ExpressVPN router firmware giving access to main router

[brave]

I have an Asus 68u (with ExpressVPN firmware on it) connected to my Altice routers LAN port. For some reason when I go to 192.168.1.1 I access my Altice routers interface (technically redirects to the optimum.net page that has the router configuration similar to how i go to expressvpnrouter.com to access my vpn router).

Tech support has no idea. Shouldnt I specifically not be able to access local devices (or more concerning that local devices can access my pc)?

 

[CaptainSTX]

No. Since your AC68 is connected to a LAN port on the Altice router is is treated as a LAN client and you can connect to all devices connected directly to the Altice router by Ethernet or WiFi on either router.

On the other hand nothing on the Altice router can connect to any LAN device on the AC68's subnet if you are double NATed which I assume you are. There are ways to get around it but it isn't easy.

That is why in a double NAT setup you always want the most secure network/subnet to be the second router in the chain.

 

[brave]

Ah, good info. Thank you for that.

I was confused because with the Windows desktop VPN app for Private Internet Access (with the access devices on local network disabled) I could not access the Altice router when connected directly to its network (before I decided to go the router route). So I’m not exactly sure why but as long as it’s secure with the router I don’t care.

Is this router setup more secure than a windows VPN app?

My original concern that made me go for the router setup was that there appeared to be some data transfer outside of the VPN, even with the kill switch enabled, as in the screen attached.

In addition to system and chrome there was some <1MB data transfer from IPv6 Control Message.

Am I right in thinking that data transfer is not secure or is there some technical explanation to that?

 

[CaptainSTX]

The reason you can't access the Altice router when running the VPN on your PC is then the Altice router sees the IP from the VPN which isn't the same as its IP.

I haven't used the PIA desktop app in a while but using the Astrill app it gives me the option that when contacting specific IPs not to use the VPN tunnel so then I can contact my router or modem. If the PIA doesn't offer this option then switch the PIA VPN off to connect to your router.

 

[brave]

So does that make the windows VPN app more or less secure than VPN on the router?

 

[CaptainSTX]

So does that make the windows VPN app more or less secure than VPN on the router?

If you run it on the PC then your router doesn't know what you have been doing. So I suppose that that makes it more secure, but commercial VPNs are not the the be all do all of privacy.

All you are doing with them is encrypting your connection for your LAN to the VPN provider's server. The remainder of your route on the Internet isn't encrypted. Also why do you trust your VPN provider more than your ISP?