Do I need a VPN approach?

[Ellicott]

I need to accomplish following two tasks and am wondering if I need VPN or not:

My home network has ISP <--> modem <--> router <--> switch <--> network printer. the printer has IP 192.168.1.30. When I travel to China, I need to use the printer AND access to my home network so that I can bypass geo-blocking for media websites.

What is the best way to do that? If VPN is a way to do that, then do I need a VPN server running behind my switch? What VPN client software I needed?

I am newbie to VPN, your comments will be appreciated,

 

[CaptainSTX]

I need to accomplish following two tasks and am wondering if I need VPN or not:

My home network has ISP <--> modem <--> router <--> switch <--> network printer. the printer has IP 192.168.1.30. When I travel to China, I need to use the printer AND access to my home network so that I can bypass geo-blocking for media websites.

What is the best way to do that? If VPN is a way to do that, then do I need a VPN server running behind my switch? What VPN client software I needed?

I am newbie to VPN, your comments will be appreciated,

A VPN may or may not help you. China actively tries to block VPN connections. Supposedly come commercial VPN providers offer special configurations of VPN that won't be blocked. If they work you will be able to bypass geo-blocking and blocked sites.

You will need to run a VPN server on your home network. It may not be possible to connect to your home's VPN from China as the VPN on your client won't be able to get through the great wall of China.

You will need to find someone to help you that has tried what you want to do in China and is willing to risk telling you how to do the same thing, Good luck and be careful.

 

[Ellicott]

Hi CaptainSTX,

Thank you for your prompt response! If I travel within US, does above approach works for using my network printer at home? Similar to OpenVPN server which comes with ASUS gigabit router, I assume I do not need to have a commercial VPN providers, am I right? I heard that Mobile VPN with SSL server can run on my home network and mobile VPN with SSL client can be installed on my laptop or my iPhone.
Any comments? Thank you again,

 

[yorgi]

I need to accomplish following two tasks and am wondering if I need VPN or not:

My home network has ISP <--> modem <--> router <--> switch <--> network printer. the printer has IP 192.168.1.30. When I travel to China, I need to use the printer AND access to my home network so that I can bypass geo-blocking for media websites.

What is the best way to do that? If VPN is a way to do that, then do I need a VPN server running behind my switch? What VPN client software I needed?

I am newbie to VPN, your comments will be appreciated,

read this guide for VPN server and you can do all you want
https://www.snbforums.com/threads/h...th-asus-routers-380-66-6-updated-07-05.33638/

 

[cameos]

You can also use VPN services such as Zerotier (free), or hamachi (not free), in this case you don't have to install/run VPN server, just run client.

Zerotier client is open source, I compiled my client running on my ASUS router.