What's better: VPN Server on Router or NAS/PC?

[rodriguezdan]

Hi,

I want to set up VPN on my home net so I can securely surf when on pubic wifi (coffee shops, planes, etc), and also so I can connect to some devices that don't support out-of-network connections (Tivo).

Before I got an RT-AC66U w/ Merlin, I was running the VPN server through my Synology NAS.

My question is, is there a pro or con to running the server on the router? Would the speed be better if I'm not two-hopping (router to NAS and back out)? Am I better off letting the NAS do the work and not put the burden of running the VPN on the router? etc

Thanks in advance!

 

[CaptainSTX]

Neither of the options you suggest are going to give you good throughput.

In your case you would be better off running a VPN client on your devices and connecting to a commercial VPN service such as Astrill, StrongVPN, IPVanish, etc.

If you don't want to pay a monthly/annual fee for a VPN service then try a freebie such as Hotspot shield. Your results may very as you get what you pay for.

 

[rodriguezdan]

Thanks! Speed isn't an issue when I go through my NAS, and I still need to get to other devices on the network occasionally. I hear you on a commercial service, but my question is which of these two options is better?

 

[sinshiva]

heya,

what kind of bandwidth do you have? i want to say i read that a single core n66 should handle 20+mbit in one of RMerlin's posts. as you intend to run the server on your home connection, it'll obviously be dependent on your upload bandwidth. Since you have a NAS, it's probably safe to say you aren't using the router for much of the CPU, so i think you should let each device do what they do best. if you have a dual core router to play with like the ac56 or the ac68, i believe the vpn throughput was significantly greater than via the n66.

 

[rodriguezdan]

heya,

what kind of bandwidth do you have? i want to say i read that a single core n66 should handle 20+mbit in one of RMerlin's posts. as you intend to run the server on your home connection, it'll obviously be dependent on your upload bandwidth. Since you have a NAS, it's probably safe to say you aren't using the router for much of the CPU, so i think you should let each device do what they do best. if you have a dual core router to play with like the ac56 or the ac68, i believe the vpn throughput was significantly greater than via the n66.

I get 83 down, 38 up. On the ac66.

 

[rodriguezdan]

heya,

what kind of bandwidth do you have? i want to say i read that a single core n66 should handle 20+mbit in one of RMerlin's posts. as you intend to run the server on your home connection, it'll obviously be dependent on your upload bandwidth. Since you have a NAS, it's probably safe to say you aren't using the router for much of the CPU, so i think you should let each device do what they do best. if you have a dual core router to play with like the ac56 or the ac68, i believe the vpn throughput was significantly greater than via the n66.

Oh and the NAS is a Synology DS212j, which is not a processing beast either. But yeah I'm not depending on the router to do any hard drive stuff or torrenting etc. it's JUST a traffic manager at the moment and I want to have the most efficient network possible.

 

[sinshiva]

I get 83 down, 38 up. On the ac66.

ok, i believe i read that the ac56/68 should handle 60+mbit np. you'd want to get a new router to get the most out of your network

 

[rodriguezdan]

ok, i believe i read that the ac56/68 should handle 60+mbit np. you'd want to get a new router to get the most out of your network

Thanks. Well I just bought the 66 so that's not going anywhere. Again just asking what's the better option between what I have in front of me. Thanks

 

[sinshiva]

then theoretically, i'd expect the nas to perform better. how everything runs while everything is busy, though, you'll have to find out for yourself unless somebody chimes in, sorry

 

[rodriguezdan]

then theoretically, i'd expect the nas to perform better. how everything runs while everything is busy, though, you'll have to find out for yourself unless somebody chimes in, sorry

ok thanks for the help, i'll just run speedtests from the office and see what happens

 

[rodriguezdan]

ok thanks for the help, i'll just run speedtests from the office and see what happens

well not sure if i should be testing for other things but speedtest.net when running all traffic through VPN gets me double speed (both up and down) from the RT-AC66 over the NAS