Router for VPN/Satellite decoder

bartwylye

bartwylye

bartwylye

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Joined
23 Aug 2024
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6
Location
Bathgate
Hi All,
I am looking for advice. I currently have broadband with Virgin, but will more likely change it to Sky or any other provider this Autumn, because we have so many disconnections, that I decided not to renew the contract when it will end in October.
We have foreign satellite TV.Provider changed decoder software, so it works now like an app from decoder hard drive and now they know my location and some channels stopped working stating, that content is not available in my location, so I decided to look for VPN option.
As far as I am aware Virgin nor Sky hubs do not allow VPN, so I am looking to buy own router, which I would connect via LAN cable to Virgin/Sky Hubs and from own router with another cable to decoder. Decoder has one LAN available.
At present Virgin hub and decoder are in two separate rooms and there is occasional WIFI drop down, so if all would be connected via cable, I should avoid similar issues in future.
As optional and if possible, I would like to have VPN on one LAN connected to decoder only. If I had router in the cupboard, then I could install cables to other rooms upstairs easily, where WIFI from Virgin Hub is poor and boosted by extenders.
Can you please advise me, which router should I buy and which VPN would be ideal? Which RJ45 category cables would you use, so I would not have to do anything with it for another good few years?
I have not done this before, so I am looking for something with easy setup and use, so I could switch off VPN, if and when needed on my phone for example.
Router would need 4 LANs(one for satellite decoder and three to other rooms). Price, I do not want to spend more than £250.
Thanks in advance.
 
Neither VM or Sky hubs prevent you using a VPN on a client, they don’t support you running a VPN at a router level, but generally thats a poor idea without policy based routing. Connecting from the Sky or VM hubs to an additional router will lead to double NAT, again probably not a good idea, in VM’s case you can run in modem mode with your own router though, Sky would require you to have an appropriate modem and a separate router or an AIO that supports DHCP option 60/61. Cable wise copper 5e will generally do 10Gb over domestic distances, 6 is slightly harder to work with and you have to go to 6a to get any significant advantage. Router wise, you don’t seem to need one, PiVPN is a simple and relatively inexpensive option if you just need to add VPN options to what you have, alternatively a cheap ex. corp PC and OPNSense or one of the WRT’s or Untangle works well, if you want dedicated hardware, a Flint 2, one of the newer Unifi gateways and many others will do PBR way under your budget. Also, don't focus on the number of ports, switches are cheap and easily expandable.
 
Hi, thank you for advice. I will check, which ISP hubs apart from VM and BT can run in modem modem to simplify the setup and will go from there. Thanks once again for help
 
VM can run in modem mode, BT can't, you'll need a modem suitable for the type of connection you have unless it's true fibre (as opposed to FTTC). If it is true fibre, anything with a RJ45 WAN will do as mentioned above, but again, you don't need a new router and/or modem to do this. If for example, your sat box uses the Enigma2 based firmware, it likely has a plugin to handle VPN which may or may not sort your issue, or a simple PiVPN set-up.
 
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If you can get FTTP from anybody who isn't Virgin and one other provider that insists on using their device (Swish maybe, I cannot remember) then you can leave the supplied router in the box and plug directly into the ONT.
 
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I checked with tv provider and there is no chance to make any changes to the decoder. They are to only ones that can make any changes. I will make enquiries and purchase own router and go from there. Thanks for your help
 
Again, you don't need a new router to do what you want to do. A cheap Pi running PiVPN will do the job, a docker container running a VPN client and proxy will work just as well for a few mbit.
 
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