Hi everyone. I'm new to networking and VPN setups and whatnot. I need some help setting up a VPN to encrypt my home network. I have a basic N66U router running 3.0.0.4.376_1071 firmware. Do I need to flash a different firmware? What are the advantages/disadvantages of this? Can I use the built in VPN service that came with the router? What are the advantages/disadvantages of using the built in vs using something like OpenVPN? Furthermore, with security and encryption being the #1 priority, how do I go about setting this up?
N66U VPN Newbie Help Please
- Thread starter wailer
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CaptainSTX
Part of the Furniture
If you want all the data on your LAN to be encrypted you would need to run a VPN client on each device on the network. I'm not sure how you would do it as been previously stated this isn't what VPNs are designed to do.
When you run a VPN on a router only the data transmitted on the WAN side is encrypted between the router and the remote VPN server. The data flowing to the VPN router on your end would be in the clear. At the remote end the data is decrypted at the server. Any connection beyond the server is again in the clear.
When you run a VPN on a router only the data transmitted on the WAN side is encrypted between the router and the remote VPN server. The data flowing to the VPN router on your end would be in the clear. At the remote end the data is decrypted at the server. Any connection beyond the server is again in the clear.
AdvHomeServer
Senior Member
Pardon my bluntness, but you're still not on point with what VPNs are. As asked before, what is your objective? Why do you think you need a VPN?
A VPN is used to connect to your home system from a remote location. For example, you want to use your home network from Starbucks. A VPN will allow you to connect to your home network with various degrees of security depending on the type of VPN. Maybe you just want to pass through and use the internet connection from home. Maybe you need access to files at home. A SSL based VPN is secure. A PPTP based VPN is kind of secure.
VPNs are uncommon within a home network. On a business network, encryption between clients and a server is not uncommon, but that's an entirely different class of network from those discussed here. Get a copy of Windows Server 2012 and set up a commercial server at home if that's your goal.
You can always buy a monthly subscription to a VPN service to keep 1 PC highly secure with the outside world. A Tor browser can hide your home IP address providing you don't do stupid stuff.
If you're trying to hide your activities from Dad and his snooping software, then can't help.
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My needs are twofold. 1. Ensure safe traffic at public hotspots and access files at home. 2. Encrypt traffic to/from main computer that is physically connected via LAN Ethernet. As for the Dad comment, I'm 28 and I am the DAD here. I'm concerned with privacy from my current ISP (Time Warner). Should I just be using HTTPS everywhere? Seems like that's all I'm finding currently.
CaptainSTX
Part of the Furniture
Yes if you mean traffic going out the WAN port and over the Internet. LAN traffic won't be encrypted.
However:
You will have to decide what you are trying to do and who you are connecting with.
If you are trying to transfer files securely across the Internet to a single location then that location will need to have a VPN server to decrypt the transmission using your common keys. If you want to encrypt your own Internet traffic to multiple locations you probably will need/want to use a commercial VPN provider (StrongVPN, Astrill et al.). They charge a monthly fee. You can set them up to run on PCs, phones, tablets, etc. or your router. Remember that the only pat of your transmission that is encrypted is the traffic between your network and the VPN provider's server. Therefore if you are in NYC and your VPN providers server is in NJ and you are connecting to a web site on a server in Dallas only the hops between your LAN and NJ are encrypted. Once the traffic leaves NJ for Dallas it is back in the clear on the WWW.
If you only want one PC to be encrypted you would be better off running the VPN on the PC. Running a VPN on your router will reduce throughput by 30%- 40%. By running it on a PC you shouldn't lose more than 5%.
AdvHomeServer
Senior Member
For outgoing traffic, think about purchasing a VPN service. you will pay about $100 / year more or less. You can even use it from starbucks to points unknown.
For incoming, set up a home VPN using a SSL based solution. PPTP is safe if you change your password every couple of days, most likely.
CaptainSTX, the throughput hit from router based VPNs ... is it from stressing the router beyond intended capacity? Or the hit in speed because upload is usually much slower than download?
A Tor browser offers some privacy. It's free.
Not too familiar with HTTPS everywhere.
I doubt Time Warner cares about your browsing unless the FBI cares about it. the NSA is probably a bumbling paper tiger ... great tech with no ability use it properly.
For incoming, set up a home VPN using a SSL based solution. PPTP is safe if you change your password every couple of days, most likely.
CaptainSTX, the throughput hit from router based VPNs ... is it from stressing the router beyond intended capacity? Or the hit in speed because upload is usually much slower than download?
A Tor browser offers some privacy. It's free.
Not too familiar with HTTPS everywhere.
I doubt Time Warner cares about your browsing unless the FBI cares about it. the NSA is probably a bumbling paper tiger ... great tech with no ability use it properly.
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CaptainSTX
Part of the Furniture
You hit the nail on the head. Even the supper duper $300 routers don't have the processing power of a low end PC. Routers were designed to route not the heavy duty processing VPN encryption requires.
I run my network's VPN on a device with a 1.8 Ghz processor and 4 Gigs of RAM.
If you want to try a VPN provider and since you have an ASUS router look at Astrill. They have a very nice VPN app that will install on an ASUS router running Merlin. With Astrill's basic plan you can run the VPN either on your router or directly on a device but only one or the other at the same time, but you can switch back and forth to see what works for you. Astrill also has plans that let you have up to five devices at a time connected. (A router running the VPN and allowing multiple networked devices to share the VPN connection counts as a single device.)
I run my network's VPN on a device with a 1.8 Ghz processor and 4 Gigs of RAM.
If you want to try a VPN provider and since you have an ASUS router look at Astrill. They have a very nice VPN app that will install on an ASUS router running Merlin. With Astrill's basic plan you can run the VPN either on your router or directly on a device but only one or the other at the same time, but you can switch back and forth to see what works for you. Astrill also has plans that let you have up to five devices at a time connected. (A router running the VPN and allowing multiple networked devices to share the VPN connection counts as a single device.)
AdvHomeServer
Senior Member
The 24 / 7 PC home server is a real commitment. It's probably great for networking with the right O/S support. File serving is probably ok too. I'll jump when someone figures out how to add in a full service dlna media server with TV shows available, all from one point, and it's as easy to use as a cable box from the tv set. Roku and the like is still to primitive for that end result. Maybe in a couple of years.
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