VPN with merlins FW

[bodean]

I began using Private Internet Access (PIA). I use it on my phone, iPad and laptop. If I were to use it in my home PC with my Asus 87U router would I need to do anything special to set it up? Also is there any reason to use it on a home lan setup or is VPN primarily for unsecured wireless?


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[martinr]

Read RMerlin's post here:

http://www.snbforums.com/threads/using-ac68-to-connect-to-hotel-wifi.24439/page-2#post-182955

Better still, read it a couple of times and then have a read of the previous posts leading up to it. I think he sums it up perfectly.

I use Openvpn on my RT-AC68U. I have set up the server on my router, and I have set up OpenVPN client apps/programs on my Windows laptop, iPhone and iPad. I only connect those clients to the OpenVPN server back home on my router if I am on an untrusted network, or if I want to make use of my internal malicious-domain-blocking dns server (in both cases the secure tunnel is between my remote device and my home router, and then I pop back out onto the Internet as if I were back home physically behind the router). I also use the same setup (minus bouncing back out onto the Internet) if I want to remotely access my router or one of my other devices eg the dns server or a media player. I neither need or want a third-party vpn provider.

Setting up OpenVPN on the router and client devices is so easy it's not true. (I also use the ASUS dynamic dns facility on the router so I effectively have a static public IP. Again, it couldn't possibly be made easier than it is.)

OpenVPN gives you a secure tunnel between the client and the server, so I cannot think of a reason why you might want such a tunnel inside your LAN.

 

[bodean]

Thanks. I have already paid for PIA though, so I guess it may be a waste of $40 bucks.

 

[martinr]

Thanks. I have already paid for PIA though, so I guess it may be a waste of $40 bucks.

Not necessarily: all part of the climb up the learning curve. Anyway, you won't be renewing your subcription with them, so you can regard that as money that Asuswrt-Merlin has saved you.

 

[brtravel]

I began using Private Internet Access (PIA). I use it on my phone, iPad and laptop. If I were to use it in my home PC with my Asus 87U router would I need to do anything special to set it up? Also is there any reason to use it on a home lan setup or is VPN primarily for unsecured wireless?

Protecting yourself while on unsecured wifi is a great use of a VPN, but there are other uses that make sense in the home environment also.

1) Privacy - using a VPN keeps your internet usage private from your ISP, some ISPs throttle certain kinds of traffic, this would prevent that. It also (theoretically) keeps your usage private from government inquiry. It's quite possible the FBI/CIA/NSA can still get your data if they suspect a major crime, but VPNs are quite effective for avoiding copyright litigation for torrents.

2) Geolocation - if you want to appear to be in a different country, often used to watch Netflix, BBC, and many other media sources that are free in some countries or are limited to certain countries.