I'm sure there's a
Mac equivalent for PuTTY... sounds like Terminal is the one to use. Check your router under Administration->System, and make sure SSH is enabled on your LAN. Then use terminal to point to your local router IP, probably port 22, and use your regular admin/pwd you use on your router to log in. That's where you can run AMTM, which is literally the swiss army knife of apps for your router.
Depending on your situation, how you want your configuration to work, your settings my differ. Some people have different needs, goals and objectives. This is where you tool around, learn, play with settings, see how things work. When you run into a wall, or are expecting things to work, but for some reason you're not getting the right results, come back here and explain your situation. This community can help.
Even if you just configure one VPN client slot, you probably still want to make your way through steps 1-10. You can forget about loading custom scripts like VPNMON until you're more comfortable. The main exercise here is to get your router to a "default" state where your VPN clients are configured and running. Adding custom scripts like VPNMON simply helps keep your connections running when they (inevitably) stop. You determine how far you really want to go!
Ok, thank you!
Even if you just configure one VPN client slot, you probably still want to make your way through steps 1-10.
Well... for steps 1-10:
Steps 1-3: I can probably struggle thru these - but I'm not sure why I need to, if I'm not planning to do anything fancy with the router.
Can you please explain what I would be trying to accomplish?
Step 4 & 5: I have already done this - I am subscribed to NordVPN.
Step 6: Well, I think I skipped this. But it seems to be working - I am connected to the Nord VPN server.
Step 7: I've uploaded the file, and filled in my credentials. You said "will need to go through, name some things, and make some configuration tweaks".
Beyond filling in my credentials, I am at a loss.
Step 8: "Apply these custom configuration entries... entries that come with the .ovpn file may work, but aren't the greatest."
I had previously entered the custom config text provided in
Nord's instructions (
https://support.nordvpn.com/Connectivity/Router/1047410642/AsusWRT-Merlin-setup-with-NordVPN.htm) - these are:
remote-cert-tls server
remote-random
nobind
tun-mtu 1500
tun-mtu-extra 32
mssfix 1450
persist-key
persist-tun
ping-timer-rem
reneg-sec 0
#log /tmp/vpn.log
I can certainly overwrite that with the custom config text you have supplied -- can I go ahead and do that now, even if I have not completed Steps 1-3? Do I need all of the lines, just as you've laid out? (I don't know about the ipv6 stuff...)
Your code:
remote-random
resolv-retry infinite
remote-cert-tls server
ping 15
ping-restart 0
ping-timer-rem
persist-key
persist-tun
reneg-sec 0
fast-io
disable-occ
mute-replay-warnings
auth-nocache
sndbuf 524288
rcvbuf 524288
push "sndbuf 524288"
push "rcvbuf 524288"
pull-filter ignore "auth-token"
pull-filter ignore "ifconfig-ipv6"
pull-filter ignore "route-ipv6"
explicit-exit-notify 3
tun-mtu 1500
tun-mtu-extra 32
mssfix 1450
Step 9: Even without having yet changed the custom config text from Nord's to yours, I am connected to Nord's VPN server (as shown by the DNSleaktest page and by going to Nord's website), and Netflix is still working on our TV (which I think is on our router's guest network). Are there other things I should check? (I will recheck things after changing the custom config text to your text.)
Also - side question - if we use our iphones on wifi calling when at home (because the cell signal is very weak) that does not mean our phones are protected by VPN, does it? We would still have to run a VPN client on the phones? (Although I probably won't bother, as the only thing I regularly use my phone for is calling, texting, and using the Libby app. Very occasionally, I will open a browser (usually Firefox) to check email or weather.)
Step 10: So at this point, I don't have to worry about the other 4 client slots, or VPNMON-R3, right?
One other thing I am very confused about - the DNS settings, and where I should adjust those settings. I followed Nord's instructions, and set the DNS settings
on the WAN tab to Nord's DNS Servers. But above, in this thread,
@ColinTaylor told Zillah (the OP), "
Don't make those changes to the WAN DNS. If you want clients to use a different DNS server use the option in the VPN client settings."
But I don't see a place for changing DNS settings on the VPN client settings page. And are Nord's DNS servers a bad choice? What would be better?
Thank you for all your time.
