Best Device For OpenVPN Server

[AdvHomeServer]

If you have the ability to put OpenVPN server on several devices, which is best?

This question lives somewhere between "angels dancing on a pin head" and "Why would anybody care," but I'm curious.

I have loaded an OpenVPN server on my QNAP box. I've finally got around to getting it on my DD-WRT R6300V1, or at least plan to this week. I just ordered a used like new Ubiquiti ER-Lite for hobby purposes and plan to load OpenVPN on it as one of my projects down the road.

A commercial enterprise with a lot of users would probably want a commercial quality VPN firewall. I'm a home user with light VPN demands. I would assume, for me, any option that works is OK. For someone with moderate demands, is there a design hierarchy?

 

[netware5]

If you have the ability to put OpenVPN server on several devices, which is best?

This question lives somewhere between "angels dancing on a pin head" and "Why would anybody care," but I'm curious.

I have loaded an OpenVPN server on my QNAP box. I've finally got around to getting it on my DD-WRT R6300V1, or at least plan to this week. I just ordered a used like new Ubiquiti ER-Lite for hobby purposes and plan to load OpenVPN on it as one of my projects down the road.

A commercial enterprise with a lot of users would probably want a commercial quality VPN firewall. I'm a home user with light VPN demands. I would assume, for me, any option that works is OK. For someone with moderate demands, is there a design hierarchy?

Just do a test of crypto performance of different devices you have. If there is a clear winner - use it.

BTW, any desktop PC will have better performance than any SOHO router or NAS.

 

[AdvHomeServer]

Just do a test of crypto performance of different devices you have. If there is a clear winner - use it.

BTW, any desktop PC will have better performance than any SOHO router or NAS.

Thanks for the reply.

I completed my OpenVPN / DD-WRT install and wrote about it on my blog. I got some insights along the way.

The correct answer is "It's a balancing act of competing interests."

1) Consumer routers are designed to route network traffic. Asking one to host a VPN is OK. Asking it to do it with high performance is probably asking too much. One person could get adequate performance. An entire family at the same time would probably stress out the electronics and internet connection.

2) The cost of a consumer router is less than the cost of a commercial router, and you already have one.

3) Putting one on a router makes it easier to keep riff raff away from the home network if the VPN is on a different subnet

4) Putting it on the NAS box makes it easier to get files away from home, but exposes the home network to potential riff raff.

For MY purposes, which may be different from yours, a secure pass through is all I want. DD-WRT is fine. If I need access to files, then OpenVPN using a NAS box is next on the list, although it would require a full review of security practices on the NAS box.

BTW, I look at systems, which only consider engineering values as a part of the picture. A system is like a story; it has a beginning, middle, and end. It flows from somewhere and to somewhere. To me, just looking at performance is not enough. It's like buying a car because it's a fast model and ignoring the flat tires.