[Question] Access point and VPN

[mackun]

hiya @RMerlin

did a quick search and the most recent result is dated OCT last year and for device AC68U
was wondering is there any possibility to have VPN functionality in AP mode in near future?

i currently run

ONT - AC88U - Wired Powerline - N66U (Router Mode so I can have VPN)

but in this manner, because i guess they are considered as 2 different network so devices connected to N66U would not be able to detect the samba service on AC88U.
And I have SSIDs on both router mirrored, but, the handoff between the 2 are not exactly seamless

so I was thinking if i can get the N66U under the same network and have VPN on it plus having seamless wireless hand offs.

TIA for any inputs!!

 

[primitivo]

Why to no run VPN on AC88U and use selective VPN routing if required for certain devices only? Also the CPU is much more powerful on AC88U which will benefit VPN performance. Then use N66U in AP mode.

 

[mackun]

Why to no run VPN on AC88U and use selective VPN routing if required for certain devices only? Also the CPU is much more powerful on AC88U which will benefit VPN performance. Then use N66U in AP mode.

Thanks for the reply primitivo.
Was thinking so Users on the n66u would have more control when they want their devices to have vpn access without the need to log into the main router. Limited access.

Looks like I'll have to choose only 1 eh.
Vpn or main router samba and more seamless hand off

 

[RMerlin]

is there any possibility to have VPN functionality in AP mode in near future?

Highly unlikely. The implementation is too tightly integrated into the WAN interface (which is not present in AP/Repeater mode), dnsmasq (which does not run in AP/Repeater mode) and routing (there's no routing capabilities in AP/Repeater mode).

 

[primitivo]

Thanks for the reply primitivo.
Was thinking so Users on the n66u would have more control when they want their devices to have vpn access without the need to log into the main router. Limited access.

Looks like I'll have to choose only 1 eh.
Vpn or main router samba and more seamless hand off

This is something that Merlin doesn't support (yet) but if you would like to use Astrill, they have excellent applet which works with Merlin FW. You could setup WiFi (2.4 or/& 5Ghz) to run via VPN on their applet, this way if the clients want be routed via VPN, all they have to do is to switch to WiFi from ethernet for example or from 2.4Ghz (VPN) to 5Ghz (non VPN).

 

[mackun]

noted with thanks to both @RMerlin and @primitivo !!
one thing, would there be any speed discount when running in AP mode?

N66U as an AP haha feels overkill

 

[primitivo]

noted with thanks to both @RMerlin and @primitivo !!
one thing, would there be any speed discount when running in AP mode?

N66U as an AP haha feels overkill

There should not be any speed decrease when running in AP (wired cable) mode, there would be in a repeater (WiFi) mode.

 

[mackun]

Right, thanks again.
I'll just let the current setting run for a bit.
But will probably change and make use of selective routing.

Cheers!