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VPN "box"

It there such a thing as a VPN routing box?

By this I don't mean a hardware router with the ability to install a VPN configuration on it, we already have the router, that bit can't change. It doesn't have the ability to install a VPN.

What I'm looking for is something that sits "behind" that.

e.g.

Internet
|
Router
|
Hardware based VPN < here
|
LAN

Astrill supply a number of preconfigured routers, here:

https://www.astrill.com/astrill-vpn-routers.php

.. but I don't want it to be tied to any specific VPN provider.

Does such a thing exist?
 
Smoothwall can be used to produce a hardware fully customisable VPN. It's been quite a while since I used it, but I'm planning on using it on an old PC for a similar purpose as you state.
 
it depends on the type of service you want.

if you want a local VPN all you would need would be a cheap entry level PC with basic hardware and networking however if you want a more remote option which can cost a little bit more (depending on the provider you go with) some services specifically offer VPN services however other services that offer hosting sometimes offer vpn services along side hosting or allow you root access to install VPN software. suffice to sat it depends on if your looking for anonymity (which would be best service by a remotely hosted service) or security (locally installed at home) between home and office for example.
 
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I had a tip off from a member about this:

Cisco RV180-K9-G5 Small Business VPN Router

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B007QIRULQ

I need one with Wi-Fi too, but there's quite a range of those.

Still a bit puzzled..

That box says it has VPN support.

On the Astrill website, to install onto a router, you apparently have to flash the router firmware so you need one which is either Tomato or DD-WRT compatible. You can look at a compatibility list (that one above isn't in that list) and then download the necessary firmware.

However I don't want to 1. Replace the firmware of the router invalidating a warranty or 2. Install something that's Astrill-specific.

I'd have thought that keying VPN settings would be like setting up a proxy or a VOIP service, so this seems like overkill. That router above is specifically stated as a "VPN router". Yet I can't see a "settings page" on the Astrill website that just gives you the pertinent settings to type into the box.

What am I missing..
 
windows mac server or linux servers has a VPN services you can run. pfsence had a good VPN support. SSL VPN is the way to go now days as it's easier and works with most type of internet connections.
 
Not sure if I'm explaining this very well..

I have the Astrill client on my computer - software based.

At the moment our network is like this:

Internet
|
4G Router
|
(Wi-Fi)

then

(Wi-Fi)
|
My PC with Astrill client software, the VPN is shared using Windows ICS
|
My PC > Ethernet > a second router (Router #2)
|
Other devices (phones, tablets, TV) via Wi-Fi (Router #2) or Ethernet (Router #2)

Thus, everything goes through the VPN. This all works perfectly and the latency is barely any different since the PC is right next to the Wi-Fi source. However the internal net only works when the PC is on.

What I want is:

Internet
|
4G Router
|
VPN Hardware box *
|
Everything else

* this is the bit I am struggling to understand.
 
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Thanks...

So in terms of setup - here's what Astrill has to say..

http://wiki.astrill.com/index.php/Astrill_Setup_Manual#Routers

.. and so what puzzles me is: without changing the firmware, there doesn't seem to be any way to make it work.

I don't want to replace the firmware. I just want a settings page into which I key e.g. a proxy IP and authentication information.

Is this just an Astrill thing - I was looking to change VPN providers anyway. Do others simply give you the relevant settings?

Or does this have to do with encryption necessitating the need to install firmware as opposed to simply the routing?

Or have I missed the point..
 
OK have sorted this.

In the end I went for an Asus RT-N66U router.

This then sits behind the Huawei B593 modem/router which has Wi-Fi turned off and is set to issue a fixed IP address to the Asus router.

Within the Asus router, there's a VPN server and a VPN client setup page. On the latter, I've set this to connect to my VPN.

Then unplug everything from the Huawei box and plug it into the Asus and now all the devices in the home route through the VPN so all share the same external IP address.

This neatly fixes the CGNAT issues with EE 4G since the VPN tunnel effectively "punches through" that and the server at the other end - e.g. a web server - always sees the same originating IP address, so sites with paywalls, flood control etc work fine.

