuntap might rely on external C code. Choose Water for a minimal, native Go approach; consider tuntap only for legacy compatibility or specific use cases.

Question 3

Does water support IPv6 packets?

Accepted Answer

Yes, water handles raw packet I/O, so it can work with IPv6, but you'll need to implement parsing logic yourself or use external libraries like github.com/songgao/packets to interpret IPv6 headers and payloads.

Question 4

How to improve packet throughput with water?

Accepted Answer

Since water gives you control over buffer management, allocate and reuse slices efficiently, use buffered I/O with bufio, and batch read/write operations to minimize syscall overhead and maximize performance.

Question 5

What are the limitations of water on macOS?

Accepted Answer

On macOS, water only supports point-to-point TUN devices, not TAP, and custom interface names aren't allowed—names are auto-generated as utun<#>. This restricts advanced networking features like Ethernet frame handling.

Question 6

Can I use water to build a VPN client in Go?

Accepted Answer

Absolutely. Water provides low-level TUN/TAP access ideal for VPNs, but you'll need to implement encryption, tunneling protocols, and packet routing on top, often using additional Go libraries for security and networking.

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