VPN DSL Modem Router

platypus · 26 Jun 2019 at 09:18

I'm after a router that will run openVPN with something like Nord, at a reasonable enough level of power to support four devices. Although realistically all it needs to do is work for iPlayer (HD).

I've found a few asus routers, then looked on here and they seem to have no end of firmware/software problems, and I really need it to be plug in and forget, because its for the in-laws and they are awful with technology.

Am I best going down the route of a separate modem/router? Are the integrated ones just not very good (at least without spending ££££)? Can spend up to around £300 though.

BigT · 26 Jun 2019 at 12:01

Are you sure you want a network wide VPN? Stuff like banking and local services may stop working without intervention or complex rules.

Key to know is how much bandwidth do you need pushed through the VPN? That'll make a big difference to recommendations. 1 x iPlayer HD and no other traffic is a lot different to the requirements of 4 x simultaneous 4K streams on top of regular internet traffic.

Avalon · 26 Jun 2019 at 12:45

As above, you may be better off configuring something that selectively routes traffic that needs to go via VPN. Simple option could be configuring things like a FTV to use a proxy and running a VPN docker with Privoxy enabled connected to your VPN provider - pretty much everything supports a proxy and it allows the encryption to run on hardware that's potentially more suited to the job.

platypus · 26 Jun 2019 at 14:51

Hum, I need to get Iplayer to 2 networked HD (not 4k) tellies that can't have software installed on, is essentially all that actually needs to be achieved. With the option to run a vpn on a laptop ad-hoc, which is easy.

bremen1874 · 26 Jun 2019 at 15:52

So you're abroad and want to use BBC iPlayer?

Have you checked that you can access it via a VPN at all? The BBC is pretty keen on blocking VPN access. Even if it works now it could be blocked in the future.

BigT · 26 Jun 2019 at 16:07

Indeed. for sure at the very least you're going to be creating new OpenVPN config files for your new VPN solution every time the BBC susses a particular provider/IP range and blocks it.

Do you have enough upstream bandwidth and a suitable router at home that would allow them to VPN to you and watch it that way? It would negate the risk of being blocked.

I've got to be honest and say that while I can't discuss details on here, I'd be researching other internet based solutions to watch live UK TV and catchup. A small subscription not much more than a VPN provider and an app on the Smart TV or device and you'd not need to buy anything else. It'd probably be just as easy to use for the less tech savvy too.

bremen1874 · 26 Jun 2019 at 16:14

BigT said:
Do you have enough upstream bandwidth and a suitable router at home that would allow them to VPN to you and watch it that way? It would negate the risk of being blocked.

This is what I did for my sister who is now living in Madrid. I've got a static IP which made it easier to setup.

BigT · 26 Jun 2019 at 16:18

I do the same for my family in Switzerland, albeit I don't have the luxury of a static IP. Luckily pfSense has a pretty good DDNS client and that also runs the VPN server so I can use my DuckDNS address in the client config files it creates.

platypus · 27 Jun 2019 at 08:08

Interesting, I didn't know that the BBC block VPNs, I haven't used it in a long time. It's such a frustration, my in laws pay for a BBC licence, want to pay for an "abroad" BBC licence but can't.

platypus · 27 Jun 2019 at 08:10

BigT said:
Do you have enough upstream bandwidth and a suitable router at home that would allow them to VPN to you and watch it that way? It would negate the risk of being blocked.

I've got to be honest and say that while I can't discuss details on here, I'd be researching other internet based solutions to watch live UK TV and catchup. A small subscription not much more than a VPN provider and an app on the Smart TV or device and you'd not need to buy anything else. It'd probably be just as easy to use for the less tech savvy too.

I don't, yet. Looking at getting FTTP with either 600 or 900Mbps upstream which would work however.

platypus · 1 Jul 2019 at 12:46

bremen1874 said:
This is what I did for my sister who is now living in Madrid. I've got a static IP which made it easier to setup.

Could I pm you about it?

bremen1874 · 1 Jul 2019 at 15:44

platypus said:
Could I pm you about it?

Not sure how that'd be better than dealing with any questions on here, but you can if you want to.

Avalon · 1 Jul 2019 at 20:59

Plex & HDHomeRun will work, but requires you to run a local server, DVBT HDHomeRun and have the uplink free, you running a VPN has a lower outlay, but same uplink requirement. Going with any VPN provider is a question of when and not if it will stop working and how you will choose to admin it.

platypus · 14 Jul 2019 at 12:14

bremen1874 said:
Not sure how that'd be better than dealing with any questions on here, but you can if you want to.

Just didn't know if you'd be happy explaining what you did on the forum

. If you are it would be helpful. I have unifi stuff at home and can in theory put something else in the house in France.

bremen1874 · 14 Jul 2019 at 12:30

It was simple enough.

I've got a static IP (and rDNS configured) so my sister has a fixed target with a friendly name to point at. If you haven't got a static IP you'd need some sort of DDNS system.

My router is a DrayTek that supports port-based VLANs. I configured one of the ports to use a different subnet and didn't allow any inter-LAN routing. I then added a dial-in L2TP/IPsec VPN for my sister to use that connects to the VLAN/subnet I setup.

When she connects in she gets my WAN IP but doesn't have any access to my LAN. I don't have anything connected to that port on the router.