DIY Laptop router - I have two USB-to-ETHERNET adapters. One to receive internet from the ISP router and 2nd to send traffic to another PC? How?

[alightinthedarkness]

Currently using Windows 10 enterprise LTSC and was hoping to setup a virtual PFsense with Hyper-V or some other virtual software. I have TWO usb-ethernet adapters and I want to use one to recieve internet and the other to send internet to my other PC also on windows 10 enterprise. How can this be done? Is it recommended? Going for security here and speed 2nd.

 

[Christos]

usb adapters do not work well for ethernet. Better get a PCI ethernet card with Intel chip.

 

[alightinthedarkness]

thanks for writing. Can what I am trying to do be done even though the adapters are less than ideal?

 

[Tech Junky]

I wouldn't use Windows for security or stability.

I've been running my own setup with Linux now for quite awhile now. Google homebrew router and there are plenty of tutorials out there to accomplish what you want to do. USB isn't ideal but, it will work.

 

[sfx2000]

[OpenWrt Wiki] OpenWrt on VirtualBox HowTo

openwrt.org

Quick note on USB-Ethernet - find USB that has Realtek chipsets, not Asix (Asix works, but doesn't perform as well)

 

[sfx2000]

And more if not wanting to use virtualbox

[OpenWrt Wiki] Virtualization

openwrt.org

 

[alightinthedarkness]

Hey,

I understand your situation. If you are having two USB-to-ETHERNET adapters and you want to use one to receive internet and the other to send internet to your other PC. This is the way you can connect.

To use two USB-to-ETHERNET adapters, you need to:

• Connect the first adapter to the ISP router to receive internet.
• Connect the second adapter to the other PC.
• On your computer, configure the network settings to assign a unique IP address to each adapter.
• Ensure that the subnet masks and default gateways are configured correctly.
• Verify that the internet connectivity is working properly on both adapters.

This setup will allow you to receive internet on one adapter and send traffic to another PC using the second adapter.

Thanks for commenting. To be clear, if I follow your instructions will this virtual PFsense router be vetting the internet traffic for both my laptop and desktop or will the internet traffic bypass my firewall and just be redirected to the desktop? I am a networking amateur but what I am wanting to do is have all the internet traffic heavily vetted before it enters my laptop running windows 10 enterprise ltsc on bare metal and then before going to my desktop also running windows 10 enterprise ltsc on bare metal. My plan was this could be achieved somehow with a virtual PFsense router on my laptop. I want it to be that there is no internet when that virtual PFsense machine is down/offline.

 

[alightinthedarkness]

Hey,

I understand your situation. If you are having two USB-to-ETHERNET adapters and you want to use one to receive internet and the other to send internet to your other PC. This is the way you can connect.

To use two USB-to-ETHERNET adapters, you need to:

• Connect the first adapter to the ISP router to receive internet.
• Connect the second adapter to the other PC.
• On your computer, configure the network settings to assign a unique IP address to each adapter.
• Ensure that the subnet masks and default gateways are configured correctly.
• Verify that the internet connectivity is working properly on both adapters.

This setup will allow you to receive internet on one adapter and send traffic to another PC using the second adapter.

Thanks for commenting. To be clear, if I follow your instructions will this virtual PFsense router be vetting the internet traffic for both my laptop and desktop or will the internet traffic bypass my firewall and just be redirected to the desktop? I am a networking amateur but what I am wanting to do is have all the internet traffic heavily vetted before it enters my laptop running windows 10

I wouldn't use Windows for security or stability.

I've been running my own setup with Linux now for quite awhile now. Google homebrew router and there are plenty of tutorials out there to accomplish what you want to do. USB isn't ideal but, it will work.

I understand. I have two machines a laptop and a desktop. Not running windows on my desktop would create many problems in my situation.

My laptop could run void or openbsd or something. In that I could run a virtual PFsense router.

My plan/hope is to sandbox internet so that PFsense vets it and then my laptop perhaps further vets it and then my windows 10 desktop is my workspace. If the PFsense virtual router is offline there is no internet. Ovbiously pulling the cable also works.

What do you think?

 

[Tech9]

Going for security here

pfSense on dedicated hardware. No VM and USB.

I have TWO usb-ethernet adapters

You may face randomly swapped interfaces situation. Not a good idea. I've run pfSense on VM, on single NIC as router on a stick, with one NIC and one USB, with 2x USB, with extra mini-PCIe card NIC, etc. Nothing is better than bare metal. All the rest is just playing with it and not serious.

 

[alightinthedarkness]

pfSense on dedicated hardware. No VM and USB.



You may face randomly swapped interfaces situation. Not a good idea. I've run pfSense on VM, on single NIC as router on a stick, with one NIC and one USB, with 2x USB, with extra mini-PCIe card NIC, etc. Nothing is better than bare metal. All the rest is just playing with it and not serious.

Hey thanks for writing me. Okay pfSense on dedicated hardware it is. Should I buy some kind of Ethernet switch and run pfSense on my laptop? What hardware is ideal and what is the most affordable hardware (has to be quiet) that I can run pfSense on? Thanks for your help!

 

[Tech9]

There are many different specifications fanless mini PCs available on the market with 2x or more LAN ports, Gigabit or faster. A laptop with no Ethernet port is not good option. If it has Ethernet you can use 1x USB-to-Ethernet for your WAN port. Use the built-in NIC for your LAN. Not ideal, but will work.

Just the opposite of the advice above - for pfSense I'll recommend Asix based USB-to-Ethernet adapters over Realtek. Work better from experience.

I used this one for about 6 months with no single failure:

AX88179 chipset, works with pfSense. Surprisingly solid metal casing and good quality for the price.

 

[alightinthedarkness]

There are many different specifications fanless mini PCs available on the market with 2x or more LAN ports, Gigabit or faster. A laptop with no Ethernet port is not good option. If it has Ethernet you can use 1x USB-to-Ethernet for your WAN port. Use the built-in NIC for your LAN. Not ideal, but will work.

Just the opposite of the advice above - for pfSense I'll recommend Asix based USB-to-Ethernet adapters over Realtek. Work better from experience.

I used this one for about 6 months with no single failure:

View attachment 47768

Thanks! I have two Cable-matters ones. https://a.co/d/d8e9KJJ

Okay there are many different fanless mini PCs.. but what specs do you think are bare minimum and ideal? What to consider? Going for affordable and second hand possibly here..

 

[Tech9]

Two identical adapters on the same USB hub (most laptops have one) may create critical issues. I've seen pfSense swapping the interfaces on reboot on HP mini-PC with 2x USB-to-Ethernet adapters and it's a failure requiring immediate attention. If you use 1x USB-to-Ethernet it will be fine. If the laptop doesn't have any Ethernet ports though - look at different hardware. Sounds like you have no experience with pfSense and the learning curve for beginners is pretty steep. You also need proper VLAN capable equipment after your firewall otherwise network segmentation options will be limited. Home router as AP is not a proper AP for VLAN capable firewall unless you know how to script VLAN support, if possible at all.

What so much security you are looking for? Home routers are secure enough for home network.

 

[alightinthedarkness]

Two identical adapters on the same USB hub (most laptops have one) may create critical issues. I've seen pfSense swapping the interfaces on reboot on HP mini-PC with 2x USB-to-Ethernet adapters and it's a failure requiring immediate attention. If you use 1x USB-to-Ethernet it will be fine. If the laptop doesn't have any Ethernet ports though - look at different hardware. Sounds like you have no experience with pfSense and the learning curve for beginners is pretty steep. You also need proper VLAN capable equipment after your firewall otherwise network segmentation options will be limited. Home router as AP is not a proper AP for VLAN capable firewall unless you know how to script VLAN support, if possible at all.

What so much security you are looking for? Home routers are secure enough for home network.

UM433IQ is the laptop. It has a USB 3.0 A port and USB 3.0 C 10Gigabit port. I suspect these are the same hub or chip or whatever. On the other side of the laptop it has a USB 2.0 port.

That's correct I have no support with networking either.

Well I don't know exactly how to answer your question other then to say I am a targeted individual and the threat could be anywhere from an amateur hacker to a skilled hacker. They could be on the same network the ISP router is providing or they could be acting internally at the ISP or from anywhere really. Not certain.

 

[Tech9]

UM433IQ is the laptop.

Waste of a good laptop.

I am a targeted individual

The laptop above in a bag and one way ticket to tropical country.

 

[alightinthedarkness]

Waste of a good laptop.



The laptop above in a bag and one way ticket to tropical country.

No criminal record and no gang affiliations but they will almost certainly block me at the airport or the border. I don't have the money to buy 10 or 15 plane tickets and I don't have the friends to help me with that anyway..

 

[Tech9]

but they will almost certainly block me at the airport or the border

Fishing and hunting book and a small cabin in the middle of nowhere.

 

[alightinthedarkness]

Fishing and hunting book and a small cabin in the middle of nowhere.

Thanks

 

[L&LD]

Well I don't know exactly how to answer your question other then to say I am a targeted individual and the threat could be anywhere from an amateur hacker to a skilled hacker. They could be on the same network the ISP router is providing or they could be acting internally at the ISP or from anywhere really. Not certain.

Hello again.

There is nothing that will help if you're targeted. Unplug. Do not connect. Do not use your friend's devices. Do not use internet cafe devices.

They don't need to look for random devices you may or may not use. All they need to do is monitor the servers you want to access. And, you're located again.