Router has VPN built in?

Status
Not open for further replies.
Joined
Apr 17, 2012
Messages
3,551
Location
West Michigan
So, we picked up a new wireless router for Christmas and it seems like quite a hotrod. FOund a cool new feature that I'd love to play with but not sure where to start. You can actually set the router itself up to utilize an "OpenVPN Client" for all traffic. Now, I'm sure this impact speed so it might not be something I run 100% of the time but it sure would be nice to improve privacy a bit. Does anybody know anything about OpenVPN? Before my linux box crashed (like, crashed to the floor and now doesn't boot past POST) I was messing around with it in the linux environment but couldn't get anything to work reliably there. That was with some of the Openvpn options available and talked about in the ubuntu forums, though.
 
Depends on what you are talking about? There is the "server" and "client" side.
If you want to use a Client, you can subscribe to VPN service and set it according to what they specified it.
 
Originally Posted By: JMJNet
Depends on what you are talking about? There is the "server" and "client" side.
If you want to use a Client, you can subscribe to VPN service and set it according to what they specified it.


You can also easily be your own VPN service. Running a VPN server yourself is not that grand a deal; as long as you remain aware that, among other things:

1) All traffic through your self-hosted VPN server is using your own internet bandwidth.

2) It won't be effective at all if you need to spoof your location.

If you want the VPN to encrypt your traffic while you're out and about and perhaps using a public WiFi, for example, then when you try to visit BITOG, your laptop from the public WiFi will be communicating with your router at home, which communicates to BITOG's servers and forwards those communications to your laptop wherever you are. Everything is encrypted but is also subject now to the speed of your home internet as it talks to both the server and the "client" (you in your remote location).
 
Originally Posted By: uc50ic4more

If you want the VPN to encrypt your traffic while you're out and about and perhaps using a public WiFi, for example, then when you try to visit BITOG, your laptop from the public WiFi will be communicating with your router at home, which communicates to BITOG's servers and forwards those communications to your laptop wherever you are. Everything is encrypted but is also subject now to the speed of your home internet as it talks to both the server and the "client" (you in your remote location).


That is super informative! Thanks!
 
It also comes in handy if you want to access and/or get files from your home computer. You can set up Remote Desktop on your Windows computer, get the free RD client and have it like you are there.

The location spoofing can come in handy if, say you are in Europe and want to watch US Netflix - fire up your VPN and then Netflix. Like you are home since it all goes through your home Internet connection.

Just be aware most non-business plans get dynamic IP addresses so you'll need to keep track of your external IP. Also you are opening up your network to the world with VPN so choose a hard to guess, random password!
 
Originally Posted By: itguy08
It also comes in handy if you want to access and/or get files from your home computer. You can set up Remote Desktop on your Windows computer, get the free RD client and have it like you are there.
... Also you are opening up your network to the world with VPN so choose a hard to guess, random password!


Interesting post, would the best option (within reason and reasonable cost) simply be to subscribe to a VPN provider?
Some time ago I took a lifetime subscription to VPNSecure at a super low one time price, less then $100 at the time.

Im curious to other thoughts ... This is the company, world wide, click

Im not overly concerned about security, its more of a I hate the fact that companies sell your family information to marketing groups for a profit and the price from a vendor was a stupid low special price at the time.
 
Last edited:
You could try out your router with vpnbook for a proof of concept. It is completely free. I wouldn't trust them for anything beyond "legit" location spoofing.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top