[help] ASUS AC88U - Can't get vpn server working

[venturac]

I have an Asus AC-88U on Merlin 386.9. I have followed every tutorial to set up a VPN server or VPN client without a VPN service. I can get it connected but it never masked my IP address. It's always my ISP WAN ip address. Then when I redirect all traffic it won't connect to any web pages. Do I use just the VPN server? Or just VPN client. I use OPENVVP for windows and its connected. It will be connected and say public ip address is unknown. What am I doing wrong. Is there a tutorial on the web that goes step by step? I have DDNS with asus.com and it's registered. I've made it work with NORD VPM before but never without paying for a service. Can anyone please help me? I am new to this forum as I think it's the best place to go. Thanks in advance!

Tony

 

[Tech9]

VPN Server - when you want to connect to your home network from Internet, when travelling for example
VPN Client - when you want to connect to VPN Server (like commercial ExpressVPN, NordVPN, etc) on Internet

 

[venturac]

VPN Server - when you want to connect to your home network from Internet, when travelling for example
VPN Client - when you want to connect to VPN Server (like commercial ExpressVPN, NordVPN, etc) on Internet

I understand now. Is there a way to write or create your own VPN client? In other words, not to purchase a service such as NordVPN? I have NordVPN but I'm just curious and want to try. Thank you for replying. I currently have a ovpn file on my router so everything that connects to it is under a VPN. I like this forum and site.

 

[Tech9]

You can manually configure VPN Client, but it has to connect to some VPN Server. This server can be commercial VPN like some people use or your own VPN Server on Internet located somewhere else. I use both NordVPN and my own VPN Server in another country, for example. NordVPN Client is configured by NordVPN provided *.ovpn file. The other VPN Client is configured by the *.ovpn file provided by my own VPN Server.

In general you don't need to run VPN Client on the router. It will result in significant Internet speed reduction and latency increase. Your router can do about 50Mbps on OpenVPN only - slower than what an iPhone 6 from 2014 can do with local on-device client. You can run VPN Server to access your home network remotely though and the speed will be okay for the purpose. VPN access to home network is a common secure method.