The Asus router also seems to deliver a stronger Wi-Fi signal to the house, but then that has much to do with the fact that without an external antenna on the roof for the 4G (that's next) the Huawei box has to sit on the window sill meaning that most of the Wi-Fi signal doesn't get around the house but instead leaks out of the window.

Job done :)
 
I find the N55U (similar to the N66U has much greater range than my other 6APs when measured outside. It's presumably due to the fact that its antennas aren't inside a box filled with lots of metal like the circuit board and interference cans around the components on the board. My walls are all brick AND we have aluminium backed insulation, hence needing 7 APs in the house.

It's interesting you mention the VPN features; I've seen them in the menus but never really used them: it's easier (read better for me) to share the connection through my domain controller on my subnet than apply it on the internet gateway that then everyone can use.
 
The interesting part comes next - getting the VPN to port-forward backwards to the Huawei box to port forward to the Asus to port forward to my desktop for remote VNC access ;)
 
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The setup doesn't change the speeds apart from the fact that the VPN does shave off about 1 to 3 Meg in each direction.

It would be faster if I could put the router where I used to put the dongle, on top of the window - seems to be a "sweet spot" which increases the upload speed substantially.

If you put the Huawei box there and hold it there to stop it plummeting to the ground - I've had 36 Meg down and 27 Meg up before.

I would wave it out of the window for a test now except that the Ethernet cable connecting it to the Asus won't reach.

We're right on the edge of service for EE 4G as evidenced by the signal strength stats you can get from the router. I think this is the main thing holding the speeds back.

To join the "50 Meg crowd" as it appears to be known on a South African forum would need an increase of at least 15dBm from what I've read, and only a directional antenna is going to do that.

Though the upstream is much lower than I'm used to - wonder if it has anything to do with the network reconfiguration round here the other day.

External antenna next, the upstream speed is depressing.

All working beautifully with the Asus + VPN though - we were watching stuff on the TV on YouTube and Netflix last night and it solves the CGNAT issues (which cause YouTube TV to break) neatly. 6 devices connected to it and doesn't buffer at all.

3691334183.png
 
My situation is identical to yours in that I use EE 4G as it is all I can get round here as ADSL Is so poor. I am using a B593 but would also like to use a fixed IP via a VPN. Is there a cheaper way than buying another router you have come across? How were you routing everything through your PC?
 
I suspect there are many routers which support a VPN.

If you can find a cheap router that supports OpenWRT you should be set.
 
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My situation is identical to yours in that I use EE 4G as it is all I can get round here as ADSL Is so poor. I am using a B593 but would also like to use a fixed IP via a VPN. Is there a cheaper way than buying another router you have come across? How were you routing everything through your PC?

Using Internet Connection Sharing.

My PC had/has only one network card so it was modem > PC via Wi-Fi, then PC > router > rest of house via Ethernet.

While I don't think you can use ICS to share a dongle's connection, you can use it to share a VPN dial-up connection.
 
Question for Mark - I am using the same setup but can I check how you are connecting to the WAN - the signal from the Huawei that is?

I use 10.0.0.1 as the IP address for the Huawei with DHCP enabled and the WAN setting as for "Static IP" as pictured
The range of addresses on the Asus network is 192.168.1.x
The connection seemed to go once or twice and not sure why. Also using the Astrill VPN via Merlin firmware.

Asus.jpg
 
Last edited:
In the Asus box, set the IP of the box itself to 192.168.2.1 so it doesn't clash with the "outer" Huawei router, which by default uses the same 192.168.1.1 address..

asus-router-page-ip.png


Set up the Huawei to issue a fixed IP:

huawei-page.jpg


Set the Asus to use it:

asus-router-page.png


.. and finally, the Huawei router has an odd URL redirect on it so it works via a domain name. That won't work "through" the Asus.

In Windows: Start, right click on Notepad, Run As Administrator, navigate to and open c:\windows\system32\drivers\etc\HOSTS (display files of all types) add this line at the bottom and then save:

192.168.1.1 homerouter.cpe
 
Last edited:
I thought the two routers had to be on different subnets?
255.255.255.0 for the Asus and 255.255.0.0 for the Huawei.
Does it make a difference?
 
